TOMB RAIDER III: THE ADVENTURES OF LARA CROFT REVIEW

 

Developer: Core Design

Publisher: Eidos Interactive

Series: Tomb Raider

Release date: 20 November 1998 (PC & PlayStation); 14 February 2024

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Mac OS. Remastered: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Genre: Action-Adventure

Mode: Single Player

The early days of 3D games were an important period for video games, as the transition from 2D sprites to fully pledged 3D environments and characters was now possible. During this transition, many games would change and end up revolutionising video games as we know it, some would end up flopping hard and end up forgotten by the sands of time, or new games would be created with a big bright future ahead of them. Amongst the games that come to mind during this time is Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64, which was praised for its addictive gameplay and inhumanly perfect 360 degree movement. Then we have Quake for the PC, which came out in 1996 and was a game changer not just for gaming, but for technology as well. Another game that I can say that made a big impact on gaming is PlayStation’s Metal Gear Solid. Stealth gameplay with changeable camera angles that allow you to have a top down view or be in first person mode? And also having to do all kinds of shenanigans with the console itself to beat levels? The wonders of early 3D gaming!

Amidst the rise of the third dimension, one small game developer studio from England called Core Design decided to get into the ring and make its own video game that was going to be a part of this newly discovered dimension. The game that they crafted was Tomb Raider, an action adventure platformer with focus on exploration, light to moderate puzzle solving with some combat thrown here and there to spice things up. It didn’t become a big success nor was it met with positive reception… IT BECAME A CULTURAL ICON AND HAD A MASSIVE IMPACT ON GAMING!!!

The players took control of Lara Croft, an English lady whose personality can be best described as BADASS!!! Praised as one of the first female protagonists in gaming, Lara Croft cemented her place in video games as an icon for both gaming and sex appeal, but the latter is not as important as the former.

Lara and the player explored ancient tombs around four locations in the world: Peru, Greece, Egypt and Atlantis. Each having its distinct style, puzzle variety and enemy type, with the final level of each section culminating in a boss fight. The tight and precise control was also another factor that made Tomb Raider a smashing hit, as any mistake done by the player was their fault and not the game’s. And how can I forget the music! Nathan McCree is a musical GENIUS!

With all of these things thrown in together and mixed carefully, the game was a success for a reason.

This was followed with a sequel, Tomb Raider II in 1997. The game took the “Bigger = Better” approach, as the game was twice as long, the danger was twice as big, but Lara’s equipment and abilities have been doubled to tackle down her foes and track down the mystical artefacts that were left in the ruins of tombs and temples that are by this point as old as time itself. The game also introduced urban environments and vehicles to the mix, meaning players had somewhat contemporary places to explore and explore them in different ways. It wasn’t a surprise that Tomb Raider II became another smash hit for Core Design.

Amidst all of the hype and praise for the Tomb Raider games, the madmen from Derby were cooking up something big behind the scenes. They set out to make THE PERFECT Tomb Raider game, the game that would combine everything that was great about the first two titles and not double down, but triple down on some elements that would put any gamer to the test.

I kind of referenced it in the previous review, but I have to say it again: 3^rd STRIKE IS WHAT COUNTS!!!

It’s time for our third adventure, fellow reader…

STORY

Millions of years ago, a meteorite hit Earth, causing devastation all over. Plenty of animal species disappear due to the impact.

Sometime later, like a couple of millions of years later, when man roamed the planet, an ancient tribe of Polynesians inhabited the land of present day Antarctica. They discover the meteorite and end up carving 4 (are you sure about that?) artefacts with different shapes and sizes. Overtime however, this proves to be a disaster, as the Polynesians start deforming and mutating into unrecognisable creatures. Some are born without a face, some with extra body parts, and some with supernatural powers. This causes the population to flee and inhabit the South Pacific islands. Those that were unfortunate remained stuck and later buried deep into the snow and ice cold waters of Antarctica.

Present day, 1998, a mining company called R.X. Tech led by its founder Dr. Mark Willard, are digging the snowy fields of Antarctica, trying to find the supposed resting place for the Meteorite Artefacts. But things are not as they seem. He does not find them, but rather, he discovers that it is also a resting place of a person who’s not of Polynesian origins. The person is Paul Caulfield, member of Darwin’s HMS Beagle.

“This place’s had a busy history”, Willard quietly says to himself.

The Meteorite Artefacts. From left to right: Infada Stone, Element 115, Eye of Isis & Ora Dagger

GAMEPLAY

Tomb Raider III expands and perfects what was known for the series. The environments are now looking more realistic than before. This is thanks to the decision to switch from the grid system to triangular polygons, meaning creating objects can look a lot more real than before. This also applies for the living creatures too. Unlike Tomb Raider II, where Lara was the only decent looking living amongst the rest, here almost everyone that moves, shoots and spits poison looks much more realistic.

Another change that Tomb Raider III brings is the lighting. It looks much more natural with rooms no longer being lit completely by a single flare or torch. The bigger the room is, the less light there will be. Only the area where light emits will be the best lit, with the other parts getting darker. Not to mention that fire is no longer made out of sprites, but from a well rendered fire effects. The atmospheric elements are at an all-time high with smokes, rain and snow being present in the levels.

The secret structure from Tomb Raider returns. You’ll have to have your eyes wide open for secret paths or alternate routes that lead to items that will aid on your journey.

Weapons now leave castings when they’re fired, so now you will hear the sounds of Lara’s weapons leave evidence of their use. There are so many other things to list about the changes that it’s going to take me an entire month to explain them, so give this short video a watch to see the changes this game brought to the table.

YouTube channel: Seth McKenzie

As for the controls, they have changed yet again. This time for the better, as Lara can now be controlled with the analogue stick, should you play it like that or on PlayStation. Bellow, like usual, are the controls for the game. This time around, they’re expanded and make Lara feel complete:

ACTION	CONTROLS (PC/PS)
Movement	Arrow Keys / D-Pad
Walk	Shift / R1
Jump	Alt / Square
Sidestep	Shift + Left/Right Arrow/ R1 + D-Pad Left/Right
Roll	End or Up + Down / Circle
Draw or Holster Weapon	Space Bar / Triangle
Action	Ctrl / X
Look	Numpad 0 + Arrow Keys / L1 + D-Pad
Flare/Throw Flare	Comma [,]/ (Select + R1)
Crouch (also Crawl)	Period [.]+ Arrow Keys/ L2 + D-Pad
Sprint	Forward slash [/] + Arrow Keys / R2 + D-Pad

The basic training level, Croft Manor, where players would spend time learning how to play the game and explore, is in its greatest variation to date, with not only places to learn movement, but secrets to discover and unlock places previously inaccessible or unimaginable…

You want to put your platforming skills to the test? Take a shot at the Assault Course and see if you can beat it in the fastest time possible.

You want to quickly skim through the levels or showboat your driving skills? Well chief, you have to get your license first. Croft Manor has its very own Quad Bike Track that will teach you how to ride the Quad and pretty much any other vehicle in the game. Unless you’re one of the cool kids, you won’t be able to enter the track. Therefore, pull a book to read to calm down that fire inside you. Once an opportunity opens, just dash to reach it. And then take a nap in the waters where you’ll be granted access to the Track…

INVENTORY

Lara can't go adventuring without proper equipment. Bellow, you'll see what items she'll collect during her hunt for the meteorite artefacts...

LEVELS

Once we are all done exploring our own home, it’s time to pack our stuff, clean our pistols, bring with us our beloved stopwatch to check on the progress, and the most important item of all, our PASSPORT. Because without it, we can’t go anywhere…

INDIA

 

A rather familiar pose...

Classic. The one and only look for Lara...

Jungle

A long slope filled with spikes is the highlight of this section. And it’s right at the start of the level. Otherwise, this place isn’t so bad. It’s a jungle filled with friendly, yet mischievous monkeys, fierce and strong tigers and deadly piranhas, so watch out when you enter the waters. Navigating isn’t tedious nor scary either. Enjoy the sights of jungle, but be aware of a certain loony called Tony who’s suffering from jungle fever and keeps mumbling about how there’s something spooky in the jungle…

Tony the Loony...

Temple Ruins

Deep into the jungle, we encounter a temple in ruins. Abandoned by its inhabitants’ years ago, it houses poisonous cobras, deadly poisonous traps, slightly advanced puzzles and aggressive monkeys whose fur is slightly altered. Fire seems to be the main theme in this temple, despite the cobras and poisonous darts trying to end Lara’s journey. Did I mention that Shiva statues also guard this place? Good luck against them…

 

 

The River Ganges

Narrowly escaping the temple and its destruction by our fellow loony friend, Lara is now tasked to chase him through the river Ganges. A quad bike, plenty of jumps and two pathways are to be expected here. Choose wisely witch path you take…

 

 

Caves of Kaliya

Perhaps these caves were dedicated to the Hindu deity Kaliya, a half-human, half-serpent creature living in the Yamuna River. Surrounded with poison, no one could go near him. And only one tree grew on the river bank.

Why am I explaining this legend to you? Well it’s pretty simple: A cave full of mazes, cobras and boulder traps will kill you before you hit the ground. Following the green is the only escape from this madness.

It’s also the key to reaching Tony and take him out quickly and efficiently…

The Infada Stone. It grants the user the powers to levitate, create earthquakes and throw and spit fire. To use it, just stab yourself and you have superpowers... Represents the element of Fire.

Now normally, this is the part where I start the next chapter of the game. But Tomb Raider III throws in another surprise. You get to choose your next destination. It’s not called “The Adventures of Lara Croft” for nothing.

From this point, we are given a selection of 3 possible places to visit: London, Nevada or South Pacific.

It is up to you to pick whichever destination you desire. This helps spice the gameplay up by a lot, increases replay value and on top of all that, certain items will spawn depending on the location you’ve picked. For first time players, this is an exciting feature. For newcomers, it is a trap. For veteran Tomb Slayers, it’s nothing more than a fun challenge.

You’ll see what I mean with this statement later on in the review.

The world is your canvas. Choose wisely...

SOUTH PACIFIC

 

The word tranquillity in this case means DANGER!!!

An alternative take on the Classic outfit, for an alternative exotic location...

Coastal Village

A tropical paradise surrounded by the ocean, a vivid and colourful aquatic life, beautiful and lush forests and jungles… That’s about it really.

Behind all of it is a devious and downright terrifying village inhabited by cannibals who are well versed in spear fighting, blowing out poisonous darts, and masters of creating cruel traps.

Their village is also unwelcoming to strangers and the people there are always on high alert from predators. But then again, what did you expect? You’re a foreigner in a foreign land, Lara.

 

 

Crash Site

Not long after exploring the village and decreasing its population, Lara runs into a soldier of the Australian forces, stuck there after his air carrier crashed in the mountains.

Separated from his men, and also without a leg, he tells Lara to go deeper into the jungles of the island to find out what exactly is going on, and to send out a warning to his men.

No one said a task of this size would be easy, especially when bloody raptors are populating the jungles of this place. And a T-Rex. And tiny little green dinosaurs that I forgot the name of…

 

 

Madubu Gorge

After sending out the warning to the remaining soldiers and making sure dinosaurs become extinct for good, Lara runs into an elder of the tribe she massacred mere moments ago.

He tells her that in the mountains is the artefact she’s after, but something about the place feels off. And that she should be very careful approaching the temple located there.

The gorge itself is dangerous and jumping around, climbing, showing off is dangerous, as the water will take your life away very quickly. Kayaks will be your main form of transport here, but don’t think for a second that life will be easier with them. It’s man versus nature. Navigating a kayak through the dangerous waterfalls will be a task far greater than Lara can imagine. Green Dragonettes inhabit this gorge. They breathe out poisonous gas, that should you get closer, will ruin your breathing, and poison you of course.

Once you survive the gorge, you’ll find yourself inside the Temple of Puna…

 

 

Temple of Puna

The elite tribesmen guard this precious temple and its leader. They’ll put up a good fight.

Traps are at an all-time high here. Break a leg when trying to survive them.

The leader channels the Ora Dagger’s powers to summon the Dragonettes and make his fight even more tedious. Just jump around and feed them with lead…

The Ora Dagger. Grants the user the power to summon lizards, create lightning and use protective barriers. Represents the element of Air.

NEVADA

 

Not even the hot and dry sands will keep Lara away from her goal...

Blue Camouflage. Works indoors. Outside, not so much...

Nevada Desert

It’s a desert. I honestly don’t know what else to say. Inhabited by vultures and rattle snakes, Lara must find a way through the dessert to enter a canyon. But this is no ordinary canyon. It seems like it is being operated by someone. This must mean that she’s not alone.

A group of bikers called “Lost Souls” (okay not their real name, but they have a Lost Soul on their jacket) try to sabotage the machines that do their thing. And also hurt Lara as well. Their HQ is next to a High Security Compound, whose entrance is well guarded and the only way to infiltrate it is by doing a ridiculous stunt. Surely nothing can go wrong, right?

 

 

High Security Compound

And as expected, things did go wrong. Lara gets captured and is stripped away from her inventory, and it’s now her job to resupply, go on a chaotic killing spree, all while sneaking around the compound and releasing inmates to help her do her dirty work.

Unlike her previous adventures, Lara is once again forced to explore without her weapons. What’s the catch?

EVERYTHING IS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER! SOME THINGS ARE EVEN LOST FOR GOOD THIS TIME AROUND!!!

She has only her stopwatch, a small medipack and a save crystal. No spare ammo, no nothing. And even when she does find weapons, it’s only her pistols and the Desert Eagle. So yeah. This place is a death trap for those who are unprepared to the fullest…

 

 

Area 51

The thrilling conclusion to this chapter of the story. The infamous Area 51, where the government is hiding from the people secrets that can take us to the final frontier, or some extra-terrestrial anomalies that are being studied.

The blue camouflage that Lara wears now makes total sense. In the compound it made her invisible to the security guards. Same goes here, she blends in with the surroundings extremely well.

This place also contains the infamous Element 115. Lara must be some world class 4D chess to let herself get captured and end up at Area 51.

The secret location is full of high tech traps and weapons that Lara has to avoid whilst blowing the ever loving fuck out of the guards there.

We’re not alone…

 

Element 115. Unknown powers... Represents the element of Water (?)

 

LONDON

 

I wonder if Lara avoided being stabbed by a random hoodlum before climbing up...

The Catsuit. Perfect for sneaking through the dark corners and indoors of London...

Thames Wharf

Dawning a cat suit, and with 3 out of the 4 artefacts in her possession, Lara sneaks through the dark corners of a construction site near the river Thames, that is also close to an underground subway station where England’s finest boxer fought with some Japanese hobo in a karate suit shouting HADOKEN and SHORYUKEN hours before Miss Croft decided to do her raiding.

The dark and rainy rooftops of this place are kind of unfriendly towards Lara. Ravens and mercenaries walk amongst this urban purgatory. The place isn’t in the best condition, so look out bellow. The floor might collapse at any time.

Extra points of disgust go to the sewers, because Lara will be forced to swim through them in order to reach her goal. This isn’t a remark for this chapter, but for the entirety of London…

 

 

Aldwych

From the rooftops, Lara goes underground to the famous Aldwych station. A train station famous for its use during WW2 as a shelter from the bombings. It closed down in 1994 to avoid spending money on repairs.

It may have closed down 4 years prior, but the empty and cold tubes make it seem like it’s been closed down for a longer period. The station is haunted by weird looking humans, rats and rabid dogs, all attacking our beloved intruder.

Aldwych also houses a Masonic Temple. No clue why it’s there, but it seems to be active…

 

 

Lud’s Gate

I do not know who Lud is, nor why he has a gate, but one thing is for sure: Lara is given a choice on how to tackle this section.

She also learns that the weird mutated humans are part of a gang called “The Damned”. It’s a gang made up of former test subjects for a cosmetic tycoon named Sophia Leigh, whose existence is a mystery to all. It is said she’s way older than she looks.

The Damned decide to help Lara on her adventure, as long as she brings them an embalming fluid from the Natural History Museum. Did Lara bring them the artefact? Maybe. Maybe not. All she knows is she is given yet another decision on what to do here.

The museum also has an Egypt section. A fine homage to one of her previous locations…

 

 

City

Lara finally meets the tycoon herself. Sophia is kind of a bitch and with the artefact in hand, runs away from our heroine across the street.

A vicious duel between the two commences, with Lara emerging victorious…

Miss Sophia Leigh. Her first name pronounced according to British English: so - FIE - ah

The Eye of Isis. Grants immortality (sort of) and the ability to throw projectiles and beams. Represents the element of Earth.

 

With all 4 artefacts in her possession, Lara is contacted by Willard (who tasked her with finding the artefacts after the death of Tony the Loon) to meet him in Antarctica.

One flight and cheating death later, she lands safely and proceeds to the meeting. But first, time to analyse Antarctica…

 

 

ANTARCTICA

 

The snow and ice can barely hide the ancient and horrifying secret of this adventure...

An enduring exploration requires the proper look and gear... I name this outfit: "The R.X. Tech Slayer"

Antarctica

10/10 name.

Snow, freezing waters, and paranoid workers with their dogs. The location itself is rather similar to Jungle. Nothing too intense, as Lara can explore the station at her own pace.

Swimming should be avoided, as the waters are not like those in Tibet. If Lara drops down, she has 10 seconds to get out before she freezes to death.

I mentioned that the workers there (all belonging to R.X. Tech) are all paranoid. Well… Let’s say that our fellow Dr. Mark Willard is a naughty man who is doing some shady stuff behind the scenes…

Mark Willard. The crazy scientist that sent Lara throughout the world after encountering her in India...

 

R.X. Tech Mines

A huge mine filled with mutated R.X. Tech workers and dudes using flamethrowers to kill the mutants quickly. They’re on your side as long as you don’t shoot them.

90% of the level is traversing with minecarts. See the tutorial bellow on how to use them…

 

 

Lost City of Tinnos

The capital city (I guess) of the ancient Polynesians. It is highly advanced and completely different from anything else Lara has ever seen.

Mutant Barons of Hell wander the ancient forgotten city accompanied with mutant wasps, the latter being nightmare fuel for those who have Spheksophobia (fear of wasps).

The City values puzzles that involve the elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Completing the puzzles is crucial, as they guard masks that protect the entrance to the place where the Meteorite Artefacts were crafted…

 

 

Meteorite Cavern

Collecting the 4 artefacts so they can be used to speed up evolution was a mistake. But Willard learned that the hard way.

The ultimate showdown is upon us. Mutant Willard versus Lara… Only one can emerge victorious…

 

 

All Hallows

Just like Tomb Raider II: The Golden Mask, finding all secrets in Tomb Raider III rewards us with a bonus chapter. It takes place in London, Saint Pauls’ Cathedral. It seems like it should’ve been the true follow up of Thames Wharf, but for whatever reason, it’s a bonus level. Maybe due to lack of time it was moved as a special reward for the player to play.

Successfully finding all secrets AND beating the bonus level grants the player to start a new game with all weapons with infinite ammo.

Okay, so after quickly going through the game’s features, changes and levels, the expansion pack is a natural follow up. Normally I would mention a thing or two about it and move on to the Gallery and so on.

What if I told you that the expansion to Tomb Raider III is also THE CONCLUSION TO THE STORY OF THE GAME?

Yeah! Unlike “Unfinished Business” and “The Golden Mask”, “The Golden Artefact” picks up the story after the Antarctica chapter and follows Lara on a mini adventure that is all about the discovery of a 5^th meteorite artefact (that’s why I said in the Story section “are you sure about that”). Therefore, let’s see how the story of Tomb Raider III concludes…

Developer: Core Design

Publisher: Eidos Interactive

Series: Tomb Raider

Release date: March 2000 (PC Only); 14 February 2024

Platforms: PC. Remastered: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Genre: Action-Adventure

Mode: Single Player

 

The battle against the mutated doctor was tiring. Having to deal with someone who transformed into a gigantic spider shooting bloody energy fireballs and passing out after being shot multiple times wasn’t a fun time. Same goes for reacquiring the artefacts. But in the end, Lara emerges victorious, and Willard returns to his former human self, but albeit crazier than before.

From his dying body, Lara discovers a bunch of items, such as money, cards, a newspaper clipping with her picture on it and a telegram message stating that a 5^th artefact has been delivered to his castle in Scotland.

“So there was a fifth…”

Highland Fling

Willard must've been a huge fan of Lara to have a clipping of her in his wallet...

A tomb raider’s thirst to get the artefact that they seek can never be clenched. Lara knows this all too well.

After taking a break from her Escape from Antarctica, she prepares herself by dawning her classic outfit and travelling to Scotland using her personal own helicopter with a lovely Union Jack vinyl.

As for Willard’s castle, it’s in ruins. Plenty of places to explore. Plenty of his personal guard to eliminate. A secret tomb that contains the MP5 is also there.

Overall, Lara will have a normal time here. Feels like a warm up for the main course up ahead.

Also Nessie is in the level…

 

 

Willard’s Lair

Don't be fooled. The hand is not there...

The time spent on the surface was worth it. The underground portion of the castle is full of boulders, spiked walls closing in and shaky surroundings that break down just by thinking about them. Another thing to note is that once this is all done, Lara ends up right next to her personal chopper. But before she reaches it, she has to fend off some Highlanders trying to impale her with their swords.

Unfortunately, raiding the lair was in vain, as someone has taken the artefact before our fellow English gunslinger.

And some strange goo is present throughout the entire place. What could have caused it to exist?

 

 

Shakespeare Cliff

To raid or not to raid? That is the question...

After having her breakfast and criticising the cold tea she drank, she lands in Dover. More accurately, Shakespeare Cliff.

Here, she has to battle out a bunch of mercenaries and construction workers that are all trying their hardest to defend the tunnel they’re preparing. You would think that this is all normal, but in reality, these goons are working for a company called SLINC.

The tunnel itself is in a mess. But something is hiding there. The tunnel contains secrets that range from almost 200 years old to millions of years old.

The power of this 5^th artefact must be incredible…

 

 

Sleeping With the Fishes

There's more than just fish down there, Lara. And trust me, it's not pretty...

After being Knee-Deep in the Dead, she ends up in a submarine and is forced to swim around underwater to get to places and eventually pick up the 5^th artefact called The Hand of Rathmore.

SLINC’s defence is at an all-time high. They will try to stop Lara at all costs.

Can she survive the odds and come out of the former WW2 waters as the winner? And who is behind this SLINC Corporation that is so desperate at stopping Croft?

 

 

It’s a Madhouse!

The title card says it all...

OF COURSE SHE EMERGES AS THE VICTOR!!! And she crashes at a coastal French town that is abandoned and there’s also a zoo?

Lara’s journey came full circle. She started in India, surrounded with the lush greens and animals, and ended up in the same place: surrounded with the lush greens and animals. Just add the urban aesthetic to it and a bit of a Citroen 2CV into the mix and she’s good to go.

This coastal town does however contain a hidden lair dedicated to The Hand of Rathmore. Tortured corpses, almost invisible platforms and skulls inside the walls tells Lara that she should turn back. Utilising The Hand to discover its secrets is suicide.

But alas, she does the complete opposite…

 

 

Reunion

Only one can walk away victorious...

By doing the complete opposite, she is sent to a dimension that is either out of this world, an eldritch temple or perhaps Hell itself.

The same meteorite boulders found in Antarctica return here to squash Lara too. The tortured corpses are brought back to life, despite the lack of hearts (they have a huge giant hole in their chests).

The goo that she first encountered in Scotland is just everywhere. Touching it is a big no-no. And the crème de la crème of this brutal place is Sophia Leigh. The owner of SLINC apparently did not die by electrocution in London. She also seems to be able to command the entire place as she pleases.

Endurance is at an all-time high for Lara here. And so is her fatigue once she eliminates Sophia, once and for all. With her possession of the 5^th and final artefact, a bearded Winston comes to the rescue to pick her up and take her back home.

All things return to normal after this hellhole of an adventure…

The Hand of Rathmore. has the ability to mutate and teleport across dimensions. Represents the element of [REDACTED]

SOUNDTRACK

For the third, and final time, the magnificent composer Nathan McCree returns to compose the music for the game. And I’m not the only one who will say the following: but his work on Tomb Raider III is his MAGNUM OPUS! Far better than his work on the previous two games.

In Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider II, the atmospheric tracks were reused between games and felt a bit fast paced in certain areas. Another thing to note is they also felt more like they were played like they were part of a movie. This is by no means a criticism of the music, but something to note at the differences. Tomb Raider III’s soundtrack borrows some of the former, but transforms them into feeling more atmospheric and personal. Kind of befitting for an adventure of such scales.

I mean, just take a listen to it. This is PERFECTION!!!

Another thing that makes the music of McCree amazing is the following suite. In 2016, to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the series, McCree performed with a live orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, London, a selection of the best music from the first trilogy, plus an original piece written for the third game. Below is the playlist of the suite.

                       

You can also buy the suite by clicking here.

GALLERY

FINAL THOUGHTS

Core really crafted the perfect Tomb Raider game with this masterpiece of an entry.

The updated graphics, coupled in with the new moves and improved controls, new means of completing levels, return to traditional secret collecting, the freedom to select which level to play after the introductory chapter, and the locations themselves… Ran out of breath trying to explain the reasons for why this game is a masterpiece. But I believe you get the idea.

The game did gain a lot of criticisms by fans and critics for not changing up the main formula that started with Tomb Raider in 1996. The formula is the same, I agree, but it’s been updated with each new instalment. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, that’s what I say.

But the newly added additions and updates did make the game stand out from the others in a good way, and because of that, many consider the game to be the best of the original trilogy.

I consider it the greatest game ever made.

And this very long review is my gift to this wonderful game. Happy 25^th birthday, Tomb Raider III. 1998 was a wonderful year indeed. I was born, Tomb Raider III was made, and the plot of SFIII 3^rd Strike takes place.

SPECIAL THANKS

- Core Design

- LeonDeka’s Remastered TR3 FMVs

- tombraiderchronicles.com

- Stella’s Tomb Raider

- Tomb Raider Nostalgia. I used this for to take pictures of the levels.

- TOMB3 by Troye. Like TR1X and TR2Main, it is a decompilation project that keeps the original code and fixes bugs and adds features. Plethora of things can be restored that were cut before release.

- TRTextureReplace – Optional add-on for TOMB3. Restores the save crystals found in the PS1 version of the game. If you haven’t played the game with them, then having these installed will be a good challenge for you.

LINKS

Tomb Raider III

Or if you fancy yourself grabbing all three games at once, click here.

And the best link of them all. The Trilogy is getting a remaster that releases on February 14^th 2024. It will have new graphics, all expansion packs (making “The Lost Artefact” available to everyone for the first time in years), the ability to play on original graphics if you don’t like the new ones and it will be playable on current gen systems and PC. GO PRE-ORDER IT!!!

Otherwise Winston won’t be alone tonight in the freezer…

TRIVIA

- Lots of animation was created for the game, but due to time constraints, they had to be removed. TOMB3 restores them back. Same goes for the pickup animations.

- In the early stages of the game, Peru was a selectable location. It got deleted as development progressed. Maybe because we’ve already been to Peru before that it got scrapped. Different loading screens were used too.

- Sophia Leigh uses the appearance of Lara Croft, except her hair. Beta Sophia had shorter brown hair instead.

- Lara’s Antarctica outfit was originally white instead of orange. Sharks also infested the waters, but due to the new cold mechanic added to the game, they were removed. Probably to ease up the difficulty for players.

- This is the last game where Judith Gibbins voices Lara Croft.

- A track from Tomb Raider is remixed in Tomb Raider III.

- The PC version has Health Crystals instead of Save Crystals. They’re green and restore a huge amount of health, like the large medipacks.

- This is the last game to ever feature dinosaurs.

- A brand new composer, Peter Connelly, was brought to the development of the game and composed the final boss track. Because it was too late to implement it, it was put in the back catalogue for a future game. You can listen to it here, on his channel.

Ѓорѓи „GioGio“ Илиев