Some brief history of Tomb Raider 1.

I was only 8 years old when Tomb raider was released and it was one of the franchise games of the playstation 1 , and it was the beginning of the 3rd person action adventure genre, it set the standard for all games that were to follow it including games like Drakes Fortune today. The game introduced us to the main character Lara Croft a sexy, brunette, archaeologist packing side arms, conveniently placed on her outer thighs. Being able control a beautiful intelligent athletic babe for the entire game was just one of the reasons it got an instant following in the gaming world and is why Lara Croft is often regarded as the beginning of female protagonist in games. The game required the player to solve puzzles and work there way through the maze like maps while also encountering numerous creatures and humans that needed to be gunned down. It gave the player the perfect mix of action and problem solving.


When tomb raider 2 was released it was a an instant success the game was in production before tomb raider 1 was released so the wait between games wasn’t to long, I was only 9yrs old when it came out and didn’t have a ps1 at the time but luckily enough my older brother did and was kind enough to share it with me( although it wasn’t always that easy, we had many fights over whos turn it was to play). But I could see the instant improvements in the game better graphics, some new animations for Lara and better shooting. I knew this was going to be a fun game from just the first level when I was in a cave just having a muck around with controls seeing what was new, when suddenly I was being attacked by tigers, without warning I had hardly moved anywhere but was already being attacked. So stunned and taken by surprise I was not able to keep Lara alive and I had lost my first life only minutes into the game ( but it wasn’t going to be my last), it was okay because like all good mistakes you learn from them the second time. So on my next go I was ready for the tigers, I quickly found some high ground and picked off the tigers with out any problems, the adventure of Tomb raider 2 was just beginning.

The first level and just shows a sample of Lara Croft in Action




Each level required puzzles to be solved in order to move forward in the game, you needed to collect key items and perform many difficult jumps, to me this was so fun and hard at the same time. I cant remember how many times I would have died just falling short of a ledge and plummeting to my death or becoming so dam angry that I couldn’t figure out where to go or what to do next and just chuck my control on the ground and storm off, often the only time I would have had a break from the game was after one of these hissy fits. But nothing can compare to when id finally complete the level it would be the best feeling, I would be so happy for solving the puzzle and as soon as I did I would be hooked back into the game not moving until the next time I couldn’t figure out what to do and repeat my hissy fit. It was this love hate relationship with the game and why I liked it so much.

Here are just some of the ways you would find yourself dieing in TR2



The game play was another one of the main reasons TR2 was so much fun. Lara can do so many different things in the game from run, swim, jump, flip, dive, side flip, roll, dive, hang, climb ladders and can do most of these while shooting her guns or putting them back into the holster, not to mention when she does it all she is looking super graceful, the fact that she is such a good looking character. I find it hard to imagine any other character doing the things she did, to me it just wouldn’t have worked. Lara was hot and for a video game character to have that affect on the gaming world (mainly the guys) was something very new and crazy. In TR2 Lara also had the ability to drive vehicles like snow mobiles and boats, this helped to change up the game play and give it an extra dimension.



Tomb raider 2 is one of my favourite games I have ever played and got me hooked on games ever since, unfortunately the tomb raider games that have followed to me have not lived up to the expectation that 1 and 2 set. Both we so unique and there map layout was perfect, it had the right mixture of puzzling solving and action scenes which kept you thinking and excited and I think that is where the latter games have failed to find that perfect concoction of gaming. It is why Tomb Raider 2 will always be on my recommended games to play list