All Levels Ranked: Classic Tomb Raider

[@Dizzyfatpigeon]

The fact that you played through every single level (for better or for worse) to get footage, then took notes, then compiled it all into this massive countdown is nothing short of amazing this was extremely fun to watch, and as about of intense nostalgia trip you can get. Seeing a proper breakdown of all the expansion levels only wanted me to play them asap, thanks!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, they mean a lot to me! It was a lot of work, and now I look forward to be able to play the classics again without having to capture footage and think about "how" to frame shots, take notes and stuff like that 😅

[@robertfrancis8514]

@@AxMania RIP Neal Boyd

[@user-os7ec4dm8x]

@@AxMania Wait, there's 69 total including bonuses in 1-3 but according to Wikiraider there are 35 in Revelations and 13 in Chronicles, which would be a total of 107 overall, where are the other 13 from? Sorry I've not watched the whole vid yet as I will be laying the remasters soon and don't want to be spoiled on levels I've forgotten about in the past 30 years...!

[@AxMania]

@@user-os7ec4dm8x 69+35+13 = 117 The remaining three are The Times Exclusive, Playable Tutorial Level and Tech Demo 1995.

[@NWNB90]

Getting myself hyped for the Remasters in a few days time by watching this beast of a video! So many great memories in the series I forgot about! I'm so hyped to play through I, II & III in a new way! Amazing video, fren! As someone who works in video game marketing and has 4 years experience editing video content for games, I know roughly how long this must have taken you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing the work! GG man! ❤

[@jacobdavidson9696]

Changing Lara to be gold in the transition after the Midas level was a very appreciated detail lol

[@AxMania]

Haha, thank you, I'm glad you noticed! 😃

[@ToyotaKudoFan]

That final montage made me emotional! I owe so much to the classic Tomb Raider games for shaping my taste in video games and Lara for being my childhood hero. Another amazing ranking that I know I'll be rewatching again and again.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind comment, I really appreciate that! 🥰

[@Tom-tg4ib]

I probably already watched it like 5 times total 😂 perfect video for eating or chilling in bed vibing with nostalgia

[@scottneil1187]

I'm 48 and she's still my hero. Despite the last 2 games. Reboot was fine though.

[@Zayran626]

Almost 3 hours full of editing and commentary, this video is a BEAST

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! 🥰

[@subhashxrecord3131]

@AxMania Tomb Raider 2 was not a game I manged to get through/ the floating sky level was the end of my attempt / the under the ocean level after the oil tanker was Supreme for ps1 era suddenly sharks and it was crazy

[@subhashxrecord3131]

Best secret in the great wall the hidden drop and T Rex chambers

[@subhashxrecord3131]

Best music likely Venice canals

[@Diggarci]

Couldn't say it better.

[@gabrielai.5629]

I took 3 days to watch the whole thing and it was SO worth it. I applaud you for taking the time to really go through all levels and review it so thoroughly!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! And thank you for watching ☺️

[@Areala21]

Good lord, if ever there was a video that fit the very definition of an epic accomplishment, this is it! Playing through five games, three expansion packs, and one bonus level, documenting 120 separate stages, noting where each one succeeds and fails, coming up with a ranking, then writing a script and editing your footage down to a nearly three hour love letter to one of the most iconic franchises of the 32-bit era...AxMania, this is nothing short of INCREDIBLE. I loved every minute of this!

[@AxMania]

Thank you SO much for your kind words, this comment means the world to me. Thank you 🥰

[@DinaSan1]

I love the amount of love TR3 received here! 😍

[@AxMania]

Tomb Raider III is ❤️😉

[@dragunova5063]

Same here, everytime I talk about TR3, people tell me it's buggy, unfair and anything like that, they also prefer TR IV, which for me, isn't that great, TR3 is the best in my opinion

[@DinaSan1]

@@dragunova5063 It's my fav one too 💚

[@SmithyPL]

Same as TR4 got hate.

[@ScottyMousey8991]

TRIII is the best tomb Raider ever so of course it got tons of love ❤️

[@emanueldominici]

(Sigh...) We will treasure this as your masterpiece till the end of time. Man, look at these comments. You accomplished to bring nothing but joy to a vast and diverse community. Congrats, Alex. I can't thank you enough for all the fun, laughing and deeply philosophical questions (?) you share with us. We acknowledge and appreciate the massive amount of work you put behind. Keep this in your mind whenever you need it: We're here for you, sir. You're much loved. Speaking for myself, oh well... I wish we would have met as children, back in the mid-'90s. It was nice to be just Lara and I, raiding tombs and temples in all that solitude. But it would have been nicer to have a neighbor, classmate, cousin or anyone like you, who I could share the video games with. I'm sure we would have been best of buddies! We would have scared the shit out of us when the barracuda strikes, and of course at those pitch-black rooms filled with yetis, spiders or cobras! We would have fought over the controllers until someone got a nosebleed. We could even have grown up and spend a few days of real danger at some South Pacific island. 😁 Yeah, it's just me rambling, but I'll be damned if there's not a bunch of people here who think you would be one hell of a friend. Have a happy new year, and may our good old Core Design Lara pays you a visit in your dreams!

[@AxMania]

Dear Emanuel Thank you SO much for your incredibly kind words, I really, really appreciate it! Your comment means the world to me 🥰 I agree completely. I was pretty alone with my Tomb Raider games when I was a kid, as everybody else were playing GoldenEye on the N64, Red Alert on PC, or whatever they were playing. All of these things I was obsessing about with the games (that I'm taking out on everybody nowadays on this KZbin channel, haha!) would've been nice to share with another Tomb Raider fan back then. Don't forget how we would've taken turns locking Winston inside the freezer, or how we would've argued about keeping the monkeys alive or not either! 😉 Seriously Emanuel, thank you so much. And you too. I wish you a happy new year, my friend!

[@serendipity4346]

Completely agree, what a treassure of a video for every Tomb Raider fan, just look at this comments! Everyone seeing how great this video is, is indeed wonderful.

[@Douglas_Kims]

For me, someone who's grown up with the series, but never had the resilience or skill to play through the games, being able to see them all, along with their upsides and downsides, fills my heart with joy

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! I'm very happy you enjoyed it 🥰

[@scottneil1187]

They're not Dark Souls, treat yourself and get the remasters, or play the legend or survivor trilogy, much more forgiving. There's always Lara Croft Go too.

[@prisonerindurgesh]

F I N A L L Y 😭 Honestly the time and effort you put into your videos is incredible, and it really shows. I just love your channel, it’s actually what got me interested in Tomb Raider since I had never played any of the games or watched any gameplay before finding it. Thank you 🖤 Edit: typos

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words! Your comment means the world to me. If my videos have made a new Tomb Raider fan, then it has DEFINITELY all been worth it! Thank you ❤️

[@MCCiabattaGrande]

I couldn't believe you started with Old Mill lmao this lvl gives me great memories!

[@AxMania]

Haha, sorry! 😅 Trust me, I've given it several chances.

[@davidfischer1971]

thanks for the massive work. it brings a tear to my eye to see how many people still love these games in 2022. it's almost like people forgot about them for the last 15 years, and you helped to reignite this love through your videos. classic tomb raider is still in our hearts. i feel like a child again. this is without a doubt the best tomb raider video on youtube, and it could become my favorite video in general aswell. i will revisit this one a lot. feels like a time machine. still can't believe how this makes me feel even in 2022. thank you.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I hope these classics will never be forgotten, and that people always will play them. And even more so, I hope that the current devs of modern Tomb Raider will look more to these classics to be inspired about how to make new Tomb Raider games. Again, thank you!

[@rizzhub5388]

This is the best christmas present I can imagine! Thank you!

[@rizzhub5388]

Your way of narrating and your expertise is so on point. I already know this will not be the last time that i will watch this video.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! 🥰

[@FeelingShred]

I love how the Music is used on each of these levels in a different way as a Gameplay element, part of the overall experience, used in key moments. Tomb Raider... legendary... never forgotten 🙏

[@AxMania]

I agree. The music of Tomb Raider is so good, and perfectly implemented in the game design.

[@hagron5702]

We definitely don't have the same top 10 levels but I really enjoyed watching this (I watched the whole damn thing). I must say that your tone is very easy on the ears as well. Thanks for sharing. This was a nice trip down memory lane.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much man, I really appreciate it! It makes me very happy to hear that you enjoyed it despite differences in taste. It's impossible to agree on all these levels, I'm sure.

[@Aliferopoulos]

I am very grateful for the fact that the old school Tomb Raider games coincided with my childhood. This video really hit home with me and was really a great depiction of the marvel of TR classics! Thanks!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! ☺️

[@jenniferphelps6692]

I still love this video!!! It's a go to for nostalgia! 2 more days until the remaster release!!!🎉

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. Yes! The wait is almost over now!!!

[@timeslush]

I loved watching this, great video. Honestly, the best part is the palpable sense of how much you love these games.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!

[@Cakepiecookies]

what an absolute joy to watch.. Thank you SO much for the time and effort you put into this!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! Thank you for watching ☺️

[@LuisLopez-id4zc]

@@AxMania i like your channel picture 😆

[@TiagoRocha89]

I have mad respect for your work. First, you ranked the whole classic levels, which is a huge thing. Next, you actually made a pretty decent justification for each level being ranked. One of my favorite levels is Streets of Rome, but I recognize the level doesn't add much... Again, the nostalgia, can really make one rank up a specific level. :D Great job man, what a fantastic video!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot to me! I'm very happy you enjoyed it, despite the fact I ranked Streets of Rome so low 😅 Again, thank you, I really appreciate it! ☺️

[@cixdy]

This video is a literal masterpiece. TR has always meant a lot to me. I was born in 1998, so I was late to the party but I vividly remember watching my dad play TR when I was still so little, and it was one of the first, maybe /the/ first video games I've ever been introduced to. With the first 3 now being released for the Switch, my love awoke all over again. Thanks for the insanely good video, and the brilliant, absolutely perfect montage at the end that got me emotional. ❤

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really, really appreciate it! A comment like this means the world to me 🥰

[@xojoemama6850]

Im a year late to commenting this but i watched this video when it first came out and you deserve SO much more recognition for editing and talking for 3 hours!!! I can’t imagine how long it took to get the clips too!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! 🥰

[@shadowfang1034]

Great video, I didnt notice the time going by so fast. Makes me want to play the expansions, I never tried them, didnt know Lara was ever in Scotsland.

[@AxMania]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it! You totally should, those two levels set in Scotland are excellent!

[@3beyondthesun3]

So it is finished. What an amazing work. Congratulations for releasing this massive undertaking, thank you so much for making it and for the trip down nostalgia lane! This is easily the ultimate classic Tomb Raider ranking and I had a blast watching it.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I'm so happy to hear that!

[@suzannetheraider]

Wow! Congratulations on this masterpiece! 😍 I haven’t made my way through the entire video yet, but I’m loving it so far!!!! Thank you for all the hard work you put into this! This may be the greatest Tomb Raider KZbin video of all time 😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️

[@suzannetheraider]

Thank you for including the snowmobile montage with the song! 😍 I loved it! And I also loved your appreciation for Temple of the Cat. For someone like me who is obsessed with cats and uses cat puns all the time, I loved it 😂😂😂 I have been making my way through this video all day and I am thoroughly enjoying it 😍

[@AxMania]

Thank you SO much Suzanne, these comments mean the world to me. I'm very happy you enjoyed it, and seriously... thank you so much for such kind words!!! 🥰 How did you feel about an Ireland level in last place though? 😅 I actually thought "oh no, what will Suzanne think about this?" when I did it! 😂

[@suzannetheraider]

@@AxMania you truly deserve it! This is such an amazing piece of work ❤️ haha to be honest, although I like the Ireland levels, I do agree that they’re not the best ones. They could have been so much better if the story and level design had been given more thought to match the atmosphere, so I wasn’t surprised or offended at all 😂 I would have loved for them to go full on horror with the Ireland levels and really lean into Irish mythology, which can be very scary. If they were going for something different, they should have gone all-out! I can’t wait to finish the video today 🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@AxMania]

@@suzannetheraider Thank you so much Suzanne 🥰 It means a lot to me! Oh ok, I'm happy to hear that, haha! Yeah, honestly, I think they had all the potential in the world, but they just ended up so... I don't know. Old Mill just feels silly. It's largely because of Verdilet and the priest, but it's just so... I don't know. At least your country has Tomb Raider levels! 😅 Mine doesn't. Again, thank you so much ❤

[@dealyboy]

@@suzannetheraider ... love your cat fan shtick comments

[@Depp0vom0Dienst]

I'm not even into the TR games but this video is an absolute allstar for me. The informative, relaxing and enjoying voiceover paired with the nice editing with the music, the jokes and all that makes it easily one of my most favorite gaming-related videos on the platform. I highly appreciate the effort you put into it. :)

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really, really appreciate it! 🥰

[@elfracasor]

You finally did it! I cannot wait to view this tremendous piece of work you just achieved =) Have some well earned rest!!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! I WILL!!! Trust me 😅 I need some sleep!

[@ryanwright2542]

Your Palace Midas opinion of too much combat is very correct. Gorillas everywhere!!Apart from that it's possibly one of the best if not the best Tomb Raider level ever

[@AxMania]

Yes, I agree! The number of enemies is the only bad thing about Palace Midas. It really is an iconic masterpiece.

[@nadaqasem99]

I forgot to say that the ending is very breathtaking 😭👏💜

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@leejordan001]

31:05 I like how casually Lara throws that flare against the head of the mummy... :D

[@Argorox]

I think Madubu Gorge might be my favorite level, too. It has great design both visually and mechanically. I love how you start across from the temple but are thwarted by a raised drawbridge and you basically go on a huge detour with the kayak to find the back door.

[@AxMania]

I agree completely, very well said! The level tells an incredible narrative, through top-tier level design, atmosphere, setting etc. Very nice to meet another Madubu Gorge fan - we are not that many! 😅

[@ipercalisse579]

@@AxMania it was hell but it was soo good!! Another fan here. The one thing that is striking in Tomb Raider is the impressive feeling of massive natural places that you get from the play through, even if you ever visit such a place in real life, you'll always be in company of someone else.. nobody ventures there alone uh? Well nobody but Lara :) being alone gives a plus to the experience. I remember I felt so damn little human while playing Madubu.. and that is a freaking whole vibe that this level in particular gives.

[@viktoriyarts]

Last Revelation is iconic, the soundtrack is beautiful and the puzzle solving is impressive, Cairo is a very tough level

[@AxMania]

Agreed, The Last Revelation has some of the best puzzles of the series. If I made a top 10 for best puzzles, I think half of them would come from The Last Revelation.

[@viktoriyarts]

@@AxMania Indeed, btw great video!

[@davepolitics6587]

Amazing job! You can really notice all the love you have for the games. The Tomb Raider classics were also my childhood and I always played them together with my father.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Me too, I played the first four games with my dad. Amazing memories.

[@KasumiRINA]

2:22:00 my first 3D game was Tomb Raider II... I was, like, a toddler playing with parents (before that I only watched them play). I couldn't figure out what to do in THE FIRST ROOM for a few days. The first room. WIth that tiger. Thankfully Lara's Home was separate, so I could actually move around somewhat and I STILL have a brain fart of "where am I supposed to go" every time I replay that game. xD

[@AxMania]

Haha, I actually have a similar story. My first exposure to Tomb Raider was the Tomb Raider II demo, which was The Great Wall, and I couldn't get out of that first area with the tiger either. I decided that I didn't like Tomb Raider, right then and there. Thank God my dad gave me Tomb Raider III for Christmas, or I would've never given the series another chance.

[@KasumiRINA]

@@AxMania Oh I already liked the game seeing someone play it in a shop, some later part with a lot of huge jumps they kept failing... I learned that you save using that little book in inventory. Initially, parents didn't get a memory card as they had cartridge games with codes before and didn't know it's needed... So first I played mostly Tekken on PlayStation (after seeing it in arcade), a football game and Lara's home. After getting the memcard we got to completing Tomb Raiders with whole family. Took a month to finish each but dad took pride in not using walkthrough. TR3 was the hardest. Those snakes were too early... And crystals didn't help. In fact I think we made it really far into the game but restarted from the beginning after running out of medpacks, crystals and weapons (doing Nevada last first time didn't work). I legitimately had dreams about finding a puzzle solution and secret passage that didn't exist in the games, lol.

[@AxMania]

@@KasumiRINA Thank you for sharing these memories, they are really fun to read. The pain of having no Memory Card, I remember it too clearly. Saving Nevada for last really is a recipe for disaster, but how would anyone know the first time? So unfair, haha. Btw, just checked your channel - it's huge! I used to be a huge WWE fan, but I still love wrestling games, so I'll definitely check out your videos.

[@patrickholt8782]

I’m playing through classic tomb raider on ps1. Just beat the first one and now onto 2. Loving 2 so far.

[@AxMania]

That's awesome! Enjoy your playthroughs!

[@VinnyFerri]

Thank you for bringing your list and showing why Tomb Raider is so iconic. Tomb Raider has been my favorite franchise since I was a kid and after watching this whole video, it can show how special this series is for all our community. Nice job, AxMania 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, you are very welcome! Tomb Raider has also been my favorite franchise since I was a kid. It's the only video game series where I've never missed a single entry. Again, thank you so much!

[@jamietrinder3881]

I’m never able to sit through long videos but you made it interesting and easy to put on and just listen to, also I love anything classic tomb raider!, you did a great job !

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! That's a huge compliment 😎

[@Motorist01]

That. Was. AMAZING. Thank you for this great ranking. For a very long time I didn`t feel so nostalgic.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching, it makes me very happy that you liked it!

[@goremall]

It's difficult to see a TR3 level so high. Now that I'm older and their are guides avaliable, I appreciate TR3, but in the 90's this game was so damn frustrating. The level design is very complex which was difficult on a Playstation with an analog TV. So it was hard enough to find your way around. But take into account that awful save cube system this game took ages for me to clear as a kid. Like I said before though, I see it as one of the best in the series now, but back then it was last on my list. Cool video!

[@AxMania]

That's completely fair, I totally understand you. I had my own frustrations with Tomb Raider III as a kid, but I've really come to appreciate them with age, just like you. Thank you, I really appreciate it!

[@huberthanks3007]

Thanks for this detailed and comprehensive assessment of classic tomb raider levels. I still enjoy playing all of them which shows CORE design did an amazing job overall for replay value.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching, I really appreciate it!

[@casandramateescu496]

This video is a masterpiece. I cannot stress this enough. The commentary is on point, the footage is amazing, the editing is perfect. This is amazing! The perfect combination between facts, commentary, personal opinion and an entertainment value that goes through the roof. This is perfect! And the ending is so so sweet, it shows how much people really care about these games and how much it has impacted their childhoods and I think that’s beautiful ❤

[@AxMania]

Wow, seriously, thank you so much for your kind words, I really, really appreciate it. Your comment has absolutely made my day, so again, thank you so much Casandra 🥰

[@tombraiderfan2]

im loving this account, its like someone finally understands my addiction to the classic tomb raiders lol

[@AxMania]

Hahaha, thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

[@juminor]

As a long time TR fan I really appreciate this video, made me feel all nostalgic 😊 thanks, dude!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@zachmccalpin7447]

Just found this channel today. It's great to find another classic tomb raider lover.

[@AxMania]

I'm very happy to hear that! Indeed, us classic Tomb Raider fans need to stick together 😉

[@benm.9679]

This isn't some random video, it's a journey! It took me a few days to watch it entirely and I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I wanna play these games again, especially the expansions I never had the chance to play.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! Thank you for watching.

[@abigailharken9858]

This was an absolute masterpiece. I’ve been counting down the days till this came out. Can’t wait to see what Tomb Raider topic you cover next 😏

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate that!

[@maxplay6563]

I really liked The Last Revelation and now that i have seen all the levels, these games were so scary to me as a kid but also sooo fascinating, i remember being obsessed by the last part of TRIV or The Island levels of TRV. Thanks for the huge work. This was a nostalgia trip and long live Classic Tomb Raiders

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching! I hope that my relatively negative reviews of the things you like didn't sour the experience? 😅

[@maxplay6563]

@@AxMania no that's fine, from a gameplay standard I agree with you, just esthetically that worked on me as a kid and now I find this goofy and look at it with nostalgia

[@ua-deemon5813]

Thank you, man! Great job. I have played only the first 3 games, but your rating pretty much reflects what I feel about them levels. Maybe I would just still put Obelisk of Khamoon to the very top. That level impressed me so much, as a kid, I even used to have dreams about me being in that location, jumping from the top of the obelisk into the water 😂

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I'm very happy to hear that. I adore Obelisk of Khamoon as well. My 20th-4th places are almost interchangable, as I love all those levels so much.

[@gorangoran9291]

Incredible video! Have you considered doing full walkthroughs of the remasters with your commentary?

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Yeah, I've thought about, and I might do something like that very soon. Thank you for your suggestion!

[@Lov3syeon]

@@AxMania please do!!

[@AbundanceOfBees]

Bless your efforts. That intermission was the exact thing I wanted, RIGHT when it happened.

[@AbundanceOfBees]

Omfg and the dead Winston.

[@AxMania]

Haha, I'm glad to hear that! 😃

[@chrislowman]

I listen to this to fall asleep, love your analysis and its both nostalgic and relaxing

[@AxMania]

Thanks man, I really appreciate that!

[@Ro2mu]

wow, great work ! almost 3 hours of constructive criticism mixed with nostalgia about classic TR games ? with amazing footage ? the nerd in me is fulfilled, thank you

[@AxMania]

Haha, thank you so much! I really appreciate it! ☺️

[@VasilShapov]

Absolutely amazing work!Thank you!My personal favourite is Caves,as strange as its saunds,just nostalgia hits hard.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! That's awesome, haha! I'm super nostalgic for it as well.

[@andrewhirshbach7097]

Congratulations, epic effort and compilation.Tomb Raider classic games are unique and timeless, thanks for reminding me to play them again. They look much better on PC.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Yeah, they look much better on PC, but the PlayStation versions have some unique graphical features, such as footprints and stuff, that are quite cool!

[@AlphVA]

Just finding this video and this channel after my hype for TR came back after finding out the remaster editions announcement. Gotta say, this rank is quite interesting, the first place got me shocked indeed, going through this video unlocked so many memories: the surprises every level gave me back then, the amount of funny moments I got recording gameplays for youtube just for fun, what else gotta say, it was a blast, thank you for the dedication on this.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching, I really appreciate it! We don't have to wait much longer for those remasters now 😎

[@Allcatsgotoheaven]

Every time you start to lose it about a level and pull yourself back together I crack up LMAO this was so funny, thanks for the laughs! Can’t wait for the remastered to drop!!

[@AxMania]

Haha, I'm glad that my misery amuses you 😅 Thank you so much! Me neither! We don't have to wait much longer now!

[@nathanjones7417]

Late to the party with this comment but what a fantastic video. Thank you for your time and effort putting this together; Including the probable 10’s of hours/out-takes of narrating this. 10/10 effort. Thanks.

[@AxMania]

Man, thank you so much for this awesome comment, I really appreciate it!

[@miroslavzima8856]

Dear AxMania, thanks for bringing me back to my childhood with my friend and cousin, who loved this series. They dont remember, but I do - and sadly the memories are the only thing that remains.

[@AxMania]

You are very welcome! Thank you so much for watching, I'm very happy to hear that it brought back memories.

[@floracameneti9536]

This video is honestly my happy place, I literally watch it all the time and it always leads to dusting off the PlayStation 2 😅 Your whole channel is like my comfort blanket, am terrified of you running out of material! Would you ever consider doing a ranking of artifacts? Thank you so much for your videos, you rock ❤

[@AxMania]

Dear Flora, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean the world to me 🥰 I promise you I will never run out of material for Tomb Raider videos, haha! I think I have 20+ ideas for videos written down in a doc on my PC 😅 That's a great suggestion, thank you! I'd love to do such a ranking some day. Once again, thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Thank you for watching ❤️

[@theonlycreativeurge]

This video was so nostalgic and brought back so many memories! I’m currently replaying all the games. I’m in the London levels in TR3 and this video has me excited to complete them all! Thank you for such a thoughtful and entertaining video. I can only imagine how long it took but as a viewer, I can confidently say it was so worth it!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! It was A LOT of work, haha, but a comment like yours makes it all worth it. Enjoy your playthrough! Those London levels can be frustrating though 😅

[@theonlycreativeurge]

@@AxMania I’m feeling it already and I’m on the verge of an entire level restart! Wish me luck lol

[@LSweetMari]

That. Is. EPIC! 🌟 Thank you so much for returning me to my childhood for 2,5 hours ❤️ Great work indeed! You're awesome!

[@LSweetMari]

And besides, I like a lot The Old Mill 😁 maybe because I really like horrors and myths and legends. For me, this level is unique and absolutely not tomb-raiderish, but it shows how different Lara's adventures are. And in childhood I've stuck with water witch puzzle for a long time! To solve it I had to write an e-mail to PC games magazine - they answered and helped me 😂 My, what a story! 😂

[@AxMania]

Haha, thank you SO much for your kind words, I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I'm the same, I also REALLY like horror, especially old myths and legends like that, but I just think those Ireland levels (or Old Mill at least) has such a bizarre comical tone to them. It's not really scary. I think Verdilet is the problem, he's so goofy! Hahaha, that's awesome! I love reading stories like this 😂 Trust me, I was, myself, incredibly frustrated with the water witch puzzle. I just didn't get it. It's such a peculiar way that puzzle must be solved.

[@LSweetMari]

@@AxMania Another fun story: for the first time I've played TR I-III in 1998 from a pirate CD (yeah, shame!) and there were no сut-scenes AT ALL, so I had a very shallow understanding of plot. I watched all сut-scenes onlty several years later. 😅

[@AxMania]

@@LSweetMari Haha, that's funny 😅 I had a similar experience with a game called Broken Sword 2. The cutscenes didn't work, so I had no idea what was going on. But I loved it!

[@RossoCCX]

The Lost Valley will always be the most iconic level in the Tomb Raider games for me. Seeing that T-Rex for the first time. Glad it made the top 3! Madubu Gorge, as beautiful a level as it may be, can go (ah ha) itself! 😂 Great video!

[@AxMania]

Hahaha, I know Madubu Gorge is a bit of an "out there" choice for #1 😅 I obviously agree completely about Lost Valley. Thank you so much!

[@fabiendubost284]

I love how you start presenting Venice with its signature music, as it means "Nuff' said!" somehow. 😁

[@AxMania]

Haha, exactly! The fantastic music speaks for itself 😉

[@citui]

The ending compilation was surpassing. The music, the games. I found someone who loves these games as much as I do, and I was sure they had been forgotten, since everyone loves those shitty new games and hates Core Design (seriously, AoD is one of my favourites, has the best Lara, the best Lara's voice, everything! They could give them a chance, since it was only a worst ranked game, compared to all the hits they gave them). I thank you for making these videos. It's my go-to page when I need to cheer or entertain myself. And I thank you for loving this and not letting it be forgotten.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! It makes me very happy to hear that you enjoy my videos. The classic Core Design Tomb Raider games were masterpieces, and I agree - the new Tomb Raider games do not even come close. I will never stop playing or loving those games. Again, thank you so much, your comment means a lot to me 🥰

[@citui]

​@@AxManiaI never played the games when I was little, I stayed next to my sister watching her play. I was too afraid of the jumpscares, but already loved the games. You said it all! Masterpieces! I hope the remasters are a hit, so we can hope for the real Lara again...

[@KasumiRINA]

10:42 that's because it's modeled on ACTUAL Great Pyramid of Khufu. You're standing in Grand Gallery here. Sure, they widened the paths and added gameplay and fantasical stuff into it, but the reason design is simple is because it actually is in real life. One of main compaints against Assassin's Creed Origins was its lack of complex platforming in level design but being based on real tomb, city and pyramid layouts kinda forced it to. Play Origins if you haven't. Just ignore the story and after you get to Alexandria, travel to Giza and just climb around that stuff... it's majestic!

[@AxMania]

Yeah, I know, I just wish they would've added a big tough level beneath the Grand Gallery, as it could've been an epic penultimate level if they did. I've only played Odyssey of the recent Assassin's Creed games, but would love to play Origins as I'm a sucker for Egypt. Thank you for the recommendation, it sounds really cool!

[@KasumiRINA]

@@AxMania My comments disappeared I guess KZbin decided they're spam. Anyway, I said that reason they cut levels into short chunks was PS1 memory constraints, you see TR4 having much better graphics and varied textures, compare the Sphinx there with first game. (The Skybox alone takes up most of the resources). TR3 also looked good but it reused textures a lot relying on either outdoors or city/base-style locations.

[@KasumiRINA]

@@AxMania Origins, is much shorter than Odyssey and less repetitive. Worth it to explore the tombs, there are multiple Necropolises, Giza of course (can't grab onto Sphinx nose tho), Dahshur (with the cool bent pyramid) and Saqqara, which has my fav interior, the pyramid of Djoser. But the absolute best part is the DLC Curse of the Pharaohs, it brings it much closer to Tomb Raider with supernatural elements (like fighting mummies, curses and Anubis warriors). And the expansion is the place with Temple of Karnak and Hatshepsut tomb complex, plus smaller tombs of Tutankhamun, Nefertiti and Ramesses the 2nd, from which you visit 4 different afterlifes (field of reeds, the Duat, a dystopian Amarna & endless sends based on Ozymandias poem, which leads you to aftermath battle scenes of Kadesh and siege of Dapur. With tidbits about the story around. It was magical playing it! Basically, play original AC Origins for pyramids (not just in Giza, you visit Red & Black ones & get stuck sis in step pyramids), Alexandria Library & lighthouse, plus turning Caesar into salad, and second DLC for the Upper Egypt stuff.

[@gpvelev]

Thank you for taking me on a journey with you

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for watching, I really appreciate it!

[@patrickvdp8874]

Thanks for this amazing video! Appreciate all the work that has been put in. Lots of nostalgic feelings came up, thanks for that. My all time favorite will stay Venice from TR2. The level design, music and location are top notch. Have a good one man!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! The Venice music is amazing! I always thought it was an actual classical composition that Core Design bought the rights to, because of how authentic it sounds!

[@dspmcmirror]

Very enjoyable recap and great effort. I appreciate how fair and conscientious you are with an old franchise. Plenty of young TR fans are readily dismissive with the classics, because they assume they are archaic compared to the modern reimagining. It's always welcome when people give respect to the original games.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Ugh, that pains me to hear! But I also kind of understand that they might be difficult to get into if you grew up with so much more advanced-looking games :(

[@TombRaiderExplorer]

Congratulations man! This is the best tomb raider video I have ever seen in my entire life 💜

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much my friend, I really appreciate that! 🥰

[@Kujaku583]

Thank you for this early Christmas gift ❤ It was amazing to hear all your thoughts about all levels and for me as a TR lover this was great entertaining content , btw my fave level of all time would be Palace Midas, Temple of Xian or Barkhang Monastery , I really can't decide 😆 ohh and I loved that you gave the Manors a higher place in the ranking because thats what I played when I was a kid , I watched my father play the games and played them all myself as a teenager the first time. Thank you for this love letter to my favorite heroine and her breathtaking adventures 🤗

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! 🥰 Those are some great favorite levels, I agree that they are among the best ever ☺️ Yeah, Lara's Home is so good! I just love a level that's all about exploration and puzzle solving like that. Again, thank you so much, and thank you for watching 🥰

[@Chepre1501]

I enjoy your channel and this video very much! I also played the classic tomb raider games back in my childhood and replay them every year. This video gave me sooo much childhood memories ❤️

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! This makes me very happy to read ❤️

[@exeledusprince9165]

I love these games, I just recently purchased the original trilogy to play through them again. The very act of moving Lara throughout the levels is a puzzle in and of itself, and it's something the newer games just dont have. Glad to have them again to play at any time now!

[@AxMania]

That's actually the perfect way to describe it, maneuvering Lara through all these levels is indeed puzzle-solving in itself. Enjoy your playthroughs!

[@andrewfishpool89]

A fantastic and well edited video. Watching it brings back so many memories playing all these levels in my youth. Hopefully I'll get to play them all again one day if I ever get time.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. You really should, if you find the time, as they hold up surprisingly well!

[@Principalofthething889]

I've never played the gold expansion passes for the first three games and I can't wait to try them in the remasters coming in February

[@AxMania]

You are in for a treat, they are incredible!

[@yannkshclimento2991]

I am realy thankfull for this piece of art a long time. This video feels like christmas. At the end ive got some tears in my eyes cause of my childhood. Me and my father just playing it long time (20 years) ago. One of the best videos ever created. I am 35 now and u just gave me a big important time of the childhood back. Manny thanky 3000. Be safe. ☀️👍😊🎉

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate that! What a heartwarming comment. Thank you so much, you too. Stay safe! 🥰

[@coachgrimo9531]

There is so much Love and passion in this Video. ITS flawless. I was looking to IT several days,Always looked foward to the Session and was really sad as i finished IT. ITS great content, but the Personal Note and little Gimmicks Made IT outstanding. Much regards For all the effort! Please continue doing stuff Like this. Would also cool to have IT For Metal Gear Solid, Resident evil, abes Odyssee all the Classics. Whatever, do what you want and how you want. I will follow.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I appreciate them so much! Your comment has made my day! I plan on doing similar stuff like this with other classic game franchises, it just takes me a while to do it 😅 Again, thank you!

[@matharris5138]

This video is amazing, thank you for the hard work and passion you clearly put into it. Stellar script.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words! ☺️

[@tnntaronewsnetwork4514]

This is extremely impressive. Thank you for making this video and Merry Christmas

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! Merry Christmas to you too ☺️

[@MrChristianDT]

The kayak is where I gave up on TRIII. You got to love how it just blows up when you die, too.

[@AxMania]

Hahaha, I understand! Controlling the kayak kind of feels like counting your teeth with your tongue, while having a mouth full of peanut butter 😅

[@chungies]

Thank you!!! I watched this while working and it made my day so much faster. Great work!

[@chungies]

Love the montage at the end!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I'm really happy to hear that! Thank you ☺️

[@dvader518]

It makes sense for All Hallows to have originally been the second level in the London segment seeing as how one of the secrets in Thames Wharf is the Cathedral Key.

[@AxMania]

Exactly, it's such a shame it wasn't finished.

[@Tom-tg4ib]

Great retrospect on one of the biggest games from my childhood. Awesome content 🔥

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

[@topixtor]

I don't agree 100% with some of your choices.; and that's probably one of the reasons I love this ranking so much. Thanks for that love letter, I certainly think your goal was met.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! This makes me very happy to read ☺️

[@Kevin700P]

23:53 The best hunter of all time 😂

[@AxMania]

Hahaha 😂

[@cshft]

Beautiful. Makes me want to play TR 1-3 again (remaster coming soon!) and give 4 and 5 a proper try this time. Thanks for the phenomenal recap. Love that ending montage!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Yes! We don't have to wait much longer now!

[@0nlyAnEntity]

Jungle and Temple ruins were my intro to the whole series and my intro game to the PS1 itself. It will forever blow me away how amazing that was, it made me fall in love with gaming. Me and my family spent weeks on those 2 levels haha (It was so difficult and I couldn't just play by myself, so scary). So pleasantly surprised to see so much appreciation for TR3. I was super invested in this vid, I watched your reasons for ranking every level and for the most part, completely agree. Loved it.

[@AxMania]

Those first two India levels are Tomb Raider perfection! Same here, I remember there was a little page for notes in the manual for the game, and that it took me 5 days to complete Jungle, or something - which is so crazy to think of now where I can do it in 10 minutes! Thank you so much for watching, I really appreciate it!

[@Lunariant]

Finished! This video has been a fabulous Christmas present, thank you! I love how you highlighted some of the greatest songs from the series like The Skidoo and (my favourite) Something Spooky In That Jungle. Having Natla's Mines near the top of your list shows we have some disagreements, but I love most of your other top choices. That sequence from 18 to 14 is fire

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! It makes me very happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Haha, Natla's Mines is certainly not a very popular level, I just love it so much! 😅 Again, thank you!

[@tina_ohne_alles]

Thanks for the laugh at 1:19:07😂 And: great video, an absolutely masterpiece! I loved watching it. Thanks for the great effort 😍

[@AxMania]

Haha, you're welcome! 😂 Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it ❤️

[@ryanwright2542]

Sanctuary Of The Scion is a fantastic level. Considering it is TR1 it has difficult platforming while also having some tricky enemies flying towards. The secret is also extremely difficult. Ive watched this video numerous times. It's fantastic!!

[@AxMania]

I agree completely, Sanctuary of the Scion is a masterpiece. A perfect level. Thank you so much man, I really, really appreciate it!

[@alejandrofurio2685]

I really enjoyed the video as I could remember many of the levels from the first games. I always enjoy returning to them so it's definitely been a grean experience. Also, the work you've done here is amazing! Thanks for your video

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it!

[@monywehat]

The ending montage was like rewatching a clip of my childhood. You did an awesome, commendable job with gathering the footage for this monster of a video! I could feel the respect and love you have for this series throughout my watch. ❤

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! Thank you for watching 🥰

[@maxiknows2much]

tomb raider 2 was my first game ever, thanks so much for making this video

[@AxMania]

Thank you for watching, and thank you so much for your kind words!

[@kelybal]

The remastered trilogy comes out tonight! What better video to watch than this to hype me up!?

[@AxMania]

Haha, thank you!

[@danielnising]

I f*AHA*ing love your videos. You're one of the few KZbinrs whose videos can last almost three hours and I won't mind watching them til' the bitter end.

[@AxMania]

Hahaha! Wow, thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! 😮

[@StardustSpeedman]

Thank you for your incredibly hard work to create this amazing video! But if I may, in my opinion, there's a fundamental flaw when ranking the levels of the Last Revelation like this. Often, your biggest complaint seems to be regarding why there are several interconnected levels instead of them being one single self-contained level. Well, the way that the Last Revelation and Chronicles are made is a bit different from the previous games, and some levels were obviously cut into multiple ones for technical reasons. It really makes a lot more sense to view related levels in the Last Revelation as one. So, even though technically there are 35 levels in the game, I would group them in a way that I count 18 actual levels. I will show you in a moment how I would do that, but first, I also wanna say something about Chronicles. Deepsea Dive and Sinking Sub are really only one level together. The 4 chapters of the game have 3 levels each, with only Russia having 4, only because of technical reasons. Each level also has exactly 3 secrets, with the only exception being that Deepsea Dive has 1 and Sinking Sub has 2; but these 2 levels really belong together, with the water theme prevalent in both of them. Actually, I don't really see Chronicles as the 5th game in the series and more like the stand-alone expansion to the Last Revelation, and I think it's even arguable that each chapter of the game is just one single giant level, but counting 12 levels works for me too. :) Anyway, here is how I define the 18 levels of the Last Revelation: 01. Angkor Wat (+1 sublevel) - 8 Secrets - Race for the Iris 02. Tomb of Seth - 5 Secrets 03. Burial Chambers - 5 Secrets 04. Valley of the Kings (+1 sublevel) - 7 Secrets - KV5 05. Temple of Karnak (+2 sublevels) - 5 Secrets - Great Hypostyle Hall - Sacred Lake 06. Tomb of Semerkhet - 7 Secrets 07. Guardian of Semerkhet - 3 Secrets 08. Desert Railroad - 3 Secrets 09. Alexandria (+1 sublevel) - 1 Secret - Coastal Ruins 10. Catacombs (+1 sublevel) - 5 Secrets - Temple of Poseidon 11. The Lost Library (+1 sublevel) - 4 Secrets - Hall of Demetrius 12. Cleopatra's Palaces (+1 sublevel) - 1 Secret - Pharos, Temple of Isis 13. City of the Dead (+4 sublevels) - 6 Secrets - Chambers of Tulun - Citadel Gate - Trenches - Street Bazaar 14. Citadel - 2 Secrets 15. Sphinx Complex (+1 sublevel) - 2 Secrets - Underneath the Sphinx 16. Menkaure's Pyramid (+1 sublevel) - 2 Secrets - Inside Menkaure's Pyramid 17. The Great Pyramid (+2 sublevels) - 3 Secrets - The Mastabas - Khufu's Queen's Pyramids 18. Inside the Great Pyramid (+1 sublevel) - 1 Secret - Temple of Horus

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I actually agree with you. I was very hesitant about ranking the levels of The Last Revelation because of this, and for a long time I planned on grouping the levels together, similarly to how you've done it. I ultimately decided against it, because it's "easier" to stick by the "if it has it's own title, it's a level"-rule, instead of me making up my own level groupings, even though, if I'm being completely honest, that would've made more sense. The problem is that a lot of The Last Revelation's levels DO feel like typical Tomb Raider levels in size as well (Burial Chambers, Tomb of Semerkhet, The Lost Library, City of the Dead, The Mastabas, to name a few), so I was afraid it could feel a bit random where a level starts and stops, if I began grouping them, you know?

[@StardustSpeedman]

@@AxMania Yeah, I can understand. After all, there is no definitive right way to group the levels, so, different people could come up with different groupings. But I have to say, in some of the levels in TR2 and TR3, I did spend up to 5 hours net time on my first playthrough. Still, I can understand your argument that some levels in the Last Revelation are "regular-sized" on their own. :)

[@BellaLGrazia]

Wow thank you so much for this video... this must have been so much work but definitely worth it, it felt so good to see all those levels again.. I loved and love it

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I'm very happy to read that you enjoyed it, thank you 🥰

[@jamiemccormick1144]

I absolutely love all of your videos. So much effort and time is put into them and you have a clear passion for all the TR games! Thank you so much!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it!

[@ksciaa0103]

This was such a fun video to watch, even though I've only played the second game. Your enthusiasm about certain levels for each game makes me want to run through the entire series. Even though I had to watch this over the course of a week, I had too much fun seeing the breakdown of each level shown. Great video overall!

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really, really appreciate it! Oh, you should totally do that! These games are amazing. But maybe wait for the remasters that will release in February 😉

[@ksciaa0103]

@@AxMania Oh wow, I had no idea there were remasters in the works. Might have to pick that up then. lol

[@johncallaghan8696]

Another brilliant video. All the original games have so many beautiful levels. It's great to watch them all again and listen to those beautiful pieces of music. It's a credit that these games are so old but still loved so much. I still play these games today and think I'll always be a Retro lover. Thanks for putting together a great list. Think I will pick Temple of Xian simply because it's so big.

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I agree completely. These games are masterpieces. I've played them (almost) every year for 25 years, more or less, and I haven't grown tired of them yet 😅

[@johncallaghan8696]

@@AxMania Amazing that you have played these games so many times. I'm going to play them again before the remastered version comes out.

[@eskimointhisworld]

Let the omega-thon begin! 😄 What an awesome video! I watched every minute of it and loved reminiscing the old Tomb Raider games. Those Tomb Raider Gold levels are some of the best. I have to go back and play those again. I only played them twice compared to playing the main games 4-5 times each! It's so cool there's a community of people who love and respect these games. Thank you for all your hard work 👍 P.S. What's with all the dive jumps onto solid ground? LOL

[@AxMania]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! They are! It's the same for me. Playing the expansion levels still feels like a relatively new experience for me, because I didn't play them nearly as much as a kid. Thank you once again for your kind words. They mean a lot to me! Hahaha, I don't know! I think I might have a swan dive fetish! 😅