How Tomb Raider Made Me Love Video Games | Retrospective | GAMES ARE GOOD

[@Geeksfreaksoutcastsandmisfits]

I fell in love with Lara and Tomb Raider back in 1996, I was a 10yr old as well. Tomb Raider means so much to me and it shaped the person I am today.

[@stijnvdv2]

Me too. However it started to fade at tombraider 4 coz the unclear new level of puzzles and the same gameplay; it started to wear off on me; until I picked up underground that was graphically stunning with a good gameplay and I was very impressed with the reboot... even though I have to say that I expected Lara to mature faster to 'the Lara we know'. I was a bit sad though they ditched the iconic music and the dual pistols.

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

Shaped the person you are today, if I was to state that I'd try and be a bit more specific. Its amazing what people read into statements today. Agree I have bought/played every Tomb Raider title, never managed to finish TR2, The Last Revelation or Legend. Just keep bringing them on.

[@mikado387]

I have to absolutely agree here 😉

[@spyrojoe4721]

I was 1yr old watched my mum play them in my early yrs until I was about 5? before started playing them myself with her helping and have loved them all that time

[@kuuttinen]

Yes! Exactly the same here. I remember when TR1 first came out and how amazed Iwas playing it for the first time. As a big fan of history she almost felt like a friend that you'd go on adventures with. It still affects me, and even my dreams. I've literally had dreams of running in a cave and jumping over huge cliffs.

[@nickbooze9766]

What a absolutely charming video essay.

[@gabrielai.5629]

I love how you reviewed the Legend trilogy! A lot of classic Lara fans online seem to be really annoyed by these games and while I understand that the way Eidos kinda "took" Lara from Core Design left a negative mark on Legend, I remember being completely in awe by the graphics introduced in that game. 10 year old me was really thinking THIS is the peak of gaming graphics, haha!

[@maddyweatherley1455]

My dad would play TR2 on our computer and my sister and I would watch, scream and laugh when he failed. I don't game much, but I've played as many Tomb Raider games as possible. As a girl I would run around pretending to solve puzzles and fight bad guys, I was always Lara and my sister would be Laura. The character design which I used to deem as 'sexist' (because of old internalised misogyny) I see as empowering. For women who played. this game, we could feel unashamed of being smart, quick witted, sexy and strong. Thanks for playing and presenting these games Bob, it's alway so much fun to look back at them and remember hiding behind a chair as Tigers attacked Lara on the Great Wall of China.

[@Bobthepetferret]

I always love hearing these stories. There's a lot of debate about whether or not Lara is a sexist character (and some of the marketing at the time really didn't help!) but the amount of women who describe her as empowering and inspirational says a lot more than people who just didn't like that she wore shorts.

[@stijnvdv2]

@@Bobthepetferret Great vid, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Do disagree with you a little bit on the movies though; I though 1 with Jolie was awesome; you indeed have to keep in mind that movie is another medium then game and I think they adapted it for the medium rather well. 2 was less good but still okay.... at 3 I was like: right... they totally forgot that movie is another medium then the game. I had the idea that it didn't want to be itself as an original story but wanted to just copy paste the reboot game; the names are all the same and you had scenes that were ripped straight from the game... I ain't going to see a movie where it tries to be a 1 on 1 adaptation. Also I don't like the new casting of Lara Croft; she's too millennial snowflake and safe space for me. To me it gave off too much 'university privileged entitled white liberal/progressive woman that would start to complain any moment for representation and diversity nonsense' rather then the more emotional character of the reboot or the badass of the earlier game.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Of course you have to adapt to the medium, but none of the films did a good job of being films in their own right imo. The first one was a goofy action flick with a weak story, and the second wasn't particularly good. But with the third they really did change the entire storyline, and that on its own didn't work because it was still awkwardly tethered to what the game established. They were all bad to passable as actual movies for me, regardless of their faithfulness to the original games.

[@caldw615]

@@Bobthepetferret Bayonetta is another example of a character designed intentionally to be sexy and she's pretty popular among women because she's a character who embraces it. There's a difference between a character purely being viewed in a sexual manner that goes against the character (certain camera angles sexualising a character who isn't trying to appear as such) and when the character themselves intentionally does it because they want to and I find the latter more interesting

[@TheeReturn]

One of the best things about the original ps1 Tomb Raider is that the game disk doubled up as a OST CD!

[@Bobthepetferret]

I don't remember the first game having the music tracks stored as CD audio data, but 2 and 3 definitely did!

[@TheeReturn]

@@Bobthepetferret It may have just been a certain batch. Mine came in a double case although it only contains the game/manual.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Possibly! Mine isn't a double case, so that could be it

[@TheeReturn]

@@Bobthepetferret Looks like it. So odd they'd do that but it is what it is.

[@Resimaster]

What a great video with a lot of passion. Lara really changed the gaming world.

[@Lunariant]

I must have heard the history of Tomb Raider a hundred times but I never get tired of it. I love your passion for these games. I too grew up in the UK with those PlayStation magazines and fell in love with many games through its demos. What a nostalgic era.

[@Bobthepetferret]

The magazines were great. I sometimes miss that era, although I totally recognise why we don't have as much of that stuff these days

[@Tismeabbie]

I just don’t feel the same way as you do as a classics fan regarding the 13 on timeline. I personally want my badass Lara back who defied her parents and gave up an inheritance to do what she wanted

[@Chronoteeth]

this was a great retrospective, but genuinely surprised that there was no mention of the tomb raider level editor, or the massive community of custom level makers that still is alive and strong to this day!

[@Bobthepetferret]

The reason is simple - it deserves its own video! (which I have in super early planning stages and may take a while to get off the ground, but I do want to make it)

[@FatHedgie]

Wow, I remember watching your TR4 Let’s Play ages ago (I can’t believe it’s been 12 years), it’s good to see you pop back up into my recommended videos and see that you’re still on KZbin! I love how even after many decades, people are still talking about these games. They truly leave an impression on you

[@Bobthepetferret]

It really has been a LONG time since I made that Let's Play! Glad to have you back on the channel, hope you enjoy the new style of content! And yeah, Tomb Raider truly is a special series. Looking forward to what comes next!

[@shazam1384]

I loved the video. Thank you. Its magnificent

[@RisuAlto]

I never got to play the original games in this series because I was too young and too convinced I only liked books and video games were for boys. Obviously wrong. But I watched other people play them later in life and just really love Tomb Raider 3. I always say I _wish_ I had gotten into gaming in time for Lara Croft to have been a childhood hero, but I'm happy to have the games in my life no matter what.

[@Bobthepetferret]

To be fair, the industry at the time did a great job convincing people games were only for boys. Very few female characters in prominent roles in games, magazines had scantily-clad models draped all over them and then you get stuff like Ocarina of Time's weird "will you get the girl or play like one?" ad (ironic considering how popular Zelda is with women these days!) and it's easy to see how you'd dismiss the whole medium in that environment I'm just glad things have improved since

[@RisuAlto]

@@Bobthepetferret Same, dude. Same. (My answer to the OoT ad is both.)

[@Gustav165130]

This makes me so nostalgic but also excited for what's to come. Really well made video, you captured every essential part of what makes Tomb Raider great!

[@clintmcbride7830]

My first experience with Tomb Raider was with a Demo of TR2 which I played dozens of times. My father eventually went out and bought me the game and we played it religiously for weeks and weeks. I played through it 2-3 more times after finishing it with my dad. After seeing this he went out and bought me the first game and we did the same with it. Of course the greatest hits release of TR2 had a Demo of TR 3 so I got that one for Christmas after it released and loved it just as much. The Last Revelation I never owned, but I did finish it over the course of a few rentals. I rented but never finished chronicles. I don't even think I made it to the young Lara section. And Angel of Darkness got traded in after I got bored with it by the night club section. I have never played Legend or Underworld (yet) but my father went out and bought me Anniversary for my 17th birthday and we played through it together just like we did the original and it is personally my favorite in the series. I have played the first two in the reboot series and thoroughly enjoyed them. They did a good job in updating and reimagining the series for a new generation. Making Lara a more believable and fleshed out character but keeping her a badass who overcomes whatever challenges get in her way. They made a more believable story with great puzzle design and very competent combat mechanics. But I feel they aren't as a good as Anniversary or some of the originals because they seem too much like they took Uncharted and threw a TR filter over it. They didn't try and improve on that formula so the first reboot feeling rather shallow. The second game did a bit more to give itself its own identity and I enjoyed it much better.

[@jennygarns5407]

Here here love this game series playing tomb raider 3 as we speak

[@Bobthepetferret]

Awesome! Replaying it? Where are you up to?

[@jennygarns5407]

@@Bobthepetferret Just in the temple of puna with the green puking lizard ha

[@CursedinDisguise]

The original was a masterclass that envigorated my childhood. From great exploration and an epic sound design, the original will never be topped for its introduction of the PS1!!!

[@visitor5451]

subscribed because i love tomb raider and ferrets!

[@ianseaweed]

Back in 1996 I dropped in on a mate some ten years my junior, he had this amazing video game called Tomb Raider. I’ve just reached retirement age and have finally got some free time on my hands between gardening duties and am diving (swallow style) into Rise Of The Tomb Raider. So far I only managed to play RockStars Vice City and RDR2 over those intervening years. Looking forward to finding some more games, definitely going to get Ghost of Tsushima.

[@evelina5771]

First time I came in contact with TR was the first game in 2001, but the first time really playing it was Legend on it's release year! I feel in love instantlly, and even if I've had to play the games in ''wrong order'' it made such an impact on me! The video was great! Editing was flawless, the script was nice and soothing and Im excited for the next video!

[@Bobthepetferret]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video! Not everything I do will be on Tomb Raider, but I hope you still find stuff to enjoy regardless!

[@evelina5771]

@@Bobthepetferret after watching this one Im excited for whatever video you decide too put out! Really great work!!

[@Erkynar]

The Tomb Raider LPs was what I first saw of your videos. Great fun. Now, totally on board for more pretentious excursions about video gamesy stuff. And again, your writing is on point. Thanks!

[@Bobthepetferret]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! And there will be plenty of pretentious excursions to come!

[@naveriie]

Lara's VA in AoD slaps!

[@khajiit8221]

Great video, love the old Tomb Raider games!

[@megaman15ish]

I never really played Tomb Raider as a kid but I always saw stuff about it from gameplay to references in other TV shows, not to mention I thought Lara herself was a pretty awesome character in her own right. It wasn't until I played the 2013 reboot that I immediately fell in love with the series. I eventually went back and played all the other ones from the original and onwards, and I can say without a doubt it's one of the best gaming franchises I've ever experienced and I'm looking forward to more adventures with Lara in future entries! Quick side note too, my personal favorites in the series are Legend and Underworld ^-^

[@Hugo_Le_Mignon]

Hi! What a wonderful video mate. I was randomly on KZbin watching Tomb Raider videos (as one should do) and your video popped up. Really enjoyed your video, and it's always nice to find people that had similar experiences as I did with Tomb Raider. Let me share my Tomb Raider journey: Many moons ago, I started my videogame journey with Sonic and a Master System - not Nintendo and Mario. Eventually, after my Master System, I got the Mega Drive (Genesis) because I wanted more Sonic and soon after got really excited when the Saturn was announced, at the time, with Sonic Flickies Island. I got one, if maths and memory works, I believe it was Christmas 1996. I played Sonic non stop and kinda ignored the two games that also came with the Saturn: Virtual Cop and Tomb Raider. Eventually I finished Sonic and decided to try for the first time Tomb Raider. And... It was the first time I stayed awake all night in my live! I just couldn't stop playing and for the same reasons as you. I was obsessed with Lara, and the Tombs! I had no guides so it was so hard for me to progress but I didn't cared! I loved every minute of it! I got to the Midas Palace and mate, got stuck there for a year. I could not figure out what to do. I tried everything I could think off! And nothing. Even thought the game was broken or something. Time passed, and Tomb Raider 2 came out, exclusive on PlayStation. I was so bummed, but thought to myself, until I finish the first one, I would not play the second. Well, that summer, probably a year and a half after getting stuck in Midas Palace, randomly talking with a friend at school about videogames, I mentioned I was stuck. And my friend, with the most relaxed voice against my rage for being stuck ahah - he said: "Stuck? Oh! You just need to check the signs on the doors in the main hub. Use the levers to replicate the signs and you will be done.". I could not believe it... My jaw was on the floor. I was screaming and I could not believe it! I rushed home, checked the levers, they indeed opened those doors!!! and... in 3 days I finished the game. Egypt? Atlantis? They were no match for me and my year long almost daily play as Lara (because in my innocent head I thought perhaps I missed something on the previous levels so I replayed Tomb Raider from the beginning to Palace Midas non stop lol). And that was it! Tomb Raider done! The minute I finished, I restarted it! And thought, well... Need to get a Playstation now don't I? So, sold my Saturn and with Christmas money that year, got myself a Playstation! So many games to chose... Obviously I got Tomb Raider 2. And omg, it was magical. Not only a full new game! More moves! More weapons! Vehicles! Outfits! But for me also, to re-learn how to control Lara with a Playstation remote coming from the Saturn! Took me a while, as the first level in Tomb Raider 2 is HARD in comparison to the Caves of Tomb Raider 1! But in a couple of days I was a pro. I finished Tomb Raider 2 in about a month and a half, maybe two months. No help. No internet or magazines! Just me exploring! Like I am sure you agree, there is something magical in the original games that are not replicated in the Legend or Survival eras. The loneliness. The danger. The exploration. Combat is second or even third when compared to exploring and thinking on how to beat the puzzles. It's all about Lara exploring and trying her best to not die a horrible death in order to obtain a new artifact to show off in Croft Manor lol - no chit chatting with friends, no family drama with mom and dad... And all that being an icon, bad ass woman that will do anything she can for her goal - unlike the whining Lara that we now have... But I digress. After Tomb Raider 2, I wanted more Lara, I needed more Tomb Raiding. So I started to buy the Official PlayStation Magazine - only then available in Portugal (I am Portuguese, now living in London... Maybe I moved here to be closer to Lara? Ahah!), and eventually Tomb Raider 3 was mentioned, and eventually the Area 51 demo came out in their monthly discs and I was amazed by the graphics! I could clearly see the triangular pixels and the light effects! The water effects! The gun fire and the bullets! The footprints! And so much more! Just so good! I was so thrilled! When Tomb Raider 3 came out I was so excited... And unlike so many fans, it's my favourite!!! Because - not wanting to sound like a prick lol - Tomb Raider 2 was so easy for me, and Tomb Raider 3 being so much harder and longer, I enjoyed it way more then 2! It took me about 3 to 4 months to finish! And I got stuck again!!! In the South Pacific, in the Crash Site! I just couldn't understand that dark room where she needs to grab and hold and jump perfectly, while not trying to fall in the super deep deadly dark hole in the bottom (I am sure you know exactly what room this is!). I kept dying and I didn't had enough saving crystals to do what so many people did - save after every successful jump or portion lol. Oh well, eventually I did it, and I loved how hard it was! Then The Last Revelation came out, quickly became my second favourite. I agree pretty much with everything you said in the dedicated video you have done to the game. It's wonderful. And the graphics were such a jump! I loved it. Another hard one, took me even longer to finish in comparison with Tomb Raider 3 but just because of the pure length of the game: as you know it goes on, and on, and on, and on lol. But in the end I was in shock: Lara? Dead? No! Then Chronicles came out, and on the Official PlayStation Magazine they had already mentioned The Angel of Darkness so, I focused on getting a Playstation 2 first, before I could enjoy it and realised she was not be dead. Good. Took me awhile to get a Playstation 2 (only got it when Final Fantasy X was launched, Final Fantasy is another franchise I love and I hope XVI brings back glory of the good old Final Fantasies, because since XIII, it has bee rough...) Anyway! By the time I got a copy of Angel of Darkness, I already knew the game was broken. Still enjoyed it tho, because of what it could have been if Eidos hadn't pressured Core, but also, because it was the last game of my favourite Lara, the original, badass, sex icon, only doing for sport Lara. I miss her... Terribly. When news about Legend came out, I got so pumped! Lara looked cute and I thought I would enjoy it! The game came out and was flashy, and visually beautiful but... it was not my Lara anymore. Combat driven, the linear tombs were secondary, the constant chatting and tips and me screaming LET ME THINK, DON'T GIVE ME THE CLUES!!!! all the time at the TV...yeah. Also, I hate how Lara now auto-grabs everything and there's this weird colour faint light marks on every surface you are meant to jump, removing all sense of exploration and danger. I hate it. So yeah, Legend. Then Anniversary. And then I got the PlayStation 2 version of Tomb Raider Underworld and THAT was a choice. If you think Angel of Darkness is bad, try and play Underworld on a Playstation 2 lol! I had to watch the cutscenes on KZbin lol and it was a mess. So, by that time I got in uni, Playstation 3 came out, I didn't got one and like you and your uni years, I decided to have a break on videogames. Meanwhile, Lara for me, she was resting in my memory, and every now and then I replayed the original games. Eventually I finished Uni, moved to UK and PlayStation 4 came out. Took me a while but eventually got a Playstation 4 and it came with Evil Within, The Last of Us Remaster and Tomb Raider. And I thought, if I had a coconut... Lol. Immediately I started playing Tomb Raider and visually it was stunning! I was amazed on how Playstation 4 games looked! (Until I tried The Last of Us lol). Anyway, while visually it was gorgeous... It was still not my Lara. Who was this whining child? Why the constant talking, giving me clues of where to go because God forbid me having to THINK for 5 minutes on where to go! And the godamm autograb and light jump marks were back and event stronger then ever! So... I finished the game. It was... Ok. But didn't felt like Tomb Raider to me. And since then... I didn't even touched Rise or Shadow yet. In my head, Lara is still in that underground cave, holding the Chirugai and looking to that dark tunnel, awaiting for me to press forward and try and find Kurtis. And that's my story with Lara and Tomb Raider. I am looking forward to the new game and this mentioned timeline unification. Also the Netflix show? I read somewhere it will be how Crystal Dynamics wants to finish the Angel of Darkness storyline so that they can start fresh with a Lara without Kurtis and the all Cabal thing and get rid of that story arc lol. Time will tell. Anyway, this is my longest comment on KZbin ever lol, and I don't even know if you will ever read it lol, but if you do, sending you a big hug mate, your videoade me smile and let's hope that they nail the unification of the time lines cuz I sure would love to see a full fledged badass Lara again and enjoy Tomb Raider again!

[@Bobthepetferret]

Well this was...a lot! But thank you for sharing your passion for the series, it was a fun read (and yes, I did read the whole thing). Condolences on playing the PS2 version of Underworld, which I haven't personally played but I've seen clips

[@Hugo_Le_Mignon]

@@Bobthepetferret Thank you mate. And yes, I need to replay Underworld, the PS3 version lol. I barely remember the PS2 version 😂

[@hundun5604]

On a side note, I adore ferrets too. They are awesome. My all time favourite pet.

[@SteelHex]

Started playing Tomb Raider back in 1996 but stopped in 1999. Picked it back up last year when I binged the last 3 games, and fell in love all over again. She has definitely evolved. From a literal cartoon figure to a very realistically ripped female athlete.

[@Bobthepetferret]

I do like her visual design in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. They've struck a nice blend of the classic look with the somewhat drastic shift in 2013, and yes, given her some muscle, which feels all too rare for female characters (especially ones who climb rocks all the time). I just wish her characterisation was more consistent!

[@SteelHex]

@@Bobthepetferret I think when they rebooted Tomb Raider with modern graphics and realistic character model in 2013, they felt the need to not stray too much from buxom Lara. Like it or not, sexual appeal is part of her legacy. In the next game (RotTR) her figure is made closer to an average young woman, and in the last installment they were comfortable enough to put her in the mold of American Ninja Warrior winners. One youtuber commented that Lara’s breast is getting smaller and smaller, which is true. What’s also true is her getting more muscle mass and looking less dainty. I think it’s a change for the better, because it makes her look like a world class athlete/warrior that she is. I’m embarrassed to say that Lara in the SotTR looks realistically and unbearably hot to me.

[@craftingranger7552]

I first played Anniversary when I was younger and then years later I played 2013 and fell in love. I wasn't a huge fan of Rise but Shadow was my personal favourite. I love the classic and LAU titles but the survivor games just mean more to me.

[@paulwoodford1984]

ooh shadow was so tedious. the story and dialogue and gameplay were so uninspired and lazy. it was a huge step down from rise. but they can’t compare to the first four originals

[@GamingMyWholeLife]

It was such a magical time to enter 3D for the first time. We all were leaving the SNES and Sega Mega Drive Era with all this confidence and than the PS1 Kept smacking us in the face with the fact we didn't actually know anything hahaha Nice Video Bob!

[@Bobthepetferret]

The PS1 era is a real Wild West of gaming in that everyone was desperately trying to figure out how to do 3D environments and experimenting wildly. It was fun, although general quality of games is better now that everyone knows what they're doing a little better!

[@xRocketzFighterx]

In 90s and 00s I struggled to play these games as a kid, I could only beat AoD, Legend, Anniversary. But recently I've gone through all the first 5 TR games and they're very rewarding to beat compared to modern games i've become more tired of. The first two TR movie is still enjoyable to watch I just want Lara to pack heat, spout sassy one liners n kick ass.

[@FPSDora]

excellent video. i would love to see some more sassy badass lara and almost cheesy tombs!!!

[@andersnfabiano]

Awesome job with this video! You've earned yourself a subscriber

[@jcage1022]

I gotta say, there's so much to love about the Angel of Darkness. I love how it looks like a classic FMV, I adore the music, and I love Lara's redesign. Her new personality was a bit much. In the first 5, she was silly, charming, and clumsy. In AOD, she's still fairly interesting, but she seemed to be almost constantly angry. Still, it was often funny. Edit: about the 2018 movie, I get what you're saying, but they spent the beginning of the movie building up Alicia Vikander's Lara. We actually got to see what life was like for her before it was upheaved, instead of just watching her crash with no knowledge as to why she's at Yamatai, etc (like in the game). Besides, her character proves that classic Lara can still work in the modern day, and her emotional moments worked bc she's actually Lara Croft, a character I like, and she behaves as such throughout the whole film. Unlike 2013-2018's "Lara". It's also very simple why they threw out a majority of the source material: the source material belongs in the gutter.

[@rodrywtf6136]

Aod Lara for life!! Happy of the small remake it’s getting and looks fantastic!

[@otaviopalanca]

I absolutely love your video. It's perfect in every way possible, a true celebration of thi trail blazer beloved franchise.

[@cvntyspicedlatte]

Tomb Raider was the very first game I ever latched on to. I had a SNES and a PlayStation, but the moment I rented Last Revelation I knew I was hooked. I've been a die hard fan ever since. I love Lara, and her fierce personality and attitude. Her and a handful of other female characters raised me to be the woman I am today 🤣

[@albescentrose7225]

Oh my goodness, I remember you. Your name is incredibly familiar. Didn't you do a few collaborations with a KZbinr called 'Tina von Rotter'? Seriously, there was so many familiar names in the old Tomb Raider community and I'm happy to see one of them reappear in my recommendations. Phenomenal video by the way! 🖤

[@Bobthepetferret]

I remember streaming with her a couple of times, yeah! Glad you enjoyed the video too!

[@Mitsu2040]

I love Tomb Raider and Lara Croft. This is the only IP that I will say without a doubt that I'm a fanboy of. Good or bad, I will support each entry and buy them blind instead of waiting for reviews and such. If it's Lara Croft, I'll try it out.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Same!

[@marcvialli8469]

Thank you for this video. Felt like you were reading my mind. From preference to the games and movies, to specific levels. But even the depiction of females in video games. All because of Lara. Brilliant.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@turboprint3d]

I loved the original I was 8 when I played it , the sense of adventure and scale was like nothing before . I also had a hug crush on Lara . great vid .

[@trentoisme]

In TLR Lara wasn't killed off as a cliffhanger for next gen, the development team were tired of making Tomb Raider games every year, they had no plans to bring her back.

[@Bobthepetferret]

The 20th anniversary book I used as my primary reference for much of the history says otherwise

[@acetylen42]

9:12 They actually called the kayak "the best vehicle in the series", holy crap.

[@Bobthepetferret]

I honestly never re-read those level descriptions but woooooow I'm pretty sure the kayak broke for me on my first time through the game, so there is that

[@playbossthebest936]

Apparently the ps3 version of underworld has many more bugs and clipping issues compared to the 360 version. Maybe that's why I had no such issues and enjoyed the game fully with no glitches that come to mind

[@Bobthepetferret]

Wouldn't be surprised. That was a time when PS3 ports were a bit wonky and Underworld was definitely built with the 360 in mind first (judging by its exclusive DLC). A shame though, since I would have likely enjoyed it as much as the previous two otherwise!

[@QueAwkwardNoises]

Angel of Darkness is my all time favourite game to have ever been released, honestly my favourite piece of media ever

[@Bobthepetferret]

I wish I could like it more. Will really need to try with the mods etc.

[@QueAwkwardNoises]

@@Bobthepetferret the movement mods really do make a difference. I still tend to like the tank controls version, but some people like the multidirectional more modern style

[@SethMcKenzieTV]

Really enjoyed this video, thanks for sharing your experiences ☺ (Cradle of Life deserves a second chance from you, though. It hits Netflix soon so now is a good time 😁)

[@Bobthepetferret]

Eh. I might give it another shot but I don't have high expectations Glad you enjoyed the video though!

[@charliehorse8401]

28:10 I remember playing underworld on the Xbox 360, and the Mexico underworld level was never really glitchy for me. I don't know if that's a console versus computer thing, but I don't remember any glitches. The only reason I sucked at that level was because I generally suck.

[@Bobthepetferret]

It's more likely a PS3 vs 360 thing, since I played on PS3. I believe the 360 version was the "original" and the PS3 was a less optimised port

[@charliehorse8401]

@@Bobthepetferret ahhh, I that makes sense. I was kind of raised on Xbox, so I never really played any other one.

[@cccycling5835]

My favorite video game franchise of all time, next to Half-Life and Resident Evil. I even like the new ones, but they’re not quite like the original.

[@cuddlebug778]

My feelings about the Tomb Raider series are similar to yours. Tomb Raider 2 was the first video game (other than games on a NES we got from my cousin) that I played "seriously". I was 16 and rather shy and insecure when the first one was released and these games really shaped the person I've become by showing me that girls could be action heroes, too. It also made me love puzzle games and adventures. Thank you for this nostalgic trip down memory lane :)

[@Bobthepetferret]

Glad you enjoyed it! And I love hearing stories like this, where the series has been a positive influence on people!

[@mikado387]

Tomb Raider made me fall in love with Lara Croft.

[@toxicneamain]

Hello, first of all great video and footage. I think your opinion is really on point, and I also watched your video the Rise (and the fall) of Tomb raider because the TR trilogy is somewhat of a disappointment to me. I agree that TR:AOD was a terrible game in terms of controls and bugs and when it came out it really felt like it was rushed and eventually half-finished, but I can’t deny that one of my favourite Lara Croft levels was the Parisian backstreets. The eerie feeling of Lara running from the police on a rainy day and a dog barking in the background was really atmospheric as well as the rest of the Parisian level. If they’re going to release another game I wouldn’t mind some similar suburban areas where the players can further explore instead of the whole game being in some sort of tropical jungle, or in Siberian wilderness. Regarding Lara Croft as a character and TR trilogy, I also watched your other video as well to get the whole image. Lara Croft in early games felt like a rich British girl, perhaps a bit spoiled who always got what she want. Her personality might be considered cold but I think it was expected from a girl who grew up in aristocracy, didn’t want to get married and had her own dreams and ambitions even if her parents disagreed with her choices. Even in the Legend timeline (when CD was put in charge) she kept those qualities as an authoritative person but they also made her more friendly by adding some sarcasm to her persona as well. The 2013 game was really good and interesting, as for a few years felt like the story had come to an end. Lara was young, naive and good-natured etc which already felt like a different direction for her personality. When the rest of the trilogy came out it was even more evident that they decided to discard everything that was considered “canon”and build up a story where Lara Croft was a very emotional, insecure girl who just wants to live in her father’s mould. I don’t know if that was their initial plan ,but after a while Lara started to feel more like Laura, a small town American girl who dreams big and wants to become an archaeologist some day. I no longer see the girl who was brought up as an aristocrat nor the confident, ambitious girl who would defy her family’s wishes to follow her own path. Since Uncharted series was mentioned I would like to say that Nathan Drake was introduced as a bit of a goofy character who always gets in trouble and he remained that way till the end. Also the rest of the characters are always in the background meaning that even if they’re absent from a game, their presence is implied and they are not simply forgotten (Sam, Amanda). I surely can’t expect a game which was released in 1996 to have some sort of sturdy structure when it comes to plot but CD deciding to discard their own canon plot from Legend and Underworld, where Lara goes through everything to find her mother and be like “Yeah.. about that… forget this ever happened, k? the whole airplane crash never occurred, Lara never went to Avalon as she was never in the plane and Amelia died somewhere alone writing letters to Laura. Also do you remember Amanda? Oh no you don’t, she’s does not even exist.” Lara Croft was already unique the way she was before, humanised Laura stumbling around for three games, crying every time she fails miserably, always needing Jonah to pick her up or second-guessing for everything she does, does not feel…tomb raiderish at all. In terms of mechanics, Shadow and Rise feel very similar with the 2013 game. Same climbing equipment, the bow which for some reason became canon, same weapons, kind of a repetitive gameplay and the only thing that differentiates them is the plot . I may sound salty about the trilogy, but as a person who played most of the previous games, this whole U turn does not make much sense. I’d rather consider it as a new heroine Laura Craftsman who just shares some similarities with Lara Croft if anything. If they are somehow going to conclude the story in a way that makes sense with the previous games and not Laura waking up and realising she had a dream where her mother was in Avalon and she went to find her, I’ll be there to see it. Cheers!

[@patham9]

The reboot trilogy is not really Tomb Raider, it just has it in the title but it is about an entirely different character. The reboot trilogy would not have gotten me interested in Tomb Raider, it is the prior games about action and adventure that are fun, not the brutal survival shooter with ugly suffering.

[@cthulhu888]

An excellent analysis of this amazing series! I especially resonated with the personal impact portion as it mirrored my own experiences growing up (and i agree female characters make every game better lol 😄) I think for me the legend series was my first full jump into the series. They may have aged a little less gracefully with the heavy reliance on QTEs but they made lara a really memorable character overall. The reboots seemed to not be able to shake off becoming uncharted rip-offs and missed on some narrative bits but it makes me curious how the next set of games will take the franchise from here. Unfortunately i somehow skipped over the entire ps1 era even though this was the perfect game for me back then; looking to hopefully remedy that later in the year 😁❤️‍🔥

[@Bobthepetferret]

You should definitely give the PS1 era a go at some point. Not sure how well the Steam versions run these days as I've not tried them, but that's your best bet with playing them on a modern system currently.

[@iverchyleatis407]

What I hate about the latest movie was it removed the fantasy from the story. That's tomb raider a fantasy action movie. The climax was not it.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Yeah, they seemed determined to remove all the supernatural elements from it, which then created the plot hole of why no one can seemingly leave the island. It wasn't a smart move

[@katestone7929]

Your review of legend was longer than the game itself LOL

[@watercat1248]

wait the raising off the Tomb Raider have dlc i don't know about that

[@Bobthepetferret]

Baba Yaga and Blood Ties, yeah. They're included if you have the 20th anniversary edition, but are separate if you bought the game at launch

[@watercat1248]

@@Bobthepetferret i have the 20th anniversary edition for the epic game thos dlc are good is worth to install the game for thos 2 dlc or not ?

[@doyouwantfrieswiththat7682]

I get so bored when there isn't a game that's not tomb raider to play I just don't get it (I get bored playing games easily unless it's tomb raider)

[@ultrairrelevantnobody1862]

Of the Core Design games I enjoyed 1 and 3 the most. The former is a consistently great experience, and the latter nails the balance of platforming, adventure, and action gameplay. 2 was a clunky shooting game, TLR was good if a little tedious, I didn't like Chronicles outside of Ireland, and Angel speaks for itself. Still though, I like the series, and I'm looking forward to the day I start playing the Crystal games.

[@UberBunneh]

Excuse me. Official… fanfiction?

[@Bobthepetferret]

Douglas Coupland, author of Generation X, contributed original fiction about Lara Croft to a book called "Lara's Book" in...1998 I think? I've heard mixed things about it

[@blazept567]

….I’m expecting my first child. I’ve decided long ago that, if it’s a girl, she ‘ll be named “Lara”.

[@Bobthepetferret]

That's adorable, I love it

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

Don't forget the baby shower of 19 Tomb Raider titles. Never to young to start.

[@buffalodebill1976]

Nice video, though my perception of the games from the post-Core Design era is vastly different - for me, from most to least favourite, the games are TR3 & TRLA, TR & TRUB, TR2 & TR2G, then TRC & TRAOD and lastly TRLR. I do not like the LAU trilogy and I straight dislike the last three games. Also: - the Angel of Darkness game got a major boost (in terms of playability) with all the fan patches & updates, though some plot-holes and inconsistencies still remain there.. however, it's definitely worth trying out - and yes, I would have preferred the original game to have been properly finished, tested & released as originally planned & envisioned by its creators (ah, the good old 'what could have been') - I would have preferred the unreleased Anniversary Edition by Core Design, as even in its highly unfinished state today, it looks much better than the Crystal Dynamics game; it also plays quite fine and captures more of the spirit of the original game, while enhancing it both visually and in terms of contents - to me it feels like they went for using newer visuals & tech to re-create the levels as-if they were making the game brand new in 2006 or 2007.. Anniversary chopped and dumbed it down instead (continuing the trend set by Legend)

[@SalmanKhan-dx1ch]

One thing i hated about Shadow of tomb raider not enough combat and too much talking

[@Bobthepetferret]

Funny thing is, I've always found combat to be the least compelling part of the TR franchise, so that's probably why I liked Shadow more than some other fans!

[@ever-changingbeing]

I believe that everyone who was present to play Tomb Raider in 1996 had the same opinion. It was a first in many ways, and Lara Croft became our all-time favorite woman. My sole criticism of the franchise is that, in my opinion, everything got substantially worse following The Last Revelation, and this tendency is only expected to continue. Making the ideal grid system from PoP less relevant and eventually deleting it entirely, as well as converting Lara from a fierce hot tomboy goddess into a nobody created to be approved by the fake-feminist Twitter heroes, absolutely ruined the game's mood for me. With Angel of Darkness, the true Tomb Raider, Lara Amelia Croft, has departed away and will never return. Indie fan studios might be able to resurrect her, but after seeing something like the fan remake of TR 2, which entirely changed the levels and incorporated the revolting new control system from Legend, I've given up hope.

[@Bobthepetferret]

I'll be honest, while the grid based system worked for the 90s, I don't believe it'd work for a modern game. It's pretty clunky and slow, and a lot of players today would be hugely put off by it. Even as a fan of those games I don't want that control scheme back at all.

[@ever-changingbeing]

@@Bobthepetferret To be honest, I can't accept removing a basic component of a game in the name of requiring it to evolve over time. Many iconic titles have been resurrected in recent years, such as the Spyro Trilogy, the Crash Bandicoot Trilogy, and most recently, Diablo II's Resurrected. None of them changed even a minor aspect of the original gameplay mechanics since the developers were well aware that doing so would spoil the experience for fans of the games, and this is exactly what happened after TRL, in my opinion. I can't tolerate playing the new games because they aren't feel the same as the old ones. Like not at all. This game's beautiful charm of expecting a lot from you has vanished completely. Not to mention things like we've progressed from the undisputed king (well, queen) of puzzle games, where you had to struggle for hours to figure out how to progress or find secrets, to a point where you can check what you should do with a single button press. Please don't get me wrong. I respect your opinion about this. I believe that games should improve with time in general, but something as memorable and distinctive as Tomb Raider's grid structure is something I just can't let go of. It's similar to the other games I described previously. Something along the lines of chess. Just don't mess with it.

[@testus86]

tomb raider 4 was the worst i have ever played! it was so complicated and it was the first game i did not finish. the puzzles were so unrealistic and had simply bad game design.

[@Bobthepetferret]

Unrealistic?

[@BobExcalibur]

You had me going until the digression about female protagonists at the end. In these kinds of easy listening presentations, diverting off to accuse people who disagree with you of childishly hating women breaks the tone and needlessly puts people who might otherwise like your work on the defensive. Or worse yet, they become apathetic from the stock narrative they could get from practically any publication that discusses the gaming public's tastes. Unless you're aiming for a hateclick oriented model, its not the best tack to take. Great work otherwise.

[@Bobthepetferret]

I never do that though? Closest I get is a joke about how the industry used to be reluctant to create female protagonists (a reference to how the first game was perceived to be a "risk") which wasn't meant to be a dig at player preferences

[@BobExcalibur]

@@Bobthepetferret I'm more replying to the "cooties" thing. There's probably a lot to be said about how the trend faded after the nineties, likely spurred by the fading of the Tomb Raider series from prominence. Not to mention the press acting like anything that might gratify a heterosexual male is inherently low brow and immoral. Thus pressuring developers and publishers to fall back on the safe bet of male protags. I don't know if you're fond of the Deus Ex games, but just recently a full mod for DE1 that allows you to play the entire game as a female version of the protagonist became available. If you like female protagonists, you might enjoy it. Full voice acting and everything. Look up the "Lay Dee Denton Project" mod, its very impressive.

[@Bobthepetferret]

That's what I mean! The cooties joke was mocking the industry for its years-long belief that games with female leads will never sell, even down to giving them lower marketing budgets because, well, why bother? It won't sell anyway. Oh, it didn't sell? Must be because of the woman and not the fact we didn't tell anyone the game existed. (See: Beyond Good & Evil) It's something that has improved with games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Control getting marketed and, unsurprisingly, doing well. It was not a critique of player attitudes at all, it was mocking the industry convincing themselves this was how players thought. Just like how they also believed horror didn't sell (until Amnesia proved them dramatically wrong) and how single player games are dead (which they've been saying since 2012 and yet...here we are still getting single player games). It's more a "well done, execs, for finally realising how wrong you once were, most people really don't mind either way" And I've never played a Deus Ex gane but I did hear something about the mod and I'm impressed with the level of work put in!

[@WheeledHamster]

Shadow sucked so bad.

[@annapierce8666]

I've never finished AOD. The controls are so bad and frustrating I was unable to get Lara to climb on top of a simple crate in a warehouse to get up to a catwalk near the ceiling in a timely manner. 20 years later I found my old PS2 and thought "Ya, why not try to get up to that catwalk one more time.." Well I climbed that crate and made it up to the top of the catwalk! Mission accomplished. I saved my game and then turned it off. I walked away satisfied with the need to finish a broken game forever gone 🦹‍♀️. I then busted out my favorite game, a little *gem* called *Tombraider* *2* 🐲