Games

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered: A Stylish Revival of a Forgotten Era

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As a gamer, let me clarify that in the Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered collection, we don’t have games numbered 4 to 6. Instead, we have three games: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. Back in the millennium, Core Design, the creators of these thrilling adventures, chose not to number each new game beyond the third. It felt like a hint that Lara Croft was starting to feel the pressure – something that comes with being a gaming icon. You can tell someone’s tired when they stick a ‘6’ at the end of their title. Now, Aspyr Media has decided to give these sequels the proper numbers, as if they were adding new members to Lara’s family crypt.

Absolutely, they share similarities. The role of a remasterer is somewhat like an undertaker’s. They both handle and preserve things that have ended, providing solace by preserving our memories, and reminding us of the inevitable fact that everything eventually comes to an end. As the saying goes, “In the midst of life we are in death.” However, if you’re Lara Croft, it seems you’ve found a way to defy such finality!

This collection follows Lara’s journey from childhood to her final resting place, and beyond. In “The Last Revelation”, we encounter a young Lara with pigtails and a camouflage vest, under the tutelage of Werner Von Croy, a tense Austrian in a cream safari suit, brandishing a large knife. At the end, we witness the grown-up Lara being crushed beneath a collapsing pyramid. In “Chronicles”, we participate in a solemn gathering at her funeral service, where friends share stories of her past adventures; we traverse the hazy tapestry of their recollections, a series of levels bound only by shared grief. Lastly, in “Angel of Darkness”, Lara is revived on the PlayStation 2 (the console resembling a tombstone, pulsating with life), where, following a cold reception, she meets her end again.

From my perspective, it’s not about glory, but another tale altogether. This is a narrative of decay and collapse, a situation that should never have been. As the years passed under Core Design, Lara’s subsequent adventures seemed, in many aspects, her most captivating. They refined and polished the formula, squeezing every bit of graphical brilliance from the PlayStation. Yet, they also spoke of a team struggling under the burden of anticipation and the need for consistent excitement. Five games in just five years can drain even the most creative minds. It’s maybe no wonder that Toby Gard, the one who conceived Lara, chose to end her story.

Aspyr, in collaboration with Saber Interactive, has paid tribute to the back end with this remastered bundle. This new version incorporates features from the previous one such as updated controls, the option to switch between enhanced and original visuals, and an additional mission for the fourth episode titled “Tomb Raider: The Times”. What makes this addition special is that it allows players to explore Tutankhamun’s tomb and interact with Peter Stothard, then-editor of The Times, who actually appears in the game to brief Lara. Interestingly, the interior shots of The Times building bear little resemblance to a typical newspaper office, featuring thick, ornate doors that look more like sarcophagi. I appreciate this remastered edition not only for its polished appearance, but also for the way it subtly revitalizes Lara’s legacy and presents a fresh narrative perspective. Despite their age, these games should not have led to Lara’s temporary retirement. Now they may bring her back to life.

The standout piece in this collection is called “Angel of Darkness,” and it’s no surprise that it has been given a meticulous shine. It receives only minor enhancements when it comes to graphics, but there have been significant improvements elsewhere, such as restored features. These include previously unheard voice lines, unused items, an initial training zone, and the option to buy goods from a pawn shop. While these additions are enjoyable, the most significant change is the refined controls. In earlier Tomb Raider installments, Lara would rotate her upper body like a tank while her feet were fixed in the grid of the level design; the environment was rigid, even waterfalls flowed into neat blocks of blue.

Thanks to the PS2, Angel of Darkness allowed for a more realistic portrayal of environments instead of typical playgrounds. Lara Croft, as always, confronted these settings head-on, giving her a heavier stride. She felt disconnected from this new environment – and rightfully so. Now, Aspyr has smoothed out her movements, making them more in sync with the surroundings. (It’s recommended to keep the original controls for the other two games to preserve their design.) Despite some lingering issues and flaws inherent in the game’s structure, Aspyr has done its best to patch them up, revealing more of the game as it should have been played.

Recently, the Tomb Raider series appears to have shed some of its essence. Lara Croft’s latest adventures have left her battered and bruised, caked in mud, and navigating through harsh, dismal landscapes. I found myself stepping away from Rise of the Tomb Raider, questioning whether it was the desolate Siberian landscapes or the emotionally heavy narrative that left me feeling numb. Crystal Dynamics aimed to delve deeper into Lara’s character, but sometimes, surface beauty is all one needs. And who would want to ground Lara Croft? She thrives in the skies. Angel of Darkness presents an alternative route the series could have taken – a dense, continental fog shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Back then, Core Design was captivated by the allure of European thrillers. The story commences in rainy Paris, at a grisly crime scene; mere moments later, Lara is sprinting through narrow, blood-streaked alleys, pursued by dogs and with a police helicopter hovering overhead. It’s an elegant image – that of a thrill-seeker, almost ensnared by forces beyond her grasp, struggling to escape. Perhaps now she can.

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2025-02-14 19:14

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