Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered – Everything You Need to Know

Aspyr is working on bringing Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on February 14th with Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered. It’s far from a simple remaster – here are 15 things you should know before picking up the collection.

All Three Titles and Expansions

As indicated by the name, Tomb Raider 1, 2 and 3 are included, but that’s not all. The Remastered collection also features all their expansions, specifically Unfinished Business, Golden Mask and The Lost Artifact. Even the Secret Levels, unlocked from finding all the secrets in Tomb Raider 2’s expansion and the base version of Tomb Raider 3, are included and updated for a modern generation.

Original Source Code

When a remaster is announced, there’s always the concern of whether it will feel like the classics. Fortunately, Aspyr is working with the original source code and engine. As director of product Chris Bashaar said on the PlayStation Blog, “Magic can’t simply be rebuilt. We had a firm belief that the gameplay of Tomb Raider 1, 2, and 3 is timeless, and with our use of the existing source code, we had every jump, secret, enemy, and puzzle exactly as the original development team designed and intended.”

Classic and Remastered Visuals

Because the remasters use the original source code, players can switch between the classic and remastered visuals at any time. It’s also possible during regular gameplay and even when capturing images in the new Photo Mode, in case you want to compare the visual differences.

Gameplay Loop

Of course, those who never played the original games may wonder – what is the gameplay loop? All three titles are action-adventure games where archaeologist Lara Croft ventures to ancient ruins in different locations to search for artifacts. Croft would solve puzzles, navigate traps and devious platforms and much more in her quest. All three titles follow a tried and true formula, with minor new additions here and there, and all three received positive critical acclaim (though the first game garnered the most).

New Character Models

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered maintains the classic design of Lara Croft and her various outfits but utilizes new models with more details. Higher polygon counts, more detailed hair, discernible expressions, better-looking clothes – the list goes on, and the result is a much higher quality Tomb Raider. The various enemies also get new models, resulting in some threats – like the half-man, half-bird Guardian of the Talion – looking much more imposing.

Revamped Environments

While the models look great, the remastered environments look even better. An area in Croft Manor with flat sprites for its trees and negligible detail on the ground now features revamped 3D trees, some weeds and more detailed shrubs. Textures are sharper, especially indoors, as you can make out more details, while the water looks and flows more naturally. It’s a big step up and arguably worth the price of admission alone for fans of the classics.

Baked and Real-Time Lighting

Further adding to the immersion is the use of baked and real-time lighting. When the sunset sets in an area, the skybox, structures and surrounding vegetation are naturally illuminated. A slightly cloudy sky during the day also casts realistic shadows and subtle sunbeams.

VFX and Animation Updates

Along with the character designs, the visual effects, animations and textures are also in line with the original games. That being said, these have been updated to ensure they’re in line with the remastered visuals. Again, if you want the original look, blocky models and all, you can switch back and forth at any time.

3D Models for In-Game Items

If you ever found it strange that items like ammo, health kits and more had 3D models in the game’s menus but 2D sprites in-game, the remasters address this. They’re now fully rendered 3D objects in-game, retaining the immersion.

Classic and Modern Controls

As renowned as all three titles are, the tank-style controls won’t be to everyone’s taste. You can still experience the original control scheme, but new modern controls have also been added, with full camera control on the right stick and movement depending on the camera’s position.

Health Bars for Bosses

Another annoyance in the older games is not knowing how much health a boss can have and when is the best time to switch to different weapons. The remasters thus add health bars for the bosses without any other alleged changes to the UI. It’s the best of both worlds, though it’s unknown if players can turn off the same for the original experience.

Over 200 Trophies on PS4 and PS5

Each title was a massive success back in the day, and that was in small part due to its PlayStation One port. So it’s more than fitting that there are 200 Trophies to earn on the PS4 and PS5 versions of the Remastered collection. From locking Lara’s butler in the freezer (presumably for pouring milk before the cereal) to using Photo Mode, there is a lot in store for Trophy hunters.

Photo Mode

As noted before, Photo Mode allows for switching between the classic and remastered visuals with options for different poses, facial expressions, outfits, weapons and more. The full slate of options, from the filters and settings, hasn’t been detailed, but there should be enough to highlight the collection’s stunning new visuals (or just pan around the world while the game is paused).

System Requirements

The PC requirements for the remastered collection are interesting…because they’re different on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Steam doesn’t list recommended requirements, instead noting that you need an Intel Core i3 3240 or AMD FX 4100, 4 GB RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GT 730 or AMD Radeon R7 240 and 5 GB installation space at the minimum.

However, while the Epic Games Store lists the same CPU and RAM for its minimum requirements, it instead specifies 6 GB installation space and a Geforce GT 630 (2 GB), Radeon R7 249 (1 GB) or a Radeon HD 6450. Even weirder is that the recommended requirements say you should have a Pentium 4 or Athlon 3000+ and a GeForce 6000 or Radeon X Series GPU – all discontinued. Regardless, the remasters should run fine, even if your hardware is a few years old.

4K Ultra HD, +60 FPS on Xbox Series X

Though it isn’t confirmed yet on PS5, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is listed as supporting 4K Ultra HD and +60 FPS on Xbox Series X. Smart Delivery is also listed, which means you only have to buy it once for playing on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, which means also being able to play the PC version if you buy the game on Xbox.

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