Lara Croft returns once again, with a new series of remasters, in what Aspyr are retroactively deeming “The Darkness Trilogy.” Like last year’s Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, this collection offers three classic Tomb Raider titles, updated with gorgeous visuals and gameplay tweaks. However, while the original trilogy is universally praised, Tomb Raiders 4 through 6 are far more divisive.

This is a tough one to judge, as these are very good remasters of fairly mediocre games. That lovely mix of platforming, puzzles and action still feels excellent, but you can witness the formula fatiguing throughout each title. Tomb Raider 4 & 5 adhere far too rigidly to the original trilogy. And whilst Angel of Darkness reinvents the series, it suffers from an unsteady development, and abandoning the strongest aspects of prior titles. 

I don’t want to undersell the excellent care that’s gone into these remasters. Aspyr has done an incredible job tweaking these games for modern audiences, without compromising their original feel. They’ve gone the extra mile with Angel of Darkness, fixing the game’s technical issues and restoring unfinished content.

I enjoy these titles, but it’s hard to justify their value outside of fans who want to revisit these classics, or who just really want more Tomb Raider. Nearly every level in 4 and 5 falls short of the variety found in the first three games. While the sixth game features neat ideas, the attempt at modernising Tomb Raider is outclassed by the fantastical parkour and flashy action of the Legend trilogy. Each title still gets the essence of Tomb Raider right, there are just a lot more issues this time around.

Lara’s new looks

Like the last collection, Tomb Raider IV-VI features several new features. The photo mode returns alongside the new Flyby Camera Maker. This feature, shown off in the trailer, allows players to make their own cutscenes. It’s quite a niche feature, but I appreciate its inclusion. Outfit selection has also come back, although Lara’s wardrobe is quite limited this time.

The remaster also bolsters an impressive list of 168 achievements. I love these extra challenges and how they reward experimentation and exploration. They encourage players to try the more difficult New Game +, which also makes a comeback. Currently, there do seem to be minor issues with the sixth game’s achievements. Some failed to trigger at all, while others popped as soon as I entered a level. Hopefully this issue can be resolved for launch.

The big selling point here is the overhauled graphics and they look amazing! The updated visuals are a beautiful touchup that perfectly maintains the original games’ tones. The dynamic lighting is also a welcome improvement to the original static environments, although sometimes it can make dark rooms very difficult to navigate. Thankfully, you can switch to the old visual at any moment, an incredible feature that I want in every remaster ever.

Environments also read much better in new graphics, as ladders or hazards stand out far better. There are extra touches included, such as scattered skeletons in some tombs, which reveal the path forward. Chronicles even adds the discarded dress Lara wears during the game’s opening.

Angel of Darkness’ visual improvements are less notable on a surface level. Most textures are cleaner and higher resolution, but the dated, grittier textures fit the story much better. However, some finer textures, such as paintings, are dramatically improved in the remaster. Certain character models are fully revamped, while others remain unchanged. The main cast look great, but when Lara shares a cutscene with an outdated model, the contrast can be jarring.

Unsurprisingly, the trilogy runs great on both desktop PC and Steam Deck. With the short levels and instant saving, this is the perfect title to play in quick bursts on portable devices.

Same old games with a brand-new feel

Small gameplay tweaks such as boss health bars, ammo counters and new animations are included across the trilogy. These features make the games a much smoother experience to control compared to their original releases. 

Tomb Raider 4 & 5 are mostly unchanged, but the sixth game has received a wealth of enhancements. The original game has a reputation for clunky controls and glitchiness, which I’m happy to say is mostly gone. There’s still some jank, enemies get stuck in walls and I had one major crash. But overall, I found it to be a surprisingly smooth experience.

The Darkness Trilogy

Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation sees Lara journeying across Egypt, racing her former mentor Werner Von Croy. Most of Last Revelation is just perfectly fine. Lara can now swing on ropes, and her movements have become smoother and more reliable since Tomb Raider III. This does make for a better gameplay experience, but Last Revelation suffers greatly from a lack of innovation.

There is some value in sticking to a single country for the entire game. The story has a tighter focus now as we can build up characters and locations across the journey. Egypt is probably the best setting you could pick to build an entire game across exploring abandoned tombs. But this consistency sacrifices innovation, as we lose the varied environments or the fun surprises across the adventure. The lack of variety shows just how stagnant this formula has become.

There’s a big focus on hub levels this time around. Levels are more interconnected instead of linear and require the player to tread through old levels for new clues. It’s certainly unique, but ultimately a frustrating formula. I’m glad it never returned to the franchise. Last Revelation makes it very unclear what you’re missing or where it could be. As a result, the constant backtracking really wore me down.

Last Revelation does occasionally introduce a small burst of incredible gameplay. Storming a moving train and scaling a pyramid are some of the best action and exploration levels across the entire series. It pains me there aren’t more levels like this! Instead, it’s a constant barrage of sandy caves and crypts that blend together and fail to stand out. This is definitely my least favourite title in the series, it just has so little to offer.

Tomb Raider V: Chronicles is an anthology instead of Lara’s standard adventures. Each set of levels takes place in a different period of Lara’s life. Chronicles also suffers from a stagnant formula, but the level variety is vastly improved by focusing on shorter adventures. 

The repetitive nature of these later titles is still very apparent in Chronicles. Lara can now swing on poles and walk on tightropes, but this isn’t enough to stop these games from feeling so samey and out of energy. What is a breath of fresh air is the crazier settings. The game starts in Rome, which feels like standard Tomb Raider, but it quickly pivots into far more intriguing locales. I wasn’t expecting an Irish island filled with demons and ghosts, but it delivers a thrillingly creepy experience that feels completely different. The Mission Impossible spy sequence is also a welcome change from abandoned tombs, and it fits shockingly well into the gameplay loop.

Chronicles also has quite a goofy tone. Villains are far sillier and Lara delivers a lot more sassy one-liners. At times it feels like a cartoon in the best possible way. Narrative has never been Tomb Raider’s strong point, and yet these short silly stories are much easier to connect with. 

I have a soft spot for the gimmicky nature of Chronicles. The variety breathes a lot of fun into the franchise. But it can only distract me from the dry structure for so long. Levels feel more boxed in and uninspired than ever, and while the settings are a blast, there’s not much thrilling gameplay here. The franchise fatigue is stronger than ever, which leads to the next title being a very dramatic shakeup.

Tomb Raider VI: The Angel of Darkness is by far the most unique game in the series. Accused of murdering her mentor, Lara is a fugitive, hiding in the streets of Paris as she tries to clear her name. The darker tone and personal stakes are such a departure from anything the series has done before, and that’s just the story. Gameplay now features explorable towns with NPCs, dialogue choices and branching quests. It’s a very ambitious game, which ultimately leads to its downfall.

While the story of a fugitive Lara is much more focused, losing the beautiful desolate environments was a poor trade. Most of this adventure is set in empty streets or boring sewers, it’s such a dull usage of Paris. There’s also a bigger focus on stealth gameplay than any tomb raiding. I did enjoy sneaking into the Louvre, which is probably the best display of what Angel of Darkness could’ve been. Instead, most of our adventure is simply uninteresting and doesn’t feel much like Tomb Raider at all.

Mechanically, Angel of Darkness is all over the place. There are some strong ideas but overall they just fall a bit short. Lara’s notebook collects objectives and clues in an immersive way, but it lacks personality. The remaster greatly improves how Lara controls, but it doesn’t fix the fundamental issue that realistic platforming isn’t very fun. 

Strangely, there’s also some sort of strength stat now, but it’s very unintuitive. Lara will complain that she isn’t “strong enough,” forcing the player to perform a certain action to improve Lara’s strength. It’s never clear what the player needs to push, kick or grab to make Lara stronger. It’s hilariously nonsense, but again, not very fun.

Even with Aspyr restoring unfinished content, you can’t help but see the cut corners and missed potential throughout the game. Every new feature lacks the depth you would expect, and usually ends completely abandoned later in the game. You can really feel the ambition the original developers had for Angel of Darkness. It’s a fascinating experience and I’m sure fans will be pleased with this polished version, but it just ends up feeling like a failed experiment.