Tomb Raider is an iconic gaming franchise and it isn’t only limited to games. The Tomb Raider franchise spans across several mediums such as games, movies, series, comics and more.
The franchise stood the test of time and even now it is incredibly popular. It is one of those long-running series which has consistently released games for over two decades. Even people who are non-gamers recognize who Tomb Raider is.
If you’re a newcomer to the Tomb Raider games, figuring out where to start can be pretty overwhelming for you. Each title in the series has brought something new to the table and overall evolved with every release. Take a quick look at all the Tomb Raider games in order.
1. The Chronological Order to Play the Tomb Raider Games
When looking at the Tomb Raider games in its chronological order, you have to consider that there are three sagas starring Lara Croft.
If you want to play the Tomb Raider games, you have to play from the very first saga in order to understand the story. It’s worth noting that every saga is completely different from one another.
I. The Classic Tomb Raider Saga
- Tomb Raider (1996)
- Tomb Raider: The Curse of the Sword (2001)
- Tomb Raider II (1997)
- Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
- Tomb Raider III: The Lost Artifact (2000)
- Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999
- Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
- Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
- Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
II. The Legend of Tomb Raider Saga
The Tomb Raider was rebooted for the first time, giving Lara Croft a brand-new personality and even a new origin. This saga additionally featured two spin-offs which were later released.
- Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
- Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
- Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
- Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
III. Crystal Dynamic’s Tomb Raider Saga
Tomb Raider was rebooted once again, this time by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix.
This saga explored Lara Croft’s intense and gritty origin and her journey from a young woman to a hardened survivor. This saga paved the way to make Lara Croft more human and her ascent into a true survivor.
- Tomb Raider (2013)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
2. The Release Order to Play the Tomb Raider Games
While the chronological order was separated into three separate sagas, we’ll be grouping all the Tomb Raider games in a single game in its release order. Just follow the years in which they’ve been released and you’ll have no problem following the release order.
- Tomb Raider (1996)
- Tomb Raider II (1997)
- Tomb Raider III (1998)
- Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
- Tomb Raider – GameBoy Color (2000)
- Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
- Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (2001)
- Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
- Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
- Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
- Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
- Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
- Tomb Raider (2013)
- Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
3. Which Tomb Raider game should you play first?
If you’re a newcomer to the Tomb Raider games and have no idea where to start, then you should start with Tomb Raider (2013), developed by Crystal Dynamics. It is a modern reboot and is the best place to start for someone who has never played a Tomb Raider game.
Tomb Raider (2013) is the first game in Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider trilogy, which follows the journey of Lara Croft to uncover the lost kingdom of Yamatai. For a new player, this is the best place to start the series. The best thing about this is that you don’t need to play any of the previous games to understand the reboot. However, if you’re a purist and want to start from the very first, then you should play Tomb Raider (1996).
4. Are all the Tomb Raider games connected?
The Tomb Raider games are connected with respect to the sagas they belong to. Basically, all the games of the specific sagas are connected to each other. For example, all the Tomb Raider games in Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider series are connected to each other.
This makes it possible for new players and even players familiar with the series to start with any game in any of the Tomb Raider sagas without caring much about the predecessive or the successive saga.
5. Which is the darkest Tomb Raider game?
Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the latest game in the reboot trilogy, deviates drastically from the first two games in terms of tone. Players are introduced to Lara Croft in her prime, whose stealth skill is improved with her being able to crouch in vegetation and cover herself with mud. She is even more brutal with her combat than she was before.
The game additionally delves deeper into the horror aspects of the series by providing some terrifying and explorable tombs. The game makes players form questions about Lara’s origin, her tomb raiding, and her treatment towards relics of other cultures. Shadow of the Tomb Raider concludes the new Tomb Raider series in a satisfying way.
6. About Tomb Raider
The first entry in the Tomb Raider series was released in 1996. Since then, it has become one of the most iconic action-adventure game franchises. It features the protagonist Lara Croft who goes on a treasure hunt, or an adventure of some sorts. There are three trilogies in the series: the original, the legend, and the survivor trilogy.
The latest game in the franchise was Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which was released in 2018, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
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