Why is this so popular?

[QUAKETALLICA]

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

If you want a modern, updated version of the original game, Tomb Raider Anniversary has been around since the 10th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, which was in like 2006? Yet it has genuinely updated controls and much better graphics that just make the same game but in a way more enjoyable experience.

If you don't like those changes and want a nostalgic experience the way you remember it, then the original games sell for dirt cheap, like less than a dollar on sales.

To my eyes, this is just a texture mod and a Lara Croft HD models mod. The game world still looks just as blocky as it did in 1996 because level design is unchanged, and the poor (or at least dated) jumping/climbing mechanics are still the same too.

(Not to mention the cringey disclaimer they put in every time the game boots up.)

What's the point? Was there really such a huge demand just for what amounts to HD texture pack to an outdated game?

[Tilarta]

What I remember about Anniversary is tossing out all but the essential plot markers to remake the story as completely different.
As the followup games played off this base starting point, they got even worse, to the point where I just didn't care about the rebooted series anymore.

So I went back to the classics, but there was one problem:
Tomb Raider III Gold (Lost Artefact) was nowhere to be found in the Steam store.
The Remastered edition is the solution, the absent game is included.

Also, I appreciate that TRI Lara now looks similar to her II-V appearances and is not longer a blocky collection of triangular polygons without a ponytail.

The "disclaimer" only appears once, for initial startup.
Then is never seen again, which is as it should be.

[p6kocka]

Nostalgia. Having the possibility to play the game after so many years with better graphics and 1:1 execution

[El_Patagonia]

good

[aeglosistarion]

The old games still exist, and you can mod them with high-res textures, or play them using engine rewrites like OpenLara, but all of these options come with their own hurdles, drawbacks and trade-offs.

This collection offers a unified, professional-grade remaster for all three games and the 3 PC-only expansions, plus a couple of features that go beyond the scope of what a single modder could achieve, with professional levels of QA testing and bug fixing post-launch.

And I say "professional" NOT to imply that it is perfect - take one look at these forums and you know there's still plenty of kinks to iron out - but to emphasise that a project of this scale, even if it could be achieved by hobbyists or by devs in their spare time (which is pretty much impossible), could never be anywhere near as polished.

The fact that this collection exists, and is as good as it is, is a minor miracle. It was made by fans for the fans, and somehow someone managed to get a publisher to actually pay for it.

As for the supposed lack of improvements, I can only reiterate what the community has been saying since this was first announced: New textures, better framerate and NO CHANGES to the fundamental gameplay and level geometry is exactly what we wanted, because we're fans of these games - that means we actually like them, playing just the way they do.

Whether you can understand this or not, we know that in the move towards the standardized "modern" gameplay model, something very special has been lost. Anniversary exists for people who that doesn't appeal to, as well as hundreds of better games that play exactly the same. You guys have all the choice in the world... nothing wrong with letting us have this one, is there?

[dml!]

Pretty much as said above me - sure you can get the originals but you have to download extras and fan fixes to get them working well on modern systems at modern resolutions, with all the expansion packs and the soundtracks. Whereas these remasters work out-of-the-box with all of that included.

Another big appeal for me is the high frame rates offered with the remastered visuals. It feels so much nicer to play for me because 30 FPS on a 165 Hz display looks like a slideshow. 30 FPS doesn't make the originals unplayable for me because I still played them fairly recently, but I very much appreciate the smoothness brought by having high frame rates.

There are also some other quality-of-life changes like an action indicator, which is quite useful to pop up if you run over items in dark corners, or pass by a wall which had a hidden switch or moveable crate you didn't notice. The photo-mode is handy too, since it has a free camera that can be used to explore areas a bit without having to take a decision on where to go. A bit cheesy yes, but with some of the level complexities in TR3 especially it's helpful for me.

Some move-sets have been retro fitted to games they weren't in either, like the mid-air and under-water flips into TR1, which isn't a game changer but a nice addition nonetheless.

Oh and of course this isn't just on PC - the other platforms it's on don't have access to the original games I believe, so they're now available for people that don't have their early PlayStation consoles still.

[OyajiBR☕]

"Mods" that you don't need to test and retest to make work in harmony, switch between classic and HD graphics in 1 button, switch between tank and modern controls on settings, all formerly hard to access expansions included, photo mode, etc.

[Geo]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

If you want a modern, updated version of the original game, Tomb Raider Anniversary has been around since the 10th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, which was in like 2006? Yet it has genuinely updated controls and much better graphics that just make the same game but in a way more enjoyable experience.

If you don't like those changes and want a nostalgic experience the way you remember it, then the original games sell for dirt cheap, like less than a dollar on sales.

To my eyes, this is just a texture mod and a Lara Croft HD models mod. The game world still looks just as blocky as it did in 1996 because level design is unchanged, and the poor (or at least dated) jumping/climbing mechanics are still the same too.

(Not to mention the cringey disclaimer they put in every time the game boots up.)

What's the point? Was there really such a huge demand just for what amounts to HD texture pack to an outdated game?

tomb raider anniversary is absolute garbage compared to original tomb raider, it is better than the reboot trash but nothing near the old tomb raiders, anniversary is more or less tomb ledger, you spend more time jumping from ledge to ledge and climbing with the odd BABY/toddler puzzle, all the good puzzles that were in the original games have been left.

also the disclaimer lasts like 1 second if that, I didn't even get to read it because my Nvme loaded the game too fast oh well, as others mentioned you only see this once, why are you making such a drama over everything, stuff that shouldn't even bother you, why does it bother you so much that people want to play this??? crazy

telling people to play anniversary is like saying i will give you my beer but it is alcohol free. enjoy my beer.

[Melissa Garrett]

Because Anniversary was in no way, shape, or form the same gameplay experience. It relied on cheap gauntlets of traps and constant timed sequences instead of genuine exploration and puzzle-solving, and tbh, I hated it. It's the only TR I never replayed, and barely forced myself to finish the first time. Not to mention that Remastered also includes TR2 and TR3, which Anniversary does not.

[LegendaryThunder]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

If you want a modern, updated version of the original game, Tomb Raider Anniversary has been around since the 10th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, which was in like 2006? Yet it has genuinely updated controls and much better graphics that just make the same game but in a way more enjoyable experience.

If you don't like those changes and want a nostalgic experience the way you remember it, then the original games sell for dirt cheap, like less than a dollar on sales.

To my eyes, this is just a texture mod and a Lara Croft HD models mod. The game world still looks just as blocky as it did in 1996 because level design is unchanged, and the poor (or at least dated) jumping/climbing mechanics are still the same too.

(Not to mention the cringey disclaimer they put in every time the game boots up.)

What's the point? Was there really such a huge demand just for what amounts to HD texture pack to an outdated game?

Anniversary is the Twin Snakes of Tomb Raider. The original art direction, game mechanics, voice acting, everything about the original was great. The Anniversary modified the serial designed art which killed some of the spectacle, the game was packed with quick time events and killed the fun of the tank controls ( Yes millenial, tank controls good. ), ruined the voice acting by packing it in with anime bloat steve blum and anime writing, everything just clashes with what TR1 did.


I hope we get more actually Tomb Raider, I would killed for a TRilogy style follow up. All the same mechanics, art and approach.

[Uncanny Mr. Spalk]

It was fun to see the old games I grew up playing with a fresh coat of paint. It was also nice that they made 3 easier so you could actually beat it.

[shadowgravy]

Just for fun ... I remembered this old review this morning and I finally found it:
https://youtu.be/4fLRDDGj_wI?si=9CWtIB0qlk9m9DZt

[Lanzagranadas]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

For the same reason you play whatever games you play, regardless of how many people might not like or care about those games.

And seriously, what is "so popular" according to you? this remaster has less than 3k reviews, and player base on Steam is in the few thousands. Compare that to a game like Helldivers 2 (which came out in the same month) and has like 250k reviews and at least half a million active players. I don't know why people like that game btw, and you won't see me in its forums asking the fans why they like it...

This is a remaster of three retro games made for players who still enjoy this kind of gameplay, which is a rather niche audience. If that doesn't include you, then fine, go play the next installment in your mainstream AAA franchise, but this was never supposed to be like that.

[chakkman]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

I'm honestly curious: Why would anybody care to listen to Metallica?

[gps]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

If you don't like those changes and want a nostalgic experience the way you remember it, then the original games sell for dirt cheap, like less than a dollar on sales.

Yes, and then the real trouble begins making old Windows 95/98 games run properly on modern hardware. So a version that runs out of the box on almost any modern day hardware and gives me the option to play three games as I remeber or also with slightly improved grafix, modern controlls and other moder QOD features for 20 bucks is a total steal in my eyes.
I only wish they would have released the game in a more polished and finished state - and not as the work in progress it obviously still seems to be. That's the only complaint I have right now.

[fender178]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

I'm honestly curious. Why would anybody care to play Tomb Raider: Remastered?

If you want a modern, updated version of the original game, Tomb Raider Anniversary has been around since the 10th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, which was in like 2006? Yet it has genuinely updated controls and much better graphics that just make the same game but in a way more enjoyable experience.

If you don't like those changes and want a nostalgic experience the way you remember it, then the original games sell for dirt cheap, like less than a dollar on sales.

To my eyes, this is just a texture mod and a Lara Croft HD models mod. The game world still looks just as blocky as it did in 1996 because level design is unchanged, and the poor (or at least dated) jumping/climbing mechanics are still the same too.

(Not to mention the cringey disclaimer they put in every time the game boots up.)

What's the point? Was there really such a huge demand just for what amounts to HD texture pack to an outdated game?

To make it easier to play the games on modern hardware especially with TR 2 and 3 Since those game were originally Win95/98 games and there are issues getting those games to work on modern hardware. However with TR1 there is OpenLara if you want to go that route. No you are 100% wrong that disclaimer does NOT pop up every time the game boots up.