Aspyr really does work magic when it comes to retro remasters. As if the company’s Star Wars re-releases weren’t enough, last year also brought Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. And yes, they were welcome arrivals, bringing the best of Lara Croft in a whole new light. We couldn’t get enough of it, and, even after all these months, we still can’t. So, of course, we awaited the arrival of this week’s Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered with baited breath. (Whatever “baited breath” means.)
Like the last compilation, there’s a three pack of old titles to choose from, spruced up to today’s standards. The most noteworthy is Angel of Darkness, which stood out as a problematic title over on the PS2. (It was troubled enough to transfer development from Core Design to Crystal Dynamics, mind you.) But there’s also The Last Revelation and Chronicles, serving as the “tail end” of the PS1 era of Lara Croft.
I’ll be honest, these games aren’t as good as the ones from the previous trilogy. As hard as Aspyr worked on the remasters, they still have problems with control and, in some areas, visuals. Angel of Darkness still doesn’t feel as great as it could’ve been, though it’s better here than it was on its core platform.
It just really depends how much you love Tomb Raider. If you’re a die-hard fan or a completionist, this Remastered pack may be a must-buy. Otherwise, the first compilation just might be enough.
Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered Brings Some Nice Touch-Ups
The package begins with The Last Revelation, which serves as almost a “last chapter” of Lara’s saga. Though, obviously, she went on to much larger projects. Then there’s Chronicles, which is told in flashback form as a “greatest hits” sort of thing. Finally, there’s Angel of Darkness, which was supposed to be the hero’s grand debut on PS2…though it didn’t turn out that way.
One neat option I love in games like these is the ability to switch between “classic” and “modern” visuals. It’s present here, and you can even boost the classic visuals to a beautiful 60 frames per second. It’s nice being able to do it on the fly. And Aspyr did a solid job remastering the visuals of all three games, even if there are slight glitches here and there.
The sound department is also top notch. Lara sounds as great as always here (always did love the classic voice). And the effects are nicely recaptured with the remasters, not missing a beat with the gunfire or atmospheric touches. The little music cues are good as well.
So no complaints on the remaster side, as the developers once again bring their A-game. But what can they do with the core material when it comes to gameplay? Well…
So How Do These Tomb Raider Games Play?
I will say, Aspyr did add a nice touch with modern controls. The original “tank” handling of Lara is present for those that absolutely must have it. However, I believe that modern is the better way to go. You’ll be less infuriated, as far as Angel of Darkness goes, anyway.
Out of the three games, The Last Revelation plays the best. It’s the closest thing that feels like “classic” Tomb Raider here, complete with gunplay. It makes the most out of the modern controls, following the beats of the superb I-III Remastered compilation that dropped last year.
Chronicles, however, just doesn’t feel right. I’m not sure if it was the original game’s level design or something that’s within the gameplay. But it just felt a little more laborious than I was expecting it to be. I’m sure fans will be just fine with it. However, I felt it came across like an afterthought. Maybe I’m just spoiled by the original games.
Then we get to Angel of Darkness. I do comment Aspyr for trying to make touches to improve upon Core Design’s heavily flawed blueprint. However, there’s only so much here you can fix. Even with modern controls, I noticed a bunch of problems within this particular chapter. It definitely dragged on in parts, and there were some glitches that were hard to get past.
There’s hours worth of gameplay here, and retro fans will no doubt get the most mileage from it. But Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered isn’t nearly as impressive as last year’s compilation, mainly due to the original games involved.
Not a Must-Have, But Fans Should Enjoy Remastered
I will always show appreciation for Aspyr’s work, no matter how tough the task may be. Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered just doesn’t measure up to the original trilogy, mainly because of how terrible Angel of Darknessis. But there are diggable options here, and The Last Revelation and Chronicles will definitely please a few of you. Especially when you consider they’ll never see better treatment than this.
Still, unless Aspyr feels the need to revisit Legend and Underworld anytime soon, this is likely the last of the Lara Croft remasters. I’m glad the team made the journey, and it’s well worth taking. Just be aware of the speed bumps in this particular three-pack.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Aspyr for providing a review code! Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered is available now for Xbox,PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC/Steam!
Want more retro goodies from Aspyr? Check out our reviews of Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remasteredand Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles!
