Tomb Raider: Anniversary – if at first you do succeed, repeat it all over again ten years later

Has there ever been a smarter remake than Anniversary? Not only did Crystal Dynamics filter 1996’s iconic game through 2007’s tech, but it managed to fit Core’s pre-existing story into its own modern trilogy, pitching it as a prequel to Legend while setting up story elements for Underworld.

Anniversary itself was far more than a lick of paint. Crystal’s devs stepped into PS1’s dusty old designs to carve out new routes to challenge the more capable Croft they’d built for Legend. They also developed ideas that had slightly missed the mark in 1996 – the T-rex was twice the size, the Greek levels no longer featured Roman gods and there was no sign of that skateboarding boss. Let’s assume/hope he ollied into some lava. And what bosses did remain were less hassle, thanks to Lara’s slo-mo adrenaline dodge skills.

For all the tweaks, however, Anniversary’s appeal remained a testament to the brilliance of Core’s original. It had more memorable stages than any other Raider, with a bite to the platforming that’s greatly missed in Lara’s more handholdy reboot. Pairing that ambition with Crystal Dynamics’ polished graphics and improved controls made for one of Lara’s finest outings.

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