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Original PS1 Tomb Raiders worth checking out?

S

SatoAilDarko

Member
The first 4 PS1 Tomb Raiders are on sale this week on PSN for $2.49 ($2.24 for PS Plus). I'm wondering if they're worth getting. I always like to play every game in a series (an annoying habit). I won't pick up the latter two Core Design games but will pick up the PS3 HD trilogy of the Crystal Dynamic games.

I plan to play these on Vita which I will get either this holiday or January. I like 3D platformers and puzzles.

Thanks for any feedback.

Edit:

Please move to gaming.
 
C

Cronox

Banned
I briefly tried to play the original Tomb Raider a bit back and it has aged horribly, in my opinion. The controls are some of the earliest attempts to move a character around in 3d space and are practically unplayable to me now. I think you'd be better off playing Anniversary and leaving it at that.

Edit: OP, just leave your post up and a mod will move the thread. It happens all the time.
 
E

EloquentM

aka Mannny
Cronox said:
I briefly tried to play the original Tomb Raider a bit back and it has aged horribly, in my opinion. The controls are some of the earliest attempts to move a character around in 3d space and are practically unplayable to me now. I think you'd be better off playing Anniversary and leaving it at that.
Click to expand...
I know its off topic but reading your post made me think about super Mario 64 and how Nintendo nailed character movement from the get-go. 64 is indeed timeless at least in that regard.
 
Sub_Level

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Yes they are. At least the first one.

I barely played it for the first time in 2012. This is not nostalgia talking. The sense of isolation, vulnerability, and exploration is excellent. Graphics are absolute vomit but if you can get past that its still really good.

If you cant handle it then try Anniversary. The gymnastics in that game are fun, but it turns the difficulty down to baby easy.
 
depths20XX

depths20XX

Member
The first Tomb Raider was magical to me at the time. The atmosphere and mystery behind each level was really great.

It's probably aged badly because of the controls though. :/
 
H

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
I really liked some of the levels, but others were so confusing that I couldn't get out of them.


However, this game will murder your thumbs if you use the old PS/PS2 controllers.
 
E

Extra Sauce

Member
Are they on Steam? If so you should play the original Tomb Raider on whatever computer you are using, and forget the sequels and PS1 ports.
 
Tesseract

Tesseract

Banned
play anniversary instead

iBcexTwbKsGxx.gif
 
M

Masaki_

Member
There's nothing wrong with the controls, they're PERFECT for the game. They take some time to get used to (remember when games used to have a learning curve), but you should be fine after doing the tutorial. As a previous poster said, the classic TR games have an incredible atmosphere, it makes you feel like an actual explorer. Graphics are what you expect from an older game, but good level design and art direction don't age.

Before anyone accuses me of nostalgia, I beat the first 4 TR games just recently, after buying them during that GOG sale last year. Probably my best purchase this year. Absolutely give it a chance and the rest of the classic series, too.
 
W

Winterfang

Banned
I'm 28 and every 3D game on the PS1 had aged like shit. If you want 3D games get them from Dreamcast and beyond. And even them you have to be selective with the Dreamcast games, since they control doesn't have a second analog stick.
 
M

Masaki_

Member
Winterfang said:
I'm 28 and every 3D game on the PS1 had aged like shit. If you want 3D games get them from Dreamcast and beyond. And even them you have to be selective with the Dreamcast games, since they control doesn't have a second analog stick.
Click to expand...

it's fine if you think like that but statements like yours dont take into consideration amazing games like the previously mentioned vagrant story - which i would go as far as say is to this day one of the best games ever made - and the possibility such generalizations could cause people to dismiss those games.
 
W

Winterfang

Banned
I'm just trying to save OP some time and disappointment. Isn't there a last gen remake of Tomb Raider, that's what Tomb Raider anniversary is right? Why not try that.
 
Sub_Level

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Winterfang said:
Nothing on PS1 is worth checking. Heck nothing 3D pre-Dreamcast in that generation is worth checking out
Click to expand...

I disagree. Plenty of ps1 and presumably n64 (never had one) still hold up very well. Examples include Medievil, Wipeout XL, the Crash Bandicoot games, Metal Gear Solid and its vr mission expansion pack, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Half Life.

These are 3d games from that gen I can still to back to today no problem and would gladly recommend to others.

"😫 muh ageless 2d, muh symphony of the night😩"
 
E

Emperor Bohe

Member
nah, they haven't aged well. I still love the first game, plus the creepy atmosphere was perfect and no other game in the series has come close to matching it. however, i think the early games are only enjoyable if you were playing the games back in the 90's.
 
Berserking Guts

Berserking Guts

Member
As someone who re-visited them and completed them for the first time recently, I'd say they've aged quite well. Some of the levels can be insanely challenging by modern standards, especially if you're looking for instant gratification with the controls. But if you put in the time and patience to learn how Lara moves, there's nothing as rewarding as pulling off a flurry of perfectly timed jumps to get from a to b.

Fuck the London levels in Tomb Raider III, though...
 
Jawmuncher

Jawmuncher

Member
They're a acquired taste at this point.
You can still enjoy them but you'll need to sit with it awhile. Not so easy to just jump back into.
 
B

Ben Morales

Member
I love the first two Tomb Raiders. The controls remind me of Prince of Persia (the original), so I didn't mind the controls since I was already accustomed to that type of precision 'tile-by-tile' movement. Third one was really bad imo. The puzzles/exploration were way really badly designed.
 
C

Camp Lo

Banned
LOL @ winterfang trolling. Tomb Raider is difficult to play when you're not running. That side shuffling is just terrible.
 
Correctomundo

Correctomundo

Member
The controls are precise and perfect for very specific reasons. Provided you're not trying to play the games like a generic 3D platformer and more like the 3D incarnations of the classic Prince of Persias they should be approached like, you'll have a blast.

The graphics are very rough, but I happen to love the charm that big, chunky pixels and warping textures have. Your personal mileage will vary, certainly, but saying that games age is to approach them from a modern mindset - not a very good thing to do if you're interested in revisiting art of the past. Treat them as you would have had you been playing them for the first time at launch.

This was recently posted in an other classic Tomb Raider thread, and it bears repeating for those poor unfortunate few who can't seem to grasp how the controls work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgBZkyd3HRo

There still haven't been many games that employed the sense of wonder and isolation as well as those first few TR games. Even the 2013 reboot (a game I happen to love a whole bunch) failed to really deliver on that front.

If you decide to go for it, enjoy. I wish I could relive that first time all over again.
 
Nameless

Nameless

Member
I'd rather play the original Tomb Raider than that Gears of War guided tour they tried to pass off as a Tomb Raider game.
 
S

SatoAilDarko

Member
Why didn't any mod close this and why did people reply? I edited the post within 30 seconds from posting.

Anyway since it's grown can it be moved to Gaming? I've put back in the original post.
 
K

kick51

Banned
The early ones hold up fine and even have qualities that aren't topped in the many reboots after. Tank controls like this just require you to chill out. not too difficult to get used to as long as you play by its rules.
 
M

Messofanego

Banned
One of the most atmospheric starts to a game. Trekking in the snow towards caves, braving against traps and animals. No inner monologue or tutorial pop-ups, just you alone against the harsh environment.
 
E

Elios83

Member
I suggest you to play Tomb Raider 2.
It's the best in the old series.
The Last Revelation was also really good especially if you love old egypt, TR1 has aged terribly in its original version playing it today would be like playing Minecraft :D, TR3 had really crazy and cumbersome level design, TR5 was just a spin off made of levels scraps to make money.
 
B

Ben Morales

Member
Messofanego said:
One of the most atmospheric starts to a game. Trekking in the snow towards caves, braving against traps and animals. No inner monologue or tutorial pop-ups, just you alone against the harsh environment.
Click to expand...

Yup! Was pretty much a gaming version of a cold open. Very effective.
 
M

MayMay

Banned
They're among my favourite games of all time - definitely worth checking out! They're so much better than all the new ones.
 
M

Miguel81

Member
I recommend 1, 2 and The Last Revelation. Those will give you the full old-school flavor. Part 3 is extremely frustrating, and I'd avoid it unless you have a lot of patience.
 
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