Alright, fellow Lara Croft lovers, and of course, for all those who ever considered bungee jumping into a ravine while firing dual pistols, because TOMB RAIDER LAU TRILOGY very much stays hot even into 2024. Yes, we’re talking about the three in the Holy Trinity of Lara’s mid-2000s glow-up: Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld. Now this is genuinely not some nostalgia trip (actually, it is for a while.) But really, these games? They offer stuff that modern titles could only wish to bottle.
Lara first starred in Tomb Raider: Legend. Consider this Lara’s grand “coming-out” party for the new generation. Swift gameplay; action filled into dense moments like an espresso shot. Legend whispered in your ear, “Remember when Tomb Raider was fun?” and then it gave you that. Smooth controls; set pieces bonkers-big-wild (like, that motorcycle chase in Ghana??); and Lara was back again. No tank controls, pure adventure.
Next up, Anniversary. Ooooh, Anniversary. It was Crystal’s love on the old 1996 game-but-with-real-graphics. Same iconic levels (St. Francis’s Folly, we see you), same mind-bending puzzles, just a little bit more polished. It’s like remastering your favorite album-only instead of guitars, it’s crumbling ruins and dinosaurs. And somehow, it works. If you’ve never played the original, then this is the best way to experience it. If you have played the original? Congrats: You’re gonna relive childhood traumas once again (but totally awesome this time).
Finally, we have Underworld. The best use of Lara’s moveset. This was the game where she wasn’t just climbing walls; she was owning them. The animations? Smooth as butter. The atmosphere? Thicker than oatmeal. Underworld took everything Legend and Anniversary did and all-way-up-to-11. The locations were bigger, the mythology deeper (Norsegods, anyone?), and the isolation? Chef’s kiss. It’s how close the series has ever come to feeling like a blockbuster and a survival-horror game at the same time.
Now, why does this trilogy matter? Because it proves that Tomb Raider wasn’t required to become gritty in order to be damn good. LAU games were just downright fun—no need for an emotional backstory (though Lara’s mom drama did sneak right in). They have this perfect, unfair blend of puzzles, combat, and platforming that modern games still struggle with. And, yeah, I know the graphics are a bit dated, but the gameplay? Timeless.
If you’ve ever only known the Survivor trilogy (2013, Rise, and Shadow), do yourself a favor: dive deep. It’s like finding out your favorite band had an album you never listened to-before this was a good one, too. Somewhat more tragic, though: Those are Lara Croft slingshotting herself off cliffs and somehow surviving.
So dust off that PS2 or Xbox 360, hell, they’re backward compatible on the latest-gen consoles as well, and grab your dual pistols. Now, time for some Tomb Raiding. Your inner adventurer will thank you for it. If not, well, that T-Rex in Anniversary is really going to find you.
