All Tomb Raider games in release order, from Chronicles to Shadow of the Tomb Raider

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When you think of iconing gaming characters of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it's hard not to think of Lara Croft. Following the release of Tomb Raider in 1996, the series has become one of the most recognizable action-adventure franchises in gaming. The series has stood the test of time, with the early games capturing imaginations at the turn of the millenium, while the 2013 reboot brought Croft to a whole new audience. If you fancy replaying the series, then check out our guide to the game's release order so you know when to play each game.

Tomb Raider

What it's about: Tomb Raider is a 3D action game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The game follows the exploits of Lara Croft, a British female archaeologist in search of ancient treasures. The objective of Tomb Raider is to guide Lara through a series of tombs and other locations in search of treasures and artifacts. On the way, she must kill dangerous animals and other creatures, while collecting objects and solving puzzles to gain access to an ultimate prize, usually a powerful artifact. The game was critically acclaimed and widely influential, it spawned a number of sequels and a franchise of related media.

Tomb Raider II

What it's about: Tomb Raider II is the second game of the Tomb Raider games series. It is an action game with platforming and puzzle-solving elements, similar in concept and gameplay to its predecessor. Most of the gameplay consists of traversing hazardous 3D levels utilizing Lara's athletic skills and solving environmental puzzles. The sequel puts more emphasis on fighting enemies, adding many human foes to the mix. Additional weapons include a harpoon gun, a grenade launcher, and an M16 rifle. Automatic pistols replace the magnums from the first game.

Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft

What it's about: Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft is a platform and third-person shooter game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the third installment in the Tomb Raider series and the sequel to Tomb Raider II. The gameplay system is similar to the one implemented in the previous game. Lara's abilities include running, jumping, climbing, swimming, rolling, crouching, crawling, sprinting, and swinging on bars and vines. A few new types of hazards have been added in this installment, including cold water in which Lara can swim for a limited amount of time, dangerous underwater creatures (such as piranhas), and the treacherous quicksand, which will swallow the heroine if the player isn't careful and fast enough to prevent her from falling into it.

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

What it's about: Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation is the fourth game of the Tomb Raider games series, it plays very similar to the previous games in the series but some new things have been added to the game. The biggest addition is that now rather large parts of the game consist of several interconnected levels sometimes explored in any order, with puzzles in one level often requiring that some actions are done in other levels. The new additions to Lara's arsenal are a revolver and a bow with several sets of arrows including exploding and poisonous ones.

Tomb Raider: Chronicles

What it's about: Tomb Raider: Chronicles is the fifth game in the Tomb Raider series and the sequel to Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. Like its predecessors, Tomb Raider: Chronicles is an action game with puzzle-solving and platforming elements. The gameplay is very similar to that of the previous games, with the addition of a few new skills. Lara can now walk on tightropes, swing on horizontal bars, and somersault forwards from a ledge while crouching. A grappling hook has been added to her inventory. The game also includes a level editor, allowing the player to create new stages for Lara to explore.

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness

What it's about: Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is the sixth game in the Tomb Raider series, and is the sequel to Tomb Raider: Chronicles. Angel of Darkness introduces new stealth and close-combat moves - ducking, sneaking and hug-the-walls walking. Lara must build her skills by performing action sequences. You'll have her running, dodging, performing flying leaps and platform jumps, shimming along walls and cables, as well as moving boxes and other obstacles around. Advancements are achieved with strategically placed power-ups. Collect weapons and ammunition, artifacts and money.

Tomb Raider: Legend

What it's about: Tomb Raider: Legend is the seventh major game in the Tomb Raider series, now for the first time developed by Crystal Dynamics, along with the original character designer of the game's protagonist, Lara Croft. It serves as a reboot of the franchise, with a new incarnation of Lara Croft. The typical third-person action-adventure exploring is still present, and Lara can move more freely because specific jumps no longer limit her. As players travel through rough environments, they will need to run, dive, swim, climb on poles, ladders, and roofs, use zip lines, shimmy, and vault, with acrobatic actions such as somersaults and flips. Players need to cross difficult terrain, solve puzzles to advance or open up new areas, and engage in combat.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary

What it's about: Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a remake of the original Tomb Raider with a technically more advanced graphics engine. It has the same basic storyline, though some cutscenes and much of the dialogue within have been expanded or modified in other ways. Locations correspond to those of the original version and are accessed in the same order, but have been re-designed with different layouts and mostly completely different puzzles which allow implementation of new moves: swinging on ropes and using a grappling hook at specific points.

Tomb Raider: Underworld

What it's about: Tomb Raider: Underworld represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail resulting in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice. Reach new heights with the broadest range of acrobatic abilities and utilize objects within the environment to uncover new paths to explore. Discover ancient mysteries of the underworld hidden within the coast of Thailand, frozen islands of the Arctic Sea, the jungles of Mexico, and more. Each level is an elaborate multi-stage puzzle masked within an interactive environmental playground offering more flexibility over how the area is solved. Choose to pacify or kill, target multiple enemies at once with the new dual-target system, and shoot with one hand while suspended with the other.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

What it's about: Join Lara Croft on her first great tomb raiding expedition as she seeks to discover the secret of immortality. Featuring high-octane action set in the most beautiful and hostile environments on earth, Rise of the Tomb Raider delivers cinematic survival action-adventure.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

What it's about: As Lara Croft races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, she must become the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.