One of the most storied characters in all video game history is Lara Croft. As the the main protagonist of the Tomb Raider franchise, she has been appearing in games since 1996. That's on top of a variety of other media appearances, including novels, comic books, and three feature films (so far).
But not all Tomb Raider games are created equal. There have been 20 games in the series, a combination of entries in the main franchise as well as several spinoffs. But the best of the best really stand out, giving gamers some incredible experiences. While there are undoubtedly more games on the way in the future, these are the titles that have made an impression on fans up to now.
10 Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008) Was Too Heavy On Clunky Combat, But The Exploration Aspects Were Solid
So, Tomb Raider: Underworld isn't the worst game in the overall franchise by far. It also isn't the best, though. The combat system might have been a little clunky on this one. And the story itself was really short, though still engaging.
That being said, the game has to be given credit for great graphics for the Xbox 360 and PS3, not to mention generally some solid gameplay mechanics. In the end, Underworld was a respectable entry.
9 Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007) Was A Fresh New Take On The Original, But Fell Short Of Surpassing It
This was an odd entry in the franchise. Tomb Raider: Anniversary was essentially a remake of the original game created in celebration of its anniversary. The downside was that it didn't really offer much to long time fans other than updated graphics, and felt like a step down gameplay-wise from Legend, which was released the previous year.
But a huge upside to this release was that it was the perfect way to bring new fans into the world of Tomb Raider. Plus, it was nice to go back to the original and give it another playthrough with modern visuals.
8 Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (2018) Feels A Bit Like Going Through The Motions, But Is Still A Top-Notch Adventure
The rebooted Tomb Raider game franchise gave fans an entirely new vision of the now classic game character. Shadow of the Tomb Raider was the third and so far final title in that rebooted series.
Keeping in mind that this isn't a bad game at all, it does little to innovate on anything established in the first two. The only substantial issue with it is that playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider feels like walking on well trodden ground.
7 Lara Croft Go (2015) Is A Surprisingly Effective Turn-Based Puzzle Spin On The Franchise
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider felt a bit repetitive, Lara Craft Go took the titular character in a completely different direction. And the nice part was that it actually worked out surprisingly well.
This one was a turn-based mobile game that relied solely on puzzle solving to complete levels. It's not a concept that needs multiple franchise entries, but it was an enjoyable game that was a refreshing change of pace.
6 Tomb Raider: Legend (2006) Was A Successful Recovery For The Franchise After Angel Of Darkness Almost Tanked It For Good
After coming out of the original trilogy of games, new Tomb Raider releases had some trouble finding their footing. Fans were not happy with 2003's Angel of Darkness for a number of reasons and expected little for the games that came after, if they even wanted new games after that dud.
Fortunately, Tomb Raider: Legend panned out. It was a good, but short, story wrapped around some great puzzles and classic gameplay that had a few well thought out upgrades. Without the success of Legend, it's hard to say what would have happened to the franchise.
5 Tomb Raider II (1997) Is One Of The All-Time Great Sequels
For a lot of Tomb Raider fans, the very first game remains the best of the best in the franchise. There's good reason for that, which must have made releasing the second game in 1997 a nerve-wracking experience. Making a satisfying sequel to an instant classic is a tall order to say the least.
Fortunately, Tomb Raider II delivered big. As far as sequels go, this one might be damn near perfect. It successfully kept everything that worked about the first game while offering fans a new experience.
4 Lara Croft And The Guardian Of The Light (2010) Switched Things Up With A New Perspective & Co-Op Play
Once again, taking a huge swing on game design paid off big for the Tomb Raider franchise. It's important to note that the downside to this spinoff is that the story is a little odd, taking a wrong turn or two from what works in the formula.
But that is literally the only remotely bad thing to say about the Guardian of the Light. The top down perspective combined with great graphics, outstanding co-op-based gameplay, and borderline brilliant level design outweighs any issues at all.
3 Rise Of The Tomb Raider (2016) Tells A Great Story & Is Less Linear Than Its Predecessor
If the Tomb Raider franchise can be respected for one thing, it's making really good second games. Rise of the Tomb Raider was the second entry in the rebooted series, and it was an absolute killer just like Tomb Raider II.
This sequel took everything that made the first rebooted game work, then expanded on it— including more open-world elements that answered critics that the original was too linear— without losing anything that made the previous game great. Rise has incredibly high replay value and is still a lot of fun.
2 Tomb Raider (1996) Remains A Classic
Honestly, Tomb Raider (1996) and Tomb Raider (2013) are interchangeable for first place on a list like this. Either one has a strong argument for being the best game in the franchise, and neither one is wrong.
The very first Tomb Raider is still an absolute beast of a game. It was innovative at the time, and is still an amazing retro experience to enjoy in the modern era of gaming. This was the starting gun for Tomb Raider and set the tone for everything that came after it— not just for the series, but for 3D action/adventure games as a whole.
1 Tomb Raider (2013) Was The Reboot Lara Croft Deserved
There are two reasons why the 2013 reboot edges out the 1996 original. The story was absolutely on point, and the redesign of Lara Croft was perfect for the modern era of gaming. But there was more to it than that.
The Tomb Raider franchise had been around for almost two decades since the first game was released by that point. It was desperately in need of a game to help make it relevant again, and Tomb Raider (2013) did exactly that. The argument can even be made that it's the top game of its kind period, outdoing even the best Uncharted games.