Tomb Raider 1+2+3 (GOG)

Lara Croft’s earliest expeditions remain a bracing mix of lonely ruins, hazardous platforming, and sudden bursts of gunfire. This three-game collection follows the archaeologist from the lost city of Atlantis and the mythic Dagger of Xian to a globe-spanning hunt for pieces of an Antarctic meteorite, with each adventure delivering bigger environments and stranger threats. The tone is pure 1990s pulp: ancient conspiracies, elaborate death traps, dinosaurs, cults, mercenaries, and secrets hidden behind nearly every suspicious wall. Its angular visuals and tank-style movement show their age, but they also give these tombs a deliberate, methodical character that newer action games rarely replicate.

Every level revolves around navigating dense, multi-layered spaces where a single switch, movable block, key, or carefully timed leap can open the route forward. Lara uses her iconic dual pistols, shotguns, Uzis, grenades, and more to deal with animals and human enemies, though combat is generally less important than managing jumps, positioning, ammunition, and health packs. Tomb Raider I establishes the formula with atmospheric tombs and tough spatial puzzles, Tomb Raider II increases the action and sends Lara through locations such as Venice, Tibet, and a sunken wreck, while Tomb Raider III pushes difficulty further with branching stages and more punishing environmental hazards. Progress often demands patience, observation, and a willingness to reload after a mistimed jump, especially under the original games’ unforgiving save and control conventions.

What stands out is the level design: locations feel like enormous mechanical puzzle boxes rather than scenic backdrops guiding players down a straight path. Each entry has a distinct flavor, yet all three reward curiosity with secret rooms, extra supplies, and satisfying shortcuts through spaces that initially seem impossible to read. Anyone who enjoys classic Prince of Persia-style precision platforming, old-school Resident Evil pacing, or modern Tomb Raider’s archaeological premise will find the roots of the series here. The collection best suits patient players and series veterans, but newcomers willing to learn its rigid controls gain access to three landmark adventures with an atmosphere modern reboots do not try to replace.