Everything about these games leaves me wondering why oh why they have achieved such universal acclaim? Is there actually some appeal in the overcomplicated, vindictively fiddly controls? Or maybe it's the uninspiring level design, the flat, underwhelming graphics (even for their time), or maybe it's the impossibly cryptic puzzles and diamond hard gameplay? I mean, I like a challenge but this is just over the top.

What is it that made these games so popular? How could so many people be won over by a shallow, soullessly designed and impossibly proportioned heroine? It certainly isn't the flat, unoriginal plot. Tomb Raider sucks ass, play Soul Reaver if you want a proper adventure game and leave this to the rabid dogs!


Gratuitous violence   December 18, 2003
 3 out of 33 found this review helpful

There's no question that these three games are a lot of fun, and that children love them. There's also no question that the software itself is flawless. The games do not (unlike many others) crash. They run, and run, and run.

On the other hand, that's exactly the problem. Like too many computer and video games, these Tomb Raider titles are filled with gratuitous violence.

The games should not, in my view, be rated as they are. For my sensitivities, I'd have preferred an "M" rating. Parents, beware; children under 15 should not use these games.

--Alyssa A. Lappen


A Collection of Three Wonderful Video Games   June 17, 2002
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

From the ruins of Rome to the futuristic setting of Atlantis, Tomb Raider takes the gamer through a variety of wonderful worlds. I believe that the games of the Tomb Raider series are among the best games ever made, and I know that they will all certainly become clasics. This combination pack is ideal for anybody interested in becoming a Tomb Raider.

The scenery in the Tomb Raider series is better than that of most games, although it is mostly cubed and flat. The game play and plot are wonderful, and the graphics and sounds are great. Laura's moves and weapons are limited in the original, but by the third version they are wonderfully expanded.

I would recommend this game package to any fan of the Tomb Raider series and to the average gamer. The gamer will find something they like in one of the three versions. The original game stays in the tombs and has the best plot. Tomb Raider II offers wonderful AI and is perhaps the best for a gamer seeking combat, while Tomb Raider III combines the better aspects of the previous two. I highly recommend purchasing this package to try out the series. If you like it, I highly recommend the next two games in the series.