25:17 There's a reason why this very fight with Larson was turned into a QTE: Lara's first human kill is supposed to happen much later, she's not at the point where she shoots people without second thoughts yet. This is one of the main story arcs in this game: how Lara lost her innocence and started killing for the sake of her goals. They could've just developed a melee combat system and restricted weapon usage for these fights, but I suppose a QTE was easier and less time-consuming.
Of course ! Not just easier but more epic and realistic than shooting hundred bullets before talking x) I'm not sure melee combat would have been that great but maybe.
55:26 One subtle detail I love about the remakes plot, is that when Natla answers Lara's declaration that Natla is actually an ancient Atlantean Queen with just the word "once...", Larson, Kid and Kold all react in a manner that says not even they were aware of that information... and yet they continue to follow her to the Pyramid and actively help her achieve her goal.
i remember watching that and thinking "just talk to them and make them realize what is going on" but lara is socially retarded and thought killing them was a better idea than talking. except for that knife guy lol. just shoot him
Saw the voice actor for Natla at a convention not to long back. Was waiting in line to see Steve Downs and didn't realise who she was at first. She was one of the nicest people I've seen, it was pretty clear she loved her fans tried to make sure everyone had a great time and have good memories. It made me happy seeing the effort she went through for her fans
Grey De'Lisle is a very popular voice actress. She has voiced so many characters, that I think anyone who grew up during the 2000s likely heard her voice at least once. She voiced Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender for example. One thing I find peculiar, is that most of the videogame characters she voiced, that I know of, have white or blonde hair. Jeanette and Therese from VTMB, Handmaiden from KOTOR 2, Natla from TRA and Jeanne from Bayonetta.
How this undersold is beyond me. It's like the perfect Tomb Raider game: Older style puzzles with modern controls, and a bunch of temples, tombs and ruins to explore to boot.
I don't remember much, but I remember picking up Underworld after I enjoyed Legend very much (had it on pc and psp) and having that "recap" story option and it showed the footage of Anniversary and went "wtf is that?". And this was weird, Lara is an big icon in my country and Anni didn't get any promo at all, so I didn't knew it existed, hell, I was into psp games and barely anyone posted ISO file either.
Watching this, I wonder if Larson intentionally missed shooting Lara after the Egypt levels because she spared his life back at the lost valley. I never thought about it. - This is a great addition to the retrospective series. So excited for underworld!
I never complained about Tomb of Qualopec's colors. I understood them as a "lock-up air" atmosphere and so with that (sort of) "trapped dust" effect where everything looks like... cloudy
Lol yeah I've never understood this complaint. They're literally tombs that have been uninhabited for decades. Most real life tombs or artifacts are dull as it is.
The scene where Lara wipes her hands of blood, but there is no blood, isn’t just because it’a a PG game, but I’ve heard that when someone kills another, it always feels like their hands are dirty and they can never clean them, the dirt is the guilt and you can never get rid of it.
Glad I caught this premier: This is the first TR game i was able to not only beat for the first time but complete and because of this game I went back to the originals (with some help of old friends) I've completed the first 5 games including angel of darkness.
I had a similar expierence with this game being the first one I was able to beat. Only after I finished this one I finally got to end TR1 as I never was able to end it as a child. To this day I only finished TR1 and the PS2 titles. I had a good run with TR 4 once but somehow my copy got lost while moving or something. I also have unfinished business with TR2 but never really grew to like it as much. I think somehow the PS1 games are way harder than the PS2 titles.
Steve - the Pierre cutscene with cartoon music has had me in stitches for hours!!! Again, thank you for your amazing and enjoyable contribution to the series for all fans to enjoy! Simply, bloody stunning content!
Another interesting detail is that when Natla ordered to kill Lara at the end of the Egypt level, Larson and Kid obviously didn't wish to do that. Kid fired into the ground and Larson aimed more right at the last moment.
Larson definitely didn't want to. But, Kidd he said "I'm gonna enjoy this." I think him shooting at the ground was him playing around with Lara which, I guess, was supposed to be indicative of him being an immature gangbanger.
I'm not sure about Kidd, his biography states he was an underground criminal, he maybe killed some people in the past and didn't hesitate to do that. But Larson definitely didn't want.
1:01:13 Now my first thought when I saw that scene was that she wasn't LITERALLY trying to remove blood from her hands rather than just trying to remove essence of the act. It was more of a spiritual act in my opinion. And blood on her hands in different other moments is probably just scratches. That's what I was initially thinking
Anniversary is my favorite game in the series, so I was nervous to hear your thoughts about it. Your thoughts are understandable through and through! I loved hearing about how you love the manor theme and play it often, because I do too. I'm a 5th grade teacher and every year, while my kids quietly do their morning work, I play the TRA manor theme to help them be relaxed and focused. It's amazing. I love TRA. This was a great video!
26:00 pretty sure they did it so the player cant shoot larsson. its heavily implied by the fight towards the end taht Lara hasnt killed humans up to this point and pulling the trigger on one is a big deal for her here. so itd be contraproductive to let you have a gunfight with them earlier in the game. and implementing a fist fight system just for this encounter wouldve been uneconomical.
I'm so glad you mentioned the platforming controls. I've never experienced as much pain in a video game than in that egyptian corridor level. For that reason alone I have no real fond memories of this game!
Fair review, really. I'd say Anniversary is my favourite TR game. Even if sometimes it might not react to something, that's rare, so overall I'd say the controls are really responsive, and I liked the combat mechanic with the enrage system. The map layouts and puzzles are all pretty good too, the game just pushes you on and on, you just want to see the next parts. And I really liked the narrative, how they made it. I don't mind a single bit how human enemies are restricted to cutscenes and QTEs, it makes sense from a story standpoint. Somehow Lara's first human kill here feels more strong here than in the 2013 reboot. How it's not just necessity but personal choice too, and comes back in later cutscenes. *Edit: About the graphics, yeah it was the product of it's time, when every game had to be gritty and realistic on the color palette moving form grey to brown. Considering that it's still pretty colorful :) And I also like the replay value, the unlockable dev commentaries, cheats (silver/golden guns for speedrunning!!!), and the neat costumes. I love how they added unique sounds to them too, how bacon Lara has fleshy footsteps, while golden Lara's clang on the surface. Even with 100%-ing, the game has just the right length, no bloat, no needless collectibles. A better era :) I still say that the LAU era was peak Tomb Raider and I'm willing to die on that hill. Now I'm curious for your Underworld review, and your next stream on it. And I'm hoping the rumor is true, and its DLCs will be released for PC.
Saved this for when I had the luxury of sitting back with a tasty pizza and could endulge in whats bound to be another fantastic retrospective... Time to hit play!!!
Had the pleasure of playing this game and finishing it today. Wonderful game and it only further cements me missing this era of Lara so so much and I wish she was still a thing in the modern era. I'd go as far as saying the killing of Larson is waay more impactful than the first human kill in the 2013 game. Larson was cool and the two clearly had some history together, so to have a character we already love, having to gun down a character that I also like and that their death had an effect on Lara (that isnt glossed over 10 seconds later) makes it a much better scenario than the reboot. Overall, fantastic game
just to say I've been hit down with covid today and after watching these when they came out the first time, I've had a good day watching all the retrospectives again
It's a great example of how your previous experience plus expectations for something can sometimes ruin your new experiences. I was born in 1998 so the first Tomb Raider for me game was exactly this one and it is the best video game I have ever played to date. The muted colour palette creates a very grounded and calm experience, the corridors make sense and don't feel like the drag on and the combat is fairly balanced. I really like the solitude in this game as it creates the feeling that you are in a unique place giving you time to wander around at your own pace. Comparing to the later games that started after 2013 where it's constant movement, very crowded and full of terror non stop this game stands out. I've played many games in my lifetime but this one has the best control over the character that I have ever experienced. Modern games including TR series have very awkward controls that make the character feel heavy and clumsy if that makes any sense meanwhile I feel in this game your movements are extremely precise. Overall having played all of the TR games I feel like the game industry is headed the wrong direction trying to make the games the most realistic they can be forgetting that realism is not the indicator of a good game it just makes it more challenging in the worst way possible.
I am SO HYPED for this! Anniversary is one of my favorite games in the series. Even taking into account its conflicting history, it's a damn fine game of it own!
I found your channel while I was looking for a recap of TR3 because I had forgotten the story. I have absolutely loved your channel since then, the quality of the TR Retrospective is quite honestly amazing and you deserve a lot more. You are one of the very few RUclipsrs I have seen who is amazing and puts in a lot of effort into making these videos, and it is worth literally every second of this video to watch. I wish you good luck for the future and can't wait for Underworld's video and eventually the latest trilogy.
Came here because my brain tells me I need to watch this whole series now after watching your AOD video, stayed because of the Allo Allo theme song whenever you talk about Pierre. *chef's kiss*
Hello Steve, Another part of the retrospective - another success.❤️ Really thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this series. I'm really hyped for the Survivor era. The teaser of sorts at the end will now get my brain going and I'll be pondering on the subject of theory crafting for myself. in my pass time. Also random fact: Natla in the LAU games was voiced by the same actress who also provided voice for Azula from AVATAR - The last airbender
I love Aniversary and the legend Trilogy, and now that the great remaster collection is out, there is no reason for anyone to hate upon Aniversary. Its a great remake, while the other is a great remaster.
I found out about this channel when the Legends video was just released. I really enjoyed and watched the whole series, even about the games I didn’t play. So I realized I had some nice months of waiting ahead. Finally here we are! Great job, Steve!
Been thinking, while trying to convice Lara to join her, Natla mentions that "it takes three to reign", we know Natla knew Richard Croft and possibly through him she knew about Lara too, probably following her exploits in secret waiting until the right time to reveal herself, do you think by then her and Amanda were acquainted with each other? Great video again btw, i really enjoy these.
Yup there was a good chance the 3rd person was gonna be Amanda. Legend already was out so we know about her, the entity she controls looks like an Atlantean creature, and Underworld confirmed that Amanda was getting her info from Natla.
Again thanks so much for the retrospectives Steve - they are truly amazing content and I love coming back to them - even to just rewatch the for x amounts of times Thanks for taking your time with it too to enure having it be at it's best quality possible!
Glad to know i wasnt the only one who did stuff quickly and failed to grab onto ledges etc and press e to stay on the poles. 🙄excited to check out the mod links. Thank you Steve for a great video! Cheers
This Game is a absolut masterpiece. Imagine modern games remaster like this. Games these days are so sad and loveless. You can see the love that floated into this Title in every corner.
Great video as always Steve. Does anyone else remember an extra playable commentary level? I can't remember if it was on PC or console, but it was really cool. You get to walk through different areas of the game while the commentary talks about the design of each country's level.
Man I have been waiting for this review for months! Anniversary is my absolute favorite tomb raider game as I come back to it every now and then. Thank you so much for taking a look at this excellent game!
These retrospectives are such a joy to watch, even as someone that never even played a TR game. The dive is deep, the humour is on point, the insight bits make sense, and the whole video has damn near perfect flow. Congrats, Steve. You did it again. 👏
Okay but I really like that the Camouflage outfit still has the blood for those scenes. It feels like an easter egg and nod to that very scene from AoD.
First time I've had some solid time to watch this properly since you've uploaded it. Brilliant as ever! :) Anniversary was hit and miss for me. I enjoyed parts of the game but some parts just felt like going through the motions. Especially the corridors as you mentioned. Roll on underworld!
Another stellar entry into the retrospective series and a really fair assessment of a game that holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I will now have to rewatch your take on the original game…which will inevitably lead on to a solid session of all the entries to date. Phenomenal work Steve and thank you.
Just finished. Absolutely amazing as always Steve! Time for me to do what I always do after finishing your latest TR video and binge watch the others 👌🏼
TR Anniversary… where do I even begin? Honestly I like TRA but it’s very much a game of the times. Much like when I watch Scream I think “wow this is hella 90s”, I play TRA and think to myself “wow this is so late 2000s”. Between the QTEs, the brownish filter on everything and the long hallways masking the loading I think interestingly the nostalgia TRA gave me for TR1 I now get for that late 2000s era of gaming now with it too. Did I like it as much as Legend? Looking back now, no I didn’t. But it’s still a fun nostalgia trip to the 2000s and a fun time capsule of how games were made back in those days. Alright, that’s enough of that. Oh BOY do I have some sh*t to say about Tomb Raider Underworld…
I thought it was miles better than Legends which felt more like a Bond movie than a game about being an adventurer. And Underworld was alright but very inequal in quality overall (bike sections weren't very good).
I've loved binge watching this series so far. I started gaming in the 80s and Tomb Raider changed everything. It was amazing but it would take about 2 hours just to download a picture of Lara (a friend told me). I've loved all of them but only actually completed the Legend trilogy and Survivor trilogy. All of them amazing, people hate on the last three games but I thought they were stunning.
thank you for these videos!! Content is really well thought out and researched!!! I do hope we get a rise, shadow and definitive review videos too in the future
Another banger 🐸💅 this must've been so much work I cannot begin to imagine how u pulled it off. I wouldn't even know where to start with this documentary. I'm glad u didn't rush this and let high demand and impatience get the better of u. I enjoy eating while watching ur retrospectives even tho I've already seen most of them like 6 times 💆♀️👩🏼🦲 good stuff Bestie
47:15 I'm glad you mentioned this. I love Anniversary but holy shit could the platforming be infuriating and for all the wrong reasons. They might call the old games clunky but the controls were consistent af and when you died you could only blame yourself.
I was so excited to see that this video was released! I have rewatched the previous videos at least 7 times and the editing, the research, the visuals - everything - is perfect and keeps it intresting the whole time. Not even once was I tempted so look away or do anything else. Your work amaze me, thank you for such great quality content! Can't wait for the next one, but until then, don't mind me, you will find me at your playlist of Retrospective's!
What I am about to say is very strange but I love watching your videos when I am on holiday. Of course I haven't been on holiday because, well Covid-19. But hopefully next year I will and watching your Tomb Raider reviews is really warm and comforting. Thank you. 😊
I recently played this for the first time when I was revisiting the series. I played each one beginning to end in order, ending with Underworld. It's a tough pick, but I think this one might be my favorite. It combines updated graphics and character abilities of the newer games, with the puzzle and exploring elements that made the original series brilliant.
I just found you a couple of days ago and have been watching your entire retrospective, it's amazing how you knew from the beginning and typed in the description that it was going to be a 12 part series, that's some serious dedication considering it's already taken a good couple of years to get half of these videos out! A staggering amount of work has been made thus far for these videos and I thank you for that. Possibly the only nitpick I would have for the whole retrospective is whenever there is a cutscene with dialogue during which you commentate, the sound of the game isn't low enough leading to an overwhelming amount of talking over one another for the viewer. 25:20 as for your point of the Larson fight being relegated to a QTE, I think it was more a case of being more believable by the characters having a fistfight instead of the original in which you pump about 50 shots into him and then have a quick convo with said lead sponge. 47:40 that's just an unfortunate truth of modern 3D games. In the old games you knew that if you pressed the buttons correctly you would always land correctly. But in newer games that aren't relied on stilted movements and block calculations, it's a lot more possible to fuck up.
Another incredible retrospective. Amazing work and very good natured which I appreciate. Anniversary is such an underrated remake glad to see someone recognizing it.
I honestly couldn't agree more with absolute everything you said in this video! Tomb 1 and this remake has a special place in my heart. As does your TR videos! Thanks!
The review itself was great and I pretty much agree with it completely. Fun remake that did a lot of neat things but marred by a few questionable decisions (fixable) bugs. Gotta say though, probably my favorite part of going through your series of reviews here has been your ongoing skit story. A lot of great RUclipsrs used to use them but kind of stopped out of nowhere, so it's nice to see someone still use them.
I finished watching this retrospective with a massive column to finish off. Absolute sublime series that gets better with the next. Cannot wait for underworld my favourite of the LAU era.
Incredible work Steve!🥳🥳🥳 That ending was everything, lol 😆 _(great choice in music!)_ Thank you so much for your level of attention to the game, the reception of it and what the fans made of it 😁👏 I'm excited to see where you'll take us with this amazing videos😉
Wow man bravo. I’ve been on a TR kick lately and I loved revisiting the remake with this thorough video. With that said, I still prefer the original. Nostalgia is a powerful drug! And I didn’t love all the changes they made. Thanks for the cool video!
Another absolutely brilliant and hilarious overview - cosplay Natla is still making me giggle. Everytime I watch one of your retrospectives I go back and re-play the game with fresh eyes, love it! Underworld next - outside of the first 4 TR games my favourite entry, can't wait to see what you make of it :)
I absolutely LOVE these retrospectives. I feel like I'm reliving all of TR series' entries and I'm really into the subplot of these videos that occurs at the beginning and end of each one. The editing is just spot on and you really know how to skillfully incorporate music into the videos. I can't wait for the Underworld retrospective, as it is one of my favorite TR games, although with some major flaws that I want to know your opinion on. xoxo from Poland
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I fear the day when this series eventually runs out of TR games :(
What a relief! :)
And even if he runs out he can just start over and do them all again! Heh...
Not to forget as I told Steve as an idea to make retro's about Resident Evil 🙂 would be awesome
@Wesker Projects If he decides to do that then he won't finish it until he's middle aged 😂😂😂😂
@@stealthiscool 🤣🤣 I'm cool with that 😝
25:17 There's a reason why this very fight with Larson was turned into a QTE: Lara's first human kill is supposed to happen much later, she's not at the point where she shoots people without second thoughts yet. This is one of the main story arcs in this game: how Lara lost her innocence and started killing for the sake of her goals.
They could've just developed a melee combat system and restricted weapon usage for these fights, but I suppose a QTE was easier and less time-consuming.
My thoughts exactly, good answer!
Very good answer. You earned this like👏🏿
Of course ! Not just easier but more epic and realistic than shooting hundred bullets before talking x) I'm not sure melee combat would have been that great but maybe.
Could be the same reason as to why they took out Pierre’s attacks throughout that level
They already had the Legend melee system, and I'm pretty sure it's the same engine.
55:26 One subtle detail I love about the remakes plot, is that when Natla answers Lara's declaration that Natla is actually an ancient Atlantean Queen with just the word "once...", Larson, Kid and Kold all react in a manner that says not even they were aware of that information... and yet they continue to follow her to the Pyramid and actively help her achieve her goal.
Never noticed their reaction before today ^^
i remember watching that and thinking "just talk to them and make them realize what is going on" but lara is socially retarded and thought killing them was a better idea than talking.
except for that knife guy lol. just shoot him
Saw the voice actor for Natla at a convention not to long back. Was waiting in line to see Steve Downs and didn't realise who she was at first. She was one of the nicest people I've seen, it was pretty clear she loved her fans tried to make sure everyone had a great time and have good memories. It made me happy seeing the effort she went through for her fans
Grey De'Lisle is a very popular voice actress. She has voiced so many characters, that I think anyone who grew up during the 2000s likely heard her voice at least once. She voiced Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender for example.
One thing I find peculiar, is that most of the videogame characters she voiced, that I know of, have white or blonde hair. Jeanette and Therese from VTMB, Handmaiden from KOTOR 2, Natla from TRA and Jeanne from Bayonetta.
@@monkeycat451Grey lol. You can that this is yellow plus white
How this undersold is beyond me. It's like the perfect Tomb Raider game: Older style puzzles with modern controls, and a bunch of temples, tombs and ruins to explore to boot.
i think the marketing was bad because a lot of people didnt even know it existed and assumed legend and underworld were the only games in then reboot
I don't remember much, but I remember picking up Underworld after I enjoyed Legend very much (had it on pc and psp) and having that "recap" story option and it showed the footage of Anniversary and went "wtf is that?". And this was weird, Lara is an big icon in my country and Anni didn't get any promo at all, so I didn't knew it existed, hell, I was into psp games and barely anyone posted ISO file either.
Watching this, I wonder if Larson intentionally missed shooting Lara after the Egypt levels because she spared his life back at the lost valley. I never thought about it. - This is a great addition to the retrospective series. So excited for underworld!
I never complained about Tomb of Qualopec's colors. I understood them as a "lock-up air" atmosphere and so with that (sort of) "trapped dust" effect where everything looks like... cloudy
Finally someone who understands. Those locations are ancient, not dull.
Lol yeah I've never understood this complaint. They're literally tombs that have been uninhabited for decades. Most real life tombs or artifacts are dull as it is.
The scene where Lara wipes her hands of blood, but there is no blood, isn’t just because it’a a PG game, but I’ve heard that when someone kills another, it always feels like their hands are dirty and they can never clean them, the dirt is the guilt and you can never get rid of it.
Good point rewatching the reviews this guy needs more subs he dose so much good work
Explains the James Sunderland scenario and Batman rule
Yep. Just like how Kakashi was after he killed Rin.
Well spoken, Lady Macbeth 😉
I assumed the action was just metaphorical
Glad I caught this premier: This is the first TR game i was able to not only beat for the first time but complete and because of this game I went back to the originals (with some help of old friends) I've completed the first 5 games including angel of darkness.
Congratz! ☺ you have managed to play the best TR games in the series! Keep them in your memory as they are masterpieces of the ps1 games
I had a similar expierence with this game being the first one I was able to beat. Only after I finished this one I finally got to end TR1 as I never was able to end it as a child. To this day I only finished TR1 and the PS2 titles. I had a good run with TR 4 once but somehow my copy got lost while moving or something. I also have unfinished business with TR2 but never really grew to like it as much. I think somehow the PS1 games are way harder than the PS2 titles.
Reminder: ON! So excited to finally see this one. The Retrospective series is one of my favorite productions. Way to go Steve!!
Steve - the Pierre cutscene with cartoon music has had me in stitches for hours!!! Again, thank you for your amazing and enjoyable contribution to the series for all fans to enjoy! Simply, bloody stunning content!
Another interesting detail is that when Natla ordered to kill Lara at the end of the Egypt level, Larson and Kid obviously didn't wish to do that. Kid fired into the ground and Larson aimed more right at the last moment.
Larson definitely didn't want to.
But, Kidd he said "I'm gonna enjoy this." I think him shooting at the ground was him playing around with Lara which, I guess, was supposed to be indicative of him being an immature gangbanger.
I'm not sure about Kidd, his biography states he was an underground criminal, he maybe killed some people in the past and didn't hesitate to do that. But Larson definitely didn't want.
1:01:13 Now my first thought when I saw that scene was that she wasn't LITERALLY trying to remove blood from her hands rather than just trying to remove essence of the act. It was more of a spiritual act in my opinion. And blood on her hands in different other moments is probably just scratches. That's what I was initially thinking
Anniversary is my favorite game in the series, so I was nervous to hear your thoughts about it. Your thoughts are understandable through and through!
I loved hearing about how you love the manor theme and play it often, because I do too. I'm a 5th grade teacher and every year, while my kids quietly do their morning work, I play the TRA manor theme to help them be relaxed and focused. It's amazing.
I love TRA. This was a great video!
39:40 Huge props for the cartoon skit, I don't know how you edited it in soo perfectly.
26:00 pretty sure they did it so the player cant shoot larsson. its heavily implied by the fight towards the end taht Lara hasnt killed humans up to this point and pulling the trigger on one is a big deal for her here. so itd be contraproductive to let you have a gunfight with them earlier in the game. and implementing a fist fight system just for this encounter wouldve been uneconomical.
7:45 completely agree with the music, I love the Croft Manor theme so much
I'm so glad you mentioned the platforming controls. I've never experienced as much pain in a video game than in that egyptian corridor level. For that reason alone I have no real fond memories of this game!
Fair review, really. I'd say Anniversary is my favourite TR game. Even if sometimes it might not react to something, that's rare, so overall I'd say the controls are really responsive, and I liked the combat mechanic with the enrage system. The map layouts and puzzles are all pretty good too, the game just pushes you on and on, you just want to see the next parts. And I really liked the narrative, how they made it. I don't mind a single bit how human enemies are restricted to cutscenes and QTEs, it makes sense from a story standpoint. Somehow Lara's first human kill here feels more strong here than in the 2013 reboot. How it's not just necessity but personal choice too, and comes back in later cutscenes.
*Edit: About the graphics, yeah it was the product of it's time, when every game had to be gritty and realistic on the color palette moving form grey to brown. Considering that it's still pretty colorful :)
And I also like the replay value, the unlockable dev commentaries, cheats (silver/golden guns for speedrunning!!!), and the neat costumes. I love how they added unique sounds to them too, how bacon Lara has fleshy footsteps, while golden Lara's clang on the surface. Even with 100%-ing, the game has just the right length, no bloat, no needless collectibles. A better era :)
I still say that the LAU era was peak Tomb Raider and I'm willing to die on that hill. Now I'm curious for your Underworld review, and your next stream on it. And I'm hoping the rumor is true, and its DLCs will be released for PC.
Totally agree with LAU being the peak of TR (in my opinion, Underworld is the best TR in the whole series despite its quirks with twitchy controls)
I always hoped they'd continue a remake TR2 and 3 from the Ps1 era in the same engine as TRA2007. That would've been awesome
Saved this for when I had the luxury of sitting back with a tasty pizza and could endulge in whats bound to be another fantastic retrospective... Time to hit play!!!
You don’t know how excited I am Steve! These retrospectives are really one of the best things to watch on whole RUclips
Had the pleasure of playing this game and finishing it today. Wonderful game and it only further cements me missing this era of Lara so so much and I wish she was still a thing in the modern era.
I'd go as far as saying the killing of Larson is waay more impactful than the first human kill in the 2013 game.
Larson was cool and the two clearly had some history together, so to have a character we already love, having to gun down a character that I also like and that their death had an effect on Lara (that isnt glossed over 10 seconds later) makes it a much better scenario than the reboot.
Overall, fantastic game
just to say I've been hit down with covid today and after watching these when they came out the first time, I've had a good day watching all the retrospectives again
Get well soon 👌
It's a great example of how your previous experience plus expectations for something can sometimes ruin your new experiences. I was born in 1998 so the first Tomb Raider for me game was exactly this one and it is the best video game I have ever played to date. The muted colour palette creates a very grounded and calm experience, the corridors make sense and don't feel like the drag on and the combat is fairly balanced. I really like the solitude in this game as it creates the feeling that you are in a unique place giving you time to wander around at your own pace. Comparing to the later games that started after 2013 where it's constant movement, very crowded and full of terror non stop this game stands out. I've played many games in my lifetime but this one has the best control over the character that I have ever experienced. Modern games including TR series have very awkward controls that make the character feel heavy and clumsy if that makes any sense meanwhile I feel in this game your movements are extremely precise. Overall having played all of the TR games I feel like the game industry is headed the wrong direction trying to make the games the most realistic they can be forgetting that realism is not the indicator of a good game it just makes it more challenging in the worst way possible.
I am SO HYPED for this! Anniversary is one of my favorite games in the series. Even taking into account its conflicting history, it's a damn fine game of it own!
My patience has been rewarded \o/
Can't wait to see this next one :D
I found your channel while I was looking for a recap of TR3 because I had forgotten the story. I have absolutely loved your channel since then, the quality of the TR Retrospective is quite honestly amazing and you deserve a lot more. You are one of the very few RUclipsrs I have seen who is amazing and puts in a lot of effort into making these videos, and it is worth literally every second of this video to watch. I wish you good luck for the future and can't wait for Underworld's video and eventually the latest trilogy.
Came here because my brain tells me I need to watch this whole series now after watching your AOD video, stayed because of the Allo Allo theme song whenever you talk about Pierre. *chef's kiss*
Hello Steve,
Another part of the retrospective - another success.❤️ Really thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this series. I'm really hyped for the Survivor era. The teaser of sorts at the end will now get my brain going and I'll be pondering on the subject of theory crafting for myself. in my pass time.
Also random fact: Natla in the LAU games was voiced by the same actress who also provided voice for Azula from AVATAR - The last airbender
Wow, I didn't know about the voice actress! That's cool.
Very interesting fact indeed 😱
Steve, this is your best video yet. All the time and effort you put into your retrospectives is very much appreciated.
I love Aniversary and the legend Trilogy, and now that the great remaster collection is out, there is no reason for anyone to hate upon Aniversary.
Its a great remake, while the other is a great remaster.
Studying for my exams with this in the background and I feel more relaxed :-))
I found out about this channel when the Legends video was just released. I really enjoyed and watched the whole series, even about the games I didn’t play.
So I realized I had some nice months of waiting ahead. Finally here we are!
Great job, Steve!
Been thinking, while trying to convice Lara to join her, Natla mentions that "it takes three to reign", we know Natla knew Richard Croft and possibly through him she knew about Lara too, probably following her exploits in secret waiting until the right time to reveal herself, do you think by then her and Amanda were acquainted with each other?
Great video again btw, i really enjoy these.
Yup there was a good chance the 3rd person was gonna be Amanda. Legend already was out so we know about her, the entity she controls looks like an Atlantean creature, and Underworld confirmed that Amanda was getting her info from Natla.
Again thanks so much for the retrospectives Steve - they are truly amazing content and I love coming back to them - even to just rewatch the for x amounts of times
Thanks for taking your time with it too to enure having it be at it's best quality possible!
Glad to know i wasnt the only one who did stuff quickly and failed to grab onto ledges etc and press e to stay on the poles. 🙄excited to check out the mod links. Thank you Steve for a great video! Cheers
42:24😂😂 love all your hard work Steve, cannot wait for Underworld!! 😊
I liked that claustrophobic Village, as it felt to me as it was really just build in secret into that Cave.
This Game is a absolut masterpiece. Imagine modern games remaster like this. Games these days are so sad and loveless. You can see the love that floated into this Title in every corner.
Great video as always Steve. Does anyone else remember an extra playable commentary level? I can't remember if it was on PC or console, but it was really cool. You get to walk through different areas of the game while the commentary talks about the design of each country's level.
Man I have been waiting for this review for months! Anniversary is my absolute favorite tomb raider game as I come back to it every now and then. Thank you so much for taking a look at this excellent game!
Ive been waiting this so long. Thanks for this retrospective series its awesome
I've watched all your Retrospectives of Tomb Raider, thanks alot for the effort! Had a great time.
So glad I caught this! I’ve been checking your channel every other week since the legend retrospective
Appreciate all the love and hard work you put into these!
I haven't played Tomb Raider in a LONG time. After watching this, i'm gonna play them all again
so hyped! your hard work really shows in these videos, they’re always worth the wait 🤙🏼
Such an underrated channel. Where are the subs??
YES FINALLY OMFGF IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!!!!!!!CAN'T WAITTTTT
After a long day at work I completely forgot this was premiering today. Looking forward to watching this after tea.
I cant believe ive binge watched all these videos yesterday, omg
I cant waitfor underworld, its my favorite from this trilogy
These retrospectives are such a joy to watch, even as someone that never even played a TR game. The dive is deep, the humour is on point, the insight bits make sense, and the whole video has damn near perfect flow.
Congrats, Steve. You did it again. 👏
Commenting for the algorithm, but coming back after watching straight through from TR1’s retrospective.
Congrats on another release!!
8:09 Sums up my Croft manor experiences lol
Okay but I really like that the Camouflage outfit still has the blood for those scenes. It feels like an easter egg and nod to that very scene from AoD.
I'm so happy every time one of those retrospective videos comes out. Such a great job. Very entertaining!
Watched this for the second time, just as a way of having a nice evening at home. Loved it even better this time. Quality review!
Amazing work Steve! Loved every second of it. This game is still one of the best remakes ever made.
You've covered my favorite video game series and each video is a trip back in time. I love the videos!! Keep it up!
First time I've had some solid time to watch this properly since you've uploaded it. Brilliant as ever! :)
Anniversary was hit and miss for me. I enjoyed parts of the game but some parts just felt like going through the motions. Especially the corridors as you mentioned.
Roll on underworld!
Another stellar entry into the retrospective series and a really fair assessment of a game that holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I will now have to rewatch your take on the original game…which will inevitably lead on to a solid session of all the entries to date. Phenomenal work Steve and thank you.
As always an absolute pleasure to watch. So grateful for your well executed videos and humourous editting.
Lara: 'Aha'...
This is what I've been waiting for in my Subscriptions!
Just finished. Absolutely amazing as always Steve! Time for me to do what I always do after finishing your latest TR video and binge watch the others 👌🏼
I watched every ad, not skipping none. You really deserve those coins for all the effort u put in this channel 💙
My first RUclips premiere- and you did not disappoint!
One of the best remakes ever made, and one of my favorite TR games, with some of the best music in the entire series.
Soooooo excited for this!! It’s been so fun rediscovering these games with you!
TR Anniversary… where do I even begin? Honestly I like TRA but it’s very much a game of the times. Much like when I watch Scream I think “wow this is hella 90s”, I play TRA and think to myself “wow this is so late 2000s”. Between the QTEs, the brownish filter on everything and the long hallways masking the loading I think interestingly the nostalgia TRA gave me for TR1 I now get for that late 2000s era of gaming now with it too. Did I like it as much as Legend? Looking back now, no I didn’t. But it’s still a fun nostalgia trip to the 2000s and a fun time capsule of how games were made back in those days.
Alright, that’s enough of that. Oh BOY do I have some sh*t to say about Tomb Raider Underworld…
Mention the PS2 version when you do, please.
@@Takejiro24 top of the list my friend.
I thought it was miles better than Legends which felt more like a Bond movie than a game about being an adventurer. And Underworld was alright but very inequal in quality overall (bike sections weren't very good).
I've loved binge watching this series so far. I started gaming in the 80s and Tomb Raider changed everything. It was amazing but it would take about 2 hours just to download a picture of Lara (a friend told me). I've loved all of them but only actually completed the Legend trilogy and Survivor trilogy. All of them amazing, people hate on the last three games but I thought they were stunning.
thank you for these videos!! Content is really well thought out and researched!!! I do hope we get a rise, shadow and definitive review videos too in the future
Awesome, incredibly fair and detailed. Plus the funny. You are a champ! Also thanks for the mention with the blood hands thing!
Absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much! It's really nice to see videos on these old games in the current year.
I really love these videos.
Tomb Raider is one of my favorite games of all times and I really enjoy watching these.
Very relaxing as well.
That Smash joke at the beginning was too bloody brilliant!!!!!
Totally ecstatic to watch this! Your videos have been my go-to for entertainment. I thoroughly enjoy the content you create. Thank you! 😁🤟
Yeyyyyy! Just rewatched your tomb raider videos up to chronicles yesterday after seeing this! 😂😂 Love what you do! Can't wait to watch! 🤩👏
Another banger 🐸💅 this must've been so much work I cannot begin to imagine how u pulled it off. I wouldn't even know where to start with this documentary. I'm glad u didn't rush this and let high demand and impatience get the better of u. I enjoy eating while watching ur retrospectives even tho I've already seen most of them like 6 times 💆♀️👩🏼🦲 good stuff Bestie
47:15 I'm glad you mentioned this. I love Anniversary but holy shit could the platforming be infuriating and for all the wrong reasons. They might call the old games clunky but the controls were consistent af and when you died you could only blame yourself.
I was so excited to see that this video was released! I have rewatched the previous videos at least 7 times and the editing, the research, the visuals - everything - is perfect and keeps it intresting the whole time. Not even once was I tempted so look away or do anything else. Your work amaze me, thank you for such great quality content!
Can't wait for the next one, but until then, don't mind me, you will find me at your playlist of Retrospective's!
I love your channel, no one understands Tomb Raider the way you do! :)
What I am about to say is very strange but I love watching your videos when I am on holiday. Of course I haven't been on holiday because, well Covid-19. But hopefully next year I will and watching your Tomb Raider reviews is really warm and comforting. Thank you. 😊
We need more TR games like this! PS5 reboots of TR 2 and 3 would be amazing
Hated this game. they simplified it too much. the only tomb raider games are the PS1 games.
I recently played this for the first time when I was revisiting the series. I played each one beginning to end in order, ending with Underworld. It's a tough pick, but I think this one might be my favorite. It combines updated graphics and character abilities of the newer games, with the puzzle and exploring elements that made the original series brilliant.
I just found you a couple of days ago and have been watching your entire retrospective, it's amazing how you knew from the beginning and typed in the description that it was going to be a 12 part series, that's some serious dedication considering it's already taken a good couple of years to get half of these videos out!
A staggering amount of work has been made thus far for these videos and I thank you for that. Possibly the only nitpick I would have for the whole retrospective is whenever there is a cutscene with dialogue during which you commentate, the sound of the game isn't low enough leading to an overwhelming amount of talking over one another for the viewer.
25:20 as for your point of the Larson fight being relegated to a QTE, I think it was more a case of being more believable by the characters having a fistfight instead of the original in which you pump about 50 shots into him and then have a quick convo with said lead sponge.
47:40 that's just an unfortunate truth of modern 3D games. In the old games you knew that if you pressed the buttons correctly you would always land correctly. But in newer games that aren't relied on stilted movements and block calculations, it's a lot more possible to fuck up.
Another incredible retrospective. Amazing work and very good natured which I appreciate. Anniversary is such an underrated remake glad to see someone recognizing it.
I honestly couldn't agree more with absolute everything you said in this video! Tomb 1 and this remake has a special place in my heart. As does your TR videos! Thanks!
Angel of darkness costume with blood shown on laras hands... representation of core designs blood on eidos/crystal dynamics hands?
The review itself was great and I pretty much agree with it completely. Fun remake that did a lot of neat things but marred by a few questionable decisions (fixable) bugs.
Gotta say though, probably my favorite part of going through your series of reviews here has been your ongoing skit story. A lot of great RUclipsrs used to use them but kind of stopped out of nowhere, so it's nice to see someone still use them.
I finished watching this retrospective with a massive column to finish off.
Absolute sublime series that gets better with the next. Cannot wait for underworld my favourite of the LAU era.
I just loved the ending of this video! You really had my fans and GPU running
Fantastic surprise , now I know what I’m going to be playing this weekend- putting Shadow of the aside and playing the HD collection.
Yessssss come on!! I think I'm more excited for this than any new TR content xD
Incredible work Steve!🥳🥳🥳
That ending was everything, lol 😆
_(great choice in music!)_
Thank you so much for your level of attention to the game, the reception of it and what the fans made of it 😁👏
I'm excited to see where you'll take us with this amazing videos😉
Thank you for this brilliant series so far! Can't wait for Underworld!
Yes! I'm a huge fan of your retrospective series. Thank you for uploading these!
Wow man bravo. I’ve been on a TR kick lately and I loved revisiting the remake with this thorough video. With that said, I still prefer the original. Nostalgia is a powerful drug! And I didn’t love all the changes they made. Thanks for the cool video!
Another absolutely brilliant and hilarious overview - cosplay Natla is still making me giggle. Everytime I watch one of your retrospectives I go back and re-play the game with fresh eyes, love it! Underworld next - outside of the first 4 TR games my favourite entry, can't wait to see what you make of it :)
Thank you so much =)
Awesome video Steve!!! I am really itching to replay anniversary now! And also lol that ending. Loving the drama
I absolutely LOVE these retrospectives. I feel like I'm reliving all of TR series' entries and I'm really into the subplot of these videos that occurs at the beginning and end of each one. The editing is just spot on and you really know how to skillfully incorporate music into the videos. I can't wait for the Underworld retrospective, as it is one of my favorite TR games, although with some major flaws that I want to know your opinion on. xoxo from Poland