Tomb Raider 1 is and will always be the best in the series for me, i also love Tomb Raider 2 but the first game has that little something that has been lost in the sequels in my opinion. The ambience, the music, the enemies, the level designs...everything is amazing and unique in the first game. Even though they pretty much improved everything in the sequel, they didn't managed to recreate the atmosphere/ambience of the first game in my opinion. Thats one of the very best game ever made for me. When a game manages to pull me in, to the point where i forget that im playing a game, and when it feels like im actually in the world and exploring the maps, that im part of the game, thats what i call a great game, and Tomb Raider did all that for me. I need to replay it right now! Lol
At the time I worked at a company that did Saturn conversion work and from experience I can tell you Tomb Raider was an amazing achievment for the time.
@@jhkuno88 You're right the Saturn was a lot worse than people make out now, a Frankenstiens monster of chips. getting anything running on it was an achievement,
Original Tomb Raider was pure adventure. It really did feel like I was discovering new things in that game unlike modern remake of Tomb Raider. With the new one, it feels more like cinematic with little to no feel of adventure. Everything feels scripted. Even to the things you grab on to feel scripted.
That is painfully accurate. Especially with things like bosses or the cutscenes with quicktime events, It's like what you do is more grand and epic and climactic, but you're essentially forced to do it that way whereas the original usually let you take control and do things your way. You would THINK killing the T-rex or the Torso mutant with a specific strategy would feel more fun, but somehow just shooting at them with no strings attached is way better IMO. The only bosses that were really improved I think were Natla and the Centaurs (granted you lose the shock of them suddenly exploding out of the stone). That and it's a complete joke what they did to some levels, the further in the game it feels like they were just running out of time and got more and more aggressive with the "cut and paste the most memorable bits and delete the rest" strategy. I mean with Cisterns it's like they took the first 15% of Cisterns, the last 15% of ToT, and then just deleted everything else so you're missing 1.7 levels. And don't even get me STARTED on what they did to TR1's Atlantis. Bullshit you were trying to add suspense/agoraphobia you just tried to take the shortest way possible to getting her to the top of the pyramid, lol. Did I mention Pierre sucks? they should have found a happy medium between him popping up constantly just to waste medpacks, and him virtually being removed.
I felt that a bit with GTA 5, a lot of it just seemed like an interactive scripted movie as opposed to previous GTAs where you got to play and be challenged.
H Koizumi I disagree. There is still tons and tons of adventure. I think we’re also forgetting that the new series is simply a back story of how she became the Lara Croft we know and love. I still disagree with you about the new series. The new series is actually my favorite.
@@quentinm6130 They already had a backstory in Tomb Raider 4, and her backstory is touched on in other games in the classic series. It's a complete reboot of the character, i.e. not real Lara.
Sega Saturn's Tomb Raider was a family experience for me and my parents, 20 years ago. One month ago my Mother has passed away and as a mean to distract my father, me and him are going through the game one more time, this turn on the PC. There's no particular reason for me to leave this comment, it's just that I have a huge connection to this game, even more now and as such I love to see someone dedicating 15 minutes of video just to talk about this classic. That render of squares is hilarious and it almost makes me want to try the game like that. I'm pretty confident I would do ok in the first level. I downloaded the unoficial patch that guy did, but now I'm unsure if I have the soundtrack. I didn't download it myself, but using the patch I know I have tracks that I didn't have before. Anyway, great video full of interesting info. I will subscribe now :)
Very sorry to hear about your mom. I think it's those special moments that make me love gaming. Most of the time it's a distraction, but there are those rare moments where it becomes something much more. Again, very sorry to hear about your mother's passing. Hope you and your dad are doing okay.
Man that's a great story and great memories. I feel for you and luck and happiness truly is in details like reliving a seemingly small memory but is all the more powerful and it won't be just a distraction but also a way of dealing with the loss. I had a similar thing happening when visiting Florence recently with my girlfriend. A city I also visited with my father years ago.
I know, right? It reminded me of System Shock's cyberspace hacking minigame. Mostly when textures are disabled in games like that, they don't show the wireframes so everything appears black or at least translucent, showing the void. In some 3D games like Half Life, it would show a hall of mirrors effect, Doom style.
It's a bit like texture warp coordinates rather then true depth-dependent polygon space. The sprites are checker-patterned at the same general size as each quad. Then the four corners warp and shift skewing each sprite into it's final form. It really does illustrate that the Saturn is a 2D machine at it's core, which didn't help when creating Tomb Raider. Later games would illustrate this when they pushed more out of the engine besides baseline 3D.
I've been trying to do it too, but I'm not at the level that these Digital Foundry guys are at. I love their content and love hearing what they have to say about some of my favorite games. I'm planning on doing a full summary of the Tomb Raider franchise, explaining things like issues with development resulting core leaving etc, but I want to get my facts straight first, and that includes playing each tomb raider through completely (again)
I remember seeing TR for the first time at my friends house on his PS1. My jaw dropped. I needed to have it now, so I got it the very next day for my 486 and while it didn't look as good as on the PS it was still the same fantastic experience. That was until I begged my parents enough to buy me a Voodoo2.. my jaw dropped again.. going from software rendering to full 3D acceleration glide just blew my mind... games like Unreal, Tomb Raider, Carmageddon.. they all looked like a new world of gaming with my V2.. Not sure there ever was a similar sudden forward jump in technology since..
Yep same for me I normally played games on my PS1 until we got a Voodoo 2, after that I pretty much rebought most of the games I had for PS1 on PC just cause how amazing they looked
On PC, there was not such jump anymore, but it makes sense. We were going from software 3d rendering to hardware accelerated 3d rendering. And since then it's been non stop iterative improvement. Ray tracing was supposed to be the next big jump, but it's also happening step by step instead of a big jump.
No its not. And its not "The Saturns quad rendering" ...the 3DO did quad rendering before, and quad rendering was the industry standard for pre rendered movie stuff like Jurassic Park, Terminator2s CG models in the early 90s......Triangles were adopted simply because it was a more flexible method of rendering. So quad rendering on Saturn was pretty dumb.
I honestly believe the PS1 version is the most beautiful in terms of visuals, while the PC version has better textures and removes the uncomfortable scan lines, there's a distinct lack of colour contrast and depth, the modern high resolution version on the PC version kills the saturation that made the original look very beautiful and made the palette look slightly more bland. I remember the swimming pool in Lara's Home is clear white colour on PC, but on PS1 its a rich light blue/ turquoise. I thought it was just nostalgia at first, but after playing Tomb Raider on PC, I actually noticed that it didn't look as pretty as the PS1 version in terms of colour, despite being a higher resolution. Some people prefer the natural blend of colours, but I think Tomb Raider always looked more gorgeous with its exaggerated colour palette, since objects had more colour definition. I wonder if there are any high resolution mods that preserve the original palette. Edit: I've finally been able to create a nice compromise between the upgraded textures in the PC version and the colours of the PS1, loving what the community has done for this gem!
Cecilia Terrile - It's exactly like it.. That is, tombs aren't the main focus of the game and this time it's ALL in a shitty snow environment, which I despised in the 2013 game.
I agree. I've only ever played reboot and rise once each, but find myself returning to these classic Tomb Raider games time and time again. They are definitely one of a kind. I miss platforming and traps being my main concern. The new games focus way too much on combat and action set pieces for my taste. The lonely atmosphere of navigating an environment where enemies didn't just appear in open areas with obvious signs of incoming combat sequences (crates and other objects to seek cover behind) made the experience feel so much more organic and natural.
Tomb Raider 2+3 introduced me to gaming full stop when I was 2 or 3 myself. Half Life on CD got me into shooters soon afterward, and Lego Racers into racing games.
I remember seeing the Saturn version running in HMV in Glasgow when it was brand new. It was absolutely stunning for its time. Even my parents were amazed by it and bought it for me soon after. Haven’t played the Saturn version for a hell of a long time now. Absolute classic.
The weirdest thing I noticed when playing the PC and PS1 version is that the PC version was missing the awesome gold textures from the Midas Touch death while the PS1 had it.
I feel sorry for him doing Resident Evil 4. Gamecube, PS2, PC/PC Ultimate Edition, Wii, PS3, Xbox360, iOS, Android, Toasters, Zeebo, PS4 and Xbox One. And then there's DOOM which is aptly named.
I think, RE4 was always covered on DF. So many videos about different versions))) But original RE trilogy had interesting ports, except great PS1 versions. RE2 on N64, unreleased RE1 on Gameboy Color (beta version can be found in internet), RE1 on Nintendo DS. Best versions for PC with fan patches (FMV from japanese release, sound from PS1 version, music from Audio CD, etc.). RE1 for Sega Saturn.
It should be noted that PAL Saturn Tomb Raider is unfinished, basically still in beta stage. It was pushed out too early, much like a bunch of other games in the series. There is one secret in The Cistern that is quite literally walled off with bricks (but the total is still 3) and there are a bunch of audio and graphical glitches still to be ironed out; the worst one would be the in-engine cutscene audio running a second or two behind the scene itself. A fair comparison would be between NTSC-U Saturn Tomb Raider and NTSC-U PlayStation Tomb Raider.
Does anyone know if the Japanese version of Tomb Raider for ps1 is better than the others? Since it was the last to be released. Or is it identical to American except for Japanese voices?
I thought he would do the rushed PAL original first and then compare it to both the international Saturn one (US in this case) and PS1 game after, but he didn't for some reason.
@@tzbenetti1000 hi ! As a fan i am going to respond to you : no in fact it was more easy, combat have been reduce in difficulty. By example in Tomb raider 2 in ntsc-j version , one shot for the shotgun is enough to kill a tiger. For the voices not sure but to begin with Tomb raider Legend et least japanese voices exist yes. I think japanese exist on ps1 back era but not sure. I play the ps1 version in us version on Retroarch with Retroacheviements. Very interesting and i would advertise you if as me you are q retrogamer (between else and still love actual titles of course ). Other reasons: the ntsc 60Hz is better than our ver bad not optimised PAL 50hz. Speed AND framerate are always better on ntsc 60Hz
Would be interesting to see some indie developer go back to the classic tomb raider formula with tank controls. slow deliberate gameplay, preside jumps and preferably ditch the combat.
The PowerVR PCX2 like the Video Apocalypse 3Dx or the Matrox M3D graphics cards with Tomb Raider PowerVR patch on a PC could display the game in an astounding 1024 by 768 pixel high resolution back in the year 1997. This was a much higher resolution than what the 3Dfx Voodoo 1 could do which was 640 by 480 pixel resolution.
One of the first games that I've played, back in the mid '90s, on PC, with other jewels like DOOM, Quake, DN3D, etc... Still, my favorite Tomb Raider game of all time!!! Thanks for DF Retro, I really enjoy everyone of your videos! And please, do Soul Reaver soon :D
Legit fascinating to me - especially the demonstration of how the Saturn rendered/renders; as someone who played the Saturn version back in '96 I found it very insightful. Thanks for doing this! 10/10.
God I love these videos, such a nostalgia trip - and I can't think of anyone better to take us through these games. Thanks, John - look forward to every single one of these videos even if it's not a game I've played.
Good stuff. No mention of Glidos? That allows the PC version to not only have a higher resolution but texture replacement as well as the missing audio tracks that you mention
23 years on and we're only just starting to appreciate the 30fps lock and great frame pacing of the PS1 original. Crazy that bad framerates and stutter are still such a major issue in a lot of video games in this day and age, it seems like developers just don't consider it important anymore
Absolutely astounded at the amount of information I always longed to know about my favorite game. Thank you so much for making this video. I will absolutely play the rage version with the patched audio and cinematics. You made me so happy.
Great game on the Saturn. And although the PS version comes up top in this DF video, I kind of preferred the SS version. Due to the darker mood of the game, I think it was more realistic. I mean you are in a tomb, theres not much light there.
HUGE tomb raider fan here! Your research was excellent for this video! I've played the hell out of this game with the modern support patches and music, and I tell ya it hits me with nostalgia everytime
Sad about the Saturn port considering with time and proper dev tools some programmers could get 4x the performance of PS1. Mass Destruction runs at 15-20fps on PS while doing a solid 60 on Saturn , also the Duke Nukem 3D port is night and day from the shoddy PS1 port (curious, since the mainstream narrative was that Saturn "couldnt do 3D") And anyone that had access to Saturn's first party games saw that it's high-rez mode could run circles around even the N64 in certain instances. Would have been cool to see more 3D Saturn games make use of the ram expansion cart that the Saturn Arcade fighters took advantage of.
Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D has smaller levels(split into two parts). PS1 version has the same sized levels as the PC version. That;'s why it is choppy.
Love almost this entire video! Extremely in depth and as a fan I appreciate up close analyses of one one my favorite games. However I do have one criticism. You failed to mention that the iOS and Android versions of TR 1 and 2 have remastered textures (opinions on the quality of the new textures will vary) as well as full Bluetooth gamepad support. Therefore you’re not forced to use touchscreen controls. For a channel that focuses so much on tech try to make sure you mention every difference between different versions of the same game ❤️
This game will forever be one of my top 10 games of all time. Amazing. I love everything about this game and what it represents. It was my game of 1996. Just felt in love with it. Everyone was about Mario 64, but this was favorite game of 1996. And of course I love it better.
Thanks for making this video. Tomb Raider is my favourite game of all time. I LOVE the Saturn version - there's something about it that's just magic. It's the earliest version of course - it even has some missing areas. It's also missing the handstand Lara can do when she pulls up from a ledge while holding the R1 (walk) button. I've even got this really neat Silver Disc version for Saturn... I don't think Tomb Raider gets enough credit - it was the first 3D game of its type that was truly amazing in my opinion. It's just a shame that Lara became so famous... because it took away the focus from the game itself. The game was the true star.
Ooh, back then, I had just aquired me an Orchid Righteous 3Dfx card. After applying the 3Dfx patch, I was in GAMING HEAVEN for a long time! Cool memories..
No mention of the water distorsion effect on the Sega Saturn build ? I was really impressed by this particular effect (wich is not present on PS1) back in the day. Anyway, great episode ! :D
I never beat Tomb Raider. I played the PC version and have fond memories of the triangle box shape. Got stuck on the Atlantis stage with those red monsters.
After a recent Nintendo Direct, there's going to be a remastered collection of the first 3 Tomb Raiders, which feature a graphics switch mode (like the Halo remasters) and runs at 60fps.
Great video as always, but I and no doubt many other people are disappointed that there was no mention and/or analysis of the Steam versions of both Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Anniversary.
I absolutely love these retro breakdown videos. It definitely gives perspective and where we were and where we are now. It allows people to appreciate exactly what was accomplished decades ago and with so much less horsepower than is available now.
Great video! Watched your Shenmue 2 vid yesterday, now this one.. you clearly know your graphics, really interesting. Loved the breakdown shots of how the Saturn was rendering that environment for TR. I had always heard the Saturn was a crazy system to develop for, but this vid really helped illustrate just how different it was to other systems. Anyways, keep up the awesome work, looking forward to watching more.
Fantastic technical retrospective on TR. I have never seen the "un-distorted quad sprites" effect on Saturn before, that was weird! Thanks for settling the misinformation about the Japan Victor Saturn port being better somehow. I'd really enjoy a Panzer Dragoon series someday.
I feel the same way, maybe it's the way it looks, I've always found the warmer colour palette of the PS1 port feels out of place for a game that takes place entirely underground, the darker, colder palette of the Saturn, also the clear water with proper caustics, it's so blue in the PS1 port it looks like antifreeze (yet again, can't be reflecting the sky because underground). I think the biggest reason though is that Saturn owners cherished Tomb Raider more than those who owned the other platforms as there were only four 3D platforms released for the system if I recall correctly, including TR (the others being Burning Rangers, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos and Ninpen Manmaru... Not sure if isometric counts, if it does Dark Savior makes it five), the PS1 had an overabundant supply of platformers, making it more of a throwaway title for the system. I know it makes me the minority, but I love the graphical quirks of early 3D hardware, including dithering, aliasing, no texture filtering and affine texture warping, there's just something so charming about it. (I hereby apologize for this long winded comment on a year-old comment).
I am in the same position. Even though i admit the ps1is "superior" in many ways, i first played and completed the game on my brand new sega saturn at the time, and have strong feelings towards this version. And i MUCH prefer the saturn controller. I find the saturn one to be more atmospheric, more pleasing.
awesome comparison - strange though, I compared the Saturn PAL version (running at 60hz) to the Victor version earlier this year and saw some differences in framerate, lighting, textures... The PAL version looks flat in comparison.
Does anyone know if the Japanese version of Tomb Raider for ps1 is better than the others? Since it was the last to be released. Or is it identical to American except for Japanese voices?
Playing this again now on the Vita. Despite the old fashioned, digital controls, it still holds up in so many ways. Watching this video, can’t believe PC players didnt get most of the music cues - they were such an integral part of the experience and atmosphere when I played it on release, intially on my sister’s Sega Saturn, but finishing it on my Playstation. Good times!
The Sega Model 1 & 2 also used quads, yet this wasn't an issue in the Daytona USA video. Quads are still true 3D, but triangles went on to dominate because they were more efficient for 3D.
Holy cow! I still remember playing the demo for the first time back in 1996! I was only 11 but I fell in love with it instantly. I think I finished the demo like 100 times before playing the actual full game. Soooo good!!!
Thanks for making this video, people have told me the Saturn renders sprites of 3D squares and I never could get what they meant until your demonstration. Interesting. ;)
I think that's especially a trend with Americans. I can tell you that most Europeans were very aware of Core Design games in the early 90s, especially those on the Mega Drive and the Mega CD.
The Sega Saturn version is like someone trying to play the maximum settings on a system that can't do it. The textures are actually better, and there is more detail on the character models and the environments. The colors are also richer. It does start out darker, but people don't realize that you can adjust the gamma settings and it becomes identical lighting wise to the playstation version. The only crime it commits is a lower frame rate, but it is perfectly playable. I have no issues with the controls on the Saturn version. Also, some transparency stuff is missing, but there are some cool water effects on the Saturn that aren't on the other ones.
Tomb Raider became a kind of weird staple in my teenage years as I got every single game in the series for Christmas each year, up until Chronicles. Even though I knew I was probably getting it for Christmas, I was still stoked every time because I just loved losing myself in these weird caves and tombs and living out these epic adventures. I may be alone on this, but I actually still prefer the first game, as it felt more purely focused on exploration and puzzles than the games that would follow. I also really loved Tomb Raider Anniversary. Good times.
back then, my GPU was so crap it only displayed grey scenarios and Lara didnt have a face... needless to say i took it back to the store so they sold it as used and i got it later for my Playstation 1 :P
I must correct you about the Red Book Audio bit: Tomb Raider I on the PC uses it to store the main menu music and the sounds from the cutscenes rendered with the engine (not the FMV ones). This is in contrast with how Tomb Raider II did things: all ambiance sounds, background music and music effects were CDA files, which also explains why the music/ambiance completely stopped when you were picking up a secret. Using a CD audio soundtrack also proved a "soft" copy-protection mechanism, since CD burners of the day couldn't generally mix data and audio tracks. From TRIII onwards, Red Book audio was completely abandoned.
3dfx Voodoo + Tomb Raider was epic! A unmatched gaming experience at the time... I was 9 years old and had my first PC when I was 8. It took me quite some time to save up enough cash to purchase the 3dfx Voodoo.
Fantastic work as always John :) Didn't know the Saturn version's performance was so inconsistent, or that the PC version's original soundtrack was limited.
Played the game for the first time during quarantine last year after watching this, using the suggested patches and i was very surprised just how good the game plays overall. Great levels, beautiful atmosphere and few cheap moments or annoying enemy placements. I played the sequel a lot as a kid, which is full of both, while i had never made it further than the first few levels in TR1 before giving up. Definitely missed out this way on the better game. And i can confirm, it really does play better on keyboard than with a gamepad. True classic.
The original Tomb Raider had an excellent soundtrack.
Absolutely :-D
dat oboe
Yes especially the first level when the wolf's come at you!
it's fantastic, I've been replaying it recently and every music cue is a treat
Tomb Raider 1 is and will always be the best in the series for me, i also love Tomb Raider 2 but the first game has that little something that has been lost in the sequels in my opinion. The ambience, the music, the enemies, the level designs...everything is amazing and unique in the first game. Even though they pretty much improved everything in the sequel, they didn't managed to recreate the atmosphere/ambience of the first game in my opinion. Thats one of the very best game ever made for me. When a game manages to pull me in, to the point where i forget that im playing a game, and when it feels like im actually in the world and exploring the maps, that im part of the game, thats what i call a great game, and Tomb Raider did all that for me. I need to replay it right now! Lol
At the time I worked at a company that did Saturn conversion work and from experience I can tell you Tomb Raider was an amazing achievment for the time.
Question: what software titles did you work on for Saturn? I'm curious to learn of your experiences. Any stories to share?
Really? The Saturn version is pretty crappy...terrible console all around so maybe not the devs fault
@@jhkuno88 You're right the Saturn was a lot worse than people make out now, a Frankenstiens monster of chips. getting anything running on it was an achievement,
Original Tomb Raider was pure adventure. It really did feel like I was discovering new things in that game unlike modern remake of Tomb Raider. With the new one, it feels more like cinematic with little to no feel of adventure. Everything feels scripted. Even to the things you grab on to feel scripted.
That is painfully accurate. Especially with things like bosses or the cutscenes with quicktime events, It's like what you do is more grand and epic and climactic, but you're essentially forced to do it that way whereas the original usually let you take control and do things your way. You would THINK killing the T-rex or the Torso mutant with a specific strategy would feel more fun, but somehow just shooting at them with no strings attached is way better IMO. The only bosses that were really improved I think were Natla and the Centaurs (granted you lose the shock of them suddenly exploding out of the stone).
That and it's a complete joke what they did to some levels, the further in the game it feels like they were just running out of time and got more and more aggressive with the "cut and paste the most memorable bits and delete the rest" strategy. I mean with Cisterns it's like they took the first 15% of Cisterns, the last 15% of ToT, and then just deleted everything else so you're missing 1.7 levels. And don't even get me STARTED on what they did to TR1's Atlantis. Bullshit you were trying to add suspense/agoraphobia you just tried to take the shortest way possible to getting her to the top of the pyramid, lol.
Did I mention Pierre sucks? they should have found a happy medium between him popping up constantly just to waste medpacks, and him virtually being removed.
I felt that a bit with GTA 5, a lot of it just seemed like an interactive scripted movie as opposed to previous GTAs where you got to play and be challenged.
preach it boy!
H Koizumi I disagree. There is still tons and tons of adventure. I think we’re also forgetting that the new series is simply a back story of how she became the Lara Croft we know and love. I still disagree with you about the new series. The new series is actually my favorite.
@@quentinm6130 They already had a backstory in Tomb Raider 4, and her backstory is touched on in other games in the classic series. It's a complete reboot of the character, i.e. not real Lara.
Sega Saturn's Tomb Raider was a family experience for me and my parents, 20 years ago.
One month ago my Mother has passed away and as a mean to distract my father, me and him are going through the game one more time, this turn on the PC.
There's no particular reason for me to leave this comment, it's just that I have a huge connection to this game, even more now and as such I love to see someone dedicating 15 minutes of video just to talk about this classic.
That render of squares is hilarious and it almost makes me want to try the game like that. I'm pretty confident I would do ok in the first level.
I downloaded the unoficial patch that guy did, but now I'm unsure if I have the soundtrack. I didn't download it myself, but using the patch I know I have tracks that I didn't have before.
Anyway, great video full of interesting info. I will subscribe now :)
I had a similar experience with my dad with tomb raider and metal gear on playstation
Arbiter099 Metal Gear probably goes over my Dad's head. I've try to sold him the game with the plot themes. But MGS is a bit too hardcore for him.
Very sorry to hear about your mom. I think it's those special moments that make me love gaming. Most of the time it's a distraction, but there are those rare moments where it becomes something much more.
Again, very sorry to hear about your mother's passing. Hope you and your dad are doing okay.
***** Thank you. :) It's always nice to see words like that, even if from a stranger.
I agree, video-games can provide something really special.
Man that's a great story and great memories. I feel for you and luck and happiness truly is in details like reliving a seemingly small memory but is all the more powerful and it won't be just a distraction but also a way of dealing with the loss. I had a similar thing happening when visiting Florence recently with my girlfriend. A city I also visited with my father years ago.
That Saturn wireframe bit was super interesting.
That is pretty much how every game look if the textures is removed. Granted. The wireframe is 4-8 times more dense for every generation.
I know, right? It reminded me of System Shock's cyberspace hacking minigame. Mostly when textures are disabled in games like that, they don't show the wireframes so everything appears black or at least translucent, showing the void. In some 3D games like Half Life, it would show a hall of mirrors effect, Doom style.
It's a bit like texture warp coordinates rather then true depth-dependent polygon space. The sprites are checker-patterned at the same general size as each quad. Then the four corners warp and shift skewing each sprite into it's final form. It really does illustrate that the Saturn is a 2D machine at it's core, which didn't help when creating Tomb Raider. Later games would illustrate this when they pushed more out of the engine besides baseline 3D.
I love emulators, and now im learning how to implement them... Knowing how the inner workings of old consoles works its a cool thing for me
The feels when I first played this game when I was 9..
Easy grandad.
I was 27 :D
Seeing the first level simply blew my mind.
10000000000 gaming sites, and this is the only one doing some good tech shit, keep it up, thanks
mauricio chacon look for nxgamer
mauricio chacon Yeah, that fast racing neo stuff was great.
And if you like to see some Game Design related Stuff, I recommend TheGamingBritShow, Turbo Button, Mark Brown and CleanPrinceGaming.
I've been trying to do it too, but I'm not at the level that these Digital Foundry guys are at. I love their content and love hearing what they have to say about some of my favorite games.
I'm planning on doing a full summary of the Tomb Raider franchise, explaining things like issues with development resulting core leaving etc, but I want to get my facts straight first, and that includes playing each tomb raider through completely (again)
I remember seeing TR for the first time at my friends house on his PS1. My jaw dropped. I needed to have it now, so I got it the very next day for my 486 and while it didn't look as good as on the PS it was still the same fantastic experience. That was until I begged my parents enough to buy me a Voodoo2.. my jaw dropped again.. going from software rendering to full 3D acceleration glide just blew my mind... games like Unreal, Tomb Raider, Carmageddon.. they all looked like a new world of gaming with my V2.. Not sure there ever was a similar sudden forward jump in technology since..
Yep same for me I normally played games on my PS1 until we got a Voodoo 2, after that I pretty much rebought most of the games I had for PS1 on PC just cause how amazing they looked
On PC, there was not such jump anymore, but it makes sense. We were going from software 3d rendering to hardware accelerated 3d rendering. And since then it's been non stop iterative improvement. Ray tracing was supposed to be the next big jump, but it's also happening step by step instead of a big jump.
The quad-style 3D rendering on the Sega Saturn made the games look unique. It’s awesome.
No its not. And its not "The Saturns quad rendering" ...the 3DO did quad rendering before, and quad rendering was the industry standard for pre rendered movie stuff like Jurassic Park, Terminator2s CG models in the early 90s......Triangles were adopted simply because it was a more flexible method of rendering. So quad rendering on Saturn was pretty dumb.
I honestly believe the PS1 version is the most beautiful in terms of visuals, while the PC version has better textures and removes the uncomfortable scan lines, there's a distinct lack of colour contrast and depth, the modern high resolution version on the PC version kills the saturation that made the original look very beautiful and made the palette look slightly more bland. I remember the swimming pool in Lara's Home is clear white colour on PC, but on PS1 its a rich light blue/ turquoise. I thought it was just nostalgia at first, but after playing Tomb Raider on PC, I actually noticed that it didn't look as pretty as the PS1 version in terms of colour, despite being a higher resolution.
Some people prefer the natural blend of colours, but I think Tomb Raider always looked more gorgeous with its exaggerated colour palette, since objects had more colour definition. I wonder if there are any high resolution mods that preserve the original palette.
Edit: I've finally been able to create a nice compromise between the upgraded textures in the PC version and the colours of the PS1, loving what the community has done for this gem!
Man those early TR games had so much charm. I STILL find 1 through Revelations more fun than the 2 new reboots.
he is indeed
Cecilia Terrile - It's exactly like it.. That is, tombs aren't the main focus of the game and this time it's ALL in a shitty snow environment, which I despised in the 2013 game.
You guys should play RotTR then, it's got (small) tombs, and it's pretty varied in environments.
*****
Oh, right, I assumed he was talking about TR2013. My bad.
I agree. I've only ever played reboot and rise once each, but find myself returning to these classic Tomb Raider games time and time again. They are definitely one of a kind. I miss platforming and traps being my main concern. The new games focus way too much on combat and action set pieces for my taste. The lonely atmosphere of navigating an environment where enemies didn't just appear in open areas with obvious signs of incoming combat sequences (crates and other objects to seek cover behind) made the experience feel so much more organic and natural.
i remember those blue floating saving crystals... oh man, those days were gold!
lara croft introduced me to full 3d gaming,
thank you core design wherever you all are nowadays
same here
DJBV Mario 64 and Metal Gear here.
@@GuyOnAChair Those two titles in the same sentence are blasphemy to me.
Tomb Raider 2+3 introduced me to gaming full stop when I was 2 or 3 myself. Half Life on CD got me into shooters soon afterward, and Lego Racers into racing games.
Except it was not true 3D but a crappy wobbly aproximation
I miss real tomb raider games and this Lara Croft so much. Hnng.. Miss the theme too :(
I remember seeing the Saturn version running in HMV in Glasgow when it was brand new. It was absolutely stunning for its time. Even my parents were amazed by it and bought it for me soon after. Haven’t played the Saturn version for a hell of a long time now. Absolute classic.
Man I love that Tomb Raider theme. There is just something about those 90s game themes.
The weirdest thing I noticed when playing the PC and PS1 version is that the PC version was missing the awesome gold textures from the Midas Touch death while the PS1 had it.
On PC it was like sand rather than gold and wasn't reflective.
I don't like sand
Adam Frisk
It gets in all the cracks.
That and the missing sound tracks. Back in the day the PlayStation version was definitely the best way to play it.
The PlayStation could render reflective textures, but the pc version is better in every other way.
I like these reto series. Resident evil next please.
I feel sorry for him doing Resident Evil 4. Gamecube, PS2, PC/PC Ultimate Edition, Wii, PS3, Xbox360, iOS, Android, Toasters, Zeebo, PS4 and Xbox One. And then there's DOOM which is aptly named.
I think, RE4 was always covered on DF. So many videos about different versions)))
But original RE trilogy had interesting ports, except great PS1 versions. RE2 on N64, unreleased RE1 on Gameboy Color (beta version can be found in internet), RE1 on Nintendo DS. Best versions for PC with fan patches (FMV from japanese release, sound from PS1 version, music from Audio CD, etc.). RE1 for Sega Saturn.
Nicky Wilson Gran Turismo 2
Kino Konformist also the biohazard 2 beta for the Sega Saturn (cancelled footage)
This is awesome! Thank you for doing this! I really hope you guys do this for other games as well!
It should be noted that PAL Saturn Tomb Raider is unfinished, basically still in beta stage. It was pushed out too early, much like a bunch of other games in the series. There is one secret in The Cistern that is quite literally walled off with bricks (but the total is still 3) and there are a bunch of audio and graphical glitches still to be ironed out; the worst one would be the in-engine cutscene audio running a second or two behind the scene itself. A fair comparison would be between NTSC-U Saturn Tomb Raider and NTSC-U PlayStation Tomb Raider.
Does anyone know if the Japanese version of Tomb Raider for ps1 is better than the others? Since it was the last to be released. Or is it identical to American except for Japanese voices?
I thought he would do the rushed PAL original first and then compare it to both the international Saturn one (US in this case) and PS1 game after, but he didn't for some reason.
@@tzbenetti1000 hi ! As a fan i am going to respond to you : no in fact it was more easy, combat have been reduce in difficulty. By example in Tomb raider 2 in ntsc-j version , one shot for the shotgun is enough to kill a tiger.
For the voices not sure but to begin with Tomb raider Legend et least japanese voices exist yes.
I think japanese exist on ps1 back era but not sure.
I play the ps1 version in us version on Retroarch with Retroacheviements. Very interesting and i would advertise you if as me you are q retrogamer (between else and still love actual titles of course ).
Other reasons: the ntsc 60Hz is better than our ver bad not optimised PAL 50hz.
Speed AND framerate are always better on ntsc 60Hz
Would be interesting to see some indie developer go back to the classic tomb raider formula with tank controls. slow deliberate gameplay, preside jumps and preferably ditch the combat.
that sounds like something an indie dev would do now that you say it XD.
My first TR game was TR2, and It was amazing. A very memorable adventure.
This game is very innovative of its time. Without Tomb Raider there wouldn't be games games like the Uncharted series.
uncharted never failed to captivate me as tr did
Man, Tomb Raider was definitely an achievement for what they could make the lil' PS1 and Saturn do.
i love DF retro!
the REAL tomb raider games!
Tomb raider will always have a special place in my heart. ❤️ Played all of them, tomb raider II is my favorite of the bunch.
I love this youtube channel, you're the best.
oh I thought you're gonna tackle the unreleased cancelled Tomb Raider 1 remake by Core Desighn
wielkus Wait what?
hello! I've a gameplay chanel... do you want to visit it? :)
wielkus df
xxx
The PowerVR PCX2 like the Video Apocalypse 3Dx or the Matrox M3D graphics cards with Tomb Raider PowerVR patch on a PC could display the game in an astounding 1024 by 768 pixel high resolution back in the year 1997.
This was a much higher resolution than what the 3Dfx Voodoo 1 could do which was 640 by 480 pixel resolution.
sidenote: Derby is said "dar-bee", not "der-bee"
source: am UK
Missed this comment but spot on!
Us Americans would disagree haha
lol don't forget glosestershire
I'm not even going to attempt to say that one!
Why bother pronouncing things the way they are written, right?
Awesome episode :)
It goes to show you that game design and gameplay and not graphics will always be king. Still one of my best gaming experiences of all time!
Too bad it controls like crap, and looks like crap
One of the first games that I've played, back in the mid '90s, on PC, with other jewels like DOOM, Quake, DN3D, etc...
Still, my favorite Tomb Raider game of all time!!!
Thanks for DF Retro, I really enjoy everyone of your videos!
And please, do Soul Reaver soon :D
Legit fascinating to me - especially the demonstration of how the Saturn rendered/renders; as someone who played the Saturn version back in '96 I found it very insightful.
Thanks for doing this! 10/10.
God I love these videos, such a nostalgia trip - and I can't think of anyone better to take us through these games. Thanks, John - look forward to every single one of these videos even if it's not a game I've played.
Good stuff. No mention of Glidos? That allows the PC version to not only have a higher resolution but texture replacement as well as the missing audio tracks that you mention
Great trip down memory lane. I just recently pulled out my old PS1 and played through TR and TR2. Love those games.
23 years on and we're only just starting to appreciate the 30fps lock and great frame pacing of the PS1 original. Crazy that bad framerates and stutter are still such a major issue in a lot of video games in this day and age, it seems like developers just don't consider it important anymore
That 30fps lock is something that console peasants would make something of a tradition for the next 20 years! XD
Absolutely astounded at the amount of information I always longed to know about my favorite game. Thank you so much for making this video. I will absolutely play the rage version with the patched audio and cinematics. You made me so happy.
I miss this series when it was still Tomb Raider.
6 years later comes the remasters, can't wait to see how they fare.
Just bought Tomb Raider for Saturn last week :D
Great game on the Saturn. And although the PS version comes up top in this DF video, I kind of preferred the SS version. Due to the darker mood of the game, I think it was more realistic. I mean you are in a tomb, theres not much light there.
Still have my Saturn copy that I bought in 97
to be honest,i like the color palette on the saturn more tan the ps1 versión.
Dat polygonal ass
I like the look of Saturn version the most.
3dfx is where it was at, and that's what I had.
Amazing stuff.
Such a classic my mam and dad used to watch me play the tomb raider games back on the ps1, they got into it so much they got into gaming.
HUGE tomb raider fan here! Your research was excellent for this video! I've played the hell out of this game with the modern support patches and music, and I tell ya it hits me with nostalgia everytime
Sad about the Saturn port considering with time and proper dev tools some programmers could get 4x the performance of PS1. Mass Destruction runs at 15-20fps on PS while doing a solid 60 on Saturn , also the Duke Nukem 3D port is night and day from the shoddy PS1 port (curious, since the mainstream narrative was that Saturn "couldnt do 3D") And anyone that had access to Saturn's first party games saw that it's high-rez mode could run circles around even the N64 in certain instances. Would have been cool to see more 3D Saturn games make use of the ram expansion cart that the Saturn Arcade fighters took advantage of.
Filip Martinez Well said!
Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D has smaller levels(split into two parts). PS1 version has the same sized levels as the PC version. That;'s why it is choppy.
7 years later, but this is massive sega fanboy cope. Why dont you mention wipe out or destruction derby?
Love almost this entire video! Extremely in depth and as a fan I appreciate up close analyses of one one my favorite games. However I do have one criticism. You failed to mention that the iOS and Android versions of TR 1 and 2 have remastered textures (opinions on the quality of the new textures will vary) as well as full Bluetooth gamepad support. Therefore you’re not forced to use touchscreen controls. For a channel that focuses so much on tech try to make sure you mention every difference between different versions of the same game ❤️
Yes, indeed, playing TR1 on my android phone right now :)
i remember doing sexy flips when climbing stuff, kinda miss that in new tombraiders
This game will forever be one of my top 10 games of all time. Amazing. I love everything about this game and what it represents. It was my game of 1996. Just felt in love with it. Everyone was about Mario 64, but this was favorite game of 1996. And of course I love it better.
Well, youre so dumb
I played this game on the PSX and it was such a great experience.
Please do Tomb Raider 2 next.
I love this series and looking at the technical aspects of these older games is always fascinating.
Thanks for making this video. Tomb Raider is my favourite game of all time. I LOVE the Saturn version - there's something about it that's just magic. It's the earliest version of course - it even has some missing areas. It's also missing the handstand Lara can do when she pulls up from a ledge while holding the R1 (walk) button. I've even got this really neat Silver Disc version for Saturn...
I don't think Tomb Raider gets enough credit - it was the first 3D game of its type that was truly amazing in my opinion. It's just a shame that Lara became so famous... because it took away the focus from the game itself. The game was the true star.
Ooh, back then, I had just aquired me an Orchid Righteous 3Dfx card. After applying the 3Dfx patch, I was in GAMING HEAVEN for a long time! Cool memories..
No mention of the water distorsion effect on the Sega Saturn build ? I was really impressed by this particular effect (wich is not present on PS1) back in the day.
Anyway, great episode ! :D
Great video, as always. Played first Tomb Raider game on PC, loved it. I will never forget the moment T-Rex appears...
I never beat Tomb Raider. I played the PC version and have fond memories of the triangle box shape. Got stuck on the Atlantis stage with those red monsters.
After a recent Nintendo Direct, there's going to be a remastered collection of the first 3 Tomb Raiders, which feature a graphics switch mode (like the Halo remasters) and runs at 60fps.
DF Retro is a great series. Keep up the excellent work!
Great video as always, but I and no doubt many other people are disappointed that there was no mention and/or analysis of the Steam versions of both Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Anniversary.
More DF RETRO please!
I absolutely love these retro breakdown videos. It definitely gives perspective and where we were and where we are now. It allows people to appreciate exactly what was accomplished decades ago and with so much less horsepower than is available now.
I played the first one on Saturn, loved it. 2nd on PSX, and didn't play all the way through another TR until the reboot. I doubt I'm alone.
Great video! Watched your Shenmue 2 vid yesterday, now this one.. you clearly know your graphics, really interesting. Loved the breakdown shots of how the Saturn was rendering that environment for TR. I had always heard the Saturn was a crazy system to develop for, but this vid really helped illustrate just how different it was to other systems. Anyways, keep up the awesome work, looking forward to watching more.
Fantastic technical retrospective on TR. I have never seen the "un-distorted quad sprites" effect on Saturn before, that was weird! Thanks for settling the misinformation about the Japan Victor Saturn port being better somehow. I'd really enjoy a Panzer Dragoon series someday.
Soon as I heard the music start up and ambient noise so many memories came flooding back this will always be my number one game ever played.
Hard to pinpoint as to exactly why, but I prefer the Saturn version.
AndDrewskY Perhaps it’s the Playstation’s dither? That’s what really puts me off.
I feel the same way, maybe it's the way it looks, I've always found the warmer colour palette of the PS1 port feels out of place for a game that takes place entirely underground, the darker, colder palette of the Saturn, also the clear water with proper caustics, it's so blue in the PS1 port it looks like antifreeze (yet again, can't be reflecting the sky because underground).
I think the biggest reason though is that Saturn owners cherished Tomb Raider more than those who owned the other platforms as there were only four 3D platforms released for the system if I recall correctly, including TR (the others being Burning Rangers, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos and Ninpen Manmaru... Not sure if isometric counts, if it does Dark Savior makes it five), the PS1 had an overabundant supply of platformers, making it more of a throwaway title for the system.
I know it makes me the minority, but I love the graphical quirks of early 3D hardware, including dithering, aliasing, no texture filtering and affine texture warping, there's just something so charming about it.
(I hereby apologize for this long winded comment on a year-old comment).
I am in the same position. Even though i admit the ps1is "superior" in many ways, i first played and completed the game on my brand new sega saturn at the time, and have strong feelings towards this version. And i MUCH prefer the saturn controller. I find the saturn one to be more atmospheric, more pleasing.
Love your analyses man, you go into all the details. Much appreciated. ;)
awesome comparison - strange though, I compared the Saturn PAL version (running at 60hz) to the Victor version earlier this year and saw some differences in framerate, lighting, textures... The PAL version looks flat in comparison.
Does anyone know if the Japanese version of Tomb Raider for ps1 is better than the others? Since it was the last to be released. Or is it identical to American except for Japanese voices?
Would be interesting to upload some comparison
Playing this again now on the Vita. Despite the old fashioned, digital controls, it still holds up in so many ways. Watching this video, can’t believe PC players didnt get most of the music cues - they were such an integral part of the experience and atmosphere when I played it on release, intially on my sister’s Sega Saturn, but finishing it on my Playstation. Good times!
Why can't these retro videos be an hour long?
The Sega Model 1 & 2 also used quads, yet this wasn't an issue in the Daytona USA video. Quads are still true 3D, but triangles went on to dominate because they were more efficient for 3D.
Quads are certainly not a problem and are true 3D when talking about Sega's arcade hardware. The Saturn, however, displays 3D in a very different way.
OK, I’m here to see the rendering technique for the Sega Saturn
I see you're a man of culture as well...
I'll take a seat next to you guys :)
In 1997, I bought a Diamond Monster 3d (3dfx Voodoo) only for this game! At that time, the 3dfx glide version was in another level!
The PowerVR version ran at 60 fps. That's the version I want to know more about!
YES!!!! Love you for doing this retro game. I remember suggesting this to you a couple of weeks ago. Keep up the awesome work!
Holy cow! I still remember playing the demo for the first time back in 1996! I was only 11 but I fell in love with it instantly. I think I finished the demo like 100 times before playing the actual full game. Soooo good!!!
Thanks for making this video, people have told me the Saturn renders sprites of 3D squares and I never could get what they meant until your demonstration. Interesting. ;)
CORE may not have been a worldwide name before TR, but us older UK gamers hold them in high regard.
I think that's especially a trend with Americans. I can tell you that most Europeans were very aware of Core Design games in the early 90s, especially those on the Mega Drive and the Mega CD.
Get ready to return to the series in February, guys.
Nice comparison! I wonder how the PSX version looks on PS2 with smooth textures enabled...
I LOOOOVVEEE THEEESSEEE!!!! DF has been my go to channel for entertainment!
The Sega Saturn version is like someone trying to play the maximum settings on a system that can't do it. The textures are actually better, and there is more detail on the character models and the environments. The colors are also richer. It does start out darker, but people don't realize that you can adjust the gamma settings and it becomes identical lighting wise to the playstation version. The only crime it commits is a lower frame rate, but it is perfectly playable. I have no issues with the controls on the Saturn version. Also, some transparency stuff is missing, but there are some cool water effects on the Saturn that aren't on the other ones.
Tomb Raider became a kind of weird staple in my teenage years as I got every single game in the series for Christmas each year, up until Chronicles. Even though I knew I was probably getting it for Christmas, I was still stoked every time because I just loved losing myself in these weird caves and tombs and living out these epic adventures. I may be alone on this, but I actually still prefer the first game, as it felt more purely focused on exploration and puzzles than the games that would follow. I also really loved Tomb Raider Anniversary.
Good times.
back then, my GPU was so crap it only displayed grey scenarios and Lara didnt have a face... needless to say i took it back to the store so they sold it as used and i got it later for my Playstation 1 :P
I like coming back to this video once in a while because it's so interesting to see how Tomb Raider started, and what the other versions look like
Had no idea someone had found a way to run TR1 in 16:9. That's awesome. Totally gonna replay it at 16:9/4k because why not?
I must correct you about the Red Book Audio bit: Tomb Raider I on the PC uses it to store the main menu music and the sounds from the cutscenes rendered with the engine (not the FMV ones). This is in contrast with how Tomb Raider II did things: all ambiance sounds, background music and music effects were CDA files, which also explains why the music/ambiance completely stopped when you were picking up a secret.
Using a CD audio soundtrack also proved a "soft" copy-protection mechanism, since CD burners of the day couldn't generally mix data and audio tracks.
From TRIII onwards, Red Book audio was completely abandoned.
That Theme Tune THOUGH!! brings me back to childhood :D
3dfx Voodoo + Tomb Raider was epic! A unmatched gaming experience at the time...
I was 9 years old and had my first PC when I was 8. It took me quite some time to save up enough cash to purchase the 3dfx Voodoo.
I'm currently playing it on the PC again. And it's still so damn good!
Fantastic work as always John :) Didn't know the Saturn version's performance was so inconsistent, or that the PC version's original soundtrack was limited.
im really enjoying these retro videos, keep them coming please.
Played the game for the first time during quarantine last year after watching this, using the suggested patches and i was very surprised just how good the game plays overall. Great levels, beautiful atmosphere and few cheap moments or annoying enemy placements. I played the sequel a lot as a kid, which is full of both, while i had never made it further than the first few levels in TR1 before giving up. Definitely missed out this way on the better game. And i can confirm, it really does play better on keyboard than with a gamepad. True classic.
DF RETRO! So happy! whoooo like an early Christmas present.
Now I wonder if there will be a DF Retro Xmas Special
Just found your channel from reddit and I'm hooked. So many videos to watch and some kick ass content! Great stuff!
Another fantastic video!
Thanks!
I look forward to that Crystal Dynamics video. I really enjoy a lot of their early works. :)
That PC version is darn sexy. Wish we could get enhanced versions of the original games.
Yay Kyle, noticed you mentioned this on LinkedIn, congrats for getting your stuff shown here man :)