UPDATE: I recommend you to go watch my new and improved version of my level ranking instead, with 51 levels added, new commentary, editing and revised placements of certain levels.
Nightmare in Vegas was supposed to all be in black and white, like those swinging boxes and zebra carpets, and its literally a dream Lara had, which explains random out of place elements like the t-rex, guardian of Thalion/Kingdom, Venice goons. I think its bonkers and its easy enough and interesting. Never know whats gonna happen next!
It really is hard. I have been trying for pretty much the past 20 years. I eventually had to accept that it's just something that I will continue to enjoy alone for the most part, and just share my enthusiasm with strangers online.
@@lucas_swart I feel you. To some it's simply a dated game with poorly aged graphics. For me, there are so many memories tied to every level that any playthrough just brings back so much nostalgia to different times in my life.
I played all these games on my PC when I was a kid but I don’t remember any of these levels! Ok just recently downloaded the first Tomb Raider on Steam and plan on going through all of them again.
The city of Vilcabamba level has a special place in my heart. It was in one of the demos they sold with PlayStation magazines in the 90's. I was about 9 years old and fell in love with Tomb raider immediately. I'm soon 35 years old and still love the old Tomb raider games.
A new subscriber, watched the whole thing and loved it but Is it possible to re do the whole video again but this time with a system in place? For example, out of a hundred with ten points for each: level design aesthetically innovative level gameplay fun factor Iconic vs forgettable Linear vs exploratory Absence of design flaws These are what I could came up with; I am sure you can come up with the final four factor or so
This is absolutely fantastic. Thanks for doing this. I’m currently playing 1-5 in order with no guide, because it was a childhood dream of mine, but I was never good enough as a kid to do it. I’m playing them all on a 1999 Mac G3, just to be authentic as well 😂
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! That's awesome, 2022 will definitely be the year you succeed then! :D Enjoy your playthroughs!
The TR3 style of level design is when I feel the devs were at their peak skills of level design. The entire Nevada section being just incredible, Crash Site, the gorgeous aesthetic of the London levels, the best version of Lara's home, and not to mention The Lost Artifact having hands down so many of the most impressive and enjoyable levels in the series. It's a Madhouse! and Sleeping with the Fishes are Tomb Raider perfection. Thanks for all the work you put into this video, gave me a lot of content to enjoy!
Just starting this, and this comment surprises me. It took me years to beat TR3 (despite beating the first two games multiple times) because I always lost my patience with the last levels in Nevada and particularly the entirety of London. I thought they were badly lit, badly laid out and unintuitive. Interesting to find out that might not be a popular opinion. TR1 is still my fave by a distance.
@@stevenhanley5505 yeah i still have no idea why some people loved TR3, it was a step down from 1 and 2 in my opinion. india is by far the worst opening level by a long shot. its way too long and uninteresting. badly lit is definitely a gripe i have with the game as well, more so than the first two, the save crystals were an awful idea in TR1 and they still are in TR3 (mind you if your playing on a PC you are fine, only in the console versions did they have them) i dont like using the term "artificial difficulty" much but i definitely think that limiting the times you can save is cheap. i dont mind fixed save points but not finite save points. why they got rid of showing you what you picked up is beyond me as well..... pick something up in a dark room and you have no idea what it was until you look for whatevers changed in your inventory. annoying change. i loved TR1 but in my opinion TR2 was awesome. by far the best game, the level design was awesome, the locations you go to are fantastic, i actually really liked the fact there were lots of human enemies (unpopular opinion that one is though). loved TR2 and still play it 100% through to this day, the rest of the tomb raiders i do as well but 3 usually gets skipped im afraid. i just absolutely hate the india levels, i find i lose the will to live after completing those.
I've always had a strong admiration for people who can truly appreciate older games. Your passion for these games naturally shows. Think I might need to dust off the first Tomb Raider game since I haven't played it since I was a kid and didn't get past the dinosaurs out of pure fright
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Do it! You won't regret it. It's literally a perfect game, if you ask me. At least you are prepared for the dinosaurs this time ;)
If only today’s gamers would get over their snobby attitudes that a more photorealistic looking game is supposed to mean a “better” game, they would stop robbing themselves of the opportunity to experience a completely unique world of games that today’s showy fancy look-how-realistic-I-am graphics don’t do any justice to
@@ohanna5074good graphics can really be a selling point but what I think most people fail to see is that the gameplay is the most important feature. If you look at any games from the 90’s and choose not to play them because of their graphics you are really missing out.
i normally never leave comments cos i feel like it will just get buried in a sea of comments but i have to tell you i watch this video at least once a day, its like my happy place and is so well made so well narrated and just lets me escape reality to my first true love - tomb raider!!!
Thank you so much, this makes me very happy to read. I truly appreciate this. I'll release an updated version on Tuesday, with even more levels, that I hope you'll enjoy as well! :)
The Maria Doria arc was really special to me the setting is quite imaginative and dramatic with the immediate breath count down. It felt just as creepy as a cave but with industrial detailing. The rusty colors contrasted well with the ocean blues
I'm really glad to see lots of videos popping up about classic Tomb Raider lately. The series deserves SO much more love for how influential it was. In my opinion, neither reboot has held a candle to the classics. I started with Tomb Raider in 1996 (I was 8 years old), mostly reading the strategy guide while my older brother played. I finally conquered all 5 original titles on my own when I was in college in 2009...haven't fully revisited since. Now I think I will.
I had such a similar experience! My older brother would play and I got to read the walkthrough to him from the magazine and I thought it was so cool he let me help him. Now I’m finally playing them through in steam. So much nostalgia!
Damn...this is an INCREDIBLE video! Well put together, well narrated, well explained, just top-tier all around. Thank you so much for all the time and effort that went into producing this. What an incredible love letter to a classic series!
Speaking of video games (or movies based on them) and considering the fact that the sequel to the movie Tomb Raider (2018) is cancelled, I think it would be great if there were two more Tomb Raider or Lara Croft movies! Therefore, I strongly advocate that you sign a fan petition for not 1 but 2 more Lara Croft or Tomb Raider films! Here’s my fan signature: Jason Lau Will you sign a petition for two more films?
I really appreciate your enthusiasm for these games. I'm guessing you've played all these games multiple times? It shows. Sadly a lot of people just want rush through games as if they're going through a checklist and never touch again. I'd say if you enjoy something, keep playing it again and again.
I love how everyone's like "omg what duh hecc is Floating Islands suppose to be it makes no sense" yet at 29:46 you seem to have explained the inspiration of the strange level, so well done good sir 👍
My most favourite level from Tomb Raider 2 and 3rd on ranking list has to be “Tibetan Foothills”. The main reasons why is because the snow mobile is so much fun to ride, running over enemies, jumping over canyons and the dramatic theme for added suspense. After being stuck in the dark underwater levels for so long prior to this area makes such a refreshing change of pace and I always love to make Lara dive into the deep pits to her death and by the time you reach the big pool at the end, it feels like you’ve completed such a satisfying roller coaster journey, just brilliant. 😊
Yes, I agree! :D That level is just downright crazy, and it's placed perfectly within Tomb Raider II. Coming right after the dark and methodical shipwreck levels, and before the more complicated and grander adventures of Barkhang Monastery and so on, Tibetan Foothills feels like a rollercoaster ride in the middle of it all, like you pointed out.
My personal favorite levels (favorite in terms of pure excitement I get from playing them): TR1 - Palace Midas TR2 - Temple of Xian TR3 - Antarctica And if we can go slightly beyond the trilogy (but still within the Classic TR series)... TR4 - Lost Library & TR5 - The Labyrinth ;)
A new subscriber, watched the whole thing and loved it but Is it possible to re do the whole video again but this time with a system in place? For example, out of a hundred with ten points for each: level design aesthetically innovative level gameplay fun factor Iconic vs forgettable Linear vs exploratory Absence of design flaws These are what I could came up with; I am sure you can come up with the final four factor or so
Temple of Xian, Madubu Gorge, Temple Ruins, Lud’s Gate and High Security Compound are all very challenging levels and it’s enjoyable to see you rank all of them very high on your list. I was one of those poor kids you mentioned who got introduced to Tomb Raider by having to suffer through The Great Wall but it sure helped us become seasoned TR-players. Thanks for bringing us this nostalgic content 👍
Just wanted to point out that the wind element in the maze of Lost City of Tinnos is actually related to the fact that as soon as you enter the maze you can hear the wind blowing and Lara’s ponytail will star moving against the direction of the wind. If you analyze it carefully, you can actually use the ponytail’s direction as a means of finding the right path, because the wind will only blow from the correct path. If you’re not in the correct path, her ponytail won’t be blown away.
Yeah, someone else pointed that out to me too. I feel bad for not noticing that, it's such a cool detail! I'll fix it when I re-release the video with added levels from The Last Revelation and Chronicles.
Great video - I really enjoyed it, and it warms my heart that people still appreciate the classic Tomb Raiders. My first Tomb Raider was TR3 - a bit of a tough introduction, definitely, but TR1 felt so much easier when I played it afterwards. Not surprisingly, TR3 holds a very special place in my heart to this very day... I really hope you'll make a similar video for TR4 and TR5 as well.
Anyone who claims to appreciate the gaming experience AT ALL will make no secret of the fact that the classic TR games will always be a great experience and the simple graphics make it BETTER giving them a unique atmosphere that today’s fancy show-off graphics can never hope to replicate
I think The Deck is the Lud's Gate of Tomb Raider II, haha. A level that has very dedicated fans, but a large share of detractors as well. Although, level design-wise Aldwych would probably be a more suitable comparison.
This is one of my favorite videos on RUclips. The original trilogy was one of the first games I played as a young kid and will always be a personal favorite. So many great memories 🥰 You did a fantastic job encompassing all the greatness of the original TR trilogy! Well done! 👍👍👍
Wow, thank you so much, that's very kind of you. Same here, I adore those games, and I can play them over and over again, and I'll always enjoy them. Again, thank you SO much!
The compilation at the end made me shed a tear 🥲 The Tomb Raider classic games are part of the best games of all time. I‘m still playing them from time to time and I don‘t care what anyone says - they still look great to me and the atmosphere is on point. The newer games of the series just don‘t stand a chance against them imo. They look good but they don‘t have the soul of Tomb Raider anymore. I have great respect for Toby Gard, who invented Tomb Raider and fought for his ideas to become reality. There‘s a documentary about the making of TR1 and it‘s incredible to see how dedicated all the people were that worked on this project. That‘s what I‘m missing from games these days - developers that burned for their craft, got creative and genuinely wanted to make great games.
I agree with everything you just said here. There was a soul to the classic Tomb Raider games that I just don't think that the modern games can replicate. I'm happy you liked the end montage 🥰
This was so much fun to watch - the nostalgia was palpable! I feel like I missed out on a lot of the extra/expansion levels, and I am not sure I would have placed Venice (quintessential TR2) so low down, but did agree with your frustrations! I really enjoyed this, thank you for all your hard work. Subbed. :)
Thank you so much, appreciate it a lot! I've seen quite a few comments on Venice being too low, but trust me - I really like that level! It's just that when it all added up, that's where it fit in the ranking :( The level is very atmospheric, and Venice Violins is one of the best tracks in the series.
I love this list, but I also strongly disagree with it! But this means we had so much great levels to choose from! Venice should be at least in the top 5 : P
Having first playing this level (And game) recently. Personally i found this level to be one of my least favourite. Going from Tomb Raider 1 and ‘the great wall’ to Venice was not enjoyable for me because of the ridiculous amount of human enemies and their completely unfair placement. I found the level to be tedious and boring and it nearly made me quit. But thankfully i stuck with it and eventually it did get better (around the maria doria levels). Then onto Temple Of Xian which is my favourite Tomb Raider level so far (I’ve yet to play 3 and Revelations). Each to their own though but Venice was just not for me.
@@danfarmer3019 I get you frustration with it, I also found it a long slog of a level and the number and difficulty of dispatching the human enemies annoying. But I think the pain and frustration only made making the timed run (and figuring it out!) all the more sweet at the end - and therefore so memorable.
@@avipatable Yes perhaps it would be more fun to go back to now i know what i’m in for. Its just a harsh change from the the first games style. I just think i prefer the large open hub style levels of Tomb Raider. With a more relaxed approach with more puzzle solving than combat. Although i don’t mind combat, but always found the human enemies annoying as theres not much strategy to beating them.
Really great video! I will say for lost city of tinnos, in the maze section, there’s actually WIND in the maze, and your supposed to use the direction of Lara’s hair to navigate your way through it which is a small but amazing detail
Wait really? What a subtle detail. These games might not look so incredible on todays standards, but i'll be damned if the level design isn't some of the most impressive in video game history!
They should STILL blow your mind, they’ll never get old just because today’s games like to show off their fancy photorealistic graphics at the expense of what makes a game TRULY great
The Great Wall was indeed my first experience with Tomb Raider, first in a Demo, and then with the full game. Being around 10 years old, I had to play it again and again and again to finish it for the first time! To this day, I can still clearly hear the tiger roars in my head. Great video!
As a fellow classic TR fan, I must thank you for this video. So many memories throughout... Now excuse me while I go back to (my favorite) TR2. After subscribing and ringing the bell, of course.
I started playing TR at around 8 years old. It has always been mine and my dads thing and will always hold such a special place in my heart. (I even called my daughter a name beginning in L and ending in A!) Cistern will always be my favourite level, it doesn’t matter how many times I play it, and believe me it has been MANY. I still miss that last key every single time, and I love that it challenges me still to this day. I get too confident and think I can fly throughout and end up missing that part every time ha. I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t had this in their childhood. It truly was genius.
It was me and my dad's thing as well, so amazing memories. He helped me figure out stuff. That's awesome, let me guess... Laura? I feel so bad about not putting The Cistern higher, but I ALWAYS get lost and confused in that level, haha!
The design of Cistern level is actually quite genius. Player must consider the purpose of current action, trying to predict the outcome. It a carefully designed level, but it takes few playthroughs to sink in. Washed concrete and moss textures also create strong sense of isolated humid environment. I love this level
What a wonderful video! Really enjoyed reviewing the whole trilogy (and finally, the Gold games covered in a video!) and remembering how much I enjoyed playing all of them. Agree that Madubu Gorge was a controversial choice ;) I'd probably put any TR3 Gold level over it, but truly enjoyed your explanation. Looking forward to more!
Haha thank you so much! Btw, I'm redoing the monkey video, as I've decided to include your observation on the monkeys' appearance in the re-edit. I think it's super interesting! I'll credit you in the video description.
I just recently replayed the first game, and it reminded me again why I love it so much: the fantastic level design, the creepy atmosphere (slowly turning into a horror game at the end), and the feeling of isolation in long forgotten places. After beating the game I found your video here and enjoyed it thoroughly! This must have been a huge undertaking on your part, but you handled it like a pro, good job! :) After freshly beating the game, I would personally rate "Palace Midas" hand-in-hand with "Lost Valley", that level design is just out of this world from a game released in 1996. Also, if you like the music of the classic series, I highly, highly recommend looking up "The Tomb Raider Suite" music album released a few years ago (if you haven't already). The original composer of the TR series re-composed the entire score with the London Symphony Orchestra. A nostalgic trip down memory lane, and it's absolutely amazing!
Yeah, the original Tomb Raider is so good. It's one of the only examples of a perfect game, that I can think of. It's so good. Exactly, it perfectly encapsulates that atmosphere of isolation in these long forgotten places. Thank you so much for your kind comment! It was, but I'm happy I did it! :D Haha, Palace Midas HAND-in-HAND... I see what you did there. Thank you so much, I will check that out! I can't get enough of the classic Tomb Raider music. This may seem like a backhanded compliment, but the classic Tomb Raider main themes are the best soundtrack to a nap :D They are so dreamy and wonderful.
Lost Valley is Tomb Raider perfection. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I actually made a much improved version of this video a year later, with more levels, if you are interested.
What an amazing video man. Wow. I love this trilogy so much. Me and my father played through the first 5 games together. He passed away last year. He would have loved this video. Even though i disagree with a few choices it didn’t take away from your in depth analysis of each lvl. Thanks for the nostalgic trip.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I'm so sorry for your loss. My condolences. You will always have those great memories of discovering and exploring the Tomb Raider games together with him however. Thank you.
An unexpected choice for the top spot, indeed! I was wracking my brain "is there a classic level I forgot?" But seriously, this is such a comprehensive, lovingly constructed video, and it's almost overwhelming to have that original sense of wonder, and exploration from our childhoods, revisited and re-sparked by someone else with the same sense of love for what it was. The level design and video game language of those first three TR's (for me, ESPECIALLY 'St.Francis Folly', 'Jungle', and 'Venice) really WAS my video gaming childhood ... I really appreciate the existence of this video. Bravo.
Thank you so much for this video. I can feel your love and passion for these games and it feels amazing to revisit all the levels one by one by someone who holds them so dear to his heart. ♥️
Wow, this is gonna be great two hours, I'm writing this before watching, thanks for your dedication! I've made my own list that includes all 5 games + expansions, but making it into a video is a whole new level!
Excellent job! I’ve forgotten how difficult The Great Wall is. It was the first ever level I played. I followed TRII with the first, then followed the series chronologically. I’ve never been able to get into anything past TR Anniversary and also AOD. The rendition of the TR theme at the end sounds quite a bit like Moody Blues’ Nights In White Satin, btw.
I'm so glad you chose Madubu Gorge as your favorite! Tomb Raider III is my definitive favorite game of all time and Madubu Gorge, RX-Tech Mines and Lud's Gate are my favorite levels in the game!
Yay, a fellow Madubu Gorge fan! :D Cheers! I'm sorry I don't share your love for RX-Tech Mines so much, but Madubu Gorge and Lud's Gate are definitely underrated :(
I need to get back to these games. Thanks for reminding me what a mythical franchise this was. I played through the first game a couple of years ago, and I hadn't seen the levels since I watched my dad play through it back in the day. Despite looking old, it still leaves me awestruck.
LOL “despite looking old” - simplistic graphics shouldn’t bother you when the gaming experience is this great. All today’s fancy games do is compete with each other over how “realistic” they look and in doing so, they’ve sacrificed what makes the gaming experience truly great. A lot of the simplest games are famously the best of all time.
This has been my favorite video game related video. Wow! What a journey. I love the classic Tomb Raider games and watching this video brought me right back to the first time I experienced Lara’s adventures.
I really enjoyed watching this video. Your diversified opinion on all of the levels is very detailed and accurately captures what is was like to play these back in the day, which if you haven't you are truly missing out on some good times. Currently doing a full playthrough of TR3 because of this video. Keep up the good work man.
I love Madubu Gorge. It's a brilliant and challenging level indeed! Yeah, the kayak controls are a mess but we have many paths to follow and everything here is so hauntingly beautiful. I mean, the graphics are outdated for today standards and I played this since 1999. Still, everytime I replay TR3 and I arrive at this section I'm still amazed and scared of the river rapids. It's so immersive that I picture myself In a place like that in the real life, something like that haha I'm like SO extra careful with Lara while I still love to explore every single detail of it while progressing. "You simply don't defeat Madubu Gorge, you survive it" SO WELL SAID, MY FRIEND!
Haha, thank you so much! What a pleasure to meet a fellow Madubu Gorge-enthusiast, we are not that many ;) I agree, there's just something about Madubu Gorge. That location in particular is extremely immersive.
amazing job man, what a great effort. funny thing is that (without spoiling it) your favorite TR Level is the one I absolutely despise and passionately hate every time i replay that particular TR game. There are some levels that I didn't like as a kid, but kinda like now (Like the RX Tech Mines and City of Tinnos, or Maria Doria Levels for example) and vice versa (e. g. Aldwych, which was always one of the highlights for me back in the day, but was one of the least enjoyable levels for me in my most recent playthrough). But a couple of things did never change for me during all those years, when it comes to classic TR Levels: 1. I never was and never will be too fond of the Nevada Levels in TR 3. 2. All the Venice Levels in TR 2 always were and probably always will be among my favorite TR Levels if only for the music alone. 3. When it comes to chosing my one and only favorite classic TR Level, The Opera House and the Barkhang Monastery are definitely among the strongest contenders. And finally, as already mentioned, your favorite level always was and most likely will always be my most hated one. PS: This video once again shows how effin' underrated the music in those classic Tomb Raider games was and still is. One of the top video game OSTs of all time.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I'm happy that you enjoyed the video, even if we have different tastes in Tomb Raider levels. I completely agree about the music. The classic Tomb Raider soundtracks are iconic, and very few video game composers match up against Nathan McCree if you ask me.
Thank you so much for compiling this list! I love and agree with all the individual reviews of the levels, and the summaries brought back so many memories for me. I was happy to see Lost Valley feature so high in this list; people talk of the first venture into the T-Rex area, but for me it was the start of the level, emerging by the top of the waterfall with the din of the water and looking down to the large pool below, that I will forever treasure in my childhood memories
Thank you! Yeah, there's something magical about Lost Valley. Every location in that level just feels so unique and iconic. I think it made a far bigger impression on me as a kid, than I can totally grasp. It's also a perfect level to just load up and play through if you need a quick Tomb Raider fix.
I had such a blast watching this well-made analysis of my favourite old games! I adore the first two tomb raider games but never fully completed the third due to its difficulty-I think I’ll have to dust off my old PS disc and give it another try! Lara Croft is one of those characters who truly stays with you if you played these games. Thank you for keeping her spirit alive!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, I really appreciate it! You should definitely give Tomb Raider III another try. It's my favorite in the series! She is indeed. Thank you, once again, that's very kind of you.
My friend, thank you for the great vídeo you did, I have no idea how much work you had. This is one of the best vídeos I Saw in my whole life, you made me cry in my nostalgi. Thank you in deep of my heart.
Hey man. I really want to thank you for all the effort you put on this video. It’s really great to know there are people that appreciate the TR Series. I want to tell you that this series were so important for me because I had a very difficult moments during my childhood and to play TR was a way to be happy and escape from real world, so for me those are the best video games ver too. With this video you made me remember those times and I really really want to say thank you. Talking about the ranking, I admit I was surprise because I agree with you in almost everything. It surprised me that you love TR3 (which is not very frequent) and you did appreciate the levels that it has. Thanks again man.
Thank you for this video!! Lud’s gate, The Great Wall, Nevada Desert and Madubu Gorge are very high up on my list, and makes me happy to see someone else agree on that :) I remember spending a good 3 or 4 hours in madubu gorge, but I enjoyed every second of it. The atmosphere, the sound of the water, and the cloudy day skybox is everything to me!!! It’s also a nice break from the heavy combat the prior level had ^^
Really wonderful video. We who love Lara and the franchise as a whole know how special all of these levels are, regardless of their ranking! Loved and agreed with many of your arguments for each case. Do the LUA trilogy next!
Thank you so much! :D The Last Revelation + Chronicles is next, then Angel of Darkness as a standalone level ranking and then, FINALLY, Legend-Anniversary-Underworld. Thank you for your interest!
@@AxMania Yes, I played Anniversary and I think it is very different. Obviously things like Lara's cosmetics (hair and triangle chest aka your logo) and off color boots were not so great at launch compared to the level design, but despite the Anniversary smoothing surfaces, it also removed a lot of the colors and feels much different, for example I don't remember ever being intimidated by mummies or mutants, in fact a bunch of it outside the T-Rex fight is very forgettable, and the similar color schemes and smooth surfaces blends everything together. I just remember swinging a lot. Somehow pixel Lara is more memorable looking than the plain looking anniversary one, she just doesn't have the angry attitude look of the original or something.
Thank you for this, was very entertaining to watch. I’m surprised to see this is your first video, you sound like a pro! Very informed and well explained. I appreciate the effort you put in this video, must of taken a lot of time. Tomb Raider will always be my favourite game franchise.
Madubu Gorge is also my favourite TR level. It's gorgeous and I love the constant waterfall sounds, so relaxing. I even like the kayak lol. TR3 is definitely my favourite of the tree. Great video, nice to see all of the classic TR levels in one place! It made me do a ranked list too, haha.
Oh hi MrMagpie, I remember you from Suzanne's video. It's so great to meet other Madubu Gorge fans. Can I see your ranking somewhere? I'm always curious.
I really miss old tomb raider games. I mean, the new ones are good but they just feel different. It would be fantastic to have new "oldschool" tomb raider games. Thanks for this video it is really great for tomb raider fans and I'll love to see more old tomb raider content.
I have to say my favourite level there from the Italian 🇮🇹 section of Tomb Raider 2 is actually “Bartoli’s Hideout”. Venice in the motorboat was ok but I enjoy this one more on foot instead. Despite the huge amount of human enemies I really like the courtyards with lemon 🍋 trees, hidden library 📚 and especially the tall room with the climbable Chandeliers while the new version of the Tomb Raider theme plays out. An explosive 🧨 end to a solid level too so it sits at a very high No 21.😊
This was a pleasure to watch, it has made me feel overwhelming nostalgia for a trilogy I absolutely adore. I'll admit I did do a double take with the #1 choice but that's all due to my overwhelming struggle surviving that level, but your points really do back up why it's a great level! Also raided T for Tomb really tickled me for some reason 🤣
I still adore the original Tomb Raider trilogy, so this video was right up my street. My ranking would be very different to yours but I fully appreciate the work you put into this :)
Thank you so much for the huge amount of work you put into this. Each clip matches your narration, the jokes sprinkled throughout are great and it was a blast to visit this part of my childhood again!
Oh my this is absolutely amazing. It's like revisiting the first 3 games without playing them through. This video is awesome! Please make more! Consider talking about TRLE as well! ❤️
PS I would love to hear you talk about the music of Tomb raider. Especially the different orchestras, composers, and remakes. Like the royal philharmonic remaking the music from the first 3 games. So excited!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I would love to do videos about TRLE as that is COMPLETELY unknown territory to me. I haven't played a single TRLE level :O! And that's a great idea for a video - Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to make that bud, you've brought back many fond childhood memories of days I hammered those games. :) I wanna play em again now.
Oh my, thanks for the nostalgia trip! That's an amazing video and I didn't even know about some of those levels (e.g. Nightmare in Vegas) although I was playing those games excessively as a teenager. Awesome work and very entertaining list (Marco the Italian dragon, haha). Now I really want to play the first three games again!
Great Video! Funny enough on your commentary about colosseum, apparently the developers chose Lara's enemies to be wild animals and beasts because they were concerned that too many video games had humans killing humans but it kinda just backfired on them lol
Thank you so much! Haha, yeah, well, they certainly made up for it with the thousands of human enemies in Tomb Raider II... ahem. They finally got the balance right in Tomb Raider III: That game both has innocent animals and evil humans to kill, as well as some innocent humans! \o/
I loved watching this video, I absolutely agree on the most part of the ranking list! The outro and its music were so majestic they gave me goosebumps, I love it!
What a great video! I'm not even halfway through it yet but I had to stop and give credit to your fantastic details and commentary about each level. I'm surprised this video doesn't have more views (yet) Keep it up man! Currently watching this while in bed and it's comfy and chill
Thank you so much for taking the immense time to get this list together, playing everything again and thinking about your ranking! While not everything has the same order as it would have for me ;), I really enjoyed watching your video and hear your insights, which clearly show you love the series as a lot of us do! I recently finished 1 - 3 (and Legend, Underworld and Tomb Raider (first of the new series)) so I felt right at home watching. And want to point out that it's great, that somebody mentions the addon levels, cause a lot of gamers either ignore them or sometimes haven't even played them at all. And I think that's a loss for them, cause a lot of the levels are great. I hope I will see more videos like this one from you!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, I really appreciate it! It's really a shame that so many people miss out on the add-on levels as some of the best ever Tomb Raider levels are among those expansions. They can be so difficult to track down, especially The Lost Artefact, but it's definitely worth the trouble if you are a Tomb Raider fan. Once again, thank you so much!
i enjoyed every sec of this awesome video. what a ride. hilarious jokes, excellent pacing/editing and an overall superbe atmosphere. keep it up! btw i totally love highland fling due to its nessie-themed scottish beauty (sadly you did not mention the other nessie or dragon encounter inside the castle) and the thames wharf for its super calming starting area with the blueish lighting, ambient background sounds e.g. distant car noises..the still of the night.. super amazing. and so is your top notch video as well. thank you
Thank you SO much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I had to edit out the second Nessie encounter, because I didn't have any space for it in the video :( And I agree! Thames Wharf has superb atmosphere. Once again, thank you!
Absolutely fantastic video, thank you so much for making this. Can really tell how much you love these games, which were also a massive part of my own childhood. Amazing work ❤️
I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video! Thank you so much for making it! And although I don't agree with all of your rankings, it's clear that you really do love the games and that you've played through them multiple times (like me). My favorite levels are The Cistern, Palace Midas, Opera House, The Deck, and Barkhang Monastery. Here is my full list: Tier 1 (Best levels, in chronological order (not by ranking)): St. Francis Folly (I think Core Design mixing up the names from Roman, Greek, and Norse mythology might have been done on purpose since the TR1 storyline alludes to the Ancient Alien theory, and part of the Ancient Alien theory is that the reason different cultures had strikingly similar gods was because they were actually the same alien visiting different places.) Colosseum Palace Midas The Cistern Tomb of Tihocan The Great Pyramid The Great Wall Opera House The Deck Barkhang Monastery Temple of Xian Floating Islands Furnace of the Gods Kingdom Nightmare in Vegas Madubu Gorge Antarctica (The Antarctica levels were soooo beautiful! The falling snow, the blue water, and Lara’s breath. Also, the idea of an alien meteorite and an ancient lost civilization in Antarctica was a nod to H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness.”) RX-Tech Mines Lost City of Tinnos Meteorite Cavern Highland Fling It’s a Madhouse! Tier 2: Obelisk of Khamoon Sanctuary of the Scion Atlantis Return to Egypt Temple of the Cat Venice Bartoli’s Hideout Wreck of the Maria Doria Nevada Desert High Security Compound Area 51 Thames Wharf (I really like the idea of being in the middle of London but somehow above and secluded from all the busyness.) Willard’s Lair Sleeping With the Fishes Tier 3: Tomb of Qualopec City of Khamoon Atlantean Stronghold The Hive Tibetan Foothills Catacombs of the Talion Caves of Kaliya Reunion Tier 4: Caves Lost Valley Natla’s Mines Lara’s Home (TR2) Offshore Rig Diving Area 40 Fathoms The Ice Palace Dragon’s Lair Home Sweet Home Lara’s Home (TR3) Temple Ruins The River Ganges Coastal Village Crash Site Aldwych (I really like the idea of this level but it fell just short of being pulled off really well) City Shakespeare Cliff Tier 5: City of Vilcabamba The Cold War Fool’s Gold Jungle Temple of Puna Lud’s Gate (There were some great parts in this level but also some frustrating parts) Tier 6 (Worst Levels): Lara’s Home (TR1) Living Quarters (This is the worst level in my opinion. It felt like the level designers just had some spare scraps of assorted puzzles they never used so they mashed them all together.) All Hallows For the Crash Site level you should have included video of the hidden cave along the climbing wall at the beginning. It was completely unnecessary and didn’t even have a secret, but it was such a cool puzzle and had a really nice atmosphere. The worst thing was playing Tomb Raider 1 on the PC and discovering that there weren’t any music cues like in the PlayStation version! The music really correlated with some of those moments and immersed the player in the atmosphere. Fortunately, they fixed that with subsequent Tomb Raider games. Definitely the worst levels in my opinion are the ones in Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation. There were some great moments in there, but waaay too much backtracking and repetitiveness. Also the colors weren’t nearly as vivid; they were all sort of sandy/dirty/less vivid than in previous Tomb Raiders. Thank you again so much, my friend. To top it off, your collage at the end of this video was absolutely incredibly brilliant!!! It gave me the feels and almost brought me to tears.
Thank you so much for your reply, and very interesting ranking and theories! You might be right about the St. Francis' Folly theory, that would be really cool if true! I also really like your description of Thames Wharf, I hadn't thought about it like that. They really did make those London rooftops and sewers feel like places nobody knows about, within a metropolitan area.
I found myself getting so defensive of some of the lower ranked levels, but I loved this man. Such an undertaking! Very great to revisit this great trilogy.
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UPDATE: I recommend you to go watch my new and improved version of my level ranking instead, with 51 levels added, new commentary, editing and revised placements of certain levels.
Ok i will watch it but i hope Cistern and Tomb of Tihocan got better rank than Natlas Mines
Tomb Raider is what made me a Gamer
great video now ill watch your new one!
@@bucciarati7766 Thank you! 🥰
Nightmare in Vegas was supposed to all be in black and white, like those swinging boxes and zebra carpets, and its literally a dream Lara had, which explains random out of place elements like the t-rex, guardian of Thalion/Kingdom, Venice goons. I think its bonkers and its easy enough and interesting. Never know whats gonna happen next!
What a fantastic video. It's hard to convey to non-TR fans how much these games mean to those of us who grew up playing them all. Excellent job.
It really is hard. I have been trying for pretty much the past 20 years. I eventually had to accept that it's just something that I will continue to enjoy alone for the most part, and just share my enthusiasm with strangers online.
@@lucas_swart I feel you. To some it's simply a dated game with poorly aged graphics. For me, there are so many memories tied to every level that any playthrough just brings back so much nostalgia to different times in my life.
@@jack_8061 that’s exactly what it is. Reliving those games is about so much more than just the games.
I played all these games on my PC when I was a kid but I don’t remember any of these levels! Ok just recently downloaded the first Tomb Raider on Steam and plan on going through all of them again.
I grew up during the 1990s tomb raider games
THIS is Tomb Raider!!! THIS is Lara Croft!
Thank you for bringing back in me so many memories 💜
You're welcome! :D Thank you!
The city of Vilcabamba level has a special place in my heart. It was in one of the demos they sold with PlayStation magazines in the 90's. I was about 9 years old and fell in love with Tomb raider immediately. I'm soon 35 years old and still love the old Tomb raider games.
Nice :D I was also 9 years old when I discovered Tomb Raider btw.
One of my favorite levels (if not the favority). I love it.
A new subscriber, watched the whole thing and loved it but
Is it possible to re do the whole video again but this time with a system in place? For example, out of a hundred with ten points for each:
level design aesthetically
innovative level gameplay
fun factor
Iconic vs forgettable
Linear vs exploratory
Absence of design flaws
These are what I could came up with; I am sure you can come up with the final four factor or so
Yeah is good level
Im 30 and i love playing the Original Series
TR is what made me a gamer
This is absolutely fantastic. Thanks for doing this. I’m currently playing 1-5 in order with no guide, because it was a childhood dream of mine, but I was never good enough as a kid to do it. I’m playing them all on a 1999 Mac G3, just to be authentic as well 😂
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! That's awesome, 2022 will definitely be the year you succeed then! :D Enjoy your playthroughs!
go for it, man!
I am doing this too! Got a PS One and all the original Games from 1 to 5! I freaking love this Games!! MY CHILDHOOD!
@Macdealerx I played golden mask last year on its own… man what a fantastic expansion! Will do them all again in order though!
@@MrMsschwing thanks buddy!
The TR3 style of level design is when I feel the devs were at their peak skills of level design. The entire Nevada section being just incredible, Crash Site, the gorgeous aesthetic of the London levels, the best version of Lara's home, and not to mention The Lost Artifact having hands down so many of the most impressive and enjoyable levels in the series.
It's a Madhouse! and Sleeping with the Fishes are Tomb Raider perfection.
Thanks for all the work you put into this video, gave me a lot of content to enjoy!
I agree! Especially Nevada. No Nevada level scored lower than 15th in my ranking, after all. And thank you so much.
Right on! Not only is 3 my favorite but also a top 5 game of all time for me.
Just starting this, and this comment surprises me. It took me years to beat TR3 (despite beating the first two games multiple times) because I always lost my patience with the last levels in Nevada and particularly the entirety of London. I thought they were badly lit, badly laid out and unintuitive. Interesting to find out that might not be a popular opinion.
TR1 is still my fave by a distance.
@@stevenhanley5505 yeah i still have no idea why some people loved TR3, it was a step down from 1 and 2 in my opinion. india is by far the worst opening level by a long shot. its way too long and uninteresting. badly lit is definitely a gripe i have with the game as well, more so than the first two, the save crystals were an awful idea in TR1 and they still are in TR3 (mind you if your playing on a PC you are fine, only in the console versions did they have them) i dont like using the term "artificial difficulty" much but i definitely think that limiting the times you can save is cheap. i dont mind fixed save points but not finite save points. why they got rid of showing you what you picked up is beyond me as well..... pick something up in a dark room and you have no idea what it was until you look for whatevers changed in your inventory. annoying change. i loved TR1 but in my opinion TR2 was awesome. by far the best game, the level design was awesome, the locations you go to are fantastic, i actually really liked the fact there were lots of human enemies (unpopular opinion that one is though). loved TR2 and still play it 100% through to this day, the rest of the tomb raiders i do as well but 3 usually gets skipped im afraid. i just absolutely hate the india levels, i find i lose the will to live after completing those.
@@Asdfgfdmn "Please, re-do the WHOLE video according to MY parameters, will you?"
Do you think that's a sensible thing to ask? It is not.
I've always had a strong admiration for people who can truly appreciate older games. Your passion for these games naturally shows. Think I might need to dust off the first Tomb Raider game since I haven't played it since I was a kid and didn't get past the dinosaurs out of pure fright
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Do it! You won't regret it. It's literally a perfect game, if you ask me. At least you are prepared for the dinosaurs this time ;)
If only today’s gamers would get over their snobby attitudes that a more photorealistic looking game is supposed to mean a “better” game, they would stop robbing themselves of the opportunity to experience a completely unique world of games that today’s showy fancy look-how-realistic-I-am graphics don’t do any justice to
They’re so much better than the new ones. No handholding parkour shit
@@ohanna5074good graphics can really be a selling point but what I think most people fail to see is that the gameplay is the most important feature. If you look at any games from the 90’s and choose not to play them because of their graphics you are really missing out.
If you can't love old games, do you really love games?
i normally never leave comments cos i feel like it will just get buried in a sea of comments but i have to tell you i watch this video at least once a day, its like my happy place and is so well made so well narrated and just lets me escape reality to my first true love - tomb raider!!!
Thank you so much, this makes me very happy to read. I truly appreciate this. I'll release an updated version on Tuesday, with even more levels, that I hope you'll enjoy as well! :)
@@AxMania WHAT!!!!!!! omg im so excited cant wait!!!!!!! thank you for the hard work!
The Maria Doria arc was really special to me the setting is quite imaginative and dramatic with the immediate breath count down. It felt just as creepy as a cave but with industrial detailing. The rusty colors contrasted well with the ocean blues
I agree completely.
"Don't you think you've seen enough?"
Best Lara Croft's line ever
Totally!
I'm really glad to see lots of videos popping up about classic Tomb Raider lately. The series deserves SO much more love for how influential it was. In my opinion, neither reboot has held a candle to the classics.
I started with Tomb Raider in 1996 (I was 8 years old), mostly reading the strategy guide while my older brother played. I finally conquered all 5 original titles on my own when I was in college in 2009...haven't fully revisited since. Now I think I will.
Thank you, I agree! And that sounds awesome! You really should do that ;)
I had such a similar experience! My older brother would play and I got to read the walkthrough to him from the magazine and I thought it was so cool he let me help him. Now I’m finally playing them through in steam. So much nostalgia!
This was such a massive nostalgia trip!
Damn...this is an INCREDIBLE video! Well put together, well narrated, well explained, just top-tier all around. Thank you so much for all the time and effort that went into producing this. What an incredible love letter to a classic series!
Thank YOU so much! I really appreciate it
Speaking of video games (or movies based on them) and considering the fact that the sequel to the movie Tomb Raider (2018) is cancelled, I think it would be great if there were two more Tomb Raider or Lara Croft movies!
Therefore, I strongly advocate that you sign a fan petition for not 1 but 2 more Lara Croft or Tomb Raider films!
Here’s my fan signature: Jason Lau
Will you sign a petition for two more films?
You should check out Steve of Warr's retrospectives.
@@BlueZirnitra I have! I love his stuff! :)
I really appreciate your enthusiasm for these games. I'm guessing you've played all these games multiple times? It shows. Sadly a lot of people just want rush through games as if they're going through a checklist and never touch again. I'd say if you enjoy something, keep playing it again and again.
Thank you! Oh yes, I can't even begin to imagine how many hours I've put into these games. I've completed them numerous times throughout the years.
I love how everyone's like "omg what duh hecc is Floating Islands suppose to be it makes no sense" yet at 29:46 you seem to have explained the inspiration of the strange level, so well done good sir 👍
Hahaha, thank you so much! I certainly did my best to try to 😅
My most favourite level from Tomb Raider 2 and 3rd on ranking list has to be “Tibetan Foothills”. The main reasons why is because the snow mobile is so much fun to ride, running over enemies, jumping over canyons and the dramatic theme for added suspense. After being stuck in the dark underwater levels for so long prior to this area makes such a refreshing change of pace and I always love to make Lara dive into the deep pits to her death and by the time you reach the big pool at the end, it feels like you’ve completed such a satisfying roller coaster journey, just brilliant. 😊
Yes, I agree! :D That level is just downright crazy, and it's placed perfectly within Tomb Raider II. Coming right after the dark and methodical shipwreck levels, and before the more complicated and grander adventures of Barkhang Monastery and so on, Tibetan Foothills feels like a rollercoaster ride in the middle of it all, like you pointed out.
My personal favorite levels (favorite in terms of pure excitement I get from playing them):
TR1 - Palace Midas
TR2 - Temple of Xian
TR3 - Antarctica
And if we can go slightly beyond the trilogy (but still within the Classic TR series)... TR4 - Lost Library & TR5 - The Labyrinth ;)
TR4 is my favorite right after TR1. Underrated game!
wow some of them are my favorite levels
It's a tragedy that this video doesn't have more views. This video was truly entertaining! Thank you for sharing and keep it up! :)
Thank you so much! Really appreciate it
I watched one TR video by Josh Strife and now my feed is full of them. Not complaining though despite not having played the game in at least a decade.
A new subscriber, watched the whole thing and loved it but
Is it possible to re do the whole video again but this time with a system in place? For example, out of a hundred with ten points for each:
level design aesthetically
innovative level gameplay
fun factor
Iconic vs forgettable
Linear vs exploratory
Absence of design flaws
These are what I could came up with; I am sure you can come up with the final four factor or so
Temple of Xian, Madubu Gorge, Temple Ruins, Lud’s Gate and High Security Compound are all very challenging levels and it’s enjoyable to see you rank all of them very high on your list.
I was one of those poor kids you mentioned who got introduced to Tomb Raider by having to suffer through The Great Wall but it sure helped us become seasoned TR-players.
Thanks for bringing us this nostalgic content 👍
Fantastic video! As a huge classic Tomb Raider fan myself, this was joy to watch. :)
Thank you so much Kawaii Games! I've watched several of your videos!
Just wanted to point out that the wind element in the maze of Lost City of Tinnos is actually related to the fact that as soon as you enter the maze you can hear the wind blowing and Lara’s ponytail will star moving against the direction of the wind. If you analyze it carefully, you can actually use the ponytail’s direction as a means of finding the right path, because the wind will only blow from the correct path. If you’re not in the correct path, her ponytail won’t be blown away.
Yeah, someone else pointed that out to me too. I feel bad for not noticing that, it's such a cool detail! I'll fix it when I re-release the video with added levels from The Last Revelation and Chronicles.
Tomb Raider was the first game I ever got when I was 8. I was obsessed. I got 2 and 3 and played them non-stop. I miss the 90s.
So do I, those were great times. Man, thinking back to when I first explored the Tomb Raider classics. I wish I could try that again.
Great video - I really enjoyed it, and it warms my heart that people still appreciate the classic Tomb Raiders. My first Tomb Raider was TR3 - a bit of a tough introduction, definitely, but TR1 felt so much easier when I played it afterwards. Not surprisingly, TR3 holds a very special place in my heart to this very day...
I really hope you'll make a similar video for TR4 and TR5 as well.
Anyone who claims to appreciate the gaming experience AT ALL will make no secret of the fact that the classic TR games will always be a great experience and the simple graphics make it BETTER giving them a unique atmosphere that today’s fancy show-off graphics can never hope to replicate
Wow I was shocked to see The Deck so low! It was one of my favorite levels in TR2 lol.
I think The Deck is the Lud's Gate of Tomb Raider II, haha. A level that has very dedicated fans, but a large share of detractors as well. Although, level design-wise Aldwych would probably be a more suitable comparison.
@@AxMania I found it so creepy. It reminded me a lot of TR1 level design for some reason.
Haha it’s one of my favourites as well. Very interesting how different tastes can be
That ending omg Im crying. Rank tr4-6
One of my favorites, too! 😁 Cant tell you how many times I replayed it.
This is one of my favorite videos on RUclips. The original trilogy was one of the first games I played as a young kid and will always be a personal favorite. So many great memories 🥰 You did a fantastic job encompassing all the greatness of the original TR trilogy! Well done! 👍👍👍
Wow, thank you so much, that's very kind of you. Same here, I adore those games, and I can play them over and over again, and I'll always enjoy them. Again, thank you SO much!
The Deck was one of my favourites. So atmospheric and breathtaking. Especially the massive underground lake.
I mean, it has a very impressive presence, I'll give you that.
The compilation at the end made me shed a tear 🥲
The Tomb Raider classic games are part of the best games of all time. I‘m still playing them from time to time and I don‘t care what anyone says - they still look great to me and the atmosphere is on point. The newer games of the series just don‘t stand a chance against them imo. They look good but they don‘t have the soul of Tomb Raider anymore.
I have great respect for Toby Gard, who invented Tomb Raider and fought for his ideas to become reality. There‘s a documentary about the making of TR1 and it‘s incredible to see how dedicated all the people were that worked on this project. That‘s what I‘m missing from games these days - developers that burned for their craft, got creative and genuinely wanted to make great games.
I agree with everything you just said here. There was a soul to the classic Tomb Raider games that I just don't think that the modern games can replicate.
I'm happy you liked the end montage 🥰
This was so much fun to watch - the nostalgia was palpable! I feel like I missed out on a lot of the extra/expansion levels, and I am not sure I would have placed Venice (quintessential TR2) so low down, but did agree with your frustrations! I really enjoyed this, thank you for all your hard work. Subbed. :)
Thank you so much, appreciate it a lot! I've seen quite a few comments on Venice being too low, but trust me - I really like that level! It's just that when it all added up, that's where it fit in the ranking :( The level is very atmospheric, and Venice Violins is one of the best tracks in the series.
I love this list, but I also strongly disagree with it! But this means we had so much great levels to choose from!
Venice should be at least in the top 5 : P
Having first playing this level (And game) recently. Personally i found this level to be one of my least favourite. Going from Tomb Raider 1 and ‘the great wall’ to Venice was not enjoyable for me because of the ridiculous amount of human enemies and their completely unfair placement. I found the level to be tedious and boring and it nearly made me quit. But thankfully i stuck with it and eventually it did get better (around the maria doria levels). Then onto Temple Of Xian which is my favourite Tomb Raider level so far (I’ve yet to play 3 and Revelations). Each to their own though but Venice was just not for me.
@@danfarmer3019 I get you frustration with it, I also found it a long slog of a level and the number and difficulty of dispatching the human enemies annoying. But I think the pain and frustration only made making the timed run (and figuring it out!) all the more sweet at the end - and therefore so memorable.
@@avipatable Yes perhaps it would be more fun to go back to now i know what i’m in for. Its just a harsh change from the the first games style. I just think i prefer the large open hub style levels of Tomb Raider. With a more relaxed approach with more puzzle solving than combat. Although i don’t mind combat, but always found the human enemies annoying as theres not much strategy to beating them.
The original tomb raider music……. Stunning. So atmospheric
Wow, l didn't expect Madubu Gorge at 1st place and Lud's Gate so hight. Both are great levels :)
Please: the last revelation and Chronicles Too :)
Those levels are the worst
Really great video! I will say for lost city of tinnos, in the maze section, there’s actually WIND in the maze, and your supposed to use the direction of Lara’s hair to navigate your way through it which is a small but amazing detail
That's an amazing detail! Why did I never notice? I always just sort of memorized a path through it. Thank you for telling me about it.
WASP green mothafaha
Wait really? What a subtle detail. These games might not look so incredible on todays standards, but i'll be damned if the level design isn't some of the most impressive in video game history!
Excellent video, these games levels blew my mind when I was younger - sense of scale they gave was amazing.
They should STILL blow your mind, they’ll never get old just because today’s games like to show off their fancy photorealistic graphics at the expense of what makes a game TRULY great
The Great Wall was indeed my first experience with Tomb Raider, first in a Demo, and then with the full game. Being around 10 years old, I had to play it again and again and again to finish it for the first time! To this day, I can still clearly hear the tiger roars in my head. Great video!
Haha, same here. My first ever Tomb Raider experience was the TRII demo. Thank you so much!
As a fellow classic TR fan, I must thank you for this video. So many memories throughout...
Now excuse me while I go back to (my favorite) TR2. After subscribing and ringing the bell, of course.
I started playing TR at around 8 years old. It has always been mine and my dads thing and will always hold such a special place in my heart. (I even called my daughter a name beginning in L and ending in A!) Cistern will always be my favourite level, it doesn’t matter how many times I play it, and believe me it has been MANY. I still miss that last key every single time, and I love that it challenges me still to this day. I get too confident and think I can fly throughout and end up missing that part every time ha. I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t had this in their childhood. It truly was genius.
It was me and my dad's thing as well, so amazing memories. He helped me figure out stuff. That's awesome, let me guess... Laura? I feel so bad about not putting The Cistern higher, but I ALWAYS get lost and confused in that level, haha!
The design of Cistern level is actually quite genius. Player must consider the purpose of current action, trying to predict the outcome. It a carefully designed level, but it takes few playthroughs to sink in. Washed concrete and moss textures also create strong sense of isolated humid environment. I love this level
What a wonderful video! Really enjoyed reviewing the whole trilogy (and finally, the Gold games covered in a video!) and remembering how much I enjoyed playing all of them. Agree that Madubu Gorge was a controversial choice ;) I'd probably put any TR3 Gold level over it, but truly enjoyed your explanation. Looking forward to more!
Haha thank you so much! Btw, I'm redoing the monkey video, as I've decided to include your observation on the monkeys' appearance in the re-edit. I think it's super interesting! I'll credit you in the video description.
I just recently replayed the first game, and it reminded me again why I love it so much: the fantastic level design, the creepy atmosphere (slowly turning into a horror game at the end), and the feeling of isolation in long forgotten places.
After beating the game I found your video here and enjoyed it thoroughly! This must have been a huge undertaking on your part, but you handled it like a pro, good job! :) After freshly beating the game, I would personally rate "Palace Midas" hand-in-hand with "Lost Valley", that level design is just out of this world from a game released in 1996.
Also, if you like the music of the classic series, I highly, highly recommend looking up "The Tomb Raider Suite" music album released a few years ago (if you haven't already). The original composer of the TR series re-composed the entire score with the London Symphony Orchestra. A nostalgic trip down memory lane, and it's absolutely amazing!
Yeah, the original Tomb Raider is so good. It's one of the only examples of a perfect game, that I can think of. It's so good. Exactly, it perfectly encapsulates that atmosphere of isolation in these long forgotten places. Thank you so much for your kind comment! It was, but I'm happy I did it! :D
Haha, Palace Midas HAND-in-HAND... I see what you did there.
Thank you so much, I will check that out! I can't get enough of the classic Tomb Raider music. This may seem like a backhanded compliment, but the classic Tomb Raider main themes are the best soundtrack to a nap :D They are so dreamy and wonderful.
I'm so glad seeing all the love and appreciation for TR3 here...
It's one of my favorite franchise's black sheep, it's just SO underrated!
I agree! :D
imo, Lost Valley should be 1st.
beautiful homage, btw.
that outro almost made me cry.
Lost Valley is Tomb Raider perfection. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I actually made a much improved version of this video a year later, with more levels, if you are interested.
What an amazing video man. Wow. I love this trilogy so much. Me and my father played through the first 5 games together. He passed away last year. He would have loved this video. Even though i disagree with a few choices it didn’t take away from your in depth analysis of each lvl. Thanks for the nostalgic trip.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I'm so sorry for your loss. My condolences. You will always have those great memories of discovering and exploring the Tomb Raider games together with him however. Thank you.
An unexpected choice for the top spot, indeed! I was wracking my brain "is there a classic level I forgot?"
But seriously, this is such a comprehensive, lovingly constructed video, and it's almost overwhelming to have that original sense of wonder, and exploration from our childhoods, revisited and re-sparked by someone else with the same sense of love for what it was.
The level design and video game language of those first three TR's (for me, ESPECIALLY 'St.Francis Folly', 'Jungle', and 'Venice) really WAS my video gaming childhood ... I really appreciate the existence of this video. Bravo.
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it!
Thank you so much for this video. I can feel your love and passion for these games and it feels amazing to revisit all the levels one by one by someone who holds them so dear to his heart. ♥️
Thank you so much, this means a lot to me. I'm glad that it shows
I cannot believe how many of these levels I remember. Makes me want to play the games again too.
I'm just happy someone did this so I could watch it! Great effort sir
Thank you so much!
WOW! Never have I ever watched a YT video of this length.. and then wanted more!
Amazing job putting this together!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it!
Wow, this is gonna be great two hours, I'm writing this before watching, thanks for your dedication! I've made my own list that includes all 5 games + expansions, but making it into a video is a whole new level!
1 hour 43 minutes can be this much fun. I watched it without getting bored. It was a very good review. Thank you.
Wow thank you so much!
Excellent job!
I’ve forgotten how difficult The Great Wall is. It was the first ever level I played. I followed TRII with the first, then followed the series chronologically. I’ve never been able to get into anything past TR Anniversary and also AOD.
The rendition of the TR theme at the end sounds quite a bit like Moody Blues’ Nights In White Satin, btw.
Thank you so much Jan/kaztor! I'm glad you liked the video! 🤩
That version of the Tomb Raider theme has been made by the super talented Dean Kopri.
By far the most interesting video on the Internet on the subject. The host guides you through great experience that few games can offer these days.
Thank you so much, that's very kind of you. I really appreciate it!
I'm so glad you chose Madubu Gorge as your favorite! Tomb Raider III is my definitive favorite game of all time and Madubu Gorge, RX-Tech Mines and Lud's Gate are my favorite levels in the game!
Yay, a fellow Madubu Gorge fan! :D Cheers! I'm sorry I don't share your love for RX-Tech Mines so much, but Madubu Gorge and Lud's Gate are definitely underrated :(
@@AxMania That's fine, everyone has their own taste, but I'm also very glad that I've found a fellow Madubu Gorge and Lud's Gate fan! :D
I need to get back to these games. Thanks for reminding me what a mythical franchise this was. I played through the first game a couple of years ago, and I hadn't seen the levels since I watched my dad play through it back in the day. Despite looking old, it still leaves me awestruck.
I agree completely! The games look oldfashioned of course, but they have aged like wine ;) I genuinely think the games are beautiful.
LOL “despite looking old” - simplistic graphics shouldn’t bother you when the gaming experience is this great. All today’s fancy games do is compete with each other over how “realistic” they look and in doing so, they’ve sacrificed what makes the gaming experience truly great. A lot of the simplest games are famously the best of all time.
This has been my favorite video game related video. Wow! What a journey. I love the classic Tomb Raider games and watching this video brought me right back to the first time I experienced Lara’s adventures.
Wow, thank you SO much!
I really enjoyed watching this video. Your diversified opinion on all of the levels is very detailed and accurately captures what is was like to play these back in the day, which if you haven't you are truly missing out on some good times. Currently doing a full playthrough of TR3 because of this video. Keep up the good work man.
Thank you so much! I feel honored, haha! Enjoy your playthrough!
I love Madubu Gorge. It's a brilliant and challenging level indeed! Yeah, the kayak controls are a mess but we have many paths to follow and everything here is so hauntingly beautiful. I mean, the graphics are outdated for today standards and I played this since 1999. Still, everytime I replay TR3 and I arrive at this section I'm still amazed and scared of the river rapids. It's so immersive that I picture myself In a place like that in the real life, something like that haha I'm like SO extra careful with Lara while I still love to explore every single detail of it while progressing. "You simply don't defeat Madubu Gorge, you survive it" SO WELL SAID, MY FRIEND!
Haha, thank you so much! What a pleasure to meet a fellow Madubu Gorge-enthusiast, we are not that many ;) I agree, there's just something about Madubu Gorge. That location in particular is extremely immersive.
Brilliant video! Palace Midas has to be my number one favourite, glad to see it made your top 10! Look forward to seeing more of your content!
amazing job man, what a great effort. funny thing is that (without spoiling it) your favorite TR Level is the one I absolutely despise and passionately hate every time i replay that particular TR game.
There are some levels that I didn't like as a kid, but kinda like now (Like the RX Tech Mines and City of Tinnos, or Maria Doria Levels for example) and vice versa (e. g. Aldwych, which was always one of the highlights for me back in the day, but was one of the least enjoyable levels for me in my most recent playthrough). But a couple of things did never change for me during all those years, when it comes to classic TR Levels:
1. I never was and never will be too fond of the Nevada Levels in TR 3.
2. All the Venice Levels in TR 2 always were and probably always will be among my favorite TR Levels if only for the music alone.
3. When it comes to chosing my one and only favorite classic TR Level, The Opera House and the Barkhang Monastery are definitely among the strongest contenders.
And finally, as already mentioned, your favorite level always was and most likely will always be my most hated one.
PS: This video once again shows how effin' underrated the music in those classic Tomb Raider games was and still is. One of the top video game OSTs of all time.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I'm happy that you enjoyed the video, even if we have different tastes in Tomb Raider levels. I completely agree about the music. The classic Tomb Raider soundtracks are iconic, and very few video game composers match up against Nathan McCree if you ask me.
Thank you so much for compiling this list! I love and agree with all the individual reviews of the levels, and the summaries brought back so many memories for me. I was happy to see Lost Valley feature so high in this list; people talk of the first venture into the T-Rex area, but for me it was the start of the level, emerging by the top of the waterfall with the din of the water and looking down to the large pool below, that I will forever treasure in my childhood memories
Thank you! Yeah, there's something magical about Lost Valley. Every location in that level just feels so unique and iconic. I think it made a far bigger impression on me as a kid, than I can totally grasp. It's also a perfect level to just load up and play through if you need a quick Tomb Raider fix.
I had such a blast watching this well-made analysis of my favourite old games! I adore the first two tomb raider games but never fully completed the third due to its difficulty-I think I’ll have to dust off my old PS disc and give it another try!
Lara Croft is one of those characters who truly stays with you if you played these games. Thank you for keeping her spirit alive!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, I really appreciate it! You should definitely give Tomb Raider III another try. It's my favorite in the series! She is indeed. Thank you, once again, that's very kind of you.
my shock when you said THE DECK at 68 hahaha.. but each to their own! love the atmosphere of the original trilogy. great video!
Thank you so much!
My friend, thank you for the great vídeo you did, I have no idea how much work you had. This is one of the best vídeos I Saw in my whole life, you made me cry in my nostalgi.
Thank you in deep of my heart.
Seriously, this comment means the world to me. Thank you so much for your kinds words! I'm so happy and honored you enjoyed my video that much.
Hey man. I really want to thank you for all the effort you put on this video. It’s really great to know there are people that appreciate the TR Series. I want to tell you that this series were so important for me because I had a very difficult moments during my childhood and to play TR was a way to be happy and escape from real world, so for me those are the best video games ver too. With this video you made me remember those times and I really really want to say thank you.
Talking about the ranking, I admit I was surprise because I agree with you in almost everything. It surprised me that you love TR3 (which is not very frequent) and you did appreciate the levels that it has. Thanks again man.
Thank you SO much, I really appreciate your kind words, and you sharing your experience with the games. Thanks buddy.
Thank you for this video!! Lud’s gate, The Great Wall, Nevada Desert and Madubu Gorge are very high up on my list, and makes me happy to see someone else agree on that :) I remember spending a good 3 or 4 hours in madubu gorge, but I enjoyed every second of it. The atmosphere, the sound of the water, and the cloudy day skybox is everything to me!!! It’s also a nice break from the heavy combat the prior level had ^^
I agree completely :D It's a perfect follow up to Crash Site. And yes, it's a really tough level, but it's so immersive and beautiful.
Really wonderful video. We who love Lara and the franchise as a whole know how special all of these levels are, regardless of their ranking! Loved and agreed with many of your arguments for each case. Do the LUA trilogy next!
Thank you so much! :D The Last Revelation + Chronicles is next, then Angel of Darkness as a standalone level ranking and then, FINALLY, Legend-Anniversary-Underworld. Thank you for your interest!
@@AxMania Yes, I played Anniversary and I think it is very different. Obviously things like Lara's cosmetics (hair and triangle chest aka your logo) and off color boots were not so great at launch compared to the level design, but despite the Anniversary smoothing surfaces, it also removed a lot of the colors and feels much different, for example I don't remember ever being intimidated by mummies or mutants, in fact a bunch of it outside the T-Rex fight is very forgettable, and the similar color schemes and smooth surfaces blends everything together. I just remember swinging a lot.
Somehow pixel Lara is more memorable looking than the plain looking anniversary one, she just doesn't have the angry attitude look of the original or something.
Thank you for this, was very entertaining to watch. I’m surprised to see this is your first video, you sound like a pro! Very informed and well explained. I appreciate the effort you put in this video, must of taken a lot of time.
Tomb Raider will always be my favourite game franchise.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It's a comment like this that makes it all worth it 😊 Tomb Raider is my favorite game franchise as well.
Madubu Gorge is also my favourite TR level. It's gorgeous and I love the constant waterfall sounds, so relaxing. I even like the kayak lol. TR3 is definitely my favourite of the tree. Great video, nice to see all of the classic TR levels in one place! It made me do a ranked list too, haha.
Oh hi MrMagpie, I remember you from Suzanne's video. It's so great to meet other Madubu Gorge fans. Can I see your ranking somewhere? I'm always curious.
@@AxMania I don't know. I have it in text. Maybe I can send an email or something.
Excelent video, now we want a rank of the levels from TR4, TR5 and TR6 🤯🤯
I really miss old tomb raider games. I mean, the new ones are good but they just feel different. It would be fantastic to have new "oldschool" tomb raider games.
Thanks for this video it is really great for tomb raider fans and I'll love to see more old tomb raider content.
Yeah I agree, so do I. Those old games were just magical. I miss them too :( Thank you so much, lots more classic Tomb Raider content is coming up!
@@AxMania Thats great cant wait to see them!!!
I have to say my favourite level there from the Italian 🇮🇹 section of Tomb Raider 2 is actually “Bartoli’s Hideout”. Venice in the motorboat was ok but I enjoy this one more on foot instead. Despite the huge amount of human enemies I really like the courtyards with lemon 🍋 trees, hidden library 📚 and especially the tall room with the climbable Chandeliers while the new version of the Tomb Raider theme plays out. An explosive 🧨 end to a solid level too so it sits at a very high No 21.😊
I agree completely! :) We share a lot of the same opinions.
you are so cool for taking your time doing this i love tomb raider 😁😁
Finally after like 60 hours I finished playing the classic trilogy and so I can freely look at this video without fear of spoilers.
Please watch my updated (and MUCH better version that I made a year later) instead 😅 My commentary in this video is quite bad, but thank you!
@@AxMania I'll take a look, thanks for the tip :)
This was a pleasure to watch, it has made me feel overwhelming nostalgia for a trilogy I absolutely adore. I'll admit I did do a double take with the #1 choice but that's all due to my overwhelming struggle surviving that level, but your points really do back up why it's a great level!
Also raided T for Tomb really tickled me for some reason 🤣
Thank you so much, I'm happy you enjoyed it!
This was a great video! TR is an international treasure! TRIII is probably one of my favorite games of all time.
Thank you so much. I agree completely, it's one of only a few games I can go back to over and over again, and I've done so for over two decades now 😮
I still adore the original Tomb Raider trilogy, so this video was right up my street. My ranking would be very different to yours but I fully appreciate the work you put into this :)
TR 2 has a special place in my heart it was the first video game I ever played. Great list and video!
Thank you so much for the huge amount of work you put into this. Each clip matches your narration, the jokes sprinkled throughout are great and it was a blast to visit this part of my childhood again!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! A comment like this means everything to me. Thank you :)
These games are timeless classics. They were a huge part of my childhood and what really got me into gaming
I completely agree.
I knew jungle and temple ruins would make it into top 10, great video
Thank you!
This is the perfect video for us Original TR fans 💕 Thank you for making it!
Thank you so much!
Oh my this is absolutely amazing. It's like revisiting the first 3 games without playing them through. This video is awesome! Please make more! Consider talking about TRLE as well! ❤️
PS I would love to hear you talk about the music of Tomb raider. Especially the different orchestras, composers, and remakes. Like the royal philharmonic remaking the music from the first 3 games. So excited!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I would love to do videos about TRLE as that is COMPLETELY unknown territory to me. I haven't played a single TRLE level :O!
And that's a great idea for a video - Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to make that bud, you've brought back many fond childhood memories of days I hammered those games. :) I wanna play em again now.
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it. Do it, and enjoy!
thank you for your passion. your video is a gift to all tomb raider fans. Greetings from germany
Thank you SO much for your kind comment! I really appreciate it. Danke schön!
Oh my, thanks for the nostalgia trip! That's an amazing video and I didn't even know about some of those levels (e.g. Nightmare in Vegas) although I was playing those games excessively as a teenager. Awesome work and very entertaining list (Marco the Italian dragon, haha). Now I really want to play the first three games again!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
Great Video! Funny enough on your commentary about colosseum, apparently the developers chose Lara's enemies to be wild animals and beasts because they were concerned that too many video games had humans killing humans but it kinda just backfired on them lol
Thank you so much! Haha, yeah, well, they certainly made up for it with the thousands of human enemies in Tomb Raider II... ahem. They finally got the balance right in Tomb Raider III: That game both has innocent animals and evil humans to kill, as well as some innocent humans! \o/
This is CRIMINALLY underviewed
I loved watching this video, I absolutely agree on the most part of the ranking list! The outro and its music were so majestic they gave me goosebumps, I love it!
Thank you so much!
Awesome video. Made me feel very nostalgic having playing the original trilogy back in the day. First one on the Saturn! Thanks
What a great video! I'm not even halfway through it yet but I had to stop and give credit to your fantastic details and commentary about each level. I'm surprised this video doesn't have more views (yet) Keep it up man! Currently watching this while in bed and it's comfy and chill
Thank you so much! I'm really happy to hear you enjoy the video so much. Thank you.
Amazing video, Temple of Xian will always be my favourite, I was glad to see it so high up! Looking forward to more content from you.
Thank you so much!
I just saw the video, and wow! What a fantastic job. Thank you so much for doing this.
THANKS FOR THIS!! You made me want to play again these fabtastic games that made me fall in love with videogames as a kid. Great job!!!
Thank you so much! Do it! :D
I forgot to mention, your Chinese pronunciation is nearly perfect!!! 👍
Wow, thank you!
This is absolutely amazing! Fantastic job!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it!
Costal Village must be one of my favourite levels. I love the atmosphere!
It's one of the few Tomb Raider levels I wouldn't mind visiting in real life (as long as I stay away from the actual village of course)
I was also amazed by south Pacific costal village opening. Great video.
Thank you so much for taking the immense time to get this list together, playing everything again and thinking about your ranking! While not everything has the same order as it would have for me ;), I really enjoyed watching your video and hear your insights, which clearly show you love the series as a lot of us do! I recently finished 1 - 3 (and Legend, Underworld and Tomb Raider (first of the new series)) so I felt right at home watching. And want to point out that it's great, that somebody mentions the addon levels, cause a lot of gamers either ignore them or sometimes haven't even played them at all. And I think that's a loss for them, cause a lot of the levels are great. I hope I will see more videos like this one from you!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, I really appreciate it! It's really a shame that so many people miss out on the add-on levels as some of the best ever Tomb Raider levels are among those expansions. They can be so difficult to track down, especially The Lost Artefact, but it's definitely worth the trouble if you are a Tomb Raider fan. Once again, thank you so much!
i enjoyed every sec of this awesome video. what a ride. hilarious jokes, excellent pacing/editing and an overall superbe atmosphere. keep it up! btw i totally love highland fling due to its nessie-themed scottish beauty (sadly you did not mention the other nessie or dragon encounter inside the castle) and the thames wharf for its super calming starting area with the blueish lighting, ambient background sounds e.g. distant car noises..the still of the night.. super amazing. and so is your top notch video as well. thank you
Thank you SO much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I had to edit out the second Nessie encounter, because I didn't have any space for it in the video :( And I agree! Thames Wharf has superb atmosphere. Once again, thank you!
Absolutely fantastic video, thank you so much for making this. Can really tell how much you love these games, which were also a massive part of my own childhood. Amazing work ❤️
Thank you so much! Appreciate it a lot!
I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video! Thank you so much for making it! And although I don't agree with all of your rankings, it's clear that you really do love the games and that you've played through them multiple times (like me). My favorite levels are The Cistern, Palace Midas, Opera House, The Deck, and Barkhang Monastery.
Here is my full list:
Tier 1 (Best levels, in chronological order (not by ranking)):
St. Francis Folly (I think Core Design mixing up the names from Roman, Greek, and Norse mythology might have been done on purpose since the TR1 storyline alludes to the Ancient Alien theory, and part of the Ancient Alien theory is that the reason different cultures had strikingly similar gods was because they were actually the same alien visiting different places.)
Colosseum
Palace Midas
The Cistern
Tomb of Tihocan
The Great Pyramid
The Great Wall
Opera House
The Deck
Barkhang Monastery
Temple of Xian
Floating Islands
Furnace of the Gods
Kingdom
Nightmare in Vegas
Madubu Gorge
Antarctica (The Antarctica levels were soooo beautiful! The falling snow, the blue water, and Lara’s breath. Also, the idea of an alien meteorite and an ancient lost civilization in Antarctica was a nod to H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness.”)
RX-Tech Mines
Lost City of Tinnos
Meteorite Cavern
Highland Fling
It’s a Madhouse!
Tier 2:
Obelisk of Khamoon
Sanctuary of the Scion
Atlantis
Return to Egypt
Temple of the Cat
Venice
Bartoli’s Hideout
Wreck of the Maria Doria
Nevada Desert
High Security Compound
Area 51
Thames Wharf (I really like the idea of being in the middle of London but somehow above and secluded from all the busyness.)
Willard’s Lair
Sleeping With the Fishes
Tier 3:
Tomb of Qualopec
City of Khamoon
Atlantean Stronghold
The Hive
Tibetan Foothills
Catacombs of the Talion
Caves of Kaliya
Reunion
Tier 4:
Caves
Lost Valley
Natla’s Mines
Lara’s Home (TR2)
Offshore Rig
Diving Area
40 Fathoms
The Ice Palace
Dragon’s Lair
Home Sweet Home
Lara’s Home (TR3)
Temple Ruins
The River Ganges
Coastal Village
Crash Site
Aldwych (I really like the idea of this level but it fell just short of being pulled off really well)
City
Shakespeare Cliff
Tier 5:
City of Vilcabamba
The Cold War
Fool’s Gold
Jungle
Temple of Puna
Lud’s Gate (There were some great parts in this level but also some frustrating parts)
Tier 6 (Worst Levels):
Lara’s Home (TR1)
Living Quarters (This is the worst level in my opinion. It felt like the level designers just had some spare scraps of assorted puzzles they never used so they mashed them all together.)
All Hallows
For the Crash Site level you should have included video of the hidden cave along the climbing wall at the beginning. It was completely unnecessary and didn’t even have a secret, but it was such a cool puzzle and had a really nice atmosphere.
The worst thing was playing Tomb Raider 1 on the PC and discovering that there weren’t any music cues like in the PlayStation version! The music really correlated with some of those moments and immersed the player in the atmosphere. Fortunately, they fixed that with subsequent Tomb Raider games.
Definitely the worst levels in my opinion are the ones in Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation. There were some great moments in there, but waaay too much backtracking and repetitiveness. Also the colors weren’t nearly as vivid; they were all sort of sandy/dirty/less vivid than in previous Tomb Raiders.
Thank you again so much, my friend. To top it off, your collage at the end of this video was absolutely incredibly brilliant!!! It gave me the feels and almost brought me to tears.
Thank you so much for your reply, and very interesting ranking and theories! You might be right about the St. Francis' Folly theory, that would be really cool if true! I also really like your description of Thames Wharf, I hadn't thought about it like that. They really did make those London rooftops and sewers feel like places nobody knows about, within a metropolitan area.
I found myself getting so defensive of some of the lower ranked levels, but I loved this man. Such an undertaking! Very great to revisit this great trilogy.
Haha thank you so much! I'm very pleased to hear that, even if I were harsh on some of your favorites.
Really Enjoyed this video and commentary. These games were such an adventure.