Genre: Action
Perspective: Behind view
Gameplay: Platform, Puzzle elements
Published by: Eidos
Developed by: Core Design Ltd.
Released: 1996
Platforms: PlayStation (PSX, PS1), DOS
Plot
The eccentric business lady Jacqueline Natla hires Lara Croft to search for the ancient artifact of Czion. The archaeologist goes to a mountain expedition to Peru, where he finds a secret entrance to the Inca dwelling. The conductor of Lara dies from the attack of wolves, and then she has to go alone. In the depths of snow-covered caves she finds Vilkabambu - "a city in a rock", where, according to legend, King Kualopek is buried. His tomb is the whereabouts of Szion. At the exit from the tomb, Lara is met by another mercenary Natla - Larson. From it Lara learns that the found artifact is only a part of the key to the gates of Atlantis. Lara goes to Natla's office, where she learns about the whereabouts of the missing piece.
The second part of the stock is in Greece, in the medieval monastery of St. Francis. There, Lara meets a competitor - Pierre Dupont - the same "tomb robber", like herself. In the ancient catacombs of the monastery, where the cultures of Christianity, ancient Greece and Scandinavia intertwine in an intricate way, Lara discovers the entrance to the tomb of the emperor Atlantis Tikikana, where he punishes Pierre and takes away the second part of the Czion. After the reunion of two pieces of artifact Lara has a vision: Tikikan and Kvalopek at the top of the pyramid judge the third member of the Triumvirate - his sister. So Lara learns that the third part of the Citizen in Egypt, where she goes in search.
Finding and combining all three parts, Lara again gets a vision: sister of Tihokan and Kvalopek is Natla. Each part of the Czion - a sign of power - belonged to one of them, but Natla, who wanted to take possession of the entire Czion (and hence of the whole world), violated the balance of power and caused the death of Atlantis. For this, Tikhookan locked it in a block of ice and buried it in the territory of present-day New Mexico. In our days, during the nuclear tests, Natla's prison was damaged and she got free.
Together with the accomplices Natla finally finds Lara and takes away all three parts of the Cetion from her, then orders her to be killed, but the girl manages to escape and take shelter on Natla's yacht. Arriving on an island in the middle of the ocean, unarmed Lara tries to find Natla. Searches lead her to the foot of the Great Pyramid, the central structure of Atlantis. Having dealt with Natla's mercenaries and finding her herself, Lara destroys her plans and breaks the car of Czion. The top of the pyramid explodes, and Lara barely manages to sail from the island to a safe distance.
Gameplay
The peculiarity of the Tomb Raider engine is the division of the 3D game space into blocks (squares), which are easy to see when you carefully review the levels. Nevertheless, the developers took a number of measures, due to which the cubical environment becomes less noticeable - in particular, the use of texturing, static meshes is reasonable. However, the "cubism" of the first Tomb Raider remained a "trademark" of the series until 2001, as it was on the engine of this game that all subsequent games (up to Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness) were based.
The main task of the player in Tomb Raider is with the help of intricate acrobatic techniques, and also by manipulating numerous switches and mechanisms to gain access to previously blocked level zones and finally to the next stage. In achieving this goal, the player is hampered by TR-slang - baddies and clever traps (for example, "classic" pits with spikes, boulders and swinging blades). In addition to the main tasks in each level, an attentive player can find several secrets - well hidden bonuses (first-aid kits, ammunition, etc.).
Unlike many modern arcades and platformers, almost all possible actions in Tomb Raider are performed by the player manually, without the help of the game engine. For example, in order to raise an object, use a switch or climb onto a ledge, the player must press a certain key or button on the keyboard (gamepad).
A significant difference between the versions for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn is the presence of checkpoints - save points, represented in the form of lilac crystals floating in the air, each of which can be used only once. PC-version allows you to save anywhere.
Genre: Action
Perspective: Behind view
Gameplay: Platform, Puzzle elements
Published by: Eidos
Developed by: Core Design Ltd.
Released: 1996
Platforms: PlayStation (PSX, PS1), DOS
Plot
The eccentric business lady Jacqueline Natla hires Lara Croft to search for the ancient artifact of Czion. The archaeologist goes to a mountain expedition to Peru, where he finds a secret entrance to the Inca dwelling. The conductor of Lara dies from the attack of wolves, and then she has to go alone. In the depths of snow-covered caves she finds Vilkabambu - "a city in a rock", where, according to legend, King Kualopek is buried. His tomb is the whereabouts of Szion. At the exit from the tomb, Lara is met by another mercenary Natla - Larson. From it Lara learns that the found artifact is only a part of the key to the gates of Atlantis. Lara goes to Natla's office, where she learns about the whereabouts of the missing piece.
The second part of the stock is in Greece, in the medieval monastery of St. Francis. There, Lara meets a competitor - Pierre Dupont - the same "tomb robber", like herself. In the ancient catacombs of the monastery, where the cultures of Christianity, ancient Greece and Scandinavia intertwine in an intricate way, Lara discovers the entrance to the tomb of the emperor Atlantis Tikikana, where he punishes Pierre and takes away the second part of the Czion. After the reunion of two pieces of artifact Lara has a vision: Tikikan and Kvalopek at the top of the pyramid judge the third member of the Triumvirate - his sister. So Lara learns that the third part of the Citizen in Egypt, where she goes in search.
Finding and combining all three parts, Lara again gets a vision: sister of Tihokan and Kvalopek is Natla. Each part of the Czion - a sign of power - belonged to one of them, but Natla, who wanted to take possession of the entire Czion (and hence of the whole world), violated the balance of power and caused the death of Atlantis. For this, Tikhookan locked it in a block of ice and buried it in the territory of present-day New Mexico. In our days, during the nuclear tests, Natla's prison was damaged and she got free.
Together with the accomplices Natla finally finds Lara and takes away all three parts of the Cetion from her, then orders her to be killed, but the girl manages to escape and take shelter on Natla's yacht. Arriving on an island in the middle of the ocean, unarmed Lara tries to find Natla. Searches lead her to the foot of the Great Pyramid, the central structure of Atlantis. Having dealt with Natla's mercenaries and finding her herself, Lara destroys her plans and breaks the car of Czion. The top of the pyramid explodes, and Lara barely manages to sail from the island to a safe distance.
Gameplay
The peculiarity of the Tomb Raider engine is the division of the 3D game space into blocks (squares), which are easy to see when you carefully review the levels. Nevertheless, the developers took a number of measures, due to which the cubical environment becomes less noticeable - in particular, the use of texturing, static meshes is reasonable. However, the "cubism" of the first Tomb Raider remained a "trademark" of the series until 2001, as it was on the engine of this game that all subsequent games (up to Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness) were based.
The main task of the player in Tomb Raider is with the help of intricate acrobatic techniques, and also by manipulating numerous switches and mechanisms to gain access to previously blocked level zones and finally to the next stage. In achieving this goal, the player is hampered by TR-slang - baddies and clever traps (for example, "classic" pits with spikes, boulders and swinging blades). In addition to the main tasks in each level, an attentive player can find several secrets - well hidden bonuses (first-aid kits, ammunition, etc.).
Unlike many modern arcades and platformers, almost all possible actions in Tomb Raider are performed by the player manually, without the help of the game engine. For example, in order to raise an object, use a switch or climb onto a ledge, the player must press a certain key or button on the keyboard (gamepad).
A significant difference between the versions for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn is the presence of checkpoints - save points, represented in the form of lilac crystals floating in the air, each of which can be used only once. PC-version allows you to save anywhere.