The original Tomb Raider games are more challenging than you remember

Can you imagine how you would react if a tooth suddenly fell out of your mouth right now? It would simply drop onto your keyboard or jump onto the screen of your phone, dripping blood. Every breath would be accompanied by the cold sting of the wind, affecting your freshly exposed gums. You would totally freak out, wouldn't you? I certainly would. I would stare at it in shock, trembling slightly, unsure of what to do. But as a child, that was normal. It was even exciting. As children, we are more resilient to what life throws at us. Keep that in mind as you play the newly announced remastered trilogy of Tomb Raider.

If you haven't played the original Tomb Raider games yet, don't let that deter you. They are fantastic and a piece of video game history that should not be missed. I recently replayed the second (and best) installment myself and can confirm that it still holds up even without graphical enhancements. Many would argue that the Tomb Raider series reached its peak with the original, and on my personal list, Tomb Raider 2 is only surpassed by Legend. Don't be discouraged by that. However, be warned that they are more challenging than most people remember.

We encountered a similar issue when Crash Bandicoot: The N. Sane Trilogy was released. Everyone remembered having a great time with it as a child, only to find themselves suddenly facing "The High Road," feeling helpless and overwhelmed. Crash has always been more challenging than his scaly brother Spyro, but we had forgotten that because we only recalled the fun memories.

Certainly, one aspect that made Crash more challenging was the decision to use the same jumping mechanics in all three games, specifically those from Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. This meant that the longer, higher jumps in the first game now had to be tackled with shorter, lower attempts, leaving less room for error. It remains to be seen if the Tomb Raider Remastered collection will follow a similar path, but in any case, be prepared for these games to challenge you.

Life is tough for kids these days. The world is in turmoil. Wages are stagnant. They'll probably never be able to afford a house. And so on with other such problems. But video games no longer want to test their resilience. Unless it's a game like Elden Ring, where difficulty is at the forefront, most games are eager to extend a helping hand. Do you remember all the hints Atreus and Mimir provided in God of War Ragnarok?

Tomb Raider comes from a different era. If you got stuck, it was your own problem. Either you asked a friend who had already completed the game or you bought the strategy guide for the low price of £/$/¥19.99. Well, maybe not ¥, as that would be about ten cents, but you get the idea. The fun back then was figuring it out on your own. Of course, nowadays you can simply search online for the solution, which makes things easier, but Tomb Raider is designed to be a game where you keep trying again and again.

The original Tomb Raider games spent most of their time exploring tombs, and as a result, Lara encountered numerous puzzles, traps, and climbing challenges. It is a slow, methodical game compared to the newer versions and requires significantly more mental effort.

In the Tomb Raider games, there are, of course, battles involving the famous dual pistols. However, you won't be challenged to the same extent. It's not a walk in the park, but it meets the expectations of an adventure game with some shooting elements. In fact, if you grew up with the modern Survivor Trilogy, you might be surprised to find that the original Tomb Raider games were much more sparing and stylish in their gunplay compared to the latest games. It's not all about smooth agent shooting—after all, Lara is fighting a T-Rex—but it's far more focused and precise than the modern versions.

Everything comes full circle - Uncharted took inspiration from Tomb Raider but emphasized action-packed set pieces, while the latest Tomb Raider games took cues from Uncharted and took it up a notch. The remastered collection will offer a genuine, authentic Tomb Raider experience - the only true experience for purists - and will be worth everyone's time.

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered should be excellent, and I can't wait for its release next year. Generally, I'm somewhat against remakes because I prefer seeing our industry develop fresh ideas rather than reheating old ones. However, when I think about those who missed out and can experience Tomb Raider for the first time, I understand their value. Please check it out next year, just be prepared to get hooked.