111-550: TR2 may refer to: C++ Technical Report 2 , a document proposing additions to the C++ Standard Library after Technical Report 1 Tomb Raider II , a video game Theatre Royal 2 , a drama productions studio, part of Theatre Royal, Plymouth Triumph TR2 , a sports car from the British Triumph Motor Company a Tr2 2-10-0 steam locomotive (decapod) built in
222-451: A shotgun , an MP5 submachine gun, a grenade launcher , a rocket launcher , and a harpoon gun for underwater use. The dual pistols have infinite ammunition and are Lara's default weapons, while the other weapons have finite ammunition and must be found in the levels. At one point in the game, Lara will be stripped of all her weapons, leaving the player defenceless and forced to use stealth , before recovering her pistols later. Lara has
333-443: A better output quality. Tomb Raider III was designed more in line with the puzzle-solving gameplay of the original Tomb Raider as opposed to the more shooting-oriented style of Tomb Raider II . The levels were designed to be less linear than before with the goal of giving players multiple routes to complete each one. The game's five locations were decided upon before the plot was conceived. According to producer Mike Schmitt,
444-475: A certain amount of health that decreases if she falls from a great height or when she is attacked by enemies. If Lara's health is fully depleted, the player must start the game again from a previous save point . Saving the player's progress on the PlayStation version of the game requires a memory card and consumes a Save Crystal from Lara's inventory. These can be found throughout each level and do not require
555-458: A dragon. Lara renders the dragon unconscious and pulls the dagger from Bartoli's heart, killing him and escaping back into the real world just as the area starts to collapse, causing part of the Wall to explode in the process. The Fiamma Nera launch a final unsuccessful attack against Lara at Croft Manor; the final scene is Lara about to disrobe for a shower, then breaking the fourth wall as she shoots at
666-602: A few seconds. The player can also wade through quicksand, but at the risk of drowning Lara. Some levels require the player to use vehicles. For example, the kayak helps Lara fight her way down rapids in the Madubu Gorge level, while an underwater propeller unit allows her to explore deep water areas in the Lud's Gate level. Other vehicles include a quad bike, a boat, and minecarts. Flares may be used to explore darkened areas. Ammunition, flares, and health recovery items are dispersed among
777-485: A greater variety of animal and supernatural enemies. This was also done in response to player complaints about a lack of combat in the original. While the higher combat meant there was more focus on action, Smith noted that the exploration that was a focus of the first game remained important. There were also more boss-like battles compared to the original, and the enemy AI was improved so they could pursue her onto raised platforms. Rather than starting over from scratch,
888-566: A new engine and animation system and add survival elements. The game would have had a remote island setting and a need for Lara to find food and water. Gavin Rummary indicated that it would not have been similar to the 2013 reboot . Eidos however intended to pursue annual releases for the franchise, and wanted a game ready for Christmas 1998. They instead had a new team formed of other Core Design developers work on an expanded version of The Further Adventures of Lara Croft which would be released as
999-475: A piece of Baroque music such as Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach , with the major challenge being to make the violins sound real. He spent three months working on the score for Tomb Raider II . McCree and Kemp later called their work on the game stressful due to not knowing the space they had available, and needing to cut and rearrange the music and sound up to the last minute. The team considered incorporating interactive MIDI sampling, but discarded
1110-539: A reissue of the main game on 30 May. The levels were offered for both versions as a free download for those who already owned Tomb Raider II . While the levels were original, they were built using the existing engine and technology of Tomb Raider II . Phil Campbell, designer of the Gold editions of the Tomb Raider games, noted that the levels and stories were designed based around references more than having any connection to
1221-599: A result, everything was built around the capabilities of the PlayStation hardware, with 16-bit palettes and high- resolution graphics, as opposed to the 8-bit palettes and "pseudo medium" resolution of the earlier titles, as Core Design CEO Jeremy Smith recalled. It made use of a revised engine featuring changes from Martin Gibbins, who previously worked on the 1996 title Blam! Machinehead . The upgraded engine offered better speed efficiency and new graphical features. While both
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#17328527392061332-442: A secret code that blew Lara up rather than its rumoured function of stripping Lara. A bug was present in the game that allowed Lara, when positioned correctly on the corner of a wall, to rapidly fly upwards. This could allow the player to skip sections of the level, or reach areas that were thought to be unreachable otherwise. The team were aware of the issue late in development, but a fix for it would have required adjustments to all
1443-528: A seven level expansion pack for Tomb Raider II . The final game retained a shortened Adventures of Lara Croft subtitle. It was developed by the expansion pack team- a new group formed from other Core Design developers- rather than the Tomb Raider II team. The PlayStation served as the lead platform for the game, while the Microsoft Windows release is a conversion with slightly improved visuals. As
1554-404: A standalone Tomb Raider III . Their intention at the time was that the original team would continue working on the PlayStation 2 title in the interim as a future mainline entry for the franchise. Eidos did not notify the developers of the production change; Gavin Rummary indicated that they only became aware when Tomb Raider III was announced to the public as a PlayStation title. The original team
1665-648: Is a 1997 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive . It was first released on Windows and PlayStation . Later releases came for Mac OS (1998), iOS (2014) and Android (2015). It is the second entry in the Tomb Raider series, and follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft hunting the magical Dagger of Xian in competition with an Italian cult. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes while fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress, with some areas allowing for or requiring
1776-603: Is able to walk through shallow water, climb ladders and other designated surfaces, turn 180 degrees while jumping or swimming, and during the Venice and Tibet levels drive a speedboat and snowmobile respectively. Zip lines in some areas can be used to traverse large gaps, and flares can be used to light dark areas for a limited time. By default in combat, Lara uses two pistols with infinite ammo, with her unable to perform actions aside from jumping while her weapons are drawn. Supplementary weapons with limited ammunition can be found during
1887-425: Is involved, the exploration and problem solving keep the players riveted for hours and also praised the graphics. GamePro gave Tomb Raider II a 4.0 out of 5 for control and a perfect 5.0 for sound, fun factor, and graphics, applauding the controls, onslaught of threats, character animation, cinematic cutscenes, and intelligent use of sound effects and music. Electronic Gaming Monthly named it "Adventure Game of
1998-508: Is killed, the player must restart from a previous save. Lara Croft is searching for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon once used by an ancient Emperor of China to command his army; by plunging the weapon into its owner's heart, the weapon has the power to transform its bearer into a dragon . Having tracked the Dagger's chamber to beneath the Great Wall of China , Lara is accosted by a member of
2109-407: Is possible to lead him into the walk-in freezer and close the door to trap him in there. Doing so became a popular joke among players. Heather Gibson was aware it was possible during development of the level, but it was not a conscious design choice. Winston was coded as "violent" but was slow moving and lacked any attacks, which led him to follow Lara slowly around the level. He would attempt to leave
2220-571: Is searching for an artefact known as the Infada Stone in the ruins of an ancient Indian Hindu temple once inhabited by the Infada tribe. After taking the artefact from a researcher working for RX-Tech, Lara is approached by RX-Tech scientist Dr. Willard, who explains that Polynesians came across a meteorite crater in Antarctica thousands of years ago and found that it held incredible power. Using rock from
2331-441: Is the third title in the Tomb Raider series and a sequel to Tomb Raider II . The story of the game follows archaeologist -adventurer Lara Croft as she embarks upon a quest to recover four pieces of a meteorite that are scattered across the world. To progress through the game, the player must complete a series of levels that involve solving puzzles , traversing dangerous locations, and defeating enemies. Tomb Raider III
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#17328527392062442-643: The SEAT car manufacturer and a music video for the German band Die Ärzte . British sports lifestyle brand Animal designed and merchandised a range of Lara Croft clothes and accessories, while Core Design launched its own clothing articles. In May 1998, a demonstration of the game was presented at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Atlanta , Georgia. The show included a virtual appearance of Lara, which allowed
2553-463: The remastered version of the game , locking Winston in the freezer causes him to be frozen into a block of ice and the player is granted an achievement. Tomb Raider III Tomb Raider III (also known as Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft ) is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive . It was released for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows platforms in 1998. Tomb Raider III
2664-517: The 1998 sequel, Tomb Raider III . An expansion entitled The Golden Mask was released the following year, containing new levels focused on Lara's quest to find a golden mask in Alaska . A remastered version of the game, alongside The Golden Mask , was included in Tomb Raider I–III Remastered in 2024. Tomb Raider II is an action-adventure video game in which the player assumes
2775-626: The 1999 Milia festival in Cannes , Tomb Raider II took home a "Gold" prize for revenues above €39 million in the European Union during the previous year. The game has sold 6.8 million copies worldwide as of 2009, and was the second overall best selling PlayStation title in the UK. Following Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider II , the Core Design team wanted two years to properly evolve the series game design, but
2886-560: The Fiamma Nera, an Italian cult obsessed with the Dagger. Before killing himself, the cultist reveals that his master Marco Bartoli seeks the Dagger, and she tracks the Fiamma Nera to an abandoned opera house in Venice , Italy. Stowing away aboard a seaplane leaving Venice with Bartoli on board, Lara overhears Bartoli discussing the Seraph, an object key to retrieving the key to the Dagger's chamber that
2997-405: The German market between January and September 1998 alone, which made it the region's third-best-selling computer game during that period. It ultimately became the German market's fifth-best-selling computer game of 1998 as a whole. Tomb Raider II ' s PlayStation version sold 221,000 units and was the German market's third-biggest console title across all systems over the same timeframe. At
3108-557: The Mac in January 2000, and included in the mobile ports and Remastered , several re-releases of Tomb Raider II excluded The Golden Mask due to licensing issues. Tomb Raider II received positive reviews from most critics. At Metacritic , which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100, the game received a score of 85 for the PlayStation version based on 13 reviews, which indicates "favourable reviews". The majority commented that while
3219-559: The Police about their obsession with Lara Croft. Afterwards the film remained on a digibeta tape that was rediscovered by Janey de Nordwall, handed over to Square Enix; and eventually released on YouTube in 2016. Tomb Raider III was released for the Microsoft Windows and PlayStation platforms in Europe on 20 November 1998, and in North America on 24 November. Upon release, some minor bugs in
3330-462: The RX-Tech excavation site. After fighting more mutants and navigating the treacherous ruins of the ancient city of Tinnos built atop the meteorite crater, Lara faces Willard, who has now used the power of the four artefacts to greatly speed up the evolutionary processes of the human body and thereby turned himself into a spider-like creature. Lara deactivates the meteorite by recovering the artefacts, kills
3441-698: The USA, but operated in Finland TR-2 , a variant of the Grumman American AA-1 TR.2 , a variant of the Hitachi TR.1 TR.2 , see Orenda Engines TR2 , a postal district in the TR postcode area TAS1R2 , a taste receptor Temple Run 2 Westinghouse TR-2 research reactor operated in the 1960s [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
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3552-524: The Year" at their 1997 Editors' Choice Awards, citing its unmatched variety of challenges and experiences. In August 1998, Tomb Raider II ' s computer and PlayStation releases each received a "Platinum" sales award from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD), given to games with at least 200,000 sales across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Sales of its computer version totaled 137,000 units in
3663-469: The audience to ask her questions. According to Core Design's public relations manager Susie Hamilton, a total of £1.7 million was spent on the marketing campaign. Like its predecessor, Tomb Raider III had a launch party at the Natural History Museum, London . A short film was shot for the event, entitled Tomb Raider: The Trilogy . The tongue-in-cheek film featured a gamer being interrogated by
3774-441: The biggest and most rewarding game of the series. CVG described it as a perfect mix of the exploration and puzzles of the original, in addition of more shooting elements in the game. Other critics, however, felt that the game failed to change the same tried and tested formula. In its review, IGN said that Tomb Raider III added nothing revolutionary in its formula. Writing for GameSpot , reviewer Joe Fielder highlighted
3885-468: The camera. Upon its release in 1996, Tomb Raider was a huge critical and commercial success for developer Core Design and publisher Eidos Interactive . According to one report, a sequel was being planned two months before the original was released. Co-designer Heather Gibson called the prospect of not making a sequel "unthinkable" given the work done on the original and its commercial success. Due to creative differences surrounding Lara's portrayal and
3996-484: The company was committed by Eidos to delivering a new Tomb Raider title annually to meet consumer demand, which caused several team members to attempt quitting. To compromise, Heath-Smith hired further staff, with many of these new hires working on the next entry. Originally intended as a spin-off and reworked during development as the next mainline entry, Tomb Raider III was released in 1998 for PlayStation and Windows. Alongside this, other team members began work on
4107-412: The comparison even more favourably, considering Tomb Raider II a superior game. Among the changes the sequel made, the ones which received the most positive mentions were the addition of vehicles and the ability to climb walls. Many critics also compared the game's massive length favourably to that of the original Tomb Raider . Both GameSpot ' s Tim Soete and GamePro highly praised
4218-461: The console to program an adequate conversion. It was reported that the more detailed 3D graphics of Tomb Raider II were too much for the Saturn hardware to handle, as the original game was already known to perform worse than other versions. In September 1997, Eidos signed a deal with Sony, making the console versions of Tomb Raider exclusive to the PlayStation until the year 2000. The Windows version
4329-469: The dark and attack the player, or retreat back into the level and regroup to attack later. Stealth features partially inspired by the 1997 first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 were introduced, giving players the ability to avoid detection by sneaking behind enemies. New vehicles that are critical to complete certain levels were added; the team also experimented with the idea of putting Lara on horseback, but they ultimately discarded it. The London section of
4440-556: The decision to make a sequel rather than an entirely new game, her credited creator Toby Gard left the company alongside designer Paul Douglas, prompting mixed feelings from the other team members. Programmer Gavin Rummery had been working with Gard and Douglas on a planned original title, but disagreed with their attitude towards the heads of Core Design and rejoined the Tomb Raider team shortly before Gard and Douglas left. The production schedule, estimated at between six and eight months,
4551-409: The differences from the original game are relatively small, Tomb Raider was a strong enough game that these differences and the consistent execution were enough to make an outstanding game. Next Generation , for example, stated that despite its forced development and having little additions in the game, the magazine felt the second game was superior to the original. Glenn Rubenstein was one of
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4662-447: The different locations in a nonlinear fashion makes Lara's adventuring more diverse and rewarding. CVG ' s Alez Huhtala praised the fact that players must collect Save Crystals to save their progress in the PlayStation version of the game, as he felt that Tomb Raider II ' s option to save the game at any time made the game very easy and removed tension. In contrast, Joe Rybicki of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine felt that
4773-410: The enormous size of the levels. Soete and Next Generation also praised the huge levels, with Soete commenting that Lara is exaggeratedly dwarfed in her surroundings, scaling the enormous walls of a gangster hideout's vestibule during one adventure, swinging from balcony to balcony in a surrealistically proportioned opera house during another. Macworld ' s Michael Gowan wrote that while gunplay
4884-584: The existence of a fifth meteorite piece called the Hand of Rathmore. In 2011, Tomb Raider III was released as a "PSOne Classic" on the PlayStation Network . Tomb Raider III and The Lost Artifact were released as part of Tomb Raider I–III Remastered , a high-definition remaster for Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Windows , Xbox One , and Xbox Series X/S . Released in February 2024, it
4995-501: The few to disagree, writing in GameSpot that the improvements were cosmetic. He opined that both instalments of the series to date are uninspired games which sold largely on the stardom of Lara Croft. IGN ' s Adam Douglas concluded that compared to its predecessor, the second game is inferior to the original despite being entertaining. Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly drew
5106-579: The film rights were acquired by Paramount Pictures in 1998. The adaptation was eventually released as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 with Angelina Jolie in the titular role. The game has received a fan remake in Unreal Engine titled Tomb Raider: The Dagger of Xian , currently covering part of the opening level in the Great Wall. As Winston the butler follows Lara around the Croft Manor level, it
5217-473: The final game. An additional set of four levels, alternately called Tomb Raider II Gold and Tomb Raider II: The Golden Mask , was released in 1999. The story follows Lara exploring a hidden realm in Alaska in search of a magical golden mask. The levels were first released as downloadable content through the game's website starting in April 1999. The full version was released as an expansion pack alongside
5328-459: The fourth artefact, Element 115, is located in an alien spacecraft guarded by the US government. She is taken prisoner after her attempted break-in fails. Freeing herself, she escapes the security compound and stows away in a truck to Area 51, where she obtains the artefact. After collecting all four artefacts, Lara travels to Antarctica and discovers that Dr. Willard had been using the knowledge gained from
5439-439: The fourth entry Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999), intended as a means of killing off the character due to the workload and stress of developing the series. Tomb Raider II and The Golden Mask expansion were released as part of Tomb Raider I–III Remastered , a high-definition remaster for Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Windows , Xbox One , and Xbox Series X/S . Released in February 2024, it
5550-500: The freezer but was unable to do so. Asked about the scene in an interview conducted for The Making of Tomb Raider , McCree stated that for fans "...it’s oddly part of their childhood, hearing Winston, and locking him in the freezer." The scene is referenced in Rise of the Tomb Raider , where a document indicates that a younger Lara used to lock Winston in there as an "act of rebellion". In
5661-406: The game and generally become more directly involved in the game's development. He worked on the game's music and sound with sound designer Matt Kemp. McCree enjoyed finding ways of arranging the main theme, with its simplicity making variations after the first game easy. One of the pieces he remembered fondly was "Venice"; describing it as "an exercise in stylistic writing", he wrote it to sound like
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#17328527392065772-588: The game is so difficult that it is impossible to beat without buying a strategy guide. Similarly, Electronic Gaming Monthly criticised the game for being rushed and highly frustrating. The magazine also remarked that the stealth elements in the Nevada levels were ineffective, especially when compared to Konami 's Metal Gear Solid . The game's new vehicles, improved artificial intelligence of enemies, and nonlinear gameplay were generally highlighted positively. The Electric Playground said that progressing through
5883-480: The game was kept a secret, though she did confide in her son. The secrecy was part of the marketing strategy that Eidos was employing to make Lara seem like a real person. Voice recording took place in London and lasted months due to the need to re-record due to frequent script changes. She would voice the character only once more in the following game. Tomb Raider II was announced early in 1997. An early demo based on
5994-438: The game was originally intended to feature an additional level set in a cathedral, but was removed from the main story due to its high difficulty and kept instead as a bonus available after collecting secrets. The development of the game took eleven months to complete, and incorporating all the new ideas into the engine was considered the most difficult task of the project. In late 1997, a survival game entitled Tomb Raider III
6105-485: The game were detected, the most significant of which prevented players from completing the Temple Ruins level if they saved the game in a specific area and then went back to that area. Although the bugs in the Microsoft Windows version were addressed with the release of a patch , they remained in the original PlayStation discs. To prevent further issues, Core Design quickly burned new gold discs with an updated version of
6216-501: The game's alpha version, later leaked online, was shown at E3 . Beginning in October, Eidos launched what was described as a "multi-media dollar" extensive marketing campaign including radio commercials, print and television ads, cross promotion with MTV and the drink brand Pepsi , and a direct mail campaign. The push ran parallel to an increased media presence for Lara as a character. The exclusivity deal with Sony meant that extra funding
6327-476: The game. A port , developed by Westlake Interactive and published by Aspyr , was released for Mac OS computers in 1999. A stand-alone expansion, titled Tomb Raider III: The Lost Artefact , was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS computers in March 2000. Unlike the main game, the expansion was developed by a separate Eidos team. It includes six levels set in several European locations, where Lara must learn of
6438-613: The game; these are a shotgun , dual automatic pistols , dual Uzis , an M16 rifle , a grenade launcher , and a harpoon gun used in underwater combat. In some urban areas, windows can be shot out to create new routes. During exploration, Lara can find supplies such as medipacks which heal damage, flares and ammunition for weapons both from defeated enemies, and around the environment. Each level contains three secret collectables−a silver , jade and gold dragon−which reward supply caches and sometimes weapons when all three are collected. Players can perform saves anywhere in-game. If Lara
6549-610: The gameplay is carried over from the original Tomb Raider . The game is presented in a third person perspective focused on Lara, with levels and movement built around a grid-based system, with Lara's movement built around tank controls . Progress is based on puzzles revolving around finding keys and completing platforming sections, avoiding traps and environmental hazards in the process. Lara can run, walk (which prevents her from falling off ledges), look around areas, jump forwards and backwards, shimmy along ledges, crawl, swim through bodies of water, and move blocks. In addition, Lara
6660-420: The graphics for their new lighting effects and varied textures, saying that they improve the gameplay experience because they make it easier for players to identify ledges and jump-off points. Douglass Perry of IGN remarked that the upgraded engine made the game look better than its predecessors, but overall considered Tomb Raider III to be outdated, especially when compared to newer engines that were released at
6771-430: The idea due to poor sound quality. While Lara's original voice actress Shelley Blond was offered the chance to reprise her role, she was unable to do so due to other commitments, but she gave permission for her effort noises to be kept. Judith Gibbins became the new voice of Lara. Gibbins, who had worked in amateur dramatics, was recommended to audition by her brother Martin Gibbins worked at Core Design. Her role in
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#17328527392066882-417: The inclusion of vehicles as his suggestion. Three proposed actions that did not make it into the final game were crawling through narrow spaces, swinging on ropes, and a "hand-over-hand" gymnastics move with an unspecified application. Planned section riding a motorbike and a horse had to be cut. The game was to have ended with the dragon battle, but this was felt to be anticlimactic, so an epilogue level
6993-575: The launch event, which was hosted by Jonathan Ross . The launch party itself took place in Central Hall (now known as Hintze Hall), which at the time was dominated by the Diplodocus cast Dippy . Both versions of the game were released in North America and Europe on 21 November 1997. The PlayStation version was published in Japan by Victor Interactive Software on 22 January 1998. A version for Mac OS
7104-428: The levels as it affected Lara's reaching distance when attempting to grab a ledge. They decided to leave it in, and Neal Boyd intentionally placed a medipack in the game that could only be reached by using the glitch. The bug also exists in the original Tomb Raider. In that game Sony Europe discovered it during their playtesting in the submissions procedure and a provisional fix by that games lead programmer, Paul Douglas,
7215-425: The levels to help players increase their resources. The game features a tutorial level where the player can practice Lara's moves and combat abilities. A corporation called RX-Tech excavates the crash site of a meteorite that impacted on Antarctica millions of years ago and finds strange Rapa Nui -like statues alongside the grave of one of HMS Beagle 's sailors. Meanwhile, archaeologist -adventurer Lara Croft
7326-503: The main game. The level set was originally going to have an opening cutscene introducing the narrative. Lara was originally given a more revealing leopard skin jumpsuit outfit for the level "Nightmare in Vegas", but was vetoed by Eidos and Core Design as not fitting the character. Another dropped concept for the level was having the scenery mostly in black and white, and human enemies being different versions of Elvis Presley . While released for
7437-431: The meteorite to perform experiments on his own men, turning them into horrible mutations . Angered by this revelation, she confronts Dr. Willard, who reveals that he is planning to encourage the mutations, only on a global scale, using the combined power of the artefacts and the meteorite from which they were carved. As Lara voices her opposition to his operation, Willard betrays her, steals the artefacts, and disappears into
7548-433: The meteorite, they crafted four crystalline artefacts, one of which is the Infada Stone. They fled Antarctica for unknown reasons, but in the 19th century, a group of sailors travelling with Charles Darwin came to Antarctica and rediscovered the artefacts. The four artefacts were distributed across the globe. Dr. Willard has been able to track the artefacts by using the diary of one of the sailors. Lara agrees to help him find
7659-464: The monk, and Lara narrowly escapes and dives alongside a submersible to discover the shipwreck, and searching throughout the remains she eventually retrieves the Seraph. Using the plane, she heads for Tibet and reaches the Barkhang Monastery, which is under siege from the Fiamma Nera. Using the Seraph, she opens the way to retrieve the key to the Dagger's chamber, killing its monstrous guardian in
7770-485: The more shooting-oriented style of Tomb Raider II . Accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign, Tomb Raider III was a commercial success, selling around six million copies worldwide. Although the game received generally favourable reviews, it did not fare as well as its predecessors, with critics generally agreeing that the game failed to change the same tried and tested formula. The game's difficult and unforgiving gameplay also received some criticism. Tomb Raider III
7881-501: The mutated Willard, and escapes by helicopter. As the development of Tomb Raider II concluded in late 1997, Core Design considered plans for a sequel. The fact that the second game was selling very well dispelled the team's fears that the franchise was a one-hit wonder , and led to the scoping of a continuation for the franchise. Development on Tomb Raider III began that December. The project originated as an extension of The Further Adventures of Lara Croft , which had been planned as
7992-466: The number of polygons. She was also given a free-flowing ponytail to make her more realistic. The ponytail had been present in some early builds of the first game but had to be cut due to technical issues; a fix was developed that allowed it to appear in II . While Gard had been unwilling to populate the game with human enemies, Tomb Raider II put a greater focus on combat with armed human opponents, alongside
8103-419: The original Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider II used a grid system where developers could build the levels with a set of blocks, Tomb Raider III ' s system incorporated triangular polygons , allowing developers to achieve greater detail and more complex architectural structures. The triangles also allowed developers to implement the game's quicksand and rippling water features. The dynamic lighting system
8214-446: The original Tomb Raider in mind. GamePro likewise described it as "for experts", but suggested that novices could learn the game given a good amount of patience and practice. The graphics received more criticism than other aspects of the game; both Rubenstein and Electronic Gaming Monthly ' s Shawn Smith noted that the environmental graphics are rough, but added that this was both understandable and relatively unimportant given
8325-526: The other three. Travelling to a South Pacific island in Indonesia , Lara encounters a wounded soldier who gives her hints about the existence of Puna, a powerful deity . While pursuing Puna, Lara learns that one of Darwin's sailors brought one of the artefacts to the island. She infiltrates a temple and defeats Puna, who has immense power granted by the second artefact, the Ora Dagger. In London, Lara searches for
8436-416: The player can run, jump, climb, crawl, "monkey swing" across certain overhead frames, and swim and dive underwater for a limited period of time. Lara can sprint to gain a temporary burst of greater speed while running, which is useful for escaping errant boulders and other immediate disasters. To defeat enemies, the player can use a variety of weapons, including dual pistols , dual Uzis , a Desert Eagle ,
8547-593: The player controls the protagonist, Lara Croft , from a third-person perspective through five locations: India , South Pacific , London , Nevada , and Antarctica . Once the player completes the first location (India), the following three (South Pacific, London, and Nevada) can be played in any order before the final location (Antarctica) closes the game. Each location features a series of enclosed levels that involve solving puzzles , jumping over obstacles, and defeating enemies. Most puzzles involve rearranging items, manipulating switches, or pushing objects. As Lara,
8658-433: The player to save the game at the pick-up spot. A significant portion of the game takes place underwater. Some pools are inhabited by piranhas that can kill Lara within seconds, while others have streams with currents that can pull her in a fixed direction, preventing the player from being able to swim back or grab onto a ledge. Furthermore, the water in the Antarctica levels is too cold for Lara to swim through for more than
8769-520: The possibility of implementing hand-to-hand combat , but the idea was rejected because it would have required giving enemies new combat animations. Dr. Tom Scutt, a specialist with a Ph.D in artificial intelligence was hired to enhance the game's artificial intelligence and give enemies more lifelike behaviour. In previous Tomb Raider games, enemies would simply run at Lara and attack immediately, whereas in Tomb Raider III , enemies can pop out of
8880-421: The process. Escaping the Fiamma Nera, she unlocks the Dagger's chamber, but is plunged into the catacombs beneath before she can reach it. Making her way back, she witnesses Bartoli stabbing himself with the Dagger and being carried through a portal by his cultists. Following them through, Lara navigates a magical space of floating jade islands and animated statues, finally confronting Bartoli as he transforms into
8991-421: The role of archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft , exploring a series of locations including ruins and tombs in search of ancient artefacts. The game is split into levels: the Great Wall of China , Venice , an oil rig and shipwreck in an unspecified ocean area, and the foothills of Tibet . Lara's home of Croft Manor can be accessed from the start menu as a training area, and is used in the final level. Much of
9102-406: The same platforms as the original. Core Design had been planning for a Saturn version of Tomb Raider II to use the 3D accelerator cartridge designed for the Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 3 ; this cartridge was cancelled before Tomb Raider II was completed. The Saturn version was officially cancelled in mid-1997, with Core Design staff member Adrian Smith citing technical limitations of
9213-577: The same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TR2&oldid=1011253614 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tomb Raider II Tomb Raider II (also known as Tomb Raider II: Starring Lara Croft )
9324-482: The save system was a poor return and aspect from the original game, making Tomb Raider III much more frustrating, but ultimately recommended it for its addictive gameplay. Upon release, Tomb Raider III topped the UK games charts and was the German market's second-best-selling video game of 1998, behind Anno 1602 . At the 1999 Milia festival in Cannes, it took home a "Platinum" prize for revenues above €68 million in
9435-427: The team opted to "just take a globe, spin it, and see where it lands, and whether it's an interesting location or not". Once the setting had been decided upon, a storyline linking all the locations was written. Lara's range of abilities was expanded with moves such as the duck, crawl, dash, and "monkey swing". The 1995 film Desperado was an influence on Lara's gun play and new moves. Developers initially considered
9546-465: The team used the same engine as the first game, focusing on tweaking and including new features such as climbing and wading. Adding in all the new elements, both graphical and gameplay-related, was described as challenging as the team wanted the game to be seen as its own game more than a sequel. Grenades were originally planned for the first game, but were not finished in time for release, so were not included in Tomb Raider II . A new level editor tool
9657-468: The third artefact, the Eye of Isis, now in the possession of Sophia Leigh, the head of a cosmetics corporation. Lara learns that the corporation has performed experiments on humans in order to achieve immortality and eternal youth for Sophia's personal gain. Lara confronts Sophia in her office and ultimately obtains the artefact. In Nevada, Lara makes her way through a desert canyon and tries to enter Area 51 , where
9768-524: The time. Edge felt that the old controls did not suit the more complex environments and criticised the game's lack of narrative and cinematic presentation. The game's difficult and unforgiving gameplay frustrated critics. Game Revolution explained that, while in previous Tomb Raider games instant death was when trying to rush through an area, every step in Tomb Raider III is a potential threat of instant death. The publication went so far as to call Tomb Raider III "a marketing concept", stating that
9879-516: The timed traps, saying they induce a greater sense of panic and engagement than the traps in the original Tomb Raider . Rubenstein, despite his generally negative assessment of the game, agreed with Douglas that the greater number of human opponents in the sequel was a welcome improvement. An overwhelming majority of critics described Tomb Raider II as extremely difficult right from the beginning levels, with Next Generation stating that Core had clearly designed it with players who had completed
9990-432: The use of vehicles. Production began in 1996 immediately after the success of the original Tomb Raider , being completed in between six and eight months, a short development period which was physically and emotionally stressful for the team. Original staff members Toby Gard and Paul Douglas left over creative differences with the publisher, though many remained including composer Nathan McCree . A Sega Saturn version
10101-425: Was ported to Mac OS computers in 1999 and released as a PSOne Classic on the PlayStation Network in 2011. A stand-alone expansion featuring six new levels, titled Tomb Raider III: The Lost Artefact , was released in 2000. A remastered version of the game, alongside The Lost Artefact , was included in Tomb Raider I–III Remastered in 2024. Tomb Raider III is a single-player action-adventure game where
10212-451: Was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign. To promote the game, English model Nell McAndrew was hired to appear as Lara Croft on a press tour across Italy, Spain, Germany, the US, and Australia. McAndrew made appearances on various multimedia outlets, including TV shows, radio stations, and department stores, while Lara Croft appeared on the front cover of most UK games magazines. Other highlights included French TV advertisements for
10323-494: Was added. Due to time constraints, the team set the epilogue in the existing Croft Manor level. Winston the Butler was intended to appear in this final level armed with a blunderbuss, though he would not actually attack the enemies. His appearance was cut due to time constraints. The final shower scene, with Lara breaking the fourth wall, was a response from Core Design to the notorious " Nude Raider " fan patch. They similarly included
10434-680: Was built for the Windows 95 system. The team described the two versions as having few differences beyond their graphics; the Windows version allowed for high resolution display, while the PlayStation version used "neat transparencies and other effects". Lara's appearance in Tomb Raider II was given a make-over by Atkinson. The number of polygons used for her character model was increased, adding more realistic curves to its design, and giving her more outfits for different levels. Core Design producer Andrew Thompson estimated that her character model used double
10545-412: Was built on an upgraded version of the Tomb Raider engine that was used by its predecessors. The engine offers better speed efficiency and new graphical features such as coloured lighting and triangular polygons , allowing developers to achieve greater detail and more complex geometry. The game was designed to be more in line with the puzzle-solving gameplay of the original Tomb Raider as opposed to
10656-515: Was burned out from the extreme crunch for the previous games, and were concerned about conflicts between the two projects. "it was just too much", according to Stuart Atkinson. The survival game concept persisted without the Tomb Raider IP briefly, but the team were ultimately moved to work on Project Eden (2001). There would be no Tomb Raider game for the PlayStation 2 until The Angel of Darkness (2003). The release of Tomb Raider III
10767-487: Was designed so areas could be put together quickly, speeding up the level creation and allowing for quick detection of bugs. There was a greater variety of level environments created, including a number of outdoor areas. The in-game camera was also adjusted to correct awkward camera angles that could occur in the original. Tomb Raider II was described as similar in length to the first game, but with more detailed environments and expanded gameplay elements. Atkinson attributed
10878-498: Was developed and published by Aspyr in partnership with Crystal Dynamics . The remaster includes options for new control schemes, and revamped graphics. Although Tomb Raider III received generally favourable reviews from critics, it did not fare as well as its two predecessors. Edge considered Tomb Raider III "a valid addition to the growing franchise", stating that it offers more attractive graphics and more innovation than Tomb Raider II , while Next Generation called it
10989-446: Was developed and published by Aspyr in partnership with Crystal Dynamics . The remaster includes options for new control schemes, and revamped graphics. During this period, Lara Croft also reached the height of her popularity as a character, appearing in advertisements and media crossovers, including an appearance in U2 's 1997 PopMart Tour . A film adaptation was first proposed in 1996 and
11100-457: Was developed by Westlake Interactive and published by Aspyr in North America in October 1998. Tomb Raider II was made available for download for the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network store on 7 September 2012. The game was released for Mac OS X and sold via the Mac App Store in October 2011. The PC version was re-released digitally in 2012 by GOG.com . A version for iOS
11211-463: Was established for the expansion, while the Tomb Raider II team explored an early transition to the PlayStation 2 for the franchise with a two or three year development period. In the end Eidos' desire for annual sequels led to a cancellation of the PlayStation 2 project ; the expansion team instead developed a full sequel for PlayStation as Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft . Some elements from The Further Adventures were carried over into
11322-424: Was extremely taxing for the team both physically and emotionally, with team members later describing the entire production as a prolonged crunch period. Rummery described its production as "insane". Alongside Rummery and Gibson, co-designer Neal Boyd, producer Troy Horton, writer Vicky Arnold, and composer Nathan McCree also remained. The team was also expanded so the game could be produced in time; among them
11433-493: Was future designer Andy Sandham, transferred over from production of Fighting Force 2 to work on the CGI cutscenes. Also new to the team were animators Stewart Atkinson and Joss Charmet. A team of six playtesters worked on the game throughout production right until it was sent for Sony's approval, playing through the game repeatedly to pick up bugs. Tomb Raider II was originally planned for PlayStation , Windows and Sega Saturn ,
11544-426: Was implemented but omitted from the final release due to not having sufficient time to test the change. Variants of this bug exist in the first five Tomb Raider games and are often exploited by speedrunners . McCree was allotted much more time to score the game than he was with the original Tomb Raider , allowing him to not only write twice as many tunes, but also plan out ahead of time how his music would be used in
11655-418: Was improved with coloured lighting and better water reflection, making Tomb Raider III more atmospheric than its predecessors. The team also implemented new weather effects such as rain, snow, and wind. The game features more particle effects , offering more realistic explosions and smoke. All the textures used in the game were drawn in true colour before being rendered by the graphics engine, resulting in
11766-407: Was in early development for the PlayStation 2. In interviews conducted for The Making of Tomb Raider , most staff indicated that a two-year development cycle was planned, though Heather Gibson stated that it would have been three years. The team intended to make major changes for the sequel, as they did not want to simply make another game with the same engine and gameplay. The team intended to develop
11877-399: Was made available for the game's marketing, alongside making the Tomb Raider series an icon for the console. Due to the deadline pressure, PlayStation demo discs were mistakenly sent to Sony with expired copy-protection timers, making them unplayable. After Sony "went nuclear", Core Design quickly created a fix and recalled the discs. The Natural History Museum, London was booked out for
11988-501: Was nicknamed Tomb Raider 2.5 by some media at the time, and Gavin Rummery described it as a "continuation" of Tomb Raider II . A disk swapping feature was in development for the Playstation version of Tomb Raider II that would allow players to launch the original, then switch out disks to play the expansion pack levels. According to IGN it would have also featured new FMV sequences. A new team composed of other Core Design developers
12099-590: Was published by then-franchise owner Square Enix on 3 December 2014. This version was released for Android the following year on 28 October. The game was remastered as part of the Tomb Raider I–III Remastered collection for the Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox Series X|S , Xbox One , and PC in February 2024. A cancelled expansion pack for the game was in development in late 1997, which would have featured seven levels set in India. The pack
12210-408: Was scrapped due to a console exclusivity deal signed between Eidos and Sony. Critics praised the game at release, with many noting its expanded gameplay and smoother graphics. It went on to sell nearly seven million copies worldwide. An expansion pack entitled The Further Adventures of Lara Croft was in development in late 1997 but was cancelled. Some elements from the project were carried over to
12321-557: Was with his father Gianni when his luxury liner Maria Doria was bombed and sunk. Lara is found on the plane and captured, being imprisoned in a repurposed oil rig above the Maria Doria . Lara escapes and encounters a monk of the Barkhang Monastery in Tibet, who originally defeated the Emperor and sealed the Dagger away. The monk was there to prevent Bartoli from salvaging the Seraph. Bartoli kills
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