Tomb Raider (1996 Video Game) - Reception

Reception

Tomb Raider remains the most critically acclaimed game in the long-running franchise, and has sold over 7 million copies worldwide becoming a bestseller. Upon its release in 1996, the game was widely praised by gaming magazines for its revolutionary graphics, inventive gameplay, and involving storyline. The level of sophistication Tomb Raider reached by combining state-of-the-art graphics, an atmospheric soundtrack, and a cinematic approach to gameplay was at the time unprecedented. The resulting sales were consequential, topping the British charts a record three times, and contributing much to the success of the PlayStation. In the previous year, Eidos Interactive had recorded a nearly $2.6 million in pre-tax loss. The success of the game turned this loss into a $14.5 million profit in only a year.

As one of the top selling games of the PlayStation console, it was one of the first to be released on PlayStation's Platinum series, and its success made Tomb Raider II the most anticipated game of 1997. In 1997, the game was honored with a CODiE award, issued by the Software and Information Industry Association, for Best Adventure/Role- Playing Software Game, beating out 900 other nominees. It also won a multitude of Game of the Year awards from leading industry publications. In 1998, Tomb Raider won the Origins Award for Best Action Computer Game of 1997. The Lara Croft character was prominently featured in the popular media outside the realm of video gaming, for instance on the cover of cutting-edge pop culture magazine The Face in June 1997. In the final issue of the Official UK PlayStation Magazine, the game was chosen as the 4th best game of all time. Tomb Raider, along with its successor, Tomb Raider II, are the two best selling games in the franchise.

Nevertheless, Tomb Raider received some criticism for minor camera and object glitches, as well as its frustrating save system. Additionally, some fans complained about the lack of action in the game, in favor of puzzle solving. Although ironically, Tomb Raider II would be criticized for its overabundance of violence, especially against human opponents.