Tomb Raider II - PC

Tomb Raider 2’s textures have been given a larger library than the original, making it more appealing to the naked eye. Also, the game’s structure has been altered in favour of combat as opposed to adventure and exploration. While this may be favourable for new players to the series, players looking for more of the same will be disappointed. New abilities and the use of vehicles have been added to Lara's repertoire. Now you can drive around on a snowmobile in arctic weather, or ride in a speedboat through the city of Venice.

Tomb Raider 2 is the first game in the series to make use of hardware acceleration without the need for a patch. If you have a 3D card (and what self-respecting gamer doesn’t?) Tomb Raider 2 looks fantastic in high-resolution. A modified game engine allows more polygons to be displayed simultaneously, and Tomb Raider 2’s other new graphical feature is dynamic lighting. The new lighting effects add suspense to the gameplay, especially when you are darkened corridor illuminated only by your torch, and you can hear someone or something creeping up on you.

If you have missed out on this gem of a game, it might be worth taking another look at this highly playable and very addictive title.