Chronicles feels like something Core Design didn't want to make. It's the fifth annual Tomb Raider game in a row and it shows. It lives up to the "chronicles" namesake, in a way. Following Lara Croft's supposed death in the fourth game, a bunch of random people get together and talk about her past adventures. This leads to an anthology of levels with little connectivity. It's a neat concept but isn't well executed.

Level design feels undercooked and the final levels are extremely frustrating, especially if you're low on ammo. The helicopter sequence might be the worst part of the PS1 Tomb Raider era. Some of the mechanics aren't well explained, like walking up to a guard to knock them out; others feel underused, like grappling. It also feels buggier than the other TR games leading to it, like there's one area in particular where saving breaks the game.

If you're really itching to play more Tomb Raider, hey, at least it's better than Angel of Darkness. Get Peixoto's patch if you play it.

👍

The quaint texture, the old-fashion experience, the familiar music, and most important, the only strong sexy smart Lara Croft.