Tomb Raider II (1997)
The second instalment in the Tomb Raider series invites you to join Lara as she travels around the globe to retrieve a precious artefact before it falls into the wrong hands. The legendary artefact, the Dagger of Xian, is said to give its possessor the power of a fire breathing dragon.
Tomb Raider II (1997) is a adventure, action and female protagonist game
developed by Core Design
and published by Crystal Dynamics.
Released on November 28th 2012 is available in English only on Windows.
It has received 2,284 reviews of which 1,987 were positive and 297 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. ๐
The game is currently priced at 6.99โฌ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified Tomb Raider II (1997) into these genres:
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Requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *:Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7
- Processor:1.8 GHz Processor
- Memory:512 MB RAM
- Graphics:3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 9
- DirectXยฎ:9.0
- Hard Drive:2 GB HD space
Reviews
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Tomb Raider 2 takes everything that worked in the first game and makes it 10x better. You're in for a much fuller experience this time around with larger levels, a much expanded arsenal of weapons and more movement options, allowing Lara to traverse in ways she never has before. When the game is at its peak (Barkhang Monastery and Temple of Xian) there's not many other adventure games that can touch it. I miss this winding type of level design so much, passing places you've been before as you progress forward, and many times ending up right back where you started the level. It's a real work of art that the linear adventure games of today sorely lack. It's such a cool moment to go through a door midway through an area only to realize it was the other side of a locked door you saw 5 minutes in. With this added complexity however, there is added challenge and Tomb Raider 2 is quite a bit harder than the first game for sure. Thankfully, the game gives Lara new weapons and movement abilities to deal with this increased difficulty. TR 2 pushes the movement system they developed so much further than it's predecessor, allowing Lara to twist and backflip in the air, zipline across chasms and drop down ladders with ease. When all your jumps and grabs line up perfectly it's a joy to witness. The one big negative in the game, and lots of people have touched on it before, is the combat. This movement system is not meant for intense firefights and they often dissolve into point blank bullet battles in the hope the enemy dies before Lara does. In TR 1, human enemies with guns were quite rare and reserved for boss battles, allowing the devs to minimize the awful combat in the game. Here however, there are dozens of armed mercenaries Lara has to wade through, and it can really bog the game down, with the sections surrounding the Maria Doria really suffering. It just doesn't feel great to shoot, and many sections have tight corridors so Lara's movement is very limited. A few other complaints I have are the vehicle driving sections which are not great as you might expect, and the inclusion of potentially the worst weapon of all time - the harpoon gun. This thing is beyond useless and I have no idea why it even exists. The thing doesn't have hitscan detection so you must awkwardly aim at things while trying to swim underwater. It doesn't work well and the damage is absolutely pathetic too, so you quickly learn you are better off just swimming around everything to get out of the water and blast them from above with much better weapons. The positives definitely outweight the negatives though in this instance, and with the remastered version available there has never been a better time to get into these classic platformers.
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---{ Graphics }--- โ You forget what reality is โ Beautiful โ Good โ Decent โ Bad โ Donโt look too long at it โ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- โ Very good โ Good โ It's just gameplay โ Mehh โ Watch paint dry instead โ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- โ Eargasm โ Very good โ Good โ Not too bad โ Bad โ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- โ Kids โ Teens โ Adults โ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- โ Check if you can run paint โ Potato โ Decent โ Fast โ Rich boi โ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Game Size }--- โ Floppy Disk โ Old Fashioned โ Workable โ Big โ Will eat 10% of your 1TB hard drive โ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it โ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data ---{ Difficulty }--- โ Just press 'W' โ Easy โ Easy to learn / Hard to master โ Significant brain usage โ Difficult โ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- โ Nothing to grind โ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks โ Isn't necessary to progress โ Average grind level โ Too much grind โ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- โ No Story โ Some lore โ Average โ Good โ Lovely โ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- โ Long enough for a cup of coffee โ Short โ Average โ Long โ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- โ It's free! โ Worth the price โ If it's on sale โ If u have some spare money left โ Not recommended โ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- โ Never heard of โ Minor bugs โ Can get annoying โ ARK: Survival Evolved โ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- โ 1 โ 2 โ 3 โ 4 โ 5 โ 6 โ 7 โ 8 โ 9 โ 10
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Short version: Pros: + Epic story + Stellar soundtrack + Goble-trotting adventure + Combat and exploration have been updated + Diverse arsenal of weapons and vehicles + Always challenging Cons: - Unforgiving at first โLongโ version: Tomb Raider II is an action-adventure game released in 1997, developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. In this sequel, you once again step into the boots of Lara Croft, a daring, smart-mouthed, yet classy archaeologist on a quest to find the Dagger of Xian, a powerful artifact rumored to grant its wielder immense power and control over any army. Along the way, Lara faces off against the Italian cult, Fiamma Nera, led by Marco Bartoli. I reviewed the first installment of the franchise a while ago and it was my 100th review ([url= https://steamcommunity.com/id/goodguynickpt/recommended/224960/]here ). Even though I adore Tomb Raider I , the second game was the one I played first, in 1998. I had no idea what it was and the controls were not easy for my 7/8-year-old self to comprehend. This, however, made it all the more enticing. I remember it taking a long, long time but I eventually understood how the game controls worked and was hooked from that point on. It shaped my gaming habits without me ever realizing it and it is still, to this very day, one of my favorite games of all time. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3269470618 The story is captivating, beginning with Lara's drop from a helicopter near the Great Wall of China. From there, the adventure spans various locations, including Venice, Tibet, and an underwater wreck. Each setting feels unique and contributes to the overall narrative, reminiscent of a classic Indiana Jones adventure. Despite some characters being a bit cheesy and one-dimensional, Lara's charm and personality shine through, making the story thoroughly entertaining. Gameplay in Tomb Raider II received significant updates from the first installment. While the same grid-based movement might initially feel stiff to new players, it becomes intuitive with practice, allowing for fluid somersaults and mid-jump turns essential for intense combat and platforming. Lara's arsenal now includes a diverse range of weapons like the shotgun, UZIs, harpoon gun, and even a grenade launcher, adding variety and experimentation opportunities. The enemy variety has also improved, featuring more human adversaries who employ different tactics (melee and ranged attacks), alongside the familiar animals and (not-so-familiar) monsters. Combat takes a more prominent role in this game, which, although not usually my preference, fits the story's context well. Tomb Raider II strikes a perfect balance between combat and exploration, keeping the gameplay engaging without becoming overwhelming. This balance is something later entries, like Rise of the Tomb Raider , struggled with, as they often had an excessive amount of combat that detracted from the exploration and puzzle-solving elements. Tomb Raider II, on the other hand, has the ideal amount of combat to keep it exciting without overshadowing the other aspects of the game. Additionally, the game features some neat puzzles and nerve-wrecking platforming that add to the overall experience, providing a satisfying challenge that complements the action. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3269471074 One notable improvement in Tomb Raider II is that it is not as sadistic when it comes to cheap traps as the first game. The developers no longer place medpacks as bait to kill you. However, the game is still very hard from the get-go. The first level is unashamedly vicious, with countless traps, death pits, and aggressive enemies, setting a tough tone right from the start. Graphically, Tomb Raider II was impressive for its time. The game received significant upgrades, featuring detailed environments and character models that contributed to the immersive experience. The varied locations are vibrant and colorful, with each area feeling distinct and alive. The enemy design is badass, clearly showcasing a jump in quality from the first installment. However, the human character models do look weird, and the cutscenes can sometimes take you out of the experience due to their absurd appearance. The soundtrack is ingrained in my brain from my childhood and is an absolute banger. Sound effects are also good, immersing you in the world. Voice acting is... well, it is what it is. Lara is very cool, super sassy and charming. The villains and other characters, however, are super campy. I usually replay Tomb Raider 2 every year or so โ I still have my CD and will forever cherish it! While the game is not super replayable, it is a really cool title to experience again. You can always try to go for all 3 collectibles in each level, which unlock a secret (not so great) level. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3269471478 So yeah, I am a bit biased, having grown-up with this title, but I confidently recommend it! I feel like most people will understand why it is considered a classic and it is also super inexpensive (especially if it is bundled with most of the other games). You will get to visit snowy biomes, enchanted, otherworldly sites and many other epic locations. While I understand some people might not enjoy the offshore rig level and the whole โunderwaterโ section, I believe neither overstays its welcome. Also, there are free mods you can download to make the game look โprettierโ! Oh, and one more thing, who would not want to lock Winston (the butler) in the fridge? It is an epic game! Give it a try! Final score: 9.5 out of 10. If you enjoyed this review, please consider following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/7792954-GGN-Reviews/]curator page .
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The first I played in the series - a long-time classic and forever favourite As evinced by my play time, in addition to a modded executable and playing the CD version before Steam even came along, I love TR2. The game as a whole just feels so right - the musical ambience, the variety of locations and visuals, Lara's quick wit and enquiring mind... but the story really stands out for me. It's an incredible achievement that showcases everything these early titles can accomplish. The story begins with Lara already clued up on the Temple of Xian beneath the Great Wall of China, but is stopped short by a heavy door with an unusual lock and a thug. The thug provides Lara with clues as to his employer, and so we follow Lara as she tracks down more information regarding the temple. From Venice to an offshore rig, to 40 fathoms under the sea to a shipwreck, to Tibet and the monastery of Barkhang, eventually leading back to the Temple of Xian itself, the sense of adventure is very satisfying. Control-wise, not much has changed since the first Tomb Raider game. There are now flying foxes. Climbing walls is now possible, as is the 180 flip jump, allowing Lara to change her facing direction in a jump, similar to the 180 roll. Sprinting and crouching are not introduced until Tomb Raider III. There are more weapons, with the M-16 rifle allowing for greater enemy spotting and targeting distances, rapid-fire, but also slower aiming and changing between hip fire while running, to shoulder fire when standing. The addition of more weapons is a welcome boon due to the very large number of human foes relative to the first game. There are goons everywhere! Thankfully there is no question of whether or not to shoot these guys (unlike some other TR titles,) seeing as they are (almost) all from Bartoli's dragon cult. I say 'almost' because there are the monks of Barkhang monastery that can be friend or foe depending on how you play it. The choice is yours. As with the first game, there are tricks to the combat that can make combat a breeze, due to the turning circle they have to take to line up a shot. There are still too many angry animals for my liking, but I tend to play minimalist on kills, especially with animals, as I feel it is out of character. While the vanilla is similar to the first title in terms of being too bright and making flares seem like so much useless junk, it is a little better - some dark areas I found to be a lot darker than the first game, so it's a subtle improvement, but it does still need more work. Even with mods, I found myself editing brightness and contrast for my gameplay videos I've made for youtube. Although her signature costume makes a return, we have some additions. The diving suit is used for the four underwater levels, while the Tibet levels see her with a winter jacket. With the large number of human foes, gameplay leans away from navigating tombs and terrain to focus more on gun combat. Some levels will be more balanced, while still other levels (like the Temple of Xian itself) are more focused on puzzle-solving and trap-dodging. It's worth noting the secrets have changed to dragon artefacts now, and the secret chime won't play until they are picked up. The secrets are always 3 per level (except the last level, I think) and come as Stone, Jade, and Gold statuettes, with the 3rd pickup rewarding a fat special ammo bonus. It's worth collecting them all so you can unlock the bonus level, Nightmare in Vegas. For even more fun, be sure to hunt down The Golden Mask for an extra four levels. Starting a new game right after finishing the game unlocks all weapons and ammo, much the same as the first game. For such a dated game I'm amazed how many times I've played and enjoyed this. You can speed run, set your own limitations, or just plough on through without a care. I wouldn't call it a hard game, and Lara's FMV encounters are very entertaining. Lara - "Pardon me, if that's your way of trying the doors for me." Goon - "Hehehehehe, with a tommy gun on my key ring!"
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First played in 2002, but finally finished it in 2024. Fantastic game. Holds up quite well in a modern era of gaming. Music, level design and atmosphere is top notch. A great game to play if you're burnt out with modern titles and want something pure, focused and fun. Well worth the small asking price. My only issue I encountered was a little bit of faffing around getting controller to work properly, but once it was done, it worked perfect.
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Last Updates
| Steam data | 19 November 2024 10:17 |
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| SteamSpy data | 21 January 2025 19:50 |
| Steam price | 22 January 2025 20:48 |
| Steam reviews | 21 January 2025 03:46 |
Online players
9
Developer
Core Design
Publisher
Crystal Dynamics
Release
28 Nov 2012
Platforms