Tomb Raider Franchise: A Legacy of Adventure on Steam
The Tomb Raider franchise has been a staple of the gaming industry for over two decades, captivating players with its thrilling adventures, iconic characters, and stunning visuals. Since its debut in 1996, the series has sold over 88 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.
Origins and Early Success
The Tomb Raider franchise was created by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The first game, simply titled Tomb Raider, was released for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1996. It introduced players to Lara Croft, a young British archaeologist who embarks on a quest to find the lost artifact known as the Scion.
Tomb Raider was a critical and commercial success, praised for its innovative gameplay, groundbreaking graphics, and strong female protagonist. It spawned several sequels, including Tomb Raider II (1997), Tomb Raider III (1998), and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999).
The Crystal Dynamics Era
In 2003, the Tomb Raider franchise was acquired by Crystal Dynamics, a subsidiary of Square Enix. Crystal Dynamics released Tomb Raider: Legend in 2006, which served as a reboot of the series. Legend was followed by Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007), a remake of the original game, and Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008).
The Crystal Dynamics era of Tomb Raider games was characterized by a focus on cinematic storytelling, improved graphics, and more realistic gameplay. The games received positive reviews and helped to revitalize the franchise.
The Reboot Trilogy
In 2013, Crystal Dynamics released Tomb Raider, a complete reboot of the series. The game introduced a younger, more vulnerable Lara Croft and featured a darker, more grounded story. Tomb Raider was a critical and commercial success, winning numerous awards and selling over 11 million copies worldwide.
The reboot trilogy continued with Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018). These games expanded on the story of the reboot, further developing Lara Croft’s character and exploring her origins. The reboot trilogy was praised for its stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and strong storytelling.
Tomb Raider on Steam
The Tomb Raider franchise has been available on Steam since its inception. The platform has played a significant role in the success of the series, providing a convenient and accessible way for players to purchase and play the games.
Steam offers a wide range of features that enhance the Tomb Raider experience, including:
- Cloud saves: Players can save their progress to the cloud and access it from any device.
- Achievements: Players can earn achievements for completing various tasks and challenges.
- Trading cards: Players can collect trading cards featuring characters and artwork from the games.
- Community features: Players can join online communities to discuss the games, share screenshots, and find multiplayer partners.
The Future of Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider franchise is still going strong, with Crystal Dynamics continuing to develop new games. In 2023, the studio released Tomb Raider: Reloaded, a free-to-play mobile game that brings the classic Tomb Raider experience to a new generation of players.
The future of the franchise is bright, with Crystal Dynamics promising to continue delivering thrilling adventures and memorable characters. Fans can look forward to more Tomb Raider games in the years to come, both on Steam and other platforms.
