Tomb Raider Chronicles

Tomb Raider Chronicles

Overview & History

Released in late 2000 by Core Design and Eidos Interactive, Tomb Raider Chronicles serves as the poignant fourth chapter in the classic PlayStation-era saga, bridging the gap before the series' eventual sixth-generation reboot. Framed as a memorial wake following Lara Croft’s presumed demise in Egypt at the end of The Last Revelation, close friends Winston Smith, Charles Kane, and Werner Von Croy gather at Croft Manor to share untold flashbacks of her past exploits. The arcade-leaning pacing of these fragmented memories whisks players away from Rome's subterranean catacombs and a haunted Russian submarine to the high-tech confines of a VCI skyscraper in 1960s New York. While utilizing the identical engine as its predecessor, this installment leans heavily into action-puzzle hybrid scenarios and stealth mechanics.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike previous sprawling adventures, Chronicles structures its gameplay into four distinct, highly varied episodes that test Lara's diverse skill set. Players navigate environmental hazards using Core Design's signature grid-based movement system, where precise jumps, ledge-grabs, and block-pushing puzzles are paramount. Character moves include the classic swan dive, backward roll, monkey-swinging, and tightrope walking. Notably, the VCI corporate infiltration chapter introduces pioneering stealth elements for the franchise, forcing Lara to utilize a silencer-equipped HK pistol, garrote wires, and magnetic grapple guns to bypass security lasers and armed guards without triggering alarms. Combat ranges from fending off mythical Italian gargoyles and Roman gladiators to battling heavily armored Spetsnaz soldiers, utilizing a diverse arsenal that spans dual pistols, a submachine gun, a crowbar for prying open sealed doors, and the versatile grappling hook gun.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause