Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft

About Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft

Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft launched on November 20, 1998 as the third entry in the classic series. Core Design built this title for Eidos Interactive across PlayStation, PC, Mac, and later portable systems like PS3 and PSP. You play as the archaeologist Lara Croft hunting a meteorite artifact across India and Polynesia after meeting the antagonist Dr. Willard. The game mixes platforming with third-person shooting and puzzle solving in a way that defined late 90s action adventure titles. It feels like a direct evolution of Tomb Raider II with tighter controls and more environmental traps to manage while exploring ancient ruins.

Gameplay

You control Lara through levels using running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and crouching mechanics. A typical session involves navigating tight corridors or open tombs while avoiding enemies and collecting keys for locked doors. Combat relies on shooting pistols and shotguns at hostile guards who often spawn from corners or ambush you from above. The environment itself acts as a major enemy through hazards like quicksand that drag Lara down if you linger too long and cold water limits your swim time. You must also dodge underwater piranhas and use swinging bars to cross gaps. Every level requires precise timing for jumps and quick reflexes when enemies close in on your position.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community rates this title at 77.1 out of 100 based on 184 IGDB ratings. Players spend an average of 12 hours completing the main campaign, though completion rates hover around 65 percent due to the difficulty spikes in later levels. Community mood analysis shows a split between nostalgic appreciation for the classic controls and frustration with the outdated collision detection. Review snippets frequently mention the satisfying sound design and the memorable boss fights but criticize the repetitive enemy placement. Achievements for finding all collectibles are locked behind high-level platforming skills that test patience over reflexes alone.

PlayPile's Take

This game is worth playing if you want to understand the roots of modern action adventure games. It costs roughly $5 on older PC or console marketplaces depending on the bundle. You will unlock 10 distinct achievements for finding hidden artifacts and beating specific bosses. The controls feel stiff compared to modern titles but they offer a raw challenge that newer clones lack. Do not expect a streamlined experience since loading times are long and checkpoints are sparse. Play this only if you enjoy retro aesthetics and do not mind struggling through clunky combat mechanics.

Storyline

The intrepid archaeologist Lara Croft ventures to India, searching for a legendary stone that once belonged to the tribe of Infada. Shortly after recovering the precious stone, she encounters a Dr. Willard, the head of an organization known as RX Tech. Willard is interested in an ancient Polynesian city built by people of a now defunct civilization, which worshipped a mysterious meteorite that hit the Earth millions of years ago. Willard tells Lara that the Infada Stone is in fact one of the four artifacts the ancient Polynesians fashioned from the material contained in the meteorite's core. Willard suggests Lara should look for the other three, scattered and hidden in various regions of the planet.