• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Tomb Raider Remastered Trilogy is the Best Way to Remaster Old Titles

capsule_616x353.jpg


What do i mean by this?

Let's you choose how the game is presented to you: It retains the original graphics (and upscales them to modern screens), and if you wish for something more modern, with a single push of a button, you can have visual upgrades much better than the original while it still maintains the same visual fidelity that is the perfect middle ground between modern and nostalgic... and at 60fps or 120fps depending on the platform.

Some important UI/UX tweaks and improvements that in no way ruins the experience like life bars for bosses, interaction icons, subtitles, photo mode. (many of these are optional and you can remove them). The soundtrack is the same, sound effects as well. The fact they modernized Lara's model to look like the CGI model was also a big plus. The fact you can choose between the original controls and modern controls (that have been adjusted since release as well).

And above it all...they still haven't abandoned support and just released another HUGE update for the trilogy that improves skyboxes, rain, fire, and smoke effects and apparently "dynamic lighting now corresponds more accurately to the original games", plus a huge list of improvements per title.

All Games

  • Epic Games Store title build now launches in fullscreen mode on initial launch rather than windowed mode
  • Lara’s character now disappears when the camera gets too close instead of clipping through her head
  • Fixed issue where Steam achievements would sometimes have the wrong descriptions
  • Action indicator will not display if Lara is unable to interact with an object
  • Achievement “Ready to Raid” now unlocks when completing the proper conditions
  • Achievement “Exaggerated Threat” now only unlocks when completing the proper conditions
  • Achievement “Gifts of Wonderland” now unlocks when completing the proper conditions
  • The Default Photo Mode pose where Lara is not holding a weapon is now consistent between SD and HD modes
  • Improved translation in various languages
  • Dynamic lighting now corresponds more accurately to the original games
  • A special outfit for Nightmare in Vegas added
  • Bloody T-Rex Lara outfit now available in Photo Mode
  • New Photo Mode poses
  • Lara’s hair no longer expands/contracts in HD mode
  • Addressed graphical issues on many doors where the textures would flash rapidly
  • Improved rain, fire, and smoke effects

Tomb Raider I

  • Windows in Natla’s Mines are now properly transparent
  • Toned down the red mist effect in cutscene with Natla placing the Scion in the Atlantis level
  • Lara can now destroy the Scion with all weapons
  • Updated lightning in Thor room of St. Francis’ Folly
  • Updated missing textures in The Lost Valley
  • Flare control option is no longer grayed out in Tomb Raider I
  • Updated skybox for Lara’s Home

Tomb Raider II

  • Updated spiderweb textures in HD mode
  • Lara now properly grabs ledges when running off and holding the grab buttons
  • Resolved missing muzzle flashes in cutscenes
  • Resolved camera twitching when Lara approaches the ledge in Living Quarters
  • Updated incorrect textures on the walls in The Deck
  • Resolved small gap between some textures in The Great Wall
  • Lights in HD mode in Wreck of the Maria Doria now flicker correctly
  • Wall textures in Wreck of the Maria Doria now match SD and HD modes
  • Resolved small gaps in between some textures in Venice
  • Gondolas are now breakable regardless of the positioning of the other boat
  • Proper chimney textures are now present in HD mode of Bartoli’s Hideout
  • Graphical overhaul of all Wreck of Maria Doria levels
  • Opera dome is now visible from the outside in level Opera House
  • Updated skyboxes for Lara’s Home, Tibetan Foothills, Barkhang Monastery
  • Missing waterfall added in Temple of Xian
  • Music tracks no longer repeat

Tomb Raider III

  • Updated quicksand to have VFX in HD mode
  • Foliage textures updated to be more transparent
  • When Lara collects her items back in High Security Compound, all the items now appear in the preview display when you pick them up
  • 3D models of Meteorite Artifacts were not transparent in HD mode
  • Updated hard-to-spot platforms in Lost City of Tinnos in HD mode
  • Updated missing textures in Lost City of Tinnos
  • Black water texture is no longer visible in Lost City of Tinnos and Madubu Gorge
  • Updated lighting in caves in Madubu Gorge
  • It’s now more clear that some walls are climbable in Madubu Gorge HD mode
  • Updated lighting in RX-Tech Mines for HD mode
  • Resolved missing textures in RX-Tech Mines in HD mode
  • Crevice is clearly visible in the ice wall in HD mode in RX-Tech Mines
  • Arrow on sign now turns off when using railroad switcher in RX-Tech Mines
  • Resolved several gaps in textures in Nevada Desert
  • Environments from other rooms are no longer visible in sections of Nevada Desert
  • Lara no longer dies when jumping near a wall of spikes in Willard’s Lair
  • Environments from other rooms are no longer visible in sections of Shakespeare Cliff
  • Willard is now holding elevator remote in cutscene after completing Antarctica
  • Resolved missing textures in Area 51
  • Character models no longer disappear during cutscene in Aldwych
  • The radar texture in High Security Compound does not disappear anymore when viewed from certain angles.
  • Vent hole in hut roof is now transparent in Coastal Village
  • Sparkling mutagen in Sleeping with the Fishes now look brighter in HD mode
  • Lud’s Gate and Aldwych lighting overhaul
  • Home chandeliers updated to better match the original model
  • Graphical overhaul of The Lost Artifact levels
  • Added a skybox for Lud's Gate
  • Updated skyboxes for Highland Fling, Willard’s Lair and It’s a Madhouse!

To me, and after replaying these games (i'm on TR3 now) this is now the golden standard for PSOne remasters for sure. Incredibly impressed by this collection so far and hope plenty of others follow this collection.
 
Last edited:

RagnarokIV

Battlebus imprisoning me \m/ >.< \m/
This is how I would like to see a remaster done for Metal Gear Solid and Blood Omen.

The full modern remake ala RE2 isn’t my kind of thing if the originals aren’t available for modern platforms. Remakes shouldn’t take the place of, or delete the original.

So thanks Konami for doing Master Collection alongside the remakes.
 
Last edited:

Gamerguy84

Member
I'm playing it right now on my Portal.

I love how they presented this series.
A simple toggle switch gives you the original graphics. Tap it again and you have all the upgraded textures and lighting but the game plays the same exact way as it did when it released.

You can use the d pad or thumbs tick. Simply the best way to do this.

My favorite remaster in a while.
 

Synastry

Member
Fully agree.(y)

Also thanks to this remaster I was finally able to beat tr1 something I could never do back in the day since it has so little save points in the end part.
 

Con_Z_ǝdʇ

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
The original graphics still miss a 60fps mode and some graphic features that were present on other consoles. In addition the AI "enhanced" textures and lighting changes are pretty much hit and miss and not always for the better.

It's decent but not on the level of a Nightdive port which should be the gold standard and not this.
 
Last edited:

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
I agree, and it's a shame that the GTA trilogy launched in such an awful state, because it's basically this. The same game you know and love with a lick of paint running at 60/120fps with some QOL stuff thrown in. I played it after the last patch released and it was nearly perfect.

Would love more of them.
 
The original graphics still miss a 60fps mode and some graphic features that were present on other consoles. In addition the AI "enhanced" textures and lighting changes are pretty much hit and miss and not always for the better.

It's decent but not on the level of a Nightdive port which should be the gold standard and not this.
They based the original graphics on the PSOne version and not the Saturn from what we could see. a 60fps version won't happen.

About the rest of your complains, the game has evolved quite a lot since release, including the lighting. You should check them out.



Look at this video, specially the Maria Doria lighting.

Your complains are a huge reason why i created the topic. Instead of leaving this remastered with the day one version...they are making significant changes with each upgrade.
 
Last edited:

Con_Z_ǝdʇ

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
They based the original graphics on the PSOne version and not the Saturn from what we could see. a 60fps version won't happen.

About the rest of your complains, the game has evolved quite a lot since release, including the lighting. You should check them out.

Look at this video, specially the Maria Doria lighting.

Your complains are a huge reason why i created the topic. Instead of leaving this remastered with the day one version...they are making significant changes with each upgrade.

I do play the trilogy since release, saw every update and stand by what i wrote. It's decent but the things mentioned are major flaws in my eyes.

I love these games and i love playing them but i can't understand some of the artistic changes or the fact that we don't have the possibility to play the original version at a steady 60fps. There are "excuses" for the framerate on X but i don't care. They felt comfortable because they have the visually upgraded version running in 60fps+ and that's enough for them. There is a way to get this running beyond 30 fps so is it a time constraint or hindered by budget?

AI "enhanced" textures can be good depending on the surface but in many cases it looks weird and obvious artificial. Same for the lighting changes. A lot of the scenes excel through this but there are just as many that look off or vastly different than the original.

Sure it's nice to swap around but i ultimately end up in the original version. Again, it's not bad and the fact that i have all three games available with such ease and QOL improvements is lovely but they missed the mark on key aspects. There is no way for me to ignore this.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom