gaming was different in the 90's -console wars -experimental gameplay -diverse and huge selection of genre it was fun and exciting, a great time to be a gamer

Tomb Raider 2 was always my favorite. Tomb Raider 3 is okay but it's like Core forgot to turn the brightness up because all the levels are so dark.

Finished TR3 In 98 when it released, and in 98 you couldn’t just google how to finish a level you had to figure it out. I agree it is the hardest of them all, but I still love it.

Man back in the day I was shocked to learn that PS version had limited saves in this game. I had a PC, and already found the game insanely hard. I managed to beat the PS version later, but of course that is easy when you already learned all of its parts by infinite saves. I admire PS players who managed to beat this especially with no walkthrough.

I still love the atmosphere in this game. It was absolutely cruel of the devs though for not telling the player how to use push-blocks which were often in dark rooms and disn't look like they are meant to be pushed.

Tomb Raider 2 is my favorite

I completed this without consulting a walkthrough guide and it nearly drove me mad. The section in the London Underground - Jeez!

This is the best Tomb Raider ever and we will never get sth like this anymore. Yes it's unfair af but it's a great adventure that you'll remember forever. Just use some guide when you have no clue what to do next, there's no shame in it, game's still difficult. Once you beat it it will be your favourite Tomb Raider game.

I literally remember saying “this isn’t fun, this is work”

This was meant as an experimental expansion pack to TR2, but since Eidos started whipping the tiny team into squeezing out one masterpiece annually, Core had to call this TR3.

I got the sense that the developers took their frustrations out on the level design.

Man, I still remember playing this game as a kid and being totally obsessed with the story and characters! Even now, it's got that special charm, but you know what would be amazing? If the TR classics got like, a "Capcom remake" treatment. Don't get me wrong, I love the story in this game and it’s great how it is, but imagine if they fleshed it out even more you know? That would be awesome!

I loved the South Pacific Islands.

Great video! I laughed bunches. TR3 is such a love/hate relationship for me. I love certain levels more than any other in the series. The lighting effects look so good, and the music & atmosphere just hit hard- but it's SO weighed down by the list of issues you listed Lol.

I remember thinking TR2 was amazing when it came out; and then absolutely hating TR3, and not even finishing it. I'm glad I'm not alone.

I rewatch you videos when I need a good laugh. Your commentary is hilarious man too funny. I really appreciate your content. You gotta make more reviews like this one for ps1 games 🎉

"Tomb raider 2 was too easy, i need a new challenge" "So you have chosen .... death"

You deserve way more subs! Great video. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!

Wonderful. My Mum got this forme for Christmas, and the walkthrough. Originally I wasn't going to use the guide but after I spent 2 hours dying on the slope at the start of the game... Also the outfits were cool. Catsuit Lara? Bikini Lara? Yes please!

I liked Tomb Raider 3, but nowhere near as much as the first two games. I like the improved gameplay, visuals, and story. Unfortunately, it had too much going for it. The levels were way too long and convoluted, there were so many dangers making it really easy to die, and what was Core Design thinking bringing back save crystals? If Eidos Interactive had just allowed them to years to create a more innovative game, then it would've been way better

The Lost City of Tinnos was an insane gauntlet back in the day...

I think that TR2 is honestly to blame for why people find TR3 so difficult. With TR2 being so much more action-packed compared to its predecessor, it encouraged players to take a more fast paced approach to the levels, rushing in to take down baddies. Players probably assumed that TR3 would be similar in that regard. Instead, however, TR3 wants players to take it slow, observe their surroundings, and think carefully about their next move. While combat was still an integral part of the game, it started to take a backseat to exploration and puzzle-solving. But, since TR fans were coming off the heels of TR2 and its loads of action, they believed that TR3 would not have strayed from that formula. I will agree that some levels are more difficult than they should be, like Madubu Gorge and RX-Tech Mines. And there are some unfair moments sprinkled in other parts of the game. Still, I feel that many of the hazards can be avoided by scoping out the environment and planning ahead. It helps that there aren't nearly as many gunmen enemies shooting at you this time around, especially in the beginning. And I know about the argument that the PS1 version is even harder due to limited save crystals. While I can understand that for sure, I also see the save crystals as a way of strategic thinking in a game. Using them only when it's absolutely necessary. Finishing a level also lets you save without the use of a save crystal, which helps a lot. I also think that they are implemented better here than in TR1 because you can use one at any time. I also counted, and there are close to 100 save crystals in the game, with some levels having 6 or more. Add in each time you can save at the end of each level, and that is over 110 saves available in the game. While that might mean replaying a part of a level several times, this happens a lot in many others games. I will say that I do prefer having unlimited saves throughout the game; this was simply me explaining why this is not the worst choice for saving the game. But in the end, TR2's high emphasis on combat over exploration and puzzle-solving is what I think caused many fans to think that TR3 is too hard. A game that encourages thorough exploration and fun puzzles to solve is a game that I will always enjoy, and TR3 is one of them.

I’ve always found it so hard that I don’t actually enjoy playing it. Love watching perfect walkthroughs though.

Hey! I‘m binging your Tomb Raider videos, I love them so much! This is such a trip down the memory lane. I played TR3 so much and never finished the first level lol, but I did cheat my way through just to see what the game as to offer haha! I also played a lot TR5, so I‘m looking forward to your video on that! I found it relatively easy compared to TR3 (some levels I didn‘t have to skip). I think my favourite level was the one on the russian submarine.. anyway! Keep up the good work!

Incredible review 👏 you're making me wanna replay it now!

I loved being able to use vehicles in this game. Made those parts extra fun

The difficulty spikes put this game behind TR2 to me, but when this game shinea it sings! Nice video

Love your narrations. Great video dude.

dude, this video is amazing because you called it when i just skipped levels to see what the game had to offer lol, this is great because i never knew what was in the game!

Very cool! I remember the quad garden, don’t remember the key been in water, it was a couple of switches I thought.

Nostalgia radiation, brilliant! love the video, the comentary is awesome

Man, you earned a sub. Killer voice, i was sleepy and this video woke me up. And i am not into tr that much. Good job.

indeed i am a mid80-s kid. but i only ever played TR games on PC. in fact... TR1 was the 1st game i played on PC, just like SMB1 on the NES back in the day. we had no access to walkthroughs, we didn't buy any magazines. we completed TR1-3 by ourselves. and it was a family thing. my father did the action parts, mom solved the puzzles. and me..? i did both, and i did them better as a 14-16 year old kid. but still we played together. and we did it without help. and we enjoyed every second of it.

Tomb Raider 2: Is the toughest game in the series. Tomb Raider 3 : Hold my beer.

Tomb Raider 2 has the most difficult enemies, while Tomb Raider 3 has the most difficult puzzles

Tomb Raider III Is My Favorite Tomb Raider Game. It's Challenging & Fun.

Hey dude. Love this video and your style. I've still yet to watch it all, but have it in my watch later. I completed 1 and 2, but yeah, being stuck on the first level in 3 made me feel shite. Especially being a hard-core gamer at that time.

Really enjoyed your take! Yeah TR3 is hard and straight up unfair at times, but I absolutely love it (unlike TR4 which I just find tedious). :D

My first Tomb Raider game. This game made question my ability to play and beat games, and I was comming from the NES era. Beating a level in this game was like breaking a wall with your head only to find out that there was another wall behind it.

Glad this video popped up in my recommended. Gave me a good laugh mate. 😆

10 years on aldwich...

It was super tough and I loved it!… this was the first tomb raider game I played and I was hooked… played every tomb raider game since

What a fantastic review!! So many good memories from watching this!!! 🤩🤩

Es el juego más difícil de la saga, incluso si lo jugaron en ps1 era frustrante, el tener que economizar los diamantes de guardado porque eran escasos considerando la dificultad del juego. Para mi los que más disfruté fueron el 1 y el 2. El uno es el inicio perfecto y el 2 parecía adelantado a su época

The map for the fire area in lost city of tinnos does actually show you the safe platforms. But it's cryptic. You have to light a flare and the safe spots glow on the map

Millennial Gamer: _"Dark Souls is the toughest game ever!"_ 90's Gamer: _"Never player TR3, did you? 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈"_

Agreed. I got the PC big box version of TR3 back in early 1999 as a birthday gift and it was extremely hard to finish it, even with a game guide. The devs were absolutely cruel with the traps and instant death moments. It's almost as if they were REALLY fed up with TR by that point and wanted to kill Lara in the most sadistic ways possible.

I got this along with the prima strategy guide for Christmas 1998. I mastered the first two games but even with the guide it took a couple months to finish with all secrets. I recently started replaying it on the duckstation emulator upscaled to 1080p and it still looks great as ever. Really takes me back to that golden age.

I’m glad I hadn’t ear phones on haha I love this game when i was a kid. I need to play it again! Everyone who is a big fan of Tomb Raider NEEDS the book: 20 years of tomb raider. The book itself is written by one of us nerds fan.

Loved this video. Thanks :)

I agree, I always had TR3 in the "harder than it has to be" category. Not completely overwhelming to just beat (secrets are just savage, but I give that a pass), but they could have dialed it back a bit and still got the point across. However, it pales beside Last Revelation. That game has the worst frustration to fun ratio in the series for me.

Great series review here! I wonder if you make next TR games review, Angel of darkness for example. It would be nice to watch and listen from you.

I only agree with this because I remember not getting past the first level because I had no idea where to go. I haven't gotten past that level I had to look up guides on what comes next.

One of the best tomb raiders this loved it when I was a kid

I will say it over and over: TR3 is the hardest Tomb Raider game ever made. Nice video btw! I love that you used PSX footage, the game looks more alive there imo.

Great video as always ;) I may upset some tomb raider purists by saying that but tomb raider 2 and 3 are actually my favorites of the ps1 era. I have played all 5 of them back in 2019 and I was kind of disapointed with the first one : the controls didn't respond as well as the next entries and we're always in caves. I know it's called tomb raider but I've always imagine tomb raider as like indiana jones where you visit temples AND touristic places and that's why I really prefer TR 2 & 3. I can't never decide which one I like the most, they both have highlights and dowsides that the other one doesn't have. TR 2 has too many action and human ennemies and some levels are very bland and not interesting (like the oil rig) and TR 3 is too difficult but has the most variety of places/globbe-trotter and it has my favorite place in all TR of the ps1 era : the south pacific :)

aaah i do feel so nostalgic about TR3, it was one of a love/hate relationship... I loved the nevada levels but not the india ones - the london levels really grew on me as i grew up and was one of the reasons I moved to London! (i love the Tube)

The map on the roof shows perfectly the safe path, you have to light a flare to see it

Kristijan: I just now found this information: That key (Called the Cathedral key) has no use and disappears once you leave the level, but you need it to access the bonus level.

Madubu Gorge level in TR3 is the hardest game level ever created. Loved every second of it. Best adventure game I ever played. I was in Africa with no access to any guide so I played this solo from start to finish. Till today, I still consider it a great gaming achievement considering the level of difficulty.

4:00 Im from Ireland. I still have my copy's of irish PlayStation magazine from when I was a kid. There was a full spread and mini posters of lara in Dublin just doing stuff, shopping on grafton street or teaching classes in Trinity collage. There was one of her getting ready to raid the Irish neolithic tomb site Newgrange. So cool.. In Brown Thomas (upmarket shopping) they had these floor to ceiling canvas posters of lara wearing Italian fashion house stuff, Dolce n Cabana, Loise Vuitton,€30k handbags stuff like that. She was huge!

This is the best of the OG tomb raider games

Tomb Raider has become remarkably easier in the Remasters, even without using Photo Mode, which makes it too easy 😅 I never would have thought that TR3 would become my favorite one, I already love the story, but playing it too?! Can’t wait for TR4 😍

I think because I know it so well and it’s my favorite title, I’ve never really realized that it was considered the hardest one.

I loved this game! Never used a walkthrough either :)

My friend told me he couldn't even clear the first level. And since could only rent the PS (it was a thing here back in the day), he decided to give up trying. It's different now with sites or KZfaq channels posting walkthrough, of course. When he played it in the late 90s, his guide was only available in a weekly kids tabloid.

Love your reviews man! I like how in depth these are. You plan to maybe do some Syphon filter next?

I really hope they'll fix the lighting problem in the remastered version and maybe change how you save across all three games to the same way.

Hardest game I ever played through to the end, but as you say I needed to consult the magazine walkthrough to escape the the lair of the last Tarantula mutant baddie. I was so nervous to make the last five jumps climbing out of that volcano, because if you failed to make one of then, you start all over again at the beginning of your last save. Frustration to the max and the tedium of having to start over, and over, and over again breaks you down physiologically, but patience and perseverance won the day in the end! I have never attempted to play the entire game again. Although it was the best of the first three games in beauty and in challenge, but it was just to punishing to play through a second time. Having said this, I used to play "All Hallows Eve" bonus level once a year around the same time in the spring, for the sake of nostalgia! (yes it was the one part of the game I used a cheat to obtain the bonus level lol). Great analysis and color of the game Kristijan, loved everything you had to say about it, and every word of it the truth...keep up the great work bro!

I started the remastered version from 3. Now I'm playing the first one and it feels like a piece of cake. I need to get out of the habit of thinking there is a run feature 😂

Excellent content, great job.

the first time i played TR3 i quit on the Lud's Gate level and the second time it took 3 plays to get me to finally make myself play through the pain of the level. Totally worth it to be honest

I play games on PC only - and I finished the first three TR games (and their respective expansions) without any walkthroughs and without using any cheats, as I didn't know these existed, back in the day. Yes, of course, I got stuck a few times, struggling to figure out the WHATs and HOWs - but in the result, the satisfaction of finishing each level was really great, and frankly, it made me feel a bit of pride, that I could and did so on my own. TR3 was really hard to get through, partially due to that non-linearity, but IMHO mainly due to some game mechanics, which was not explained anywhere (e.g. walking or crawling as means of avoiding detection). Also I had to replay a few levels multiple times to get all the secrets (e.g. the very first one in India avoided me for quite some time, or those in Nevada, where I had to figure out that I had to shoot the guard before he managed to get to push a button - and of course, the Aldwych ones were a nightmare to find and figure out the HOW TOs). I also struggled at controlling the kayak while trying to exploring multiple paths that can be taken there. But all that contributed to my impression of the game's greatness, as each playthrough was at least a bit different - also thanks to being able to switch order of the three middle chapters. I think my ultimate feeling of achievment was, when I finished the game despite Nevada chapter being played as the penultimate one. And yes, I admit some of the traps are straight unfair a/o completely unavoidable, at least without prior knowledge of them being there, but there are not too many, so they feel more like reminders to the player to carefully observe the environment and take it slow and easy - which, I think, is the heart & soul of those games.

It definitely is very challenging on the Playstation 1. But when it comes to the PC versions (because you can save anywhere), I'm not so sure about that. But I agree that TR3 is definitely in the top 3 most challenging TR games ever played. But in my opinion, I ranked the Core Design TR games from most challenging to easiest: 4, 3, 1, 6, 5, 2. TR4 was the TR game that made me insane. Since I played the PC version, I didn't have to worry about the saves. But the puzzles, in comparison to TR3, are ridiculously absurd. There was one level where I had to open something with a crowbar, and I couldn't figure out which door or gate it opens. I figured there were possibly many gates that this crowbar can open, but these didn't respond at all. But what it opens is only a very small gate that I never thought about checking out again. I never figured that solution until I tried to find a guide 7 days later. What my mind only processed that time was "How the heck would I know this crowbar can only open that 1 specific small gate hidden inside this crawlspace that I already explored before?!" And then there many more absurd puzzles like that in later levels of TR4. The game won't even tell you level by level how many secrets can be found in the current level. It would just straight up tell you at the final statistics by the game's end that you should collect 70 in total. But for TR3, I would definitely agree it is also one of the most challenging TR games. Even if I rank this game from most difficult as only 2nd to TR4, it is very challenging too.

I first played this on PlayStation which meant having to use the save crystals. This made it so damned difficult. I later played it on pc where you can save whenever you like and it was definitely easier.

Really enjoyed the video. Here are my nostalgia glasses: The Russia in the 90s. All Playstations here are unofficially imported and every one is modchipped. All games in stores are pirate copies. Until about 1998 they were exact copies, then some dirty hackers started localizing them. Most of the time very badly. In one case, a localizer supposedly couldn't find the word "wharf" in a dictionary, so they went with "dwarf". "Eh, close enough!" My dad and I actually completed the first three Tomb Raiders without a guide. In the case of TR3, we did have an unofficial full guide to the game, but it was a wall of text with no pictures, and we couldn't read English back then, so the guide was useless to us. Good thing TR3 has consistent and understandable mechanics, and most of the time it's enough to spend some time in a level to figure out where to go and what to do. Still, we always murdered all friendly monkeys, Australian soldiers and flamethrower guys. If only Lara didn't aim automatically...

0:40 Bro, with the whole Maria Doria chapter with all its underwater nightmare-fuelling enemies and especially that moraine in Living Quarters, I already knew they were sadistic as fuck. 😂 Hope you're enjoying the remaster! Cool to hear about the development cycle and some initial plans they had.

One of the games of my life. Would love to replay it with Trophy Support on PS5 👍🏻🎮

Awesome video, funny too! New sub from me This game was my childhood

30:40 Actually that particular hole was the only one without spikes in the entire room. That was the hint that that place was special.

My Dad could never get out of the jungle. There was a underwater switch puzzle he couldn't figure out. I was 12-ish at the time, so I was no help. PLUS no internet. Also, your accent is cool.

I totally admit that TR3 was the hardest of em, but how the hell I managed to beat the game without all these guides after all...Still remember the frustration of being stuck in Aldwitch for like half a year.

Did he say... better save up a few quids? This was a good video keep it up 👍

Tr3 was tough, but not impossible to beat. The overriding memory I have of it though is that there was enormous amounts of backtracking required throughout the game, in a seemingly cheap way of trying to make the levels seem a lot bigger than they actually were.

I remember paying e40 for it on my 11th birthday and being shocked at the first level slide

i remember using the cheat from a magazine to access the quad test track :D first time here i see where the key actually is normally. in the aquarium^^

I would add that levers and switches don't show you what they activate most of the time like the first two. It doesn't tell you what you pick up and there's an annoying sound bug that happens simply from going in the mud, pulling out my pistols and shooting my pistols.

ps1 tomb raider games were so good and damn hard i think thats why i loved them so much legendary games

Luds gate, say no more, lots of underwater dark doors to find and very unforgiving breath meter

I've completed every Tomb Raider game many times, but I've never even escaped the jungle in Tomb Raider 3. I couldn't make head nor tail of it, or see wtf was going on - my brain is not able to process it. Hopefully the remaster and 60fps might make it accessible to me.

I used to love London in the game but the last time I played it Aldwych drove me insane, and don't get me started on the kyak levels 😩

People call the 90s the "naughtys" but imo it was a wholesome time, Lara and the Spice girls were as erotic as it got. Not like todays an display hedonism.

this brings back so many memories! I can't wait for the remaster. I beat this game on my own back in the day and I really enjoyed the challenging save system. modern Tomb Raider is so easy and dumbed down with autosave, QTE's, & mindless gun fights its not even worth playing. I feel like anyone could do it so its not rewarding. also no tombs! Why not let us explore the Mayan ruins, Angkor Wat, Mount Nemrut, Gobekli Tepe? there's still potential. levels without tombs are forgettable. despite liking 3 I didn't even remember the London level at all.

Thx for the memories 😊

It's true. I drank water the other day and it blew up in my face. Deadly stuff. Great video BTW.

Did you know that in Aldwych... there would be the possibility of getting stuck in a dead end at the beginning of the level itself: after the ticket office there are the escalators at the end of which there should be a floor that leads to the platform (a different one, without the penny); now, if the punk patrolling the ticket office is let escape after a few gunshots from the opposite side of the escalators (only if you are high, otherwise he will attack you directly), he will exit the room and the game will remove the floor at the end of the stairs , the problem lies in the fact that recovering the maintenance key will reverse the state of the floor itself, therefore, if you don't kill it immediately, it will be you who will make the floor appear at the bottom of the escalators in such a way that you will not be able to find the penny that it won't allow you to buy the ticket for the automatic doors. You must therefore be careful to kill the punk IMMEDIATELY by attracting him simply by descending from one of the cabins.

I loved this game...but it took me long time to finished any old Tomb Raider game, it was never like those games now, it took at least 3-6 months to finished it.

I never managed to finish the game, even in my 30s, TR3 and TR4 are so unecessary hard

Excellent review!

Hey Kristijan, great review! My father introduced me to tomb raider when I was like 3 xD. I also remember how hard tomb raider 3 was and never made it past the first level haha. Only like one year ago or so I beat it the first time and it was a very cool, but also a very difficult experience. But I have to say that tomb raider 2 will be my favourite of all out of this series, because I played it over and over with my father, so it got like a nostalgia bonus :). Yes overall tomb raider 3 is better with the level design and the difficulty etc. I really appreciate your recent reviews so much, you deserved so much better! Btw. are you familiar with the oddworld series? I also played that since I was a kid and maybe you know it too? I would love to see a review about that too! :) Keep on rockin it!