Tomb Raider I (1996)

this game is fantastic. yes it's old, yes it's 'clunky' but it is really worth playing. there is just something about playing the original version of a game that gives you such a unique feeling and experience. graphically, this was what? a PS1 game? it is a little blocky, it has some visual glitches like objects being seen through walls, but that kind of is just how the technology was limited back then. you can say that older games aren't as cool because they are modern looking, but it is easy to overlook how unique the art style was for each developer when they made their own things by their own hands. the story is kind of starting out as just finding an artefact and ending up having visions of a race that made this strange object, which leads you around the world completing puzzles and fighting villains who wish to use that object for their own gain. gameplay is super interesting. you could say it is clunky because of it's tank controls, but it also has side stepping and walking and jumping and everything is it's own weird thing. i play this with a controller, and for the most unique experience, i looked up the original guide to see the original button mapping. it might take a little time to get used to, but this game is incredibly fun to play, and with all the control options and different things you can do, depending on how you are moving gives you so many options for traversal that makes getting around feel so rewarding, because you area actually doing what you want. the combat is not bad. it might be a little simple with holding one button to shoot, but you do get a couple different weapons as well as being able to jump and roll around in combat to give you mobility, avoiding enemy attacks or getting around them and making THEM have trouble fighting you. enemies start out pretty normal, some small animals, medium sized ones, then as you progress you get glimpses of the horrors you will come to face. most of them have their own unique actions they can take which makes them a challenge in their own right. the animations, even on my second playthrough, still have me in love with them. even though modern games have cool ♥♥♥♥ or physics on the dead, having an actual living animation makes everything feel so much more alive. it might be hard to explain, but a death animation can be even more entertaining that making everything try to be realistic or something. music? uh, there kind of is almost none outside of cutscenes. most of what you will hear is ambiance of the area you are exploring and it kind of makes things feel like you are exploring something that has never been populated in a long time. i kind of makes exploring around more relaxing and helps you focus on platforming instead of being entertained with constant music. which also helps the creepier parts of the game stand out.