The iconic Lara Croft embarked on a new cinematic adventure in 2013 with the gritty reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise. Now, over a decade later, that critically-acclaimed origin story has received a remastered treatment, allowing a new generation of gamers to experience Lara’s harrowing journey on modern platforms.
On May 2nd, Xbox Game Pass subscribers gained access to Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, a visually enhanced version of the 2013 release, initially developed for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This edition combines the base game with all previously released downloadable content, offering an immersive and complete experience for fans and newcomers alike.
“The cinematic action-adventure that forced Lara Croft to grow from an inexperienced young woman into a hardened survivor has been re-built for next-gen consoles, featuring an obsessively detailed Lara and a stunningly lifelike world,” reads the official description. Players can look forward to high-octane combat, weapon customization, and grueling environments as they uncover the island’s deadly secrets.
While the Xbox version arrived with fanfare, the PC release of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition has been met with a more muted reception. On April 24th, the remastered port quietly appeared on the Microsoft Store for PC, catching many by surprise. Unfortunately, early reports suggest this version may be plagued by technical issues, including problems with animations, physics, and performance.
“Hopefully, it can be patched up and released on Steam so this version of Tomb Raider (2013) can be available to more people,” notes a recent article from Kotaku. Fans have also expressed concerns about potential conflicts with mods for the original PC release, which remains available on Steam.
Despite the rocky PC launch, the arrival of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on new platforms presents an opportunity for both veteran fans and newcomers to experience Lara Croft’s iconic origin story with enhanced visuals and bonus content. As developers continue to address the issues with the PC port, players can look forward to embarking on this action-packed adventure, either through Xbox Game Pass or a future, potentially improved release on other PC storefronts.
