Big things are happening for Lara Croft once more. With the Tomb Raider series celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, a couple of new titles are on the horizon in the shape of a second remake of the original 1996 game, and the all-new Tomb Raider: Catalyst arriving in 2027. With the latter upcoming game billed as a “unification” of the original Lara Croft and her rebooted “survivor” version, it stands to reason that those handling the franchise would want fans acquainting themselves with Lara’s titles before Catalyst‘s release.
Developer Aspyr successfully brought Tomb Raider to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 late last year, while Feral Interactive previously delivered superb Switch ports of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris in The Lara Croft Collection. Fresh off the back of solid Switch and mobile versions of Hitman: Absolution, there is no better team than Feral for the handheld edition of this adventure.
Lara Croft has now survived her ordeal on the island of Yamatai too many times to count, with the origin story of Tomb Raider having graced multiple PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo consoles since its 2013 launch, even enduring the now sunken ship of Google Stadia. Just in case it has been missed out on up to this point, though, Feral has followed up on Aspyr’s Nintendo Switch ports by bringing the Tomb Raider reboot to iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets, complete with all of the control options expected of a touch screen portable device.
Playing this edition on an iPhone 13 Pro Max, Feral has gone above and beyond in implementing extremely customisable settings when it comes to the interface and controlling of Lara. Choose from left- or right-hand styles to move the shipwrecked archaeologist with a touch screen joystick, and select weapons and draw her trusty bow with quick taps of icons that can be increased or decreased in size, with opacity sliders also available. Hide the interface altogether if you fancy yourself a pro and want the maximum viewing experience. All sorts of aiming settings are listed in the menu, while gyro controls offer a bit of precision for those that swear by it.
This seasoned old player will always find it difficult to fully embrace touch and motion controls, but having now tested two of Feral’s mobile ports with Hitman: Absolution and now Tomb Raider, it is a pleasant surprise to see how well the traditional setup can be adapted for the smaller screen. It is testament to the work Feral has put in, because converting action-adventure games like these that require multiple buttons in order to play conventionally is no doubt not an easy task. It may not be the most comfortable experience in the world, particularly for someone that has had a gamepad glued to their hands for decades, but what has been achieved here is impressive and is sure to please those more accustomed to playing games this way.
With a GameSir G8+ on hand that is fully compatible with the iPhone, however, this is the preferred method to go for mobile games on a personal level, and although the touch and motion controls do a grand job, there is no question that having that proper controller feel brings everything right back home. Now, the slightly finnicky movement and aiming becomes that bit more accurate, the sense ability to spot points of interest can be activated swifter, and the use of dual sticks to actively run and turn the camera makes for a more enjoyable play session. The only option that couldn’t be found once the gamepad was connected was switching off the need to mash buttons during quick-time events; during touch control play, one only needs to hold a thumb on the screen to complete the QTE.
Readers can get an understanding of this reviewer’s opinions on Tomb Raider following a playthrough of Aspyr’s Nintendo Switch 2 port here, but it definitely should be highlighted that by no means is there an expression for this being a bad game. It is a product of its time when looking at the aforementioned QTEs, the Uncharted-style platforming and set-pieces, and the self-narrating, and certainly there are issues with the finer story being delivered through audiobooks, and a group of characters that are difficult to care for. It also goes against the grain for Lara’s established character from the Core Design years, what with the brutal nature of the gameplay on display here, and the actual exploring of tombs is confined to optional side quests. However, there is a good time to be had if you can separate yourself from those issues.
Yamatai is a focused playground that loops Lara back on multiple occasions, with weapon upgrades creating shortcuts and delivering a sense of accomplishment with each subsequent area that is tackled and overcome. Although the tombs end up as small puzzle areas, stumbling upon them tucked away in mountainside crevices, obscured by shrubbery, or hidden behind waterfalls is always gratifying, and the rewards generally mean Lara can greatly improve her gear as a result. Some satisfaction may be had with the many optional challenges dotted throughout the game, too, and combat and gunplay provide fulfilling enemy engagements, meaning Tomb Raider checks many of the right boxes for a third-person action game, looking especially sharp on the smaller iPhone screen.
It lacks the multiplayer mode that was somewhat surprisingly included in the Switch ports, but plenty of additional content makes its way in, including costumes, artwork, a comic book prequel story, and a few other goodies. Given the budget price, there is much to be tempted by if on the lookout for a 10-15-hour adventure.
