Tombraider 1 & Tombraider Anniversary Comparison Group Play

[CaityFM]

Tomb of Atlantean Bro #1

I completed this level in TR1 yesterday, and to my surprise it was a lot shorter than I had remembered. I guess I spent so much time trying to figure it out the first time I played it that I didn't realize how short it actually was.

I also have to wonder how the heck raptors got in the tomb...if there was a show about all the illogical things that happen in TR it would run longer than The Simpsons.

This level is a bit more complicated in TRA. I did the only thing I knew how to do -trigger the boulder- and it turned out to be the thing I was supposed to do. I think.

It's frustrating how deadly the darts are in TRA after getting used to them not being very important in TR1.

OH, HEY, THERE'S THOSE SWINGING AXES I WAS LOOKING FOR IN VILCABAMBA! Geez, no wonder they gave me two free medipacks. How does this stuff even still work after all these ye-AHHRRAPTOR WHERE DID YOU EVEN COME FROM THIS DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL

Yeah, this level is getting on my nerves. Come one Qualopec, cut a girl a break.

I knew something bad was gonna happen in the second room, and whad'ya know, the wolf pit I forgot about! I'm glad they kept it.

Hey, Larson.

Hey, Pierre.

And hello, St. Francis Folly...my arch nemesis.

[Eldinchy]

So, back to Core Design Lara again. I must say that City of Vilcabamba is one of my favorite levels both in TR1 and Anniversary. I did like TR1 level more because it is longer and because it showed this city as a stone city and not like Anniversary with 3 regular-village houses.

I gotta be honest, I love bears very much and I feel sorry for them in TR1 because they look so cute and I know that they only tried to protect what is theirs, but you know Lara she can't pass anything without a kill because for her it is not an adventure without at least few kills.

This is what I like about this level, the fact that you can see the old things like this because it gives that feeling of "Tomb Raider", I do hope Lara will bring some to her home it will be cool to have them in collection.

I don't know if you guys can see it but there are some shotgun sheels up there and wow glitchy :P you gotta love these " good " glitches.

Yeah I prefer this level to the one in the Anniversary it is longer and since it showed a stone city I love it even more, because in my city Visoko they discovered walls od the old city of Visoki.

[Mute2Conversations]

Guys, I just want to assure everyone that I am still going to play this. I have an ear infection now, and I have dizzy spells...and Lara isn't the type of game to play when you have dizzy spells. I just didn't want you to think I started this and then bailed.

[Stellalune]

Guys, I just want to assure everyone that I am still going to play this. I have an ear infection now, and I have dizzy spells...and Lara isn't the type of game to play when you have dizzy spells. I just didn't want you to think I started this and then bailed.

Oh no! I hope you feel better.

I'm in too, just getting a slow start. I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts and will add some real comments as soon as I can.

[CaityFM]

St. Francis Folly (⊙‿⊙✿)

Jimminy Christmas I hate this level so much. I don't remember it so much in TRA, but it gave me constant and relentless crap in TR1. This is one of those levels where I got stuck so often the first time through that I just gave up and kept swan diving off of everything. This, the colosseum, and palas midas were heck getting through. I was rather mystified with watching Lara turn to gold more times than I should have, however. I'm one of those gamers.

~Intermission consisting of approximately 45 deaths and a myriad of swear words and threats~

This level is fantastically well executed, incredibly challenging, absolutely gorgeous, and I hate it so much.

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)

worthy notes:

-I was totally able to trigger the Atlas ball without having to run down the ramp.

-This level took me 4 hours and 55 minutes to complete.

And now I think I'm gonna wait for everyone to catch up.

Edited October 6, 2013 by CaityFM

[Mute2Conversations]

First it was the ear infection. Then I discovered Knight Rider on Netflix, and I reacquainted myself with the show I loved so much from my childhood. I still love it. I don't drool over David Hasselhoff as I once did, but I still like KITT...even if he is a fussy pants. Then again, if I hung around Michael Knight that much, I'd probably become a fussy pants too. I used to want to marry Michael Knight. Not anymore. Then I got to the episodes where he started to sing, and that pretty much cured me. I liked him as an actor, but as a singer...well....I'm spiraling into a totally non-Tombraider topic, ain't I? Sorry, folks, I blame it on old age.

So, Level 2--City of Vilcabamba. TRA version first.

I had enough patience to snag that artifact from Level 1 that I refused to get at the time. It wasn't as difficult. I also did better with the adrenaline dodge.

Ah, the loyal catfish guide in the pool scenes...but I still almost always drown when I try to pull the lever. I get caught while trying to surface.

And the dead things in cages...nice touch! I'm sure Martha Steward would approve! It's a good thing! (NOT)

I just noticed this time around too...tiny a** places, and we are picking up these huge a** keys. The first one was about the size of Lara's thigh. Something that big would be heavy too!

I found it helpful to keep the cage away from that pole we have to jump to (are we getting a secret then? I don't remember). When I have it next to the pole, I can never jump up there.

Goddamn bats! Flying rodents! I hate them so much! And there is always a straggler that gets me in the middle of something.

Is it a sign of old age that I constantly think about the germs in the water, the jumps that will require knee replacements when Lara is not so old, etc.?

TRA Level 2 Stats: Complete 54:00 Kills 16 Supplies 8 Art 1/1

TR1 Level 2

The first bear attack took a lot of health out of me. I swear it came from behind me from the outside! I was glad to be playing this game at the time. I was trying my best to ignore the disgusting taste in my mouth that was coming up from my belches. I had just had a V8 with strawberry go-gurt.

Underwater scenes always stress me out. I remember the first time I played this. I couldn't find the lever because it blended so well into the wall. I drowned so many times!

I always love emerging into the pretty mosaic room.

These people must have been big into doing laundry. You always see skins hanging around on racks.

I can never make the jump in the skull room.

Do you guys like occasional music like how it is in TR1 or more constant music? I sometimes think that is why some of the later games--like TRA and Underworld--are so stressful for me. I sometimes think it is more relaxing when I just hear Lara's footsteps. The soundtrack in Underworld was great, but it was intense! I usually liked the music in Legend.

Then we find another big a** key!

And then there is the big question: To use the save crystal or not. I like to save them if possible, but if I die, then I will have to repeat the whole level again.

I don't know if this has been neglected so long that you have all quit. I might be playing very slowly, but I'm still playing.

[Mute2Conversations]

TR1: Level 2 continued

Ayyy! I didn't realize I hadn't finished Level 2 when I posted the above.

The question you always wonder when you stop in the middle of a level...where did I leave off (this is important when going with a walkthrough).

I took damage from the dart trap and 5 wolves that I forgot about, even though I had just read about it in the walkthrough.

When I opened the right door of that temple, the pretty music abruptly ended, and I was like, "Hey!"

I remember the first time I played that part with the temple that has three doors. I fell into the pool so many times, particularly the area with the broken tile. I didn't fall once this time. I also remember that the first time I played, when I jumped into the pool after opening the middle door, I hit the walkway instead.

Either Lara's aim is better, or the bats are getting easier to kill.

I got the save crystal on the roof, and then I discovered that I can't save them for later. I either use it or lose it. Dang!

Then the part with the swinging blades. I had a memory of really hating this part. Then I remembered why when I got diced by the second blade. I manage to get by the first blade, but then I run into the second. I had my doubts whether I could pull the switch safely after the third, but I had plenty of room.

The bear roar scared me. Did you guys know that if you dangle from the top area, the bear can bite you? I found that out. The bear was hard to kill. I couldn't do it from the top because he hid under me. He was very fast and sneaky for such a large target.

I had a hard time seeing secret 3. Do Uzi clips look like Twix bars to everyone else too?

Statistics: 29 Kills 13 Pickups 3/3 Secrets Time 48:55

[CaityFM]

[[i'm still on hiatus until everyone catches up]]

[CaityFM]

are we still doing the thing ???

[Mute2Conversations]

Yes, Caity, I am at least....very, very slowly. Very. Besides, it is the holidays. 'Tis the season to shop, eat turkey, and listen to your relatives fight over who granny loved best and get groped by Uncle Gromer. Who has time for Tombraider?

Anyway....

TRA Level 3 Lost Valley

What can I say? Things are easier to kill when you are out of reach. I guess it isn't very sporting...like shooting fish in the barrel. However, if you have ever been fishing--sober--you know how frustrating it is trying to do it the hard way. So yay, shooting fish in a barrel!

Those big a** cogs! Lara must have an extension charm in her backpack if she can fit those things in. OMG! Lara's a witch! I wonder what house she was in?

This is the first time I understood how to get the large medpack and shotgun after checkpoint 5. Even though I read the walkthrough, I didn't seem to understand that I needed to shoot out that bridge. It is always fun to discover new things when replaying games! The only thing that is better than that is being able to do something you couldn't before.

So show of hands...who fell into the water a lot the first time you played? Mine is raised. Lara didn't seem to enjoy the water this time. She keeps making those movements my cat makes after a bath.

Yes, I definitely like shooting fish in the barrel. The wolves were not as easy to kill on my return trip when I wasn't on the high ledge.

WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY DO THE CREATORS PUT LOAD AND SAVE NEXT TO EACH OTHER! I loaded instead of saved and had to redo a whole section. Then afterwards it was like I was jinxed and kept dying.

There seems to be a weird bug in the area where you go into that underwater tunnel (the second one that had been locked by a gate and you have to wait for the waters to calm). I can't get Lara to grab the ledge except at the far left. Then sometimes she won't submerge.

The first time I played this game, I fell off a lot of ladders and poles too.

Stella's walkthrough allowed me to see places I never had seen before, like the large medipack after Checkpoint 10.

I think this is the fastest amount of time I've killed the T-rex. He didn't bite my head off even once. I was shocked when that happened to me the first time.

I do tend to suffer from motion sickness a lot after getting the third cog.

The waterfalls on the outside looked inviting.

Artifact 2 is still hard to get. I got it--fell--died. Then I forgot I didn't need to do it again. Then on the way back, I slipped down the ramp before I could save. It is also easy to get turned around. I forgot the relic but went back for it.

Completion 1:41:33 Kills 17 Supplies 18 Artifact 2/2 Relics 1/1

TR Lost Valley

I definitely prefer this level in TR1.

Going down the fall is a bad idea. Next time I'll take the stairs. I couldn't get on the ledge, so I had to get out--and the wolves bit me. I reloaded and went by stairs. Lara started shooting at something that looked like a rock. It was a wolf, but it didn't move until she got down onto the last step.

Is it my imagination, or does this cavern seem more spacious than TRA?

I wonder what the skeleton died of? Must have been something that couldn't bee fixed by a first aide kit.

The velicoraptors are definitely much scarier in TR1. One took me by surprise and actually trapped me against a rock. The Medipack from the skeleton came in handy once I was able to finally free myself. My mother thought I was being murdered because I was actually screaming. I said, "No, Lara is being murdered!"

I kept getting cornered by dinosaurs. The T-rex cornered me too. I found the cave while fighting it. I enticed it to come over when it walked away by dangling off the alcove, but then it bit me. It did seem to die a little too easily.

Finding the rock to climb on for secret 1 is hard. The keys are big, but the cogs are smaller. The second cog blended into the background. I also had a hard time finding the cave that held the third cog. Where is secret 2? I also almost missed the side room to secret 3.

Oh, now I find the compass! I needed that...earlier.

On the trip back, I went the wrong way and found the wolves. I'm glad I looked at the walkthrough, for I would have definitely knocked my head with that third jump across the stream. I definitely did better on that area than the first time. Didn't fall into the water once.

Kills 13 Pickups 15 Secrets 4/5 Time 1:02:10

[Mute2Conversations]

TRA Level 4 Tomb of Qualopec

I felt woozy again going across the pit.

So we go up the ramp, where we see a large suspended ball. It falls down and tries to crush us. Oh, yeah...who didn't see that coming?

Adjusting pillars are a pain.

I did the wolf room first. I remember the first time I played I had such a hard time finding that cage.

Is it just me, or do TRA velicoraptors seem almost domesticated?

That other room should be called the FAIL room. I failed to grapple. I failed to grab the pole. Then I got dizzy.

Thank god for medipacks.

Return trips--oh goody, all the dart traps (and swinging blades) are working. Hooray. Remind me not to vacation here again.

I kept trying to grab the wrong ledge on the way back and falling. Then I remembered it was behind me.

Earthquake....velicoraptor in pit. I swore he said, "Ah, come on, miss! Please get me out of here! I won't eat you, I swear!"

What about that Larson, huh? Tries to shoot a lady in the back! There are no gentlemen these days!

I really...really hate this level. I get motion sickness. I rarely get things done right the first time. I get a headache. I hate it!

Complete time 2:18:50 Kills 5 Supplies 4 Artifacts 2/2 Relics 0/0 No way I'm doing the time trial. I hate doing this level the first time.

Didn't anybody think Natla Technologies was just a little too easy to break into?

And a juice called Bob?

TR1 Level 4 Tomb of Qualopec

It is so funny that the level I hate so much in TRA is one of my favorite levels in TR1.

I lost a lot of health until I realized Stella is right...shotgun is better for the two velicoraptors in the beginning. I just want to save my ammo for that big mutant boss.

Did you guys ever think about how terrible it is to go to the bathroom in these temples? I mean, if the ancients didn't have an off switch, imagine what it is like. You have a bad case of diarrhea, and you go up the ramp to the restroom...but then a boulder comes rolling down. There must have been a lot of soiled underwear in those days. Maybe that is what was hanging on those stands we past. Of course, I don't think these people had underwear, so the floors must have been a mess. Hey, Lara! Guess what? That isn't mud you are trekking through! And then you are in the bathroom, and you hear this snorting. You think it is a pervert, but no! It's a velicoraptor coming to eat you!

What do the symbols above the doors look like to you? To me, I see a turkey (appropriate for this time of year), astronaut with an alien sneaking behind him, and that grumpy eagle on the Muppets, who is eating an apple.

I had a fear with the red block area that I would keep climbing into those tunnels and going from one block to another, seeing no switch. That didn't happen, though. The jump over the spikes to the switch room was tricky. I hate these sideways jumps.

I knew the velicoraptor was coming, but he still startled me.

Human skeletons are never an encouraging sign.

I forgot about the breakaway tiles for Secret 1, but I managed to get to the platform before they fully broke. My reflexes are getting better.

I have to admit that the earthquake is much more dramatic in TRA than it is in TR1.

I was glad for the save crystal. I hadn't read ahead and came out to have Larson shooting at me. Despite that, I did go after the last pick-up.

Dang it, though! There is a sound bug at the end with the cutscene, so I didn't hear the conversations. The bug has Lara going "sorry" many times, and then after she knocks out Larson, it sounds like she is saying, "Bizz Bizz Bizz!"

Kills 7 Pickups 8 Secrets 3/3 Time 35:57

[Mute2Conversations]

TRA: Level 5 St. Francis Folly

So we start out putting lions on the endangered species list. Did you all notice that all the lions are female?

My hand hurts in sympathy with all this jumping and grabbing. It sucks to play TR games when you are old. I often make the same mistakes every time I play. One that I always make at the beginning of this level is never finding the end pillar which is the best one to climb on.

It is a pretty view on top of the pillars. I often take a few second breather to admire the view. Funny, but I don't tend to do that often in TR games. Mistake I always make--I do more climbing than what is necessary. I usually stop at the tall central structure room. I can never complete this level in one sitting. I think it usually takes three sittings.

When I continue, where is that bat? I hear it, but I don't see it. Oh, it is stuck in the pillar again--but it doesn't stop it from attacking me when I jump over. I used to like to open one switch at a time to make sure that I do everything, which did require a lot of backtracking. However, I just noticed that when you complete a room, the lanterns go out. If they are still lit, it means you have to do that room.

Rats...where are the Visitor's when you need them?

In the Neptune room, putting the blocks back over the fish blow hole is always difficult. I always forget to do that second lever and have to put the water back up. This time I forgot to pull both levers the first time!

It is such a long fall with the central structure if you fail to grab a ledge, and I always seem to fall at least once.

The Electric Room--I hate it! I forgot temporarily how to lower the bars on the gate.

You have to give Lara credit. She does her own stunts. Can you imagine if she had an assistant like the Muppets Beaker? Go step on the floor switch, Beaker. BZZZT! Of course, maybe she went through a lot of assistants that way--and then she got a reputation that nobody would want to work for her. Maybe that is who all those skeletons are in the original TR.

When I did the Damocles room, I encountered that bug where the block is too short. You need the ring on the top of the block--not facing you. The Damocles room is scary, tiring, and stressful. I usually can only tolerate doing that one room, and then I have to stop. I love the legend, though!

In Atlas room, I was curious if Lara could jump to alcove before the ball crushed her. Answer: Nope. I hate it when I fall into the pit, and I don't die. The screen goes black, the sound continues, and I can't get out. That didn't happen this time, fortunately, but it happens frequently when I play.

It is a tiring level, but I actually do like it. I think it is the one level I actually prefer in TRA to TR1.

Completion 3:57:49 Kills 9 Supplies 12 Artifacts 6/6

TR1: Level 5: St Francis Folly

Lara didn't try to hide the fact that she rifled through Natla's office. How did that monk know about Tihocan?

Pierre ate beans. I hope he doesn't have to use the bathroom. Maybe that is why he keeps disappearing.

So, I was busy reading the walkthrough when the lion attacked. In the gorilla room, hopping over the pad still closes the door.

Yeah, it wastes health, but I just prefer to shoot it out with Pierre. Otherwise, he just runs around like a girl, "You can't catch me!"

I got that tricky jump on the third try, which is an improvement. Then I fell to my death getting secret 1. I'm sure I made that same mistake last time too. I began to remember why I hated this level. I'm playing on a Playstation, and we can only save when we get a save crystal. Death means redoing it from the beginning. So I redid it. I didn't get the tricky jump in three tries. It took more. I'm always amazed when I can just stand jump to that tall pillar with the medipack. But then I forget that I need to jump from the middle of the pillar and not the edge. I over jumped and fell to my death again. Why couldn't they have put a save crystal in this area? Why can't they have mediocre players test the levels so they can tell the pros where save crystals are most needed?

This is the first time I got secret 2. After I killed croc, he floated in mid air after I drained the water. Then finally a save crystal--yay!

I decided not to go after Secret 4. I forgot about how Pierre tries to shoot you when I emerged from the Thor room, which I did first.

The swords got close to me when I did the Damocles room, but it wasn't as scary.

I wasted so many medipacks falling from the central structure. Mainly, this was my fault because I was running. There is something about this particular structure that makes me feel impatient. The climbing seems more inconvenient than it does in TRA. Don't ask me why. It should be easier in many ways, but maybe it is more boring.

Neptune room--I never recognize the lever.

Another mistake I always make--I mistake a dead bat for a shotgun on the ground level.

The Atlas room is actually the hardest room for me. I always die at least once. I find it easier to actually hop to the boulder and then hop back. So I get down to the bottom and I'm opening the door--and I realized I forgot the Atlas key!

Kills 21 Pickups 17 Secrets 3/4 Time 1:10:37

[CaityFM]

Surprise surprise!

Has it been pretty much a year? Yes!

Am I posting another entry? Absolutely! I was looking through my Chrome bookmarks when I came across this forum and it all came flooding back, so I dusted off the PS2 and loaded up...

The Coliseum - TRA

I have flashbacks on top of other flashbacks about this level. All that time spent running around doing nothing, being killed by various wild animals, inevitably jumping off everything and drowning myself out of sheer frustration.....good times. *eye twitch*

You know, it's absolutely incredible how nervous I get while playing specifically this Tomb Raider. (TRA and TR1 both, actually.) The feeling of complete and utter isolation in such huge areas...especially after having spoiled myself on the constant banter between Zip, Alister, and Lara in Legend and Underworld. It really has made it all the more nerve wracking...coupled with the feeling that around any corner a lion or gorilla is going to rip my organs out.

The reason it's astonishing how scared I get is because I'm primarily a horror gamer. I literally play Outlast, L4D2, Res. Evil, Slender (and all knockoffs,) countless indie horror games, ect...ALL THE TIME. None of it gets to me. But God forbid I'm trapped in a Coliseum by myself with copious amounts of firepower and a few measly animals...I will pee myself.

[That being said, if anyone wants to add me on Steam my GT is Catastrophe and my icon is a little avatar with a bun.]

All in all, I enjoy this level a lot more in TRA than in TR1. It was a lot easier than I remembered.

[Stellalune]

Hey, Caity! Glad to see you're carrying on. I'm still slogging through TR3, but the end is in sight! (In Lost City of Tinnos now.) Not sure if I'll replay TRA any time soon, but I wanted to give you some encouragement. I also added you on Steam. I'm stellalune there too.

[Jolie752]

I agree Caity that the Coliseum level is spooky. I always freak out when some gorillas come at me out of nowhere lol.

[CaityFM]

Pretty sure I'm just going to play through TRA and while only reflecting on TR1, since it's still pretty fresh in my mind. And the next time I play TR1 I will definitely play it on PC so I can maybe get my gaming youtube channel up and running. [CatastrophePlays]

Midas's Palace: TRA

I don't even have anything to say about how frustrating this level can be. Between the spike room, the fire pillar room, and the sandy ascent...eugh. At least I know when to expect gorillas now!

Tomb of Tithocan: TRA

I started this level out by promptly drowning....BUT IT GOT SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!

After a grueling previous several levels, I've finally reached my second favorite part of the game (apart from Lost Valley...)

~THE CISTERN~

Gee whillikers, Batman! I can't really pinpoint what I love about this level, I just just love it. Maybe it's being able to swim through the places you just walked.

I'll finish this level later, however.

Edited November 12, 2014 by CaityFM