Tomb Raider: Underworld isn't a bad game, but it feels like a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy that began with Tomb Raider: Legend. This was actually the first Tomb Raider game I played as a child, and it was what got me into the rest of the series, so I admittedly have to thank this game for that. The Tomb Raider franchise is one of my favorite gaming franchises of all time. I absolutely adore spending hours in lost tombs and ruins, uncovering dangerous traps and perplexing puzzles, all the while dispatching goons, mythical monsters, and deadly predators as the brilliant leading lady Lara Croft. Underworld has all of this, but I do feel in numerous ways it is a step backwards from its predecessors.
The graphical improvements over Legend and Anniversary are noticeable; even today, I still think the game looks gorgeous and the Lara Croft model holds up very well. It's amazing how much detail this 2008 game presented, and I love the art and graphics. Thailand and Mexico are absolutely gorgeous, large environments that you can get lost in and immerse yourself within. Even with all the advancements in graphics and visual presentation in 2026, Underworld's art and graphics still look beautiful. Each level has a unique atmosphere and vibe going for it, ranging from a dark, stony underwater temple to a green, vibrant jungle where ancient ruins are overgrown with plants and all sorts of vines.
The movement and platforming has also been updated slightly; Lara Croft moves much more smoothly now, and many of her animations are faster. New additions include the ability to sprint, manually utilize a motorcycle as opposed to only being able to use vehicles in scripted sequences like the predecessors, and a pole swinging mechanic. All of these features prove to be nice additions that spice up and make platforming more interesting, but the game's camera doesn't help things in many cases. The camera is also updated and is sometimes much too claustrophobic and zoomed in, making seeing where to go difficult. I had some issues moving Lara in certain directions at a few points, and I was slightly annoyed by this new camera because it would sometimes throw off platforming. It's not the worst camera ever, but I am noting that I did have some issues with it. Legend and Anniversary felt more consistent and I didn't have really any issues or problems with their cameras.
I think where I'm let down is the pacing and the narrative of the game. Instead of having several smaller levels, Underworld has only a handful -- 7, to be exact; however, they are much larger and feel more like hubs than they do the more contained levels of Legend and Anniversary. The entire game can be beat in about 6-8 hours, which is normal for a Tomb Raider game, but the cutscenes and story developments feel like they happen few and far between, or they don't pack a big punch. By the time I reached the end of the game, it didn't feel like the story had sat long enough and we rushed to this point. The original Tomb Raider games had few cutscenes, but the story was more of a background element which existed to contextualize why you're exploring these locations and ruins. LAU put more of a focus on telling a narrative, and as a result, Underworld feels a little disappointing because it doesn't feel like there is enough of a build-up to get to the end. I was surprised when I realized that I had reached the end of the game because it didn't feel like it built up enough to get there. My reaction was "wait, is this is the final level of the game?" once I got there.
Of course, I have to mention the PC aspect of this. Because LAU were developed for consoles in mind, running these games above 60 FPS makes them nearly unplayable -- physics will glitch out terribly and become a buggy mess, and in several areas it can make progressing nearly impossible or completely impossible. With that in mind, you need to play the LAU trilogy with a 60 FPS cap. There are also issues with the game starting on certain systems, so be aware of that as well.
Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld are all really fun and exciting games to play from this era of the franchise, and while Underworld may be a step down in some aspects, I think it's worth taking a dive into the mythologies and mysteries of Avalon and Helheim to uncover the truth about your past.
