Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Reviews
The best games – as works of art – delight over and over, no matter how familiar they become. With Tomb Raider, and so many other blockbusters over the last 15 years, familiarity just makes the lack of creative inspiration behind them and the slavish devotion to risk-free content delivery all the more apparent.
The return of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2 provides an opportunity to revisit one of the most important reboots in video game history. Despite being over a decade old, this version still demonstrates why Lara Croft is regarded as one of the few truly timeless female characters. Overall, this edition is a mix of strengths and weaknesses. However, for fans looking to experience one of the industry's most significant reboots in portable form, it remains a worthwhile option—provided expectations are kept realistic.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is sadly not as Definitive as the title might imply. While Aspyr has done the work to make a title from 2013 run at a solid 60fps on a handheld, and with 1440p resolution, it seems the cost was graphical fidelity at almost every turn. Not to mention the bizarre implementation (or lack thereof) of motion controls, and unwieldy mouse options.Thankfully, this entry in the Tomb Raider mythos remains one of the very best, and clever visual design means that your trip through Yamatai is far from ugly, as long as you don't inspect too closely. Crystal Dynamics' 2013 reinvention of Lara Croft just might be the best entry in this decades-old franchise, and for the asking price, you're getting a thrilling action romp that'll keep you hooked until the credits.
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Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is another bare minimum remaster from Aspyr, which doesn't give Lara or the Switch 2 the attention they deserve.
This unexpected drop of Lara's first reboot adventure onto Switch 2 was a pleasant surprise, both from its general existence and from the inclusion of its multiplayer mode, solid performance, and low price.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for Switch 2 leaves a dual, almost suspended feeling. On one hand, there is the tangible pleasure of rediscovering a game that maintains a rare narrative solidity and an engaging quality. On the other hand, however, it is impossible to ignore how time has affected the formula, making certain moments more predictable, some mechanics more rigid, and some design choices less surprising than they were a decade ago.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tomb Raider (2013) was very much a misguided product of its time. It’s more enjoyable than any Uncharted game, thanks to the metroidvania progression, fun puzzles, and deeper combat, but its dumbed-down gameplay makes it dull compared to its predecessors. On Switch 2, you’ll enjoy a tight 60FPS and some incongruent graphics, but I think they still look pretty good.
It's time to take on Lara's first adventure, now on Nintendo Switch 2
A good third-person shooter but a bad Tomb Raider game; that’s what Crystal Dynamics’ reboot for Lara Croft boils down to. When you ignore the inconsistencies between the story and gameplay, as well as the annoying characters and poor writing, Lara’s survival adventure on Yamatai is a worthwhile distraction that plays smoothly and has plenty to do. The great price that others could learn from means this is well within impulse-buy territory too.
It might be a Nintendo port of a game that’s more than a decade old, but it still looks amazing. In those opening moments, you’re looking out past the cliffs towards the sea, and it looks phenomenal. The camera shake, camera angles, motion effects, lighting, and other visual effects come together to create such an immersive experience that’s cool and tense. It’s basically a giant movie that you’re playing.
This is hardly a definitive version of Tomb Raider Definitive Edition. It struggles to capture the rather distinct art direction of the original and is missing details of the later definitive release. The visual cutbacks are too large for the Switch 2, which should easily have the full effects suite. However, for players who missed out on this adventure, this is a great, if compromised, version of Lara’s first “survivor” adventure and the best game of that trilogy.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition remains a substantial title, still capable of recounting a challenging and compelling journey and offering solid gameplay despite some obvious flaws. The Switch 2 version is certainly the best for playing in 2025, but it does not bring with it enough innovations to make it an essential remaster. For the price at which it is offered, however, it remains a good compromise.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition fails to truly be the “definitive” version. On a purely technical level, it does an excellent job, and overall it is probably the most stable version. However, it is unacceptable that the developers have failed to “confirm” the purely graphical aspect of a work that was released nine years ago. That aside, Lara Croft remains a magnetic protagonist, the adventure retains its charm, and the portability option adds real value to the package, making the experience accessible anywhere.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on Switch 2 is a solid and extremely competent port that delivers exactly what it promises: a classic, fluid, and portable adventure with a stable 60 fps and intact gameplay, even if it sacrifices the more modern graphics and advanced effects found on larger consoles. It’s the most practical and accessible way to revisit (or experience for the first time) the origins of Lara Croft, offering a complete, stable, and cost-effective package, as long as you understand that the focus here is on performance and portability, not next-gen visual fidelity.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I had way more fun than I expected with Tomb Raider, maybe it's because it's been a while since I played something like this, but I was able to simply appreciate everything from beginning to end. Even switching between the TV and portable mode, the game still works perfectly and is quite fun to enjoy in the most casual way possible. At the end of the game, the feeling that remains is: where are the other games in the Survivor trilogy? Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider seem like two games that would run easily on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
This Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch2 retains the power of its story, the solidity of its gameplay, and the excitement of the original adventure. Despite the graphical downgrades compared to more powerful versions, its fluidity and portability make it a valid way to relive the saga. It may not be "the best possible version," but it's a more than worthy option for playing it wherever you want.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tomb Raider managed to come full circle with the reboot, and admittedly, with its sequels, it looped back into the ridiculousness. All bets are off in regards to the upcoming and as of yet untitled new release, but for now, Tomb Raider: Definite Edition is reason enough to dust off your machete and get your tetanus shots in for another adventure alongside young Lara.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition runs far better than expected, the narrative remains gripping, and despite visual compromises, the overall experience still shines. Even at $20 or less on some platforms, some fans may wish more effort had gone into this version, but the Switch 2 release nonetheless stands as a technically remarkable way to revisit Lara Croft's origin story after its official arrival on Nintendo hardware.
The Switch 2 version of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition isn't the prettiest or most visually stunning. But it's a pleasant, fluid, portable, and modern version that respects the original experience and makes it accessible in a different way.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review