Tomb Raider II
From the Great Wall to the canals of Venice, the hunt begins.
Tomb Raider II is the direct sequel to the original adventure game that launched the franchise in 1996. Developed by Core Design, this title expanded the series beyond isolated ruins, taking players into bustling cities and varied global landscapes while pushing technical boundaries on contemporary hardware. It serves as a cornerstone of the classic timeline, refining the platforming mechanics established in the first entry and introducing new traversal tools that would define action-adventure gaming for years to come.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Core Design
- Release year
- 1997
- Protagonist
- Lara Croft
- Main antagonist
- Giovanni Rossi
- Key artifact
- Dagger of Xian
- Primary platforms
- PlayStation
- PC
- Sega Saturn
Lore & Background
The narrative centers on Lara Croft's pursuit of the legendary Dagger of Xian after learning of its existence from a monk named Father in the game's manual and opening cutscene. The plot unfolds across multiple continents, beginning at the Great Wall of China before moving to the historic streets and canals of Venice, then to snowy peaks in Tibet, and finally into the tombs of Egypt. This journey marks a shift from pure exploration to a more cinematic chase against a rival faction led by Giovanni Rossi, who is also competing to find the artifact. Mechanically, this era introduced skiing segments in mountainous levels, but not snowboarding. New environments required new skills, blending puzzle-solving with high-speed traversal. The story also deepened Lara's mythos without relying heavily on dialogue cutscenes, instead using environmental storytelling to hint at her past and motivations. The stakes were raised significantly compared to the debut, positioning her not just as a treasure hunter, but as a guardian of history protecting powerful relics from falling into the wrong hands.
Reader's Guide
Tomb Raider II stands as the direct sequel in the original classic timeline, following the initial adventure that launched the franchise globally. Released shortly after its predecessor, it expanded the scope significantly beyond simple tombs into urban environments and diverse climates like snowy mountains and ancient temples. Players returned to control Lara Croft, but with enhanced traversal options including skiing down snowy slopes and swimming through underwater passages. The narrative continuity places this journey between the first game and Tomb Raider III, maintaining the standalone adventure structure typical of Core Design’s early work during that era. Mechanically, it introduced vehicles like motorcycles and paragliders, allowing for faster movement across larger levels compared to the original title. The story reshaped Lara from a tomb explorer into an international action hero chasing a stolen artifact known as the Dagger of Xian. This entry solidified the series' reputation for blending puzzle-solving with platforming challenges in varied biomes. It set expectations for future sequels while pushing technical boundaries on contemporary hardware like PlayStation and PC. The game remains a pivotal moment where the franchise matured its identity beyond the initial novelty, establishing Venice as an iconic location within her rogues gallery of destinations.
Did You Know?
- Contrary to popular belief, Tomb Raider II did not introduce swimming underwater; the original Tomb Raider already allowed underwater swimming, not just surface floating.
- The game prominently featured a fictionalized version of Venice, Italy, but the first level is actually the Great Wall of China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the main villain in Tomb Raider II?
Giovanni Rossi, a ruthless Italian arms dealer, drives the plot by hunting the Dagger of Xian for its legendary power. Lara must race him across multiple continents to stop him from claiming the artifact.
What artifact is at the center of Tomb Raider II's story?
The Dagger of Xian is the legendary weapon both Lara and Rossi are after, and the entire level structure revolves around tracking down clues that lead to its final resting place. Securing it before Rossi is the core objective of the campaign.
What new traversal tools does Tomb Raider II add over the first game?
The sequel introduces a grappling hook for spanning wide gaps and the ability to swim and move underwater, both of which became defining staples of the action-adventure genre. These tools let Lara navigate environments like Venice's canals that were simply impossible in the 1996 original.
What platforms was Tomb Raider II released on?
Core Design shipped the 1997 title for PlayStation, PC, and Sega Saturn, giving it a wide footprint across the three dominant systems of that era. It remains one of the few major adventure games to span all three simultaneously.
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