5 Reasons To Give Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Another Chance

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness remains one of the most divisive games in the series. Having been in development for almost five years until its hurried release in June 2003, the game was not well received. The franchise was swiftly moved from the original developers of the series, Core Design, to Crystal Dynamics.

The story centers on Lara Croft being framed for the murder of her old mentor, Von Croy. What follows to clear her name is an adventure full of tomb-raiding traps and RPG-like features, such as conversation branches. The score, composed by Peter Connelly and Martin Iveson, added a sense of grandeur that fit the series’ debut on the Sony PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome the game’s numerous flaws that kept many players away.

With Angel of Darkness being part of the upcoming Tomb Raider Remastered trilogy — which also includes Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: Chronicles — available on February 14, 2025, it’s the perfect opportunity to revisit the game. With this in mind, we’ve highlighted five reasons why Angel of Darkness should be given another chance despite its flaws.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Why You Should Give Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Another Chance
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Why You Should Give Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Another Chance
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

Why You Should Give Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Another Chance

5. Music

You can’t talk about The Angel of Darkness without mentioning its iconic music. While the original trilogy’s music, composed by Nathan McCree, remains timeless, composer Peter Connelly, with help from Martin Iveson, took Angel of Darkness’ soundtrack to another level.

Recorded in 2002 at Abbey Road Studios in London with the help of the London Symphony Orchestra, the score brings themes of sadness, adversity, wonder, and bittersweetness to the game. The title track is a highlight, showcasing moments of grandeur and wonder, with the familiar beats from the original Tomb Raider theme, letting the player know that Lara Croft is back.

4. Gameplay

This may prove divisive for some, but The Angel of Darkness gameplay introduced some elements that helped to give the game more depth than ever before. For example, branching conversation paths allowed Lara to interact with characters in different ways. You could find out bits of information and be given items vital to your quest. It gave the world some added variety and was a break from the puzzle-solving and shoot-outs that came before.

However, the tank controls remain, having been around since the first game, which felt clunky, especially when Angel of Darkness came out after games like Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty that had no restrictions to grid-based movement. Still, the added stealth feature that allows Lara to creep up on most enemies, as well as the RPG elements that make Lara stronger, have a certain charm to them and make the game feel replayable in how you can approach certain levels.

3. Story

Written by Murti Schofield, The Angel of Darkness’ story is a significant pillar of the game’s lasting appeal. Schofield explains on his site that he began developing the story in 2000, inspired by Cappadocian angelic myths and genetics. For those unaware, Lara is back from the dead after her apparent death in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation — but is now framed for the murder of her former teacher, Von Croy. What follows is a quest that has her discover the Obscura Paintings, as well as uncover the motives of the main antagonist, Karel.

For a game released in 2003, the way much of the story was told — through cut-scenes and interactive dialogue, was ahead of its time. Letting players guide Lara through conversations with different characters and briefly control another one, called Kurtis Trent, added greater depth to the game that made the whole story one of the most memorable in the series.

2. Community Support

Like many franchises, there are passionate communities that can help showcase certain games in a better light. Angel of Darkness is a shining example of this, with mods and restoration efforts available to improve the game in countless ways. For example, a project called Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness — Definitive Edition restores cut content, such as Lara’s iconic dual pistols, remastered cut scenes, revamped controls, and much more.

These fan-driven efforts are a testament to the potential of what Angel of Darkness always had, and there’s hope some of these improvements will be included in next year’s remaster.

1. Core Design’s Last Hurrah

The Angel of Darkness marked the last game to be made by Core Design. In subsequent interviews, many developers expressed regret over the game’s release, noting that they had big plans for the game’s world, as well as a spin-off entry based on Kurtis Trent and even a canceled sequel called ‘The Lost Dominion’.

Following the poor reception of Angel of Darkness, Core Design had plans for a 10th Anniversary remake of the original Tomb Raider, but the publisher, Eidos Interactive, took the series away from them and gave it to Crystal Dynamics, where it remains today.

While Angel of Darkness had its flaws, much of the responsibility lies with Eidos and its shareholders, who ultimately pressured Core Design to release the game in its infamous unfinished state.

However, with its inclusion of the upcoming Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered collection, coming next February, there’s hope among the fanbase that this release will finally showcase how good Angel of Darkness truly is, as it always has been.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’ve played Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness before or missed out on it, the game is certainly worth revisiting. It’s a title that should be judged by the sum of its parts rather than the overall package. For instance, the music is captivating from the first cutscene, making Angel of Darkness stand out from the start. While there are bugs in the gameplay, much of it remains engaging to play, thanks to the elegant environments scattered throughout the game.

With Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered coming early next year, there’s no better time to reacquaint yourself with the most divided entry in the series — as long as you can find a PlayStation 2 copy of the game. However, as mentioned earlier, dedicated fans have already released an unofficial remaster that fixes bugs and improves the controls for the PC version, offering a perfect opportunity to play Angel of Darkness before the official remaster arrives.

FAQs