Lara Croft is a Tomb Raider, an archaeologist who explores ancient sites in search of valuable artifacts, who is hired to retrieve an artifact from a tomb in Peru, which turns out to be one of three parts of the Atlantean Scion. Soon betrayed by her employer, Lara Croft travels to Greece, Rome and Egypt to recover the other parts before this powerful device falls into the wrong hands.
Tomb Raider is a 3D action game with platforming and puzzle-solving elements, in which players control Tomb Raider 's protagonist from a third-person perspective. The camera follows Lara Croft as she climbs, jumps, and swims through detailed environments overcoming environmental obstacles and deadly fauna. Moving through levels often involves finding spots where Lara can climb, looking for spots where Lara can use her acrobatic ability, and sliding blocks and pushing levers to solve puzzles and open passageways.
The game features a range of weapons, including twin pistols with infinite ammunition, but players can also pick up higher caliber weapons to take on deadlier human opponents. Lara also has access to restorative health packs and a compass which helps her orient herself. Her opponents include animals, gunmen, as well as primeval and supernatural beings. Careful explorers can also find secret areas and avoid deadly traps.