Tomb Raider Anniversary is a weird beast. It’s not just a remake of the 1996 original; it’s a fundamental reimagining of how Lara Croft moves through space. If you grew up on the grid-based tank controls of the nineties, this 2007 classic—built on the Legend engine—feels like greased lightning. But that speed is a trap. I’ve seen so many players get frustrated because they try to muscle through the platforming like it’s a modern "hold forward to win" action game. It isn't. This tomb raider anniversary guide is here to break down why you're likely falling to your death in St. Francis Folly and how to actually handle the Adrenaline Dodge without throwing your controller.
The Movement Paradox: Why You Keep Falling
Most people struggle with Anniversary because the camera is a liar. In the original game, Lara moved one square at a time. In Anniversary, she’s fluid. Crystal Dynamics gave her a grapple hook and the ability to perch on tiny poles, but the physics are slippery. Honestly, the most important thing to learn is the "Safety Drop." You’ve gotta stop just jumping off ledges.
Hold the walk button. It’s your best friend. When Lara is near an edge, holding walk prevents her from stumbling over. If you're hanging from a ledge and need to drop to a lower one, don't just tap the drop button. You need to be ready to hit the "Interact" key (E on PC, Triangle/Y on consoles) to recover her grip. The game has this "saving grab" mechanic where Lara’s hand slips. If you aren't paying attention to the yellow icon or the animation of her losing her balance, you're dead. It's that simple.
The physics engine also calculates momentum strangely. If you’re swinging on a grapple, don’t jump at the highest point of the arc. You actually want to jump slightly after the peak to ensure the forward velocity carries you to the ledge. If you jump too early, you’ll just go up and then straight down into the spikes.
Cracking the Adrenaline Dodge
This is the big one. The dealbreaker.
If you can't do the Adrenaline Dodge, you literally cannot finish the game. The T-Rex boss in Peru will eat you every single time. Here is the secret: stop moving. Well, stop moving randomly.
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To trigger it, you have to enrage the enemy. Shoot them until the rage bar fills up. When the screen blurs and the heartbeat sound starts, the enemy is charging. Most players panic and start jumping. Don't. Wait until the four grey arrows appear in the corner of the screen. Only then do you tap a direction (Left, Right, or Back) and the Crouch button simultaneously.
Lara will dive in slow motion. Two reticles will move across the enemy's head. When they overlap and turn red—SNAP—you fire. It’s a one-hit stun or a massive damage dealer. If you’re playing on the Wii version, this involves a motion flick, which is notoriously finicky. On PC and other consoles, it’s all about the timing of that Crouch press. If you press it too early, you just roll and get trampled.
Quick Combat Tips for the Impatient
- The dual pistols have infinite ammo, but they’re pea-shooters. Use them to build the rage meter, then switch to the shotgun for the Adrenaline Dodge finish.
- Environmental kills are everywhere. In the T-Rex fight, lead the dinosaur into the spiked wooden structures. It saves you five minutes of kiting.
- Centaurs in Greece? They turn you to stone. Use the grapple to rip their shields away after you stun them with a dodge. You then use the shield to reflect their petrification beam back at them.
The Logic of the Lost Valley and Beyond
The level design in Anniversary is vertical. Extremely vertical. While the original game felt like a series of rooms, Anniversary feels like an ecosystem. In the Lost Valley, you aren't just looking for three cogs. You’re navigating a massive water-powered machine that spans three different elevations.
Always look for the scratches on the walls.
The developers were subtle, but they left clues. Any wall that can be climbed usually has a slightly different texture or a discoloration where Lara’s boots would have scuffed the rock. If you're stuck, look up. The grapple points—those gold rings—are often hidden behind hanging vines or located directly above you where the camera doesn't naturally rest.
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Relics vs. Artifacts: The Completionist’s Nightmare
Don't confuse the two. Artifacts are usually just off the beaten path and give you concept art. Relics are the real prize. They’re hidden behind complex, timed puzzles and unlock the special outfits, like the "Catsuit" or the "Classic Lara" skin.
Take the "Killer Whale" relic in Peru. You have to manipulate a series of underwater levers and then race through a door before it shuts. If you miss it, you have to restart the entire sequence. It’s punishing. My advice? Save your game manually at the start of every puzzle room. The autosave checkpoints are decent, but they sometimes trigger after you’ve failed a one-time opportunity for a relic.
Peru Checklist
- Mountain Caves: Look for the artifact behind the wooden doors near the start.
- City of Vilcabamba: The village has a hidden room behind a breakaway wall.
- The Lost Valley: The relic is tucked away in a cave reachable only by a very specific jump from the waterfall bridge.
Handling the Camera in Tight Spaces
Let’s be real: the camera in this game can be a nightmare in the Egyptian levels. When you’re inside the Obelisk of Khamoon, the tight corridors make the camera snap to Lara’s face, leaving you blind.
The fix? Center the camera constantly. Don't rely on the right stick to follow you. Tap the "Look" button to snap the view behind Lara’s head before every jump. If you're on a pole and need to jump backward, make sure Lara’s back is perfectly aligned with the target. If she’s even five degrees off, she’ll dive into the abyss. It’s a technical game. Precision over speed.
Why Midas's Palace Still Ruins Runs
The Midas Palace level is a masterpiece of "what do I do now?" design. You have to find three lead bars and turn them into gold. The mistake people make is trying to explore all three wings at once.
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Focus on the fire room first. It’s the hardest. The pillars rise and fall based on a timer, and if you touch the water, you're dead because... well, it's not actually water, it's fire traps. The trick here is to observe the pattern for three full cycles before jumping. There’s a rhythm to it. Once you have the lead bars, take them to the hand of the Midas statue. But—and this is important—do not touch the hand yourself. Unless you want a "congratulations, you're a gold statue" game over screen and a cheeky trophy.
Improving Your Speedrun Times
If you're going for the Time Trials to unlock the cheats (like Infinite 50 Caliber Pistol ammo), you have to change your playstyle.
- Skip the combat whenever possible. Most wolves and bats can be outrun.
- Use the "Swan Dive" (Jump then immediately Crouch) to cover ground faster on flat surfaces.
- Master the "Fast Climb." Tapping the interact button while Lara is on a ledge or ladder makes her move significantly faster. This is mandatory for the St. Francis Folly time trial.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of your run, start by remapping your controls if you're on PC; the default mapping for the grapple is awkward. Focus on mastering the Adrenaline Dodge in the Peru levels where the stakes are lower before you hit the brutal encounters in Atlantis.
Check your rewards menu frequently. Unlocking the "Textureless Mode" or "low-poly Lara" isn't just a gimmick; it can actually help you see the geometry of the levels more clearly if you’re struggling with a particular jump.
Finally, keep a close eye on your oxygen meter during the Mediterranean sections. The drown animation is long, and if you’re at 10% air when you start a lever animation, you won't make it back to the surface. Surface early, surface often. Once you've cleared the game once, go back for the Time Trials. That's where the real mechanics of the game finally click into place.