Lara Croft has always been a fashion icon, but not in the way a supermodel is. She’s a practical icon. When Crystal Dynamics brought the sequel to the 2013 reboot to Sony’s console, they didn’t just port a game; they dropped a massive "20 Year Celebration" edition that fundamentally changed how we look at Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 costumes. Honestly, if you played this on Xbox at launch, you kinda missed out on the sheer volume of threads available from day one on the PlayStation side.
It’s weird. Most people talk about the "Tombs" or the "Crafting," but for a lot of us, the loop is: find resource, go to camp, change outfit. It’s a ritual.
The PS4 version specifically is a goldmine because it includes almost every piece of DLC ever released for the game. We're talking over 28 outfits. Some are tactical, some are historical, and some are just plain bizarre. You haven't lived until you've tried to take down a Trinity helicopter while wearing a low-poly skin that looks like it stepped straight out of 1996. It’s jarring. It’s hilarious. It’s exactly why this version of the game feels like the definitive Lara experience.
The Nostalgia Hit: Those Low-Poly Throwbacks
Let's get real for a second. The "20 Year Celebration" was a love letter. The standout feature for many fans was the inclusion of five classic Lara models. You can literally play the entire high-fidelity, motion-captured, emotionally grueling Siberian adventure as a collection of jagged triangles.
Seeing the Tomb Raider II "Bomber Jacket" skin or the original 1996 "Core Design" Lara in a 4K environment is a trip. The juxtaposition is wild. One minute you're looking at realistic snow deformation and sub-surface scattering on skin, and the next, you're looking at a character model with about 300 polygons total. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, but also how iconic that silhouette remains. You don't need 8K textures to know it's Lara Croft.
The PS4 release was the first time console players got these specific legacy skins without having to jump through hoops. They weren't just cosmetic additions; they were a statement. It says that despite the gritty reboot vibes, the developers haven't forgotten the "Tomb Raider" who used to lock her butler in a walk-in freezer.
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Practicality vs. Style: The Perk System
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, your clothes aren't just for show. They have stats. This isn't Cyberpunk 2077 where you end up looking like a neon garbage bag just to get a higher armor rating, though. Most of the Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 costumes allow you to maintain a specific aesthetic while gaining some serious gameplay advantages.
Take the Spirit Weaver outfit, for example. It’s got that rugged, "I lived in the woods for six months" look with the deer hide and bandages. But the perk? It gives you a chance to heal without using your resources. That's huge on Survivor difficulty. Then you have the Hope's Bastion gear, which looks like ancient Byzantine armor. It makes your arrows stay in your quiver longer after you fire them—basically, it reduces the chance of losing ammo.
It’s a smart system. It forces you to actually think about the environment you’re in. If I’m going into a heavy combat zone in the Research Base, I’m putting on the Infiltrator or the Siberian Ranger gear. The former reduces the delay before your health starts regenerating, while the latter doubles your capacity for special ammo. It’s basically Lara’s version of a loadout.
The Weird Ones: Baba Yaga and Beyond
We have to talk about the Wraithskin outfit. You get this from the Baba Yaga: Temple of the Witch DLC, which, again, comes standard on the PS4. It’s easily the most "metal" outfit in the game. It’s a head-to-toe ensemble made of animal bones and a goat skull mask. When you wear it, you leave a trail of crows behind you when you dodge.
It’s completely ridiculous. It totally breaks the "grounded" tone of the reboot series. And I love it for that.
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Sometimes, the grounded realism of the "Survivor" era gets a bit heavy. Lara is constantly bleeding, freezing, or crying. Putting her in a literal witch costume or the Valiant Explorer outfit—which looks like something out of a 1930s pulp serial—adds a layer of "video game-ness" that keeps things fresh. The Valiant Explorer specifically is great because it increases the radius of your explosive arrows. Form meets function in the most explosive way possible.
Cold Weather Gear: Why the Blue Parka is King
If you ask any Tomb Raider purist which of the Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 costumes is the most iconic for this specific game, they’ll say the Blue Expedition Jacket. It’s the default. It’s what’s on the box art.
There’s a reason for that. The way the snow sticks to the fabric is a technical marvel even years later. The physics of the fur hood flapping in the Siberian wind—it’s just peak atmosphere. But even within the "cold weather" category, you have options. The Whiteout jacket is a personal favorite for stealth in the snowy Soviet Installation. It doesn't have a specific stealth buff, but mentally, it feels right.
Then there’s the Ushanka outfit. You get this during the Cold Darkness Awakened mode. It makes you look like a local, and it significantly reduces damage from melee attacks. It’s bulky, it looks warm, and it fits the "scavenger" vibe of the second half of the game perfectly.
How to Unlock the Best Stuff
Most of the outfits on PS4 are available as soon as you reach your first Base Camp. That’s the beauty of the 20 Year Celebration pack. However, some still require effort.
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- The Classic Skins: Check your inventory at a campfire immediately. They should be there if you're on the PS4/PS5 version.
- Story Progression: Outfits like the Remnant Jacket are given to you as part of the narrative. You can't miss them.
- Side Quests: The Sacra Umbra outfit (which is stunning, by the way—it’s a dark, ancient-looking priestess garb) requires you to complete the "Ancient Secrets" mission, which involves finishing all 9 challenge tombs. It’s a grind, but the faster health regen is worth it.
- Community Challenges: Some gear used to be tied to community events, but most of that has been folded into the base inventory for the PS4 edition.
The Forgotten Layers of Lara’s Identity
What's really interesting is how these outfits reflect Lara's mental state. In the beginning, she's wearing the Gray Henley. It's basic. It’s what you wear when you’re not expecting a fight. By the time she’s donning the Shadow Runner gear, she’s become the predator.
There is a psychological element to how you dress your character in a third-person game. You're staring at her back for 20 to 30 hours. If she looks like a victim, the game feels more like a survival horror. If she looks like a commando in the Commando outfit (go figure), the game feels like an action blockbuster. The PS4 version gives you the agency to decide which version of Lara you're playing today.
Honestly, the sheer variety is a bit overwhelming at first. You'll likely find three or four favorites and stick to them. But the fact that they are all there—the history of the franchise sitting in a digital wardrobe—is what makes the PS4 experience feel so complete. It's not just a game; it's a museum of Lara's career.
Making the Most of Your Wardrobe
If you're just starting out or replaying on a PS5 (thanks to backwards compatibility), don't just ignore the outfits. They are tools.
- For Stealth: Use the Nightshade. It gives you a chance to loot exotic animal resources from common animals. It’s great for mid-game crafting.
- For Combat: The Apex Predator outfit is the way to go. It reduces damage from animals, which is helpful when those random bears decide to ruin your day.
- For Exploration: Stick with the Valiant Explorer if you have it. The boost to explosive radius helps with clearing debris and finding secrets.
The Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 costumes aren't just skins. They are the final layer of polish on a game that was already stellar. They allow for a level of role-playing that the original Xbox 360/One versions lacked at their initial launch. Whether you want to be "Realistic Lara," "Witch Lara," or "1996 Triangle Lara," the choice is entirely yours.
To truly master your playthrough, focus on unlocking the Sacra Umbra as early as possible. It requires clearing all challenge tombs, but the health regeneration bonus is the single most powerful passive buff in the game. Once you have that, combine it with the Ancient Vanguard (which reduces the delay before health regenerates) for a Lara that is effectively immortal on lower difficulties and a tank on Survivor.
Stop by the nearest Base Camp and start experimenting with the textures. Most players never even look at the "Outfits" tab once they find one they like, but you're leaving a lot of tactical advantages on the table if you do that. Check the perks, match them to your current mission, and maybe wear the classic skin once in a while just for the laughs.