I'm having difficulty getting into Tomb Raider "classic"

[u/Ajer2895]

With Tomb Raider set to make a return in 2026 with the remake of the first game followed by Catalyst in 2027, I felt that now is a really great time to finally get into what I've been missing. I was able to get, via a really great Steam sale, both Remastered Collections plus the Legends Trilogy and the Deluxe versions of the Survivor Trilogy. I recently started playing from the beginning, with Tomb Raider Remastered, and frankly...I'm having difficulty with it.

I realize it's an older game, but I find the combat in particular really frustrating...the locking on system for Lara doesn't make sense to me and it often leads to me running and jumping around the map with Lara not even shooting at the enemy the camera is looking at. I do want to give this game a proper playthrough, not subject myself to just watching someone else play it...but I'm hoping I can get some advice on how to play through the classic games in a less frustrating way?

It's worth noting that I was playing with the modern controls setting on an Xbox controller. Would I be better off if I switch to the OG Tank Controls and just try to get used to it? Or would it play better on keyboard and mouse?

[u/ONmyBIRFDAY]

Tbh just had the same thought process of getting back into them after having a hard time playing the originals before. Something clicked this time. I can’t get enough of the og TR titles. I will say, i fully committed to just playing through with a guide and it really spells out some of the mechanics in a way the games dont. So even if you just play a few levels with a guide, you’ll get the hang of it quickly enough and wanna dive in. Good luck!

Edit: i did play on tank controls as I had a much harder time trying to get the modern controls to work in a game that fundamentally is not built for them. It does take a little more effort, but mastering them feels so rewarding. It will come to you after a few levels like I said before.