How to Play the Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

When it comes to the Tomb Raider games, you’re probably wondering where to start, right? With such a huge franchise it’s normal to get confused, especially if you are new to the game. We are here to save the day and explain everything you need to know so that you can play the games in the correct chronological order.

How Many Tomb Raider Games Are There?

As of 2025, 20 Tomb Raider games have been released, spanning three separate timelines and each timeline presents a unique storyline.

These three timelines are categorized as:

• Original Timeline (1996–2003)
• Legend Timeline (2006–2008)
• Survivor Timeline (2013–2018)

Out of these 20 titles, 14 were released on home consoles, 6 were available on handheld consoles, and 6 were also launched on mobile platforms.

The following titles are considered stand-alone experiences and are not included in the timeline breakdown:

• Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
• Lara Croft Go
• Lara Croft: Relic Run
• Tomb Raider Reloaded

These stand-alone games exist outside the main storylines and are often shorter puzzle/action spin-offs under the “Lara Croft” branding, that do not tie into the primary series continuity.

Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order

If you want to play Tomb Raider in chronological order and take a journey in time through all of the Tomb Raider games, it’s important to remember that there are 3 different timelines you can play through.

As mentioned above these three timelines are categorized as:

Original Timeline (1996–2003)

Legend Timeline (2006–2008)

Survivor Timeline (2013–2018)

First Timeline – Original Saga

Tomb Raider (1996)

The story behind the first-ever Tomb Raider title is centered around Lara.

Lara is being hired by a businesswoman named Jacquelin Natla to find a mysterious artifact called the Scion of Atlantis. However, after finding all three fragments of the Scion, Lara is betrayed by Jacquelin Natla and she will battle her on a volcanic island.

2. Tomb Raider: The Curse of the Sword (2001)

The story behind The Curse of the Sword, finds Lara tracking down a mystical sword and attempting to destroy it.

The reason is Madame Paveau who, although she is dead, can resurrect from the underworld and use her dark magic to rule the world.

3. Tomb Raider II (1997)

This adventure finds Lara on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon once used by the Emperors of China.

4. Tomb Raider III (1998)

This time Lara is looking for the Infada Stone, one of four crystalline artefacts crafted thousands of years ago from the remnants of a meteorite.

But she must hurry to find the remaining three artifacts, cause Dr. Willard is aiming to use the statues and not in a good way.

5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)

In this game, Lara explores a tomb in Egypt, and without realizing she releases Set, the Egyptian god of chaos.

With Set bringing chaos to the city of Cairo, Lara tries to summon the god Horus who is the only one who can end this threat.

6. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)

The game emphasizes Lara’s character through stories told by those who knew her best, her friends, and Winston the butler.

This time Lara is going through four adventures:

1. She hunts for the Philosopher’s Stone in Rome
2. She is searching for the Spear of Destiny in a sunken submarine in Russia
3. She is exploring an island haunted by demonic forces in Ireland
4. She tries to retrieve an artifact from Von Croy Industries in New York.

7. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)

Accused of murdering her former mentor, Werner Von Croy, Lara sets out across Paris and Prague to uncover the truth and prove her innocence.

Second Timeline – Legend of Tomb Raider

1. Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007)

This is a remake of the original Tomb Raider title from 1996. Following the same story as the original, Lara is questing to find the Scion of Atlantis.

2. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)

This game explores Lara’s personal history, the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, and a mythical artifact linked to King Arthur, the Excalibur sword.

3. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)

Underworld follows Lara Croft as she excavates deeper into Norse mythology. She is searching for Mjolnir, an ancient key to Helheim, the realm of the dead.

Third Timeline – Survivor Trilogy

1. Tomb Raider (2013)

Lara Croft joins an expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai. In this adventure, Lara must disrupt the Ascension ritual and stop a new host from being chosen to inherit the power of the legendary, bloodthirsty Sun Queen.

2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)

This time Lara explores Siberia for the legendary city of Kitezh whilst battling Trinity, the paramilitary organization that continually crosses paths with Lara. She is now on a quest to uncover more about the legendary Divine Source, an artifact believed to grant immortality.

3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)

The third and final installment in the Survivor Trilogy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has Lara focused on finding the “Silver Box of Ix Chel”, a powerful artifact linked to an ancient Mayan prophecy.

100+ Free Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4K Ultrawide Wallpapers

How to Play the Tomb Raider Games By Release Date

Here is the complete list of Tomb Raider games in release date order:

• Tomb Raider (1996)
• Tomb Raider II (1997)
• Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
• Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
• Tomb Raider (2000)
• Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
• Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (2001)
• Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
• Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
• Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
• Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
• Tomb Raider (2013)
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
• Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
• Lara Croft GO (2015)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
• Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023)

How to Play The Tomb Raider Games in Story Order

Last but not least, if you want to follow Tomb Raider’s storyline from the very beginning then it’s best to play the games in the following order:

1. Tomb Raider (2013)
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
4. Tomb Raider (1996)
5. Tomb Raider II (1997)
6. Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
7. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
8. Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
9. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
10. Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
11. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
12. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)

---

Have you played Tomb Raider? Which game is your favorite and why? Let me know in the comments section below.