Tomb Raider II (1997)
Tomb Raider II is a 1997 shooter video game made by Core Design and Eidos Interactive.
Tomb Raider II sends Lara Croft after the Dagger of Xian, a relic with the power to turn its wielder into a dragon, through the Great Wall of China, an Italian opera house, a crashed oil rig, and a Venetian canal district that actually lets her drive a speedboat. The sequel leans harder into combat than its predecessor: human mercenaries replace most of the animals, and Lara's arsenal grows to include a harpoon gun, grenade launcher, and M16. Core Design kept the methodical platforming intact while giving the whole thing a pulpier, more action-film edge.
Quick answers
What is Tomb Raider II about?
Tomb Raider II sends Lara Croft after the Dagger of Xian, a relic with the power to turn its wielder into a dragon, through the Great Wall of China, an Italian opera house, a crashed oil rig, and a Venetian canal district that actually lets her drive a speedboat. The sequel leans harder into combat than its predecessor: human mercenaries replace most of the animals, and Lara's arsenal grows to include a harpoon gun, grenade launcher, and M16. Core Design kept the methodical platforming intact while giving the whole thing a pulpier, more action-film edge.
When was Tomb Raider II released?
Tomb Raider II was released on 21 November 1997.
Who made Tomb Raider II?
Tomb Raider II was made by Core Design and Eidos Interactive.
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Tomb Raider II in our writing
- Companion guide: Eidos Interactive: Lara Croft, Deus Ex and the British Golden Age
A few thoughts on Tomb Raider II
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life is the closest screen equivalent, sharing the globe-trotting structure, the Chinese opening location, and the artifact-with-catastrophic-power premise. For a more faithful animated take on the character, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft picks up the spirit of the classic games.
Lara Croft across every medium
Tomb Raider II expanded the franchise into underwater sections, motorcycles, and a Venice setting while keeping the same core character. The same Lara appears in the films, the 2024 Netflix series, and the tie-in novels, each version building on what the games established.
Sequels that raised the stakes
Tomb Raider II added human enemies with guns, vehicles, and a more globe-trotting scope than the first game. It belongs to a tradition of sequels that kept the bones of what worked while making the world feel bigger and more dangerous.