The first Tomb Raider debuted in 1996, immediately becoming a classic, and many players saw it as the perfect excuse to buy their first 3D accelerator cards. Almost 25 years later, the game can be run without a hitch on any system, and proof of that is OpenLara, a project that aims to bring it to your web browser.
The first time I saw a Diamond Monster 3D card in action was with the original Tomb Raider, and I basically picked my jaw off the floor. A couple of months later, that same card was installed in my computer, and Lara Croft was jumping over obstacles with the fluidity that only dedicated hardware could provide. Simpler and more pleasant times, powered by an adventurous lady in very short shorts that stirred the minds of 16-year-olds like yogurt containers. I never finished the first Tomb Raider. In fact, I never finished any game in the saga. Maybe with OpenLara, this time the story will be different.
Tomb Raider in your browser
The first Tomb Raider is sold as part of the initial trilogy on GOG at a ridiculous price. However, the OpenLara project offers the possibility of playing it on a web browser. Technically, it's not a complete reproduction, but rather a remake of the graphics engine, without the limitations of the original. That means more than 30 frames per second, something we certainly appreciate. It also includes a first-person mode, which I must admit is quite broken, and clipping details are the order of the day, as are aiming issues.
On the other hand, the sound works very well, and the same applies to the external level loading system. OpenLara is based on level 2 of Tomb Raider, but if you have a copy, you can try exploring other stages. In summary, a work in progress that will demand patience, but it's worked on week by week.
