History VideoGame / TombRaiderTheLastRevelation

* CameraScrew: Like its predecessor, this game sometimes shifts the camera to a fixed angle which provides a panoramic view of the area, but due to the controls of the game (which are based not on camera direction but Lara's), this can make getting around more difficult than it should. Some insistent pressing of the Look button or drawing your weapons usually fixes this, though.

** Lara's pistols are rarely the same kind twice, the in-game models are the Browning Hi-Power, the same ones she had used the last three games, but the menu and more than a few FMVs and official artworks depict them as Colt M1911's, with a handful of FMVs and artworks using IMI Desert Eagle Mk VII's. And finally, the trailer shows them as Beretta 92FS Inox's. About the only thing they all have in common is that they are nickel plated.

* {{Nerf}}: Continuing the "tradition" started in previous games, Uzi gets nerfed even further. Not only it deals even less damage than the last time, now the amount of ammo you get per pickup of Uzi clips renders it practically useless.

* BareYourMidriff: 16-year old Lara has this as part of her attire in the Angkor Wat and Race for the Iris level.

** Another skeleton appears under the Sphinx, clutching a sheet of paper with transliterations of various hieroglyphics.

** While the games were never heavy on historical accuracy, this one makes a pretty glaring mistake: the {{Tutorial Level}}s of Angkor Wat are explicitly set in 1984, showing the whole complex as secured and open for if not tourists, then at least archeologists. 1984 was the peak of instabilities in Cambodia due to the ongoing Cambodian–Vietnamese war, and the country was virtually closed to outsiders - not to mention it would require a death wish to even go there. And the Angkor complex itself was full of traps, indeed - in the form of extensive minefields that weren't removed until the UN mission in the early '90s stabilized the country.

* SchizophrenicDifficulty: Each BreatherEpisode is treated like a rare, celebration-worthy moment, after which the game will do a brutal 180 degree turn into NintendoHard. It is generally [[HarderThanHard even harder]] than the infamously difficult ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'', ''but'' there is no CheckpointStarvation and the games opens with two enemy-free tutorial levels, giving the false impression that it's easier than the last time. After finishing said prologue levels, the game takes no prisoners, even in more toned moments: countless enemies that can't be killed, but are able to drop Lara on the spot; timed sequences requiring perfect execution; secret collections being a vital part of ammo ''and'' weapons management; general application of survival horror scarcity in an action adventure game and a plethora of enemies MadeOfIron. As a cherry topping, multiple levels are interconnected, creating massive labyrinths with ''no'' indication where and how to progress--you can "finish" a level only to realize you simply entered a new location without the tools necessary to penetrate it and then get lost on the return trip, entering yet ''another'' level you don't have the means to progress in so far (this can start as soon as the 7th). Any level that is easy to navigate and with countless, but human enemies is treated like a godsend. They usually indicate that the next three to five levels will make you cry for a walkthrough.

* ShownTheirWork: An amazingly large amount of trivia from Myth/EgyptianMythology was used for both the main plot and specific puzzles. Numerous famous locations were utilized as a basis for the levels, rendered as close as possible with the limited capabilities of the engine. What makes it all that more impressive is how it was achieved with extensive book reading and watching albums of Egyptian art, since the game was made in the infancy stage of the internet.

The sequel to ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'', it marked a return to Lara's tomb-raiding roots. The story opens with a 16-year-old Lara accompanying Professor Werner Von Croy on an expedition to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, to recover an ancient artifact known as the Iris. Things go awry, and Lara barely manages to escape the collapsing ruins while her mentor is trapped by the Iris' defensive mechanism. Fast forward to the present: a more familiar, pistol-wielding Lara visits Egypt to recover the Amulet of Horus, located in the Tomb of Seth. Turns out this wasn't the best decision; she releases the evil god Seth himself when she removes the Amulet from his sarcophagus, and as the world begins to fall apart around her, she needs to find a way to set things right... as well as deal with her former mentor, now her enemy.

The game was notable for several reasons: it marked a return to Lara's tomb-raiding roots, with far less emphasis on modern civilization compared to the previous game, ''Tomb Raider III'', and focused mainly on exploring long-forgotten, ancient ruins. It was also the first ''Tomb Raider'' game to take place entirely in one location (Egypt, save for the tutorial levels), which would not occur again until ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'', and feature no outfit changes. Other new additions included a remodeled Lara, the removal of the {{Spinventory}}, the ability to combine items, and huge, interconnected levels.

** While the games were never heavy on historical accuracy, this one makes a pretty glaring mistake: the {{Tutorial Level}}s of Angkor Wat are explicitly set in 1984, showing the whole complex as secured and open for if not tourists, then at least archeologists. 1984 was the peak of instabilities in Cambodia due to the ongoing Cambodian–Vietnamese war, and the country was virtually closed to outsiders - not to mention it would require a death wish to even go there. And the Angkor complex itself was full of traps, indeed - in the form of extensive minefields that weren't removed until the UN mission in the early '90s stabilised the country.

* {{Nerf}}: Continuing the "tradition" started in previous games, Uzi gets nerfed even further. Not only it deals even less damage than the last time, now the amount of ammo you get per pickup of uzi clips renders it practically useless.

* OffModel: Due to how the jumping and climbing mechanic is dependent on exact character proportions the teen Lara is as tall as an adult. To make her look younger her head is made bigger which looks rather weird in proximity of other humans.

* RecycledPremise: Subverted. Despite being ''very'' close to ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'' in terms of general plot and various elements, the game was made separately. ''The Last Revelation'' was already in production when marketing for the film started and in very advanced stages of it when the film premiered. Even the location was picked solely because of how popular the Egypt sections of ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderI TR1]]'' were among the playerbase. Still, many players and reviewers noted similarities in rather unfavourable way.

* SchizophrenicDifficulty: Each BreatherEpisode is treated like a rare, celebration-worthy moment, after which the game will do a brutal 180 degree turn into NintendoHard. It is generally [[HarderThanHard even harder]] than the infamously difficult ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'', ''but'' there is no CheckpointStarvation and the games opens with two enemy-free tutorial levels, giving the false impression that it's easier than the last time. After finishing said prologue levels, the game takes no prisoners, even in more toned moments: countless enemies that can't be killed, but are able to drop Lara on the spot; timed sequences requiring perfect execution; secret collections being a vital part of ammo ''and'' weapons management; general application of survival horror scarcity in an action adventure game and a plethora of enemies MadeOfIron. As a cherry topping, multiple levels are interconnected, creating massive labyrinths with ''no'' indication where and how to progress--you can "finish" a level only to realise you simply entered a new location without the tools necessary to penetrate it and then get lost on the return trip, entering yet ''another'' level you don't have the means to progress in so far (this can start as soon as the 7th). Any level that is easy to navigate and with countless, but human enemies is treated like a godsend. They usually indicate that the next three to five levels will make you cry for a walkthrough.

* ShownTheirWork: An amazingly large amount of trivia from Myth/EgyptianMythology was used for both the main plot and specific puzzles. Numerous famous locations were utilised as a basis for the levels, rendered as close as possible with the limited capabilities of the engine. What makes it all that more impressive is how it was achieved with extensive book reading and watching albums of Egyptian art, since the game was made in the infancy stage of the internet.

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: When climbing down the ladder to the final chamber in Temple of Horus it is possible to back-flip off the ladder into the room with the hatch supposed to [[spoiler:seal Seth in the chamber]] and curious secret-hunting players probably will do so. Very soon they'll discover it is impossible to get back on the ladder no matter what you try. Woe betide you if you don't have a conveniently saved game availiable.

* InstantWinCondition: Crossing the trigger to end a level is an instant win for the player, regardless of Lara's condition or any enemies that may be giving chase. This is taken to particularly JustForFun/{{Egregious}} levels by the train level, where you can finish the level by ''killing yourself'' as long as Lara crosses the end trigger in mid-air. This is, naturally, the favourite trope of ''Tomb Raider'' [[{{Speedrun}} speed runners]]. In case of interconnected levels, this means all enemies chasing Lara will stay in the previous level and upon return, will (depending on the game version) either vanish or be re-positioned into their original location.

* SchizophrenicDifficulty: The DifficultySpike is on mood swings. Each BreatherEpisode is treated like a rare, celebration-worthy moment, after which the game will do a brutal 180 degree turn into NintendoHard. It is generally [[HarderThanHard even harder]] than the infamously difficult ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'', ''but'' there is no CheckpointStarvation and the games opens with two enemy-free tutorial levels, giving the false impression that it's easier than the last time. After finishing said prologue levels, the game takes no prisoners, even in more toned moments: countless enemies that can't be killed, but are able to drop Lara on the spot; timed sequences requiring perfect execution; secret collections being a vital part of ammo ''and'' weapons management; general application of survival horror scarcity in an action adventure game and a plethora of enemies MadeOfIron. As a cherry topping, multiple levels are interconnected, creating massive labyrinths with ''no'' indication where and how to progress--you can "finish" a level only to realise you simply entered a new location without the tools necessary to penetrate it and then get lost on the return trip, entering yet ''another'' level you don't have the means to progress in so far (this can start as soon as the 7th). Any level that is easy to navigate and with countless, but human enemies is treated like a godsend. They usually indicate that the next three to five levels will make you cry for a walkthrough.

* SpikesOfDoom: They're still everywhere, as usual. For some reason, it's no longer possible to [[SequelDifficultySpike safely walk through them]], so Lara needs to avoid them altogether.

''Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation'' is the fourth entry in the ''Franchise/TombRaider'' series. It was also meant to be the last, until fans and Eidos Interactive persuaded Creator/CoreDesign otherwise. The game was released on UsefulNotes/PlayStation, PC, and UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast in 1999; the next game, ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Tomb Raider Chronicles]]'', was released next year.

* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Last Revelation'' deals with themes of possession, being left for dead, and averting the apocalypse. The more whimsical and bizarre elements of the previous two games are gone, replaced by crumbling tombs and an ancient feud between two major Egyptian gods. The Cairo and Giza sections dip into horror territory, and at the end, [[spoiler:Lara herself is buried alive under the collapsing Tomb of Horus, seemingly killed in the incident, setting up her memorial service in [[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles the sequel]] and her hardened personality in ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAngelofDarkness The Angel of Darkness]]'')]].

* FlashBack: Occurs frequently while Lara is reading ancient inscriptions or scrolls. Her voice changes to Semerkhet's, and a surreal vision usually plays out, in the vein of the original ''VideoGame/TombRaider''.

* RecycledPremise: Subverted. Despite being ''very'' close to ''[[Film/TheMummy1999 The Mummy]]'' in terms of general plot and various elements, the game was made separately. ''The Last Revelation'' was already in production when marketing for the film started and in very advanced stages of it when the film premiered. Even the location was picked solely because of how popular the Egypt sections of [[VideoGame/TombRaider TR1]] were among the playerbase. Still, many players and reviewers noted similarities in rather unfavourable way.

* DummiedOut: This game was originally going to feature a "Diary" item. As Lara explored, her diary would fill up with observations, hints, maps, and background information. The item was modeled but unimplemented; it would eventually appear in the form of Von Croy's Notebook in ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAngelofDarkness The Angel of Darkness]]''. Additionally, an entire area in Giza was cut, but left on the disk (internally named "joby1b.tr4").
* Myth/EgyptianMythology: Like ''VideoGame/TombRaider'', this game uses real-life elements of Egyptian culture as reference points, but delves much further into them than the 1996 game did. The gods Horus and Seth play integral roles in the plot, as does the High Priest of Horus, Semerkhet.

** Getting poisoned in this game causes Lara to hallucinate, represented by the screen blurring and wavering until she heals herself. Oddly, her movement isn't impaired at all--it's just a camera effect.

** IntoxicationMechanic: Getting poisoned in this game causes Lara to hallucinate, represented by the screen blurring and wavering until she heals herself. Oddly, her movement isn't impaired at all--it's just a camera effect.

** Getting poisoned in this game causes Lara to hallucinate, represented by the screen blurring and wavering until she heals herself. Oddly, her movement isn't impaired at all--it's just a camera effect.

* AllForNothing: [[spoiler: All the effort made by Lara throughout the game is rendered ''completely pointless'' by the end--Set simply destroyed the statue and armour required to summon Horus. Miss Croft has to seal him in the summoning chamber instead]].

** Lara herself for the most of the game. She accidently released [[SealedEvilInACan Set out of his can]] at the start of the game and spends rest of it trying to seal him again, before he [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt takes over]].

** In Cairo, Von Croy uses Set's power to reanimate a couple of larger skeletons. These are invulnerable, and must be goaded into breaking certain walls for Lara to escape.

* Myth/EgyptianMythology: Like ''VideoGame/TombRaider'', this game uses real-life elements of Egyptian culture as reference points, but delves much further into them than the 1996 game did. The gods Horus and Set play integral roles in the plot, as does the High Priest of Horus, Semerkhet.

* HistoryRepeats: In an odd case, this ultimately happens to ''Lara'' of all people. Her taking to heart Von Croy's "Disrespect is the route to carelessness" is what had her actually be right about removing the Iris being a bad idea, which Von Croy found out after being buried alive. Cue modern day and it's Lara who simply nabs the Amulet of Horus without really knowing what she was grabbing, carelessly releasing Set and nearly dooming the world. Like her mentor, this actually results in her getting buried alive in a tomb.

* IndyPloy: [[spoiler:Set destroyed the only means to re-seal him back in a specially designed sarcophagus? How about locking him in a slightly bigger can, Miss Croft]]?

-->[[spoiler: '''Set:''' Come forth and you may bow before your god before he extinguishes your worthless life]].
* LandmarkOfLore: The plot takes Lara around half of the Egypt, visiting all the famous ruins and finding in them ancient, magical artifacts needed to reseal Set back in his prison.

* LevelInBossClothing: [[spoiler:The "battle" against Set amounts to this. He's completely invulnerable to Lara's attacks; all she can do is climb back out of the summoning chamber and use the Amulet of Horus to seal Set inside the shaft.]]

** Serving as the driving force behind the plot - for almost the whole game Lara is trying to reseal Set, whom she accidentally unleashed from his prison. And doing so before he turns the world into literal hell.

* SealedEvilInACan: Set was entombed for centuries. And then Lara decided to pick up the artifact sealing him inside. She realised the consequences when it was way too late to just put the ankh key back.

* SummonBiggerFish: After accidentally releasing Set free from his eternal prison, Lara's only hope is to summon Horus, so he can seal Set again.

* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler: Von Croy/Set]] offered this to Lara.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: According to the manual, Lara was on good terms with Von Croy at first. By the time the game starts in Cambodia, however, they're already bickering somewhat, though it's mostly good-natured banter until they arrive at the Iris and Lara thinks they should leave the artifact alone. After Von Croy returns from being trapped under the ruins, however, he bears a deep grudge against Lara, possibly because he thinks she abandoned him to save her own skin; even though from our point of view it's clear Lara is distressed at Von Croy's predicament, but simply realizes there is no way she can both save him ''and'' get out of the rapidly-closing tomb herself--and even if she ''did'' manage to save him, there didn't appear to be any other way out. It's enough for them to antagonize each other completely, and eventually cause him to combine with Set.[[note]]The fact that, as revealed in the sequel, ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Chronicles]]'', she eventually stole the Iris back from him--it's never made quite clear how exactly he got out of the Iris' trap--probably wouldn't have helped either, but as ''The Last Revelation'' was meant to be the final game, it's unlikely the writers were thinking of that having an impact at the time. It can be argued that as the Iris can clearly be seen in Lara's trophy room in previous games, it was always hinted at that she stole it back, but there is no real confirmation one way or the other.[[/note]]

The sequel to ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'', it marked a return to Lara's tomb-raiding roots. The story opens with a 16-year-old Lara accompanying Professor Werner Von Croy on an expedition to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, to recover an ancient artifact known as the Iris. Things go awry, and Lara barely manages to escape the collapsing ruins while her mentor is trapped by the Iris' defensive mechanism. Fast forward to the present: a more familiar, pistol-wielding Lara visits Egypt to recover the Amulet of Horus, located in the Tomb of Set. Turns out this wasn't the best decision; she releases the evil god Set himself when she removes the Amulet from his sarcophagus, and as the world begins to fall apart around her, she needs to find a way to set things right... as well as deal with her former mentor, now her enemy.

* AntiHero: This side of Lara's personality is made much more apparent here. It is also her fault that Set is released into the world--[[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom but hey, it was an accident, guys]]!

* CrapsackWorld: After Set possesses Von Croy, the Cairo and Giza levels take a very dark turn. The sky turns to a sickly shade of dark green to dark red, lightning storms constantly and blows apart buildings, the cities themselves have been turned into warzones, abandoned except for some soldiers who are being methodically slaughtered by undead mythical beasts, and everything is eerily quiet. [[FridgeHorror The hanging clotheslines and materials suggest that Cairo fell very quickly.]]

The game was notable for several reasons: it marked a return to Lara's tomb-raiding roots, with far less emphasis on modern civilization compared to the previous game, ''Tomb Raider III'', and focused mainly on exploring long-forgotten, ancient ruins. It was also the first ''Tomb Raider'' game to take place entirely in one location (Egypt, save for the tutorial levels), which would not occur again until ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'', and feature no outfit changes. Other new additions included a remodeled Lara, the removal of the Spinventory, the ability to combine items, and huge, interconnected levels.

** Almost half of all cutscenes are in FMV format, which was quite an achievement back in 1999. The ones that are based on game engine are a big improvement since VideoGame/TombRaiderIII. For starters, lip movement was finally implemented, so characters no longer bob their heads to indicate talking.

** While the games were never heavy on historical accuracy, this one makes a pretty glarring mistake. The {{Tutorial Level}}s of Angkor Wat are explicitly set in 1984, showing the whole complex as secured and open for if not tourists, then at least archeologists. 1984 was the peak of unstabilities in Cambodia due to the ongoing civil war and the country was virtually closed to outsiders - not to mention it would require a death wish to even go there. And Angkor complex itself was full of traps, indeed - in form of extensive minefields, that weren't removed until UN mission in the early 90s stabilised the country.

* BareYourMidriff: 16-year old Lara has this as part of her attire in the Angkor Wat and Race For The Iris level.

** Jeep levels, ''Valley Of The Kings'' and ''[=KV5=]'', are generally considered as this after ''[[MarathonLevel Burial Chamber]]''. Finishing ''[=KV5=]'' truly marks the end of easier early game.
** ''Desert Railroad'' is a great relief after visiting [[NintendoHard Karnak and its temple complex]].
** ''Alexandria'', the next level, makes easy start for annoyingly hard remainder of levels set in the city.

* CameraScrew: Like its predecessor, this game sometimes shifts the camera to a fixed angle which provides a panoramic view of the area, but due to the controls of the game (which are based not on camera direction but Lara's), this can make getting around more difficult than it should. Some insistent pressing of the Look button usually fixes this, though.

* DeadGuyOnDisplay: One unfortunate explorer got impaled on some spikes near a plinth in Cambodia. Lara takes his [[IconicItem backpack]] for herself. The eerie Cairo levels feature some dead soldiers with limbs ripped off; in one case, Lara needs to drag a body off of a trapdoor in order to open it.

* DemBones: Skeletal knights lurk deep within the catacombs of Alexandria. They're invulnerable to Lara's regular attacks.--while you can stop them for a while with a shotgun blast, they will reassemble again. Using said blast to throw them off ledges or into water will disable them for good, however. [[TakeAThirdOption Blowing them apart with some explosive weapons]] works satisfying well, too. You can also disable them by sniping their skull off with scoped weapons, rendering their actions into walking aimlessly. They are extremely fast, agile and ''stubborn'', following Lara around like no other enemy.

* DependingOnTheArtist: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usM9lhCtA_s U.S. ad]] for the game, animated by Animal Logic, has a different-looking Lara than the one featured in the game's FMV cutscenes. It also makes it look cheesy and tongue-in-cheek, [[NeverTrustATrailer as compared with actual game]].

* DirectContinuousLevels: So far, this is the only Tomb Raider to date that both incorporates level structure ''and'' makes them directly connected, with ability to go forward or ''backward'' between them.

* FlashBack: Occurs frequently while Lara is reading ancient inscriptions or scrolls. Her voice changes to Semerkhet's, and a surreal vision usually plays out, in the vein of original ''VideoGame/TombRaider''.
* ForcedTutorial: "Angkor Wat", the first level in the game, is Von Croy teaching teenage Lara how to move through the environment. Unfortunately, unlike the previous games in the series which had the tutorial as an optional level on the menu, this one is mandatory. Even Von Croy's dialogue can't be skipped.
** Players who own the first or second version of the game on [=PlayStation=] and PC can skip the tutorial cutscenes by pressing the look button. This ability was taken out of later [=PS1=] releases.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Von Croy tells a young Lara Croft that disrespect is the root to carelessness and that they should respect the tombs they explore. Once the duo reaches the Iris, Von Croy ditches his lesson as he tries to claim his prize. Lara calls him out on it.

* ImmuneToBullets: While this entry to the franchise is infamous for countless outright immortal enemies that keep on chasing Lara, most of those you ''can'' "kill", even if you require explosives to do so--bullets will only slow them down. So until reaching at least ''Desert Railroad'', where the grenade launcher is hidden as one of the secrets, mummies and alike can't be dropped either.
* IndyPloy: [[spoiler: Set destroyed the only means to re-seal him back in specially designed sarcophagus? How about locking him in slightly bigger can, Miss Croft]]?
* InstantWinCondition: Crossing the trigger to end a level is an instant win for the player, regardless of Lara's condition or any enemies that may be giving chase. This is taken to particularly JustForFun/{{Egregious}} levels by the train level, where you can finish the level by ''killing yourself'' as long as Lara crosses the end trigger in mid-air. This is, naturally, the favourite trope of Tomb Raider [[{{Speedrun}} speed runners]]. In case of interconnected levels, this means all enemies chasing Lara will stay in the previous level and upon return, will (depending on the game version) either vanish or be re-positioned into their original location.
* InsurmountableWaistHighFence: This occurs occasionally in Cairo, mostly due to Lara's inexplicable inability to enter/exit crawlspaces 1 block above the ground, instead of 2. In the first case, she needs to backtrack through the entire level to open a trapdoor, then jump up from below to enter the crawlspace; in the second case, she needs to backtrack through a dangerous set of high-pressure steam pipes. It rivals Lara's inability to retrieve the 2nd fuse in the first game's Natla's Mines.

** A minor example is the flash grenades--they explode with a bright flash of white light that stuns all human enemies *and* the player, unless they hide from the blast. Justified, since that's their purpose.

* JokeItem: Von Croy's broken glasses can be picked up at one point, but they serve absolutely no purpose except to clutter up the inventory, and they can't be discarded.
** In Pharos, Temple of Isis, Lara needs to find 4 Black Beetle artifacts to activate a mechanism. However, some of the pickups aren't Black Beetles, but Broken Beetles that are completely useless. Furthermore, the game punishes the player for falling for the broken ones by sending a swarm of live beetles after Lara.
* JustTrainWrong: Just about the only thing correct about the [[LocomotiveLevel Desert Railroad level]] is that the train runs on tracks. It exceeds every single loading gauge worldwide and has weird "in-line" bogeys for each rail[[note]]which would make it derail with an inch's movement in real life[[/note]]. The steam engine has no tender and is ''not a tank engine'' so there's no explanation where the coal and water is being stored. Using a lever the cars can be uncoupled during the ride which is wrong on about 50 different levels[[note]]severing the air brake hoses without shutting off the valves beforehand would bring the train to a screeching halt[[/note]]. And if you pay a bit more attention to the engine in the cutscene[=/=]next level, you'll notice it has only one driven wheel set.
** Also it would be impossible to shimmy the side of a platform car for anyone taller than 3 feet. At least not without breaking their legs against the speeding ground. On top of that the constant swaying and shaking of a speeding train would render it practically impossible to keep your grip on the ledge.

* LocomotiveLevel: Lara boards a freight train to Alexandria after posing as a mook. Not content to sit back and enjoy her ride, she manages to hop several cars, murder everyone on board, find a crowbar, and use it to derail all the cars except for the locomotive.
** TrainTopBattle: Of course, things don't go smoothly after Von Croy sends ninjas after her.

* MagicMirror: One exists in the strange, sadistic funhouse in the Coastal Village. The room it appears in is filled with hidden spike pits, and the only way to tell where they are is to look at the mirror on the other side of the room. Even the room's reward (the crossbow) is invisible and must be picked up while lined up with the reflection.

** ''The Burial Chamber'' follows the tradition set by VideoGame/TombRaiderIII, giving a long and elaborate ruin complex as ''second'' level.
** Karnak temple complex is the first place where interconnected levels show up and marks the end of early game. This is the moment where many players just drop the game out of frustration.

** A subtle one. If you use the level skip code to breeze through the game, you will hit a snag after you skip the Coastal Ruins level, as the next level the game loads is Pharos, Temple Of Isis. Since you start underwater facing west, it seems impossible to do the level skip code (which requires you to face exactly north, and is usually accomplished by grabbing a ledge that faces north), so a novice's first instinct is to swim to the top of the cavern, enter the cave and slide down, with the idea that they can load the next level and then resume skipping levels from there. Problem is, this path takes you ''back'' to Coastal Ruins (albeit a different section of it), and trying to level skip from ''here'' puts you ''back'' at Pharos, Temple Of Isis. It's still possible to skip past Pharos, Temple Of Isis, but it's not apparent at first: You have to pull yourself out of the water into the aforementioned cavern, then drop back into the water and, without touching the directional buttons, perform an underwater roll to face yourself directly north. Now the level skip code will work, and allow you to advance to Temple Of Poseidon.

** Karnak temple complex introduces interconnected levels without any warning. This not only can confuse new players, but was also able to surprise veterans of the franchise. No Tomb Raider before had such mechanics and end of level meant full completion of it, with no back-tracking or shortcuts. Sufficient to say, many people stopped playing the game at this point.
** In the PC version, due to changes in how inventory works, to leave the game it takes to press P on the keyboard. In previous three games game options were accessed via entering inventory with Escape, then scroll down. As trivial as it sounds, this wasn't explained anywhere, forcing a lot of players to simply kill Lara to get to the main menu before the P button was figured out and word spread.
* NotCompletelyUseless: Normal crossbow bolts are one of the weakest type of ammo in the whole game - it's equal to single shot from basic pistols, but unlike basic pistols, the bolts aren't unlimited. Their main use? Whenever there is some mechanism or similar to be shot from afar.
* OffModel: Due to how the jumping and climbing mechanic is dependent on exact character proportions the teen Lara is as tall as adult. To make her look younger her head is made bigger which looks rather weird in proximity of other humans.

* OneHitPolykill: The upgraded grenades, which are clusters of small explosive charges, able to clean whole rooms full of enemies. There are about 8 of them in the entire game and you will need every single one of them to turn certain moments from insanely hard to simply hard.

* RecycledPremise: Subverted. Despite being ''very'' close to ''[[Film/TheMummy1999 The Mummy]]'' in terms of general plot and various elements, the game was made separately. ''The Last Revelation'' was already in production when marketing for the film started and in very advanced stages of it when the film premiered. Even the location was picked solely because how popular Egypt sections of [[VideoGame/TombRaider TR1]] were among the playerbase. Still, many players and reviewers noted similarities in rather unfavourable way.

* SaveGameLimits: While it's possible to save at any moment, there is a limited amount of save slots in all versions of the game, with [=PS1=] and Dreamcast release standing out the most. Those ports allow one level save per two memory card blocks in the Playstation version (and similarly, each save file on the Dreamcast version is a whopping ''33'' blocks), as opposed to the first three games where every completed level is playable from the main menu. This means that if you want to replay levels after you beat them, prepare to sacrifice a ''lot'' of memory cards to do so. The PC version is a lot more forgiving on this, allowing you to save whenever you want, but it still has limited slots--generous at first sight, yet still too few to save at the start of every single level, in case you wanted to replay just one; but considering exactly how long this game is (with a whopping 35 levels, and that's not counting the need to go back and forth between them), that's not surprising.

* SchizophrenicDifficulty: The DifficultySpike is on mood swings. Each BreatherEpisode is treated like a rare, celebration-worthy moment, after which the game will do a brutal 180 degree turn into NintendoHard. It is generally [[HarderThanHard even harder]] than the infamously difficult VideoGame/TombRaiderIII, ''but'' there is no CheckpointStarvation and the games opens with two enemy-free tutorial levels, giving the false impression that it's easier than the last time. After finishing said prologue levels, the game takes no prisoners, even in more toned moments: countless enemies that can't be killed, but are able to drop Lara on the spot; timed sequences requiring perfect execution; secret collections being a vital part of ammo ''and'' weapons management; general application of survival horror scarcity in an action adventure game and plethora of enemies MadeOfIron. As a cherry topping, multiple levels are interconnected, creating massive labyrinths with ''no'' indication where and how to progress--you can "finish" level only to realise you simply entered a new location without the tools necessary to penetrate it and then get lost on the return trip, entering yet ''another'' level you don't have the means to progress in so far (this can start as soon as the 7th). Any level that is easy to navigate and with countless, but human enemies is treated like a godsend. They usually indicate that the next three to five levels will make you cry for a walkthrough.

* SentryGun: Many of these are present in Cairo and will not hesitate to unload a barrage of bullets (or possibly a stream of fire) as soon as Lara comes within range. In at least 2 situations, it is impossible to avoid taking damage from them. She will need to find a way to sneak up behind them and target the red symbol on their back with either the revolver or crossbow equipped with the laser sight; this will instantly destroy them.
* ShortRangeShotgun: This instalment introduced ammo types. In case of shotgun standard shells they can kill the same human enemy with two shots at point blank, six at medium range and between ten to twelve at maximum range, depending how unlucky you get with the spread.
* ShownTheirWork: An amazingly large amount of trivia from Myth/EgyptianMythology was used for both the main plot and specific puzzles. Numerous famous locations were utilised as basis for the levels, rendered as close as possible with limited capabilities of the engine. What makes it all that more impressive is how it was achieved with extensive book reading and watching albums of Egyptian art, since the game was made in the infancy stage of the internet.

** In the very start of the game proper there is a shotgun right in the starting location, in plain sight. You will need it. You will need it really, ''really'' bad.
** If not picked as a secret during ''Desert Railroad'' level, the grenade gun can be obtained much, much later in the game, where it will be laying in plain sight, ''but'' reaching this point of the game without the gun is quite a feat.

* ThreePlusFiveMakeFour: Used in multiple puzzles during ''The Temple of Horus'', the final level, requiring different amounts of water each time. As an allusion to Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife, Lara has to use a scale with proper measures to prove that she's worthy... or she will unleash [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammit Ammit]] from her cage.
* ToneShift: After three games that were in vibe of Franchise/IndianaJones, with openly pulp plot and exotic locations all over the world, this one is somewhere between [[Film/TheMummy1932 original]] and then-recent [[Film/TheMummyTrilogy remake]] of the Mummy and much more darker in overall tone. The story itself is more close to dark modern fantasy than the classic pulp adventure.

* UniqueEnemy: Quite a few of those, but nothing beats hammerhead shark. At least other unique enemies are supernatural in nature - this one is just a regular shark. Is it also the only hammerhead shark to date to appear in any of the Tomb Raider games.

** Same applies to prologue. If you collected all 8 secrets from the first level, the race in the second is ''considerably'' harder to win.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: According to the manual, Lara was on good terms with Von Croy at first. By the time the game starts in Cambodia, however, they're already bickering somewhat, though it's mostly good-natured banter until they arrive at the Iris and Lara thinks they should leave the artifact alone. After Von Croy returns from being trapped under the ruins, however, he bears a deep grudge against Lara, possibly because he thinks she abandoned him to save her own skin; even though from our point of view it's clear Lara is distressed at Von Croy's predicament, but simply realizes there is no way she can both save him ''and'' get out of the rapidly-closing tomb herself--and even if she ''did'' manage to save him, there didn't appear to be any other way out. It's enough for them to antagonize each other completely, and eventually cause him to combine with Set.[[note]]The fact that, as revealed in the sequel, [[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Chronicles]], she eventually stole the Iris back from him--it's never made quite clear how exactly he got our of the Iris' trap--probably wouldn't have helped either, but as The Last Revelation was meant to be the final game, it's unlikely the writers were thinking of that having an impact at the time. It can be argued that as the Iris can clearly be seen in Lara's trophy room in previous games, it was always hinted at that she stole it back, but there is no real confirmation one way or the other.[[/note]]

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: While the games were never heavy on historical accuracy, this one makes a pretty glarring mistake. The {{Tutorial Level}}s of Angkor Wat are explicitly set in 1984, showing the whole complex as secured and open for if not tourists, then at least archeologists. 1984 was the peak of unstabilities in Cambodia due to the ongoing civil war and the country was virtually closed to outsiders - not to mention it would require a death wish to even go there. And Angkor complex itself was full of traps, indeed - in form of extensive minefields, that weren't removed until UN mission in the early 90s stabilised the country.

* UnwinnableByInsanity: When climbing down the ladder to the final chamber in Temple of Horus it is possible to back-flip off the ladder into the room with the hatch supposed to [[spoiler:seal Set in the chamber]] and curious secret-hunting players probably will do so. Very soon they'll discover it is impossible to get back on the ladder no matter what you try. Woe betide you if you don't have a conveniently saved game availiable.

* JustTrainWrong: Just about the only thing correct about the [[LocomotiveLevel Desert Railroad level]] is that the train runs on tracks. It exceeds every single loading gauge worldwide and has weird in-line bogeys for each rail[[note]]which would make it derail with an inch's movement in real life[[/note]]. The steam engine has no tender and is ''not a tank engine'' so there's no explanation where the coal and water is being stored. Using a lever the cars can be uncoupled during the ride which is wrong on about 50 different levels[[note]]severing the air brake hoses without shutting off the valves beforehand would bring the train to a screeching halt[[/note]]. And if you pay a bit more attention to the engine in the cutscene[=/=]next level, you'll notice it has only one driven wheel set.

* UnwinnableByInsanity: When climbing down the ladder to the final chamber in Temple of Horus it is possible to back-flip off the ladder into the room with the hatch supposed to [[spoiler:seal Set in the chamber]] and curious secret-hunting players probably will do so. Very soon they'll discover it is impossible to get back on the ladder no matter what you try. Bet you're happy that you can save the game at any time, huh?

** Serving as the driving force behind the plot - for almost the whole game Lara is trying to reseal Seth, whom she accidentally unleashed from his prison. And doing so before he turns the world into literal hell.

* SealedEvilInACan: Seth was entombed for centuries. And then Lara decided to pick up the artifact sealing him inside. She realised the consequences when it was way too late to just put the ankh key back.

* SummonBiggerFish: After accidentally releasing Seth free from his eternal prison, Lara's only hope is to summon Horus, so he can seal Set again.

* UnwinnableByInsanity: When climbing down the ladder to the final chamber in Temple of Horus it is possible to back-flip off the ladder into the room with the hatch supposed to [[spoiler:seal Seth in the chamber]] and curious secret-hunting players probably will do so. Very soon they'll discover it is impossible to get back on the ladder no matter what you try. Bet you're happy that you can save the game at any time, huh?

* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler: Von Croy/Seth]] offered this to Lara.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: According to the manual, Lara was on good terms with Von Croy at first. By the time the game starts in Cambodia, however, they're already bickering somewhat, though it's mostly good-natured banter until they arrive at the Iris and Lara thinks they should leave the artifact alone. After Von Croy returns from being trapped under the ruins, however, he bears a deep grudge against Lara, possibly because he thinks she abandoned him to save her own skin; even though from our point of view it's clear Lara is distressed at Von Croy's predicament, but simply realizes there is no way she can both save him ''and'' get out of the rapidly-closing tomb herself--and even if she ''did'' manage to save him, there didn't appear to be any other way out. It's enough for them to antagonize each other completely, and eventually cause him to combine with Seth.[[note]]The fact that, as revealed in the sequel, [[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Chronicles]], she eventually stole the Iris back from him--it's never made quite clear how exactly he got our of the Iris' trap--probably wouldn't have helped either, but as The Last Revelation was meant to be the final game, it's unlikely the writers were thinking of that having an impact at the time. It can be argued that as the Iris can clearly be seen in Lara's trophy room in previous games, it was always hinted at that she stole it back, but there is no real confirmation one way or the other.[[/note]]

** Serving as the driving force behind the plot - for almost the whole game Lara is trying to reseal Set, whom she accidentally unleashed from his prison. And doing so before he turns the world into literal hell.

* SealedEvilInACan: Set was entombed for centuries. And then Lara decided to pick up the artifact sealing him inside. She realised the consequences when it was way too late to just put the ankh key back.

* SummonBiggerFish: After accidentally releasing Set free from his eternal prison, Lara's only hope is to summon Horus, so he can seal Set again.

* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler: Von Croy/Set]] offered this to Lara.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: According to the manual, Lara was on good terms with Von Croy at first. By the time the game starts in Cambodia, however, they're already bickering somewhat, though it's mostly good-natured banter until they arrive at the Iris and Lara thinks they should leave the artifact alone. After Von Croy returns from being trapped under the ruins, however, he bears a deep grudge against Lara, possibly because he thinks she abandoned him to save her own skin; even though from our point of view it's clear Lara is distressed at Von Croy's predicament, but simply realizes there is no way she can both save him ''and'' get out of the rapidly-closing tomb herself--and even if she ''did'' manage to save him, there didn't appear to be any other way out. It's enough for them to antagonize each other completely, and eventually cause him to combine with Set.[[note]]The fact that, as revealed in the sequel, [[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Chronicles]], she eventually stole the Iris back from him--it's never made quite clear how exactly he got our of the Iris' trap--probably wouldn't have helped either, but as The Last Revelation was meant to be the final game, it's unlikely the writers were thinking of that having an impact at the time. It can be argued that as the Iris can clearly be seen in Lara's trophy room in previous games, it was always hinted at that she stole it back, but there is no real confirmation one way or the other.[[/note]]

* JTW: Just about the only thing correct about the [[LocomotiveLevel Desert Railroad level]] is that the train runs on tracks. It exceeds every single loading gauge worldwide and has weird in-line bogeys for each rail[[note]]which would make it derail with an inch's movement in real life[[/note]]. The steam engine has no tender and is ''not a tank engine'' so there's no explanation where the coal and water is being stored. Using a lever the cars can be uncoupled during the ride which is wrong on about 50 different levels[[note]]severing the air brake hoses without shutting off the valves beforehand would bring the train to a screeching halt[[/note]]. And if you pay a bit more attention to the engine in the cutscene[=/=]next level, you'll notice it has only one driven wheel set.