She was a scared student who had never fired a weapon in anger. Three games later, she is a legend. The Tomb Raider reboot trilogy, made up of Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015, on PC and PS4 in 2016) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018), tells one of the strongest origin stories in modern gaming. In this guide you will get the full story of all three games, the main characters, the villains and the big questions each ending leaves behind, plus where to watch our playthrough.
⚠️ Spoiler warning: this article explains the full story and the endings. If you have not played yet, watch the playthrough first.
🎬 Watch the Playthrough
Start with these two videos from our channel, then come back here to see how the whole story connects.
Tomb Raider playthrough by EAP Claw ZX. More parts are coming on the channel.
📌 The Trilogy at a Glance
Game 1, Tomb Raider (2013): survival. A young Lara Croft is shipwrecked on a deadly island and has to become a fighter to live.
Game 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015 / 2016): obsession. Lara chases the secret behind her father's reputation and runs into a powerful organization.
Game 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018): consequences. Lara's choices bring a disaster, and she must decide what kind of hero she wants to be.
The big idea behind the trilogy is simple: how does a person become a legend? Every game strips something away from Lara and gives her something back.
🏝️ Tomb Raider (2013): The Birth of a Survivor
The Setup
Lara Croft is a young archaeologist on her first big expedition aboard the ship Endurance. The crew is searching for Yamatai, a lost kingdom ruled by Himiko, the legendary Sun Queen. Their route takes them into a dangerous stretch of ocean near Japan, and a violent storm tears the ship apart. Lara washes up on a mysterious island and is separated from her friends.
The Island and the Cult
The island is not empty. A violent group of castaways called the Solarii Brotherhood worships the Sun Queen, and the island itself seems to control the weather and trap everyone who arrives. Lara has to find her crew, hunt for food, fight for her life and take her first kill, a turning point that changes her for good.
The Twist
The legend of Himiko turns out to be real in the worst way. The Sun Queen's spirit still lives on the island and wants a new body. Lara's best friend Sam becomes the target, and the whole story becomes a race to save her before the ritual is finished.
The Ending
Lara survives and escapes the island, but she is not the same person who boarded the Endurance. She has lost people, seen proof that the supernatural is real, and decided to stop running from it. The game closes on the moment she accepts her new role: she is a Tomb Raider.
❄️ Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015 / 2016): The Obsession
The Setup
Rise picks up after the events on the island. Lara is carrying what she saw, and the people around her think she has lost touch with reality. She decides to prove them wrong by following the work of her late father, Lord Richard Croft, whose reputation was damaged by his research into an ancient artifact called the Divine Source, said to grant immortality.
Siberia, the Prophet and Trinity
The trail leads to the frozen wilderness of Siberia and the legend of the Prophet and the lost city of Kitezh. Lara is not alone in the race. A secret and well-armed organization called Trinity, led in the field by Konstantin, wants the same prize and will do anything to take it. In the snow, Lara also meets the Remnant, descendants of the Prophet's followers, and has to decide whom to trust.
What Makes It Different
The first game was about staying alive. This one is about meaning. Lara is not trapped by a storm anymore, she is choosing to go after the truth, and that choice is personal. It is her father's legacy and her own sanity on the line.
The Ending
Lara stops Trinity from getting what it wants and survives the final confrontation, but the victory shows her how big the threat really is. Trinity is not a single villain you can beat once. It is an organization spread across the world, and Lara now knows she is in a long war.
🌴 Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018): The Consequences
The Setup
Lara and her ally Jonah track Trinity to Central and South America. Trinity's leader, Dr. Pedro Dominguez, is searching for ancient Mayan artifacts that could reshape the world. Lara moves to stop him, but in the race to get there first she takes something she should have left alone, and her action sets off a catastrophe.
Guilt and the Hidden City
This is the darkest chapter of the trilogy. Lara is no longer only the hunter, she is also the cause of the problem. The story takes her through the jungles of the region and toward the hidden city of Paititi, where she has to fix her mistake and face Trinity's plan at the same time. It is a story about responsibility, and it asks whether being brilliant and determined is enough when your choices hurt other people.
The Ending
Trinity's grand plan is stopped, and Lara finally becomes the character fans know from the classic games: confident, experienced and fully committed to the life of a Tomb Raider. The trilogy ends not with a fight, but with an identity. Lara has become the legend.
👥 Main Characters
Lara Croft
The heart of the trilogy. We see her go from frightened and inexperienced to determined, then obsessed, then reflective. Her growth is the real story.
Jonah Maiava
Lara's loyal friend from the Endurance crew and her moral compass. He stays with her across the series and often pushes her to think about the cost of what she is doing.
Samantha "Sam" Nishimura
Lara's best friend and the emotional anchor of the first game. Her fate drives the story on Yamatai.
Conrad Roth
The experienced captain who acts as a mentor and father figure to Lara in the first game.
Lord Richard Croft
Lara's father. He is gone before the story starts, but his work and his reputation shape her decisions, especially in Rise.
The Villains
In the first game the threat is the Solarii Brotherhood and the spirit of Himiko. In Rise it is Trinity and its field leader Konstantin. In Shadow it is Trinity again, now under Dr. Pedro Dominguez. The shared enemy gives the last two games a strong connection.
🧠 The Big Themes
1. Survival to purpose: each game asks why Lara keeps going, and the answer changes every time.
2. Legacy: Lara is always measured against her father, and she slowly builds her own name.
3. Obsession has a price: the more she chases the truth, the more she risks losing the people she cares about.
4. Responsibility: Shadow forces her to face the damage she causes, not just the damage she prevents.
✅ Why This Trilogy Is Worth Your Time
1. A Complete Character Arc
Few action series give you a clear beginning, middle and end for their hero. This one does.
2. Three Very Different Settings
A cursed island, a frozen wilderness and a deep jungle, each with its own mood, puzzles and tombs.
3. Story and Gameplay Move Together
As Lara becomes more capable in the story, you unlock more skills and tools, so her growth is something you feel while you play.
💡 How to Play Them in the Right Order
1. Tomb Raider (2013)
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015, PC and PS4 in 2016)
3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
Do not skip the first game. Lara's choices in the later ones only hit hard if you have seen what she went through on the island.
🏁 My Take
What makes this trilogy special is not the explosions or the tombs, it is the person at the center. Lara is allowed to be afraid, to be wrong and to change. By the final chapter you are not watching a superhero appear, you are watching someone earn the title one hard choice at a time. That is why the story still works years later.
Best for: story lovers, action-adventure fans and anyone who enjoys a hero with a real arc.
Not ideal for: players who only want pure puzzle gameplay or who dislike violence in their adventures.
❓ Quick FAQ
What is the correct order of the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy?
Tomb Raider (2013), then Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015, with the PC and PS4 versions in 2016), then Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018).
Do I need to play all three games?
It is strongly recommended. The three games tell one continuous story of Lara's growth, and Trinity links the last two.
Who is the main villain?
Each game has its own enemy, but the secret organization Trinity is the thread through Rise and Shadow.
Where can I watch a playthrough?
On the EAP Claw ZX YouTube channel, where we are posting the rest of the series.
🎮 Want to see every moment? Watch the rest of the playthrough on our channel.
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