Today we celebrate the 21st anniversary of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, in which Lara Croft finds herself on the run from the police after being suspected of murdering her former mentor, Professor Werner Von Croy. 

The Angel of Darkness grew a cult following over the years with its intriguing noir, murder mystery story. Fans were captivated by the ominous atmosphere and the incredible soundtrack, which was, for the first time in the franchise’s history, recorded using a live orchestra. A secondary playable character, Kurtis Trent, was also introduced.  

The Angel of Darkness was an ambitious game that, back in 2003, introduced gameplay elements to the franchise that many modern-day games now use as a standard, such as motion-captured cutscenes and dialogue options. 

Today we bring you the top 5 moments from Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. 

Welcome to Paris 

Lara survived the collapsing tomb in Giza and is now at Von Croy’s in Paris at his request. Von Croy pleads with her to help him, but she is still unwilling to forgive him for what happened between them in Egypt. It is then that the events become blurry: gunshots are heard, Von Croy is dead, and Lara’s hands are bloody. Lara is forced to leave as the French police suddenly arrive. She outruns two police dogs, but in the process loses her iconic backpack, symbolizing the end of her old life. She is now a fugitive. 

This introduction immediately sets up the hook and what seems like a simple murder mystery on the surface hides a whole underground of sinister characters with hidden agendas. 

Move along, Ma Chère 

Our favorite lady of the night, Janice, took over fans’ hearts from the moment Lara met her, proving that help is sometimes where you least expect it. Despite having a rough night and meeting individuals who were either rude or wanted to take advantage of her, Lara finally stumbles upon a friendly face who, despite Lara’s sharp tongue, decides to brush Lara’s attitude off and help her in her quest to find out more about a man called Louis Bouchard. By the end of their conversation, Lara even shows a hint of worry about Janice's safety with the Monstrum running around, but Janice is a woman who knows how to handle herself. 

Hall of Seasons 

After spending quite some time in urban Parisian environments, Lara finally reaches the place closest to her heart – a tomb, or more specifically, the Tomb of Ancients beneath the Louvre Galleries. The tomb leads to the magnificent Hall of Seasons which serves as a hub for four elemental rooms; water, earth, fire and air. Upon completion of each room, Lara is rewarded with a corresponding elemental crystal which unlocks the sub-basement engine room which then in turn enables Lara to reach the top of the hall – the resting place of one of the Obscura Paintings guarded by the angry spirit of Brother Obscura. The entire Hall of Seasons is a beautifully decorated location with a central calendar piece showcasing stunning imagery and astrological signs. 

Chasing the Demon Hunter 

After Lara obtains the Obscura Painting beneath the Louvre Galleries, she is ambushed by a mysterious demon hunter known as Kurtis Trent, with whom she has been crossing paths ever since she entered Café Metro. What follows is an epic chase scene through the Louvre Galleries. Marten Gunderson, along with his Agency’s mercenaries, chases Lara, who is chasing Kurtis for stealing her difficultly obtained Painting. The chase scene demonstrates the extent of Kurtis’ abilities, such as controlling the deadly discus-like blade Chirugai and using telekinetic powers to break open doors. These abilities were only shown in cutscenes and could not be used during Kurtis’ gameplay segment in Angel of Darkness, but you can watch the full planned scope of Kurtis’ abilities in our #TR25 AOD Development: Kurtis Highlight Reel video. 

Hope in Darkness 

After the battle with Karel, Lara returns to the chamber where Boaz and Kurtis fought, only to find a large pool of blood and the Chirugai lying on the floor. Lara picks up the Chirugai, and it springs to life, vibrating and pulling her in the direction of a big, dark doorway. Lara briefly smiles, retracts the Chirugai’s blades, and slowly walks into the darkness... Kurtis’ fate is still unknown. 

The ending scene marks the end of an era as the final Tomb Raider game developed entirely by Core Design, leaving no eyes dry as Lara walks through the doorway, disappearing into the shadows.   

What are your favorite moments from Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness? Sound off on social and let us know!   

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Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness