Full-fledged Tomb Raider is coming to Android and iOS! It will impress with gameplay, graphics, and optimization

Lara Croft returns to phone and tablet screens. But this time, it’s not a simplified clone or a free-to-play affair with microtransactions. Tomb Raider from 2013, the reboot that put the entire series back on the video game map, has just arrived on Android and iOS as a full-fledged console game. The port is handled by London-based studio Feral Interactive, which has a track record of technically ambitious mobile adaptations, including the Hitman series.

Complete Tomb Raider, not a stripped-down version

If you played the 2013 reboot on PlayStation or Xbox, you know exactly what to expect. The story follows Lara Croft as an inexperienced explorer who is shipwrecked on the mysterious island of Yamatai and gradually transforms into a hardened survivor. The mobile version of the game includes the complete campaign and all 12 DLC packs – meaning bonus upgrades, costumes, and one additional Challenge Tomb. Nothing has been cut, nothing simplified.

In practice, this means dozens of hours of gameplay, where you’ll be shooting, solving puzzles, and navigating through ruins full of cultists and mercenaries. The mobile version is simply the same as the console version, just on a smaller screen.

Four graphics modes depending on what your phone can handle

Feral Interactive learned from previous ports and gave players a choice of several graphics presets. The Graphics mode prioritizes visual quality and aims for 30 FPS, 40 FPS on some iPad Pro models, and even 60 FPS on models with M4 and M5 chips. The Performance mode slightly reduces graphics in exchange for a smoother 60 frames per second on iPhone 11 and newer. For selected iPad Pros, there is also a Performance Plus mode with up to 120 FPS. And finally, Battery Saver, which locks performance at 30 FPS and conserves battery.

According to tests by YouTuber MrMacRight, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max can maintain a stable 60 FPS in Performance mode for approximately 30 minutes without any throttling. The iPhone 15 Pro starts to heat up after fifteen minutes, and its frame rate occasionally drops. The older iPhone 12 Pro can achieve 60 FPS for a while but quickly overheats. And what about the seven-year-old iPhone XS? The game even runs on it – in Graphics mode at a stable 30 FPS with a resolution of 1632 × 753 pixels and less than 1 GB of RAM consumption. That’s quite decent performance for an A12 chip.

Controls: touch, gamepad, and keyboard

Touch controls in action games usually lead to problems. Feral Interactive tries to address this with a fully customizable interface – you can move virtual buttons on the screen, choose a fixed joystick or a dynamic trackpad, for both right-handed and left-handed players. Aiming optionally supports the gyroscope, if your device offers it.

Those who prefer physical controllers can connect a gamepad. Additionally, on iPadOS and Android, a keyboard and mouse also work, essentially turning a tablet into a small gaming laptop. Especially with Tomb Raider, where aiming precision is crucial, this makes sense.

How much it costs and where to buy it

Tomb Raider is available from today on Google Play for 299 Kč and in the App Store for 359 Kč. It’s a one-time purchase without microtransactions and with complete content, including all DLC. In the global price list, the game costs 19.99 dollars, or 15.99 euros.

The price places it among the more expensive mobile titles, but in return, you get a full-fledged AAA experience without ads and loot boxes. Which, in the context of the mobile market where every second game shoves a banner in your face after three minutes of playing, is quite a refreshing approach.

Mobile gaming is no longer just Candy Crush

Tomb Raider on mobile is not an isolated experiment. In recent months, titles like Red Dead Redemption or the Chinese RPG Where Winds Meet have arrived on iOS and Android. The performance of today’s phones is simply starting to be sufficient for console games to run without compromises – or at least with compromises that the average player won’t notice.

The Tomb Raider series celebrates its 30th anniversary this year since the first installment, and the mobile port of the 2013 reboot is one part of the celebrations, alongside an upcoming film starring Sophie Turner. The entire franchise has sold over 100 million copies during this time, and Lara Croft remains one of the most iconic gaming characters ever.

Will you play Tomb Raider on your phone, or is mobile gaming still taboo for you?

Source: press release, Notebookcheck