'Even Free, This Is Unwanted': Tomb Raider Remastered I-III Update Outfits Criticized by Fans

Tomb Raider enthusiasts have expressed strong disapproval of the latest free update for Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, criticizing the quality of the new outfits and claiming they "cannot accept this level of quality."

While many fans were initially excited about the addition of a new challenge mode and collectible outfits, shortly after the free patch launched last week, social media platforms were flooded with complaints. Players shared images highlighting issues such as "melting sunglasses, clipping accessories, pixelated and squiggly textures, nonsensical AI-generated symbols, and painted-on straps and details instead of 3D ones." One fan remarked, "I'm sorry, but even though it's free, this is nowhere near acceptable."

"The most disappointing aspect is that modders have used their spare time to create far superior-looking outfits," commented one dissatisfied player. "Setting aside the questionable styles, these outfits are of terrible quality, and it's hard to believe they're an 'official' part of the game. My initial reaction to the complaints was, 'How bad can it be? It's free; I'll just ignore the outfits.' However, this is... really bad. After hearing that some people are experiencing bugs with the game post-update, I really wish I had disabled automatic updates on my PS5."

Another player added, "This is free, and I still don't want it. I think I'd prefer to roll back the update and keep the games as they were. This is so poor that it feels like it degrades the original product. Crystal Dynamics should consider issuing a partial refund for imposing this on us."

The backlash has been so intense that Giovanni Lucca, the lead artist on the remaster, quickly distanced himself from the outfits. He posted on X/Twitter, "Hey folks, just to clarify. I was not involved in the art direction of this new patch with the Challenge Mode for Tomb Raider I-II-III Remastered. None of the original developers at Saber was involved in it."

Beyond the outfit quality, players are also frustrated with other issues introduced by the patch. "This patch has broken more than ever before. Instead of adding features fans have requested, such as sprinting, ducking, or the hybrid controls from IV - VI, they've only delivered new bugs," explained another player.

"Some players have lost their entire save files, others have experienced main menu music playing during gameplay, subtitles are now completely out of sync, and many can no longer switch between games in the main menu where you access challenge mode and exit. The interface no longer displays the options to switch between each game, forcing players to finish the entire game and restart it."

Previously, Crystal Dynamics included a sensitivity warning in the collection for what it described as "deeply harmful" racial and ethnic prejudices, explaining they were kept "in the hopes that we may acknowledge its harmful impact and learn from it." Additionally, publisher Aspyr had to apologize after Lara Croft pinup posters were "inadvertently removed."

It's worth noting that a new Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, is set to release next year. This will be the first new entry since 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which concluded a trilogy during the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One generation.