Tomb Raider II (1997) similar games & best alternatives

Tomb Raider II (1997)

2012

Should you play it?

The second instalment in the Tomb Raider series invites you to join Lara as she travels around the globe to retrieve a precious artefact before it falls into the wrong hands. The legendary artefact, the Dagger of Xian, is said to give its possessor the power of a fire breathing dragon.

What works

  • Classic and nostalgic gameplay
  • Challenging puzzles and platforming
  • Diverse and atmospheric levels
  • Engaging exploration and secrets
  • Iconic character and soundtrack

Things to keep in mind

  • Dated graphics and controls
  • Clunky camera and tank controls
  • High difficulty and frustration
  • Lack of modern quality of life features
  • Steam version requires patches for best experience

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Alisa

  • Zortch

  • Tomb Raider III (1998)

  • Labyrinth Of The Demon King

  • Resident Evil (1996)

  • Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Less expressive

Games that feels like Tomb Raider II (1997) but with less self-expression and customization

  • PowerSlave Exhumed

  • The Night of the Scissors

  • Chasm: The Rift

  • Tomb Raider I (1996)

  • Indiana Jones® and the Infernal Machine™

  • Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation (1999)

More relaxing

Games that feels like Tomb Raider II (1997) but with a more relaxing feel

  • Voodoo Vince: Remastered

  • Hands of Necromancy

  • Turok

  • Arthurian Legends

  • The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

  • Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Tomb Raider II (1997): A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Violence, Survival, Fellowship, Intimacy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation, Leadership.

Last update: 03/08/2026