Lara Croft turns 30 in 2026 and the GI Joe crossover and Eidos’s roadmap reminded us how many players are coming back to the franchise this year. The classic trilogy and the 2013 reboot trilogy are the obvious entry points, but the active Tomb Raider catalogue on PC is smaller than it feels. If you finished Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the new game isn’t out yet, the question is which other action-adventures sit closest in spirit. We tested seven Tomb Raider alternatives for PC that match its mix of climbing, puzzles, combat, and cinematic storytelling.
We picked games with the same core pillars: traversal as a real verb, ancient or hidden locations as the setting, paced action, and a protagonist arc that carries the game. Cinematic third-person camera was a near-requirement. Pure shooters, soulslikes, and open-world RPGs are different shapes of fun.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Cost | Where to buy | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection | Closest tonal match | $49.99 | Steam / Epic | Cinematic set pieces |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Adventure-archaeologist core | $69.99 | Steam / Xbox | Whip-driven combat |
| Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Action with traversal | $69.99 | Steam / EA / Epic | Lightsaber combat |
| A Plague Tale: Requiem | Story-first stealth | $59.99 | Steam / Epic | Rat AI swarm tech |
| Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga | Cinematic short-form drama | $49.99 | Steam | Audio design |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | Open-world traversal | $59.99 | Ubisoft / Steam | Branching narrative |
| Control | Supernatural exploration | $29.99 | Steam / Epic | Telekinesis combat |
What Tomb Raider fans actually want
The threads on r/TombRaider, the Square Enix forums (archived), and the Crystal Dynamics community keep returning to four themes.
Tomb-style puzzle design
Players want the optional and required tombs the reboot trilogy built. Environmental puzzles with movement, weight, and physics.
Cinematic action with weight
The set pieces in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the 2013 reboot are the high-water mark for cinematic action. Players want the same care in scene transitions, pacing, and camera work.
Character arcs over open worlds
The 30-hour Lara arc holds the experience together. Players want focused stories, not 100-hour checklists.
Dense, specific settings
A jungle, a tomb, a frozen mountain. Each Tomb Raider chapter sits in a distinct biome that earns the screenshot.
The alternatives
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection — Closest tonal match
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is the PC port of Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy. The tonal match to Tomb Raider is the closest on this list. Cinematic set pieces, climbing puzzles, gunfights paced for story, and a protagonist arc that carries every chapter. Naughty Dog and the reboot Crystal Dynamics teams have been compared for years, and the side-by-side play confirms it.
The PC port runs well on current hardware. Ultrawide support, frame-generation options, and DLSS make the package look better than the PS5 originals on a strong rig. The Lost Legacy is the more direct Tomb Raider comparison, with Chloe and Nadine in archaeology mode.
Where it falls short: No multiplayer. Both games are one-and-done campaigns.
Pricing:
- $49.99 base (sales to $20)
- vs Tomb Raider: Comparable list price, comparable length.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Same third-person camera, climbing, gunplay. Less puzzle focus, more set piece.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick Uncharted if you want the same tone and don’t mind less puzzle. Skip if you came for tombs specifically.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle — Adventure-archaeologist core
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the MachineGames title that recovered the adventure-archaeologist core Tomb Raider built its DNA on. First-person camera is the main mechanical departure from Tomb Raider. The whip, the puzzle design, and the 1937 setting carry the spirit of the early Tomb Raider games more directly than anything Lara has shipped in years.
The puzzle density is the high point. Genuinely difficult environmental puzzles, with optional tombs that reward exploration. Combat is stealth-first with a layered hand-to-hand option, which fits Indy better than Lara.
Where it falls short: First-person camera will be a hard preference test for Tomb Raider fans. Combat is less responsive than Lara’s.
Pricing:
- $69.99 base
- Premium Edition: $99.99
- vs Tomb Raider: Pricier, larger scope.
Switching from Tomb Raider: First-person camera. Whip replaces bow. Setting and tone carry across.
Download: Steam · Xbox / PC Game Pass
Bottom line: Pick the Great Circle for the puzzle-archaeology core. Skip if first-person is a non-starter.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — Best action with traversal
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the Cal Kestis follow-up that turned the Jedi: Fallen Order formula into a fully realised action-adventure. Lightsaber combat is the standout, traversal is closer to Tomb Raider than most modern action games, and the exploration loop rewards completionists with new force abilities that unlock back-tracking puzzles.
The Star Wars setting is the swap. For Tomb Raider fans who can roll with the setting, the mechanical similarities are deep. The platforming is built around dash and wall-run abilities that scale through the game.
Where it falls short: Performance at launch was rough. Patches stabilised it but older GPUs still struggle.
Pricing:
- $69.99 base (sales to $25)
- Deluxe: $79.99
- vs Tomb Raider: Comparable list price.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Lightsabers replace bow and pistol. Traversal carries across.
Download: Steam · EA App · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick Jedi: Survivor for the action and traversal. Skip if Star Wars is a hard pass.
A Plague Tale: Requiem — Best story-first stealth
A Plague Tale: Requiem is the Asobo follow-up that scaled the Plague Tale formula into a full-budget cinematic adventure. Amicia’s arc is the story-first match for Lara’s character work. The rat AI swarm tech is the spectacle, and the stealth-action mix replaces the gunplay-and-climbing rhythm of Tomb Raider with a quieter loop.
The game is a single linear campaign with no online mode. About 15 to 20 hours, depending on how much exploration you do. Visually it sits in the top tier of current PC releases.
Where it falls short: No traversal in the Tomb Raider sense. Combat is light and stealth-focused.
Pricing:
- $59.99 base (sales to $15)
- vs Tomb Raider: Comparable list price.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Story-first mindset. Stealth replaces gunplay. Less climbing.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick Requiem if character writing is the part you loved about the reboot trilogy. Skip if you want active combat or climbing.
Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga — Best cinematic short-form drama
Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga is the Ninja Theory follow-up to the original Hellblade. It is the shortest pick on this list, around 7 hours, and the cinematic density per minute is the highest. Audio design, motion capture, and environmental storytelling carry the experience. The combat is small in scope but every encounter is staged like a film scene.
The match to Tomb Raider is the cinematic care and the focused arc. The departures are real: no climbing puzzles, no exploration in the open-world sense, no inventory.
Where it falls short: Short. Combat is limited.
Pricing:
- $49.99 base
- vs Tomb Raider: Cheaper, shorter, denser per minute.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Cinematic experience replaces sandbox exploration.
Download: Steam · Xbox / PC Game Pass
Bottom line: Pick Hellblade II for an intense focused weekend. Skip if you want a long action-adventure.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey — Best open-world traversal
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is the open-world entry that picked up where Tomb Raider’s traversal trail left off. Climbing, parkour, archery, and naval combat across an ancient Greek setting that runs deep into the side content. Branching dialogue gives the protagonist arc weight Tomb Raider players will recognise.
It is the longest pick on this list. 50 to 100 hours depending on completionist appetite. The Ubisoft Connect requirement on PC is friction even for Steam buyers.
Where it falls short: Long. Some side content feels like padding. Requires Ubisoft Connect.
Pricing:
- $59.99 base (sales to $15)
- Gold Edition: $99.99
- vs Tomb Raider: Comparable list price, longer.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Open world replaces linear chapters. Traversal carries across.
Download: Steam · Ubisoft Store
Bottom line: Pick Odyssey if you want a 100-hour open world with Tomb Raider’s traversal DNA. Skip if you want a tight 20-hour arc.
Control — Best supernatural exploration
Control is the Remedy game that took the metroidvania structure and rebuilt it for a third-person action-adventure. Jesse Faden’s arc through the Federal Bureau of Control is closer to Tomb Raider than most descriptions suggest. Exploration unlocks new powers that unlock new areas. Combat layers gunplay with telekinesis. The architecture and atmosphere carry the same care Tomb Raider gives to its biomes.
The Foundation and AWE expansions extend the game. The graphical settings are heavy on a modern GPU at maximum, but the lower presets still look excellent.
Where it falls short: Older engine. Combat encounters can spike in difficulty.
Pricing:
- $29.99 base (sales to $5)
- Ultimate Edition: $39.99
- vs Tomb Raider: Cheaper.
Switching from Tomb Raider: Supernatural setting. Telekinesis replaces bow.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick Control for the most distinct exploration loop on this list. Skip if you want grounded archaeology.
How to choose
You want the closest tonal match to Tomb Raider: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection.
You want the puzzle-archaeology core: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
You want action-adventure with the same traversal feel: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor or Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
You want story over action: A Plague Tale: Requiem.
You want cinematic density over runtime: Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga.
You want a longer open world: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
You want a different shape of exploration: Control.
Stay on the Tomb Raider catalogue if: You haven’t played the reboot trilogy fully. Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider remain the best Lara arcs.
FAQ
What is the best Tomb Raider alternative on PC?
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection for the tonal match and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for the puzzle-archaeology core.
Is there a free Tomb Raider alternative?
No major equivalent is free. Shadow of the Tomb Raider goes on Steam sale to under $5 occasionally, which is the cheapest way to keep the official catalogue going.
Which Tomb Raider alternative is best for puzzles?
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has the deepest puzzle density. Control is the runner-up with environmental puzzles tied to power unlocks.
Will these games run on Steam Deck?
Uncharted, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Control, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey run well on Deck. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Indiana Jones need more from the hardware.
When is the next Tomb Raider game coming out?
Crystal Dynamics has confirmed a new entry in development with Amazon Games publishing but has not announced a release date.
