Lost Tomb Raider short film released in time for 20th anniversary

Back in the mid-to-late 90s, an era practically defined by obnoxious Eidos advertising, the company produced the above short film for Tomb Raider III’s launch party at the Natural History Museum in London. However, for unknown reasons, the film failed to make an appearance at the show and faded out of all knowledge and legend.

20 years after the first Tomb Raider hit the SEGA Saturn, PlayStation, and PC platforms, the video’s original producer found the old tape in his house and uploaded it on YouTube for the world to see for the first time.

Wait a minute! Where is Angelina!?

Actually, the plot fails to have Lara even make an appearance at all. Instead, a group of policemen interrogate a young man who claims Lara is his “girlfriend.” Pfft, nerd fantasy right there. In between his rantings and ravings about the famous treasure hunter, the film cuts to gameplay footage of Lara shooting dudes, and that’s all we get to see of her.

The video doesn’t make a lot of sense nowadays, but it might have had more meaning back during Tomb Raider’s first run on the video game scene. Man, I sure miss the 90s. Tomb Raider first launched back on Oct. 25, 1996, and Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics plan to celebrate all year.