Firstly the intention of this timeline is
to work much of the Tomb Raider Franchise into one cohesive timeline. I am limiting this to event in Lara Croft’s
life so no expansions on the history of the artefacts she finds. I am working on the assumption that the new “Survivor”
game continuity is a prequel to the earlier games and that the “Legend” games
are also part of this continuity. Any
speculation on my part to explain any discrepancies will be clearly indicated.
There have been three games called Tomb
Raider the 1996 original, the 2000 Gameboy game and the 2013 reboot. I will be referring to the games as Tomb
Raider followed by their year.
Other adventures will be referred to by
their subtitles as we know they are Tomb Raider products. I will also be referring to the source for
each entry and the media type (So the novel Tomb Raider: The Lost Cult will be
referred to as The Lost Cult (novel))
I won’t be including fan productions as
much as I have enjoyed many of them. I also won’t incorporating references to
Lara Croft (in Rob Hayes Adventures Rob tells a female friend she is not Lara
Croft) or characters dressing as Lara Croft (Ally McBeal, Looney Tunes, Dexter,
How I met Your Mother.) The holographic projection of Lara in an episode of
Totally Spies is also excluded.
I’m excluding advertisements that treat
Tomb Raider as just a game for example one of the later Lucozade commercials
has Lara drinking a Lucozade while the game is paused.
Timeline
14 Feb 1968 (Core Design Bio)
Lara Croft born to Lord Richard Croft and
Amelia Croft (Legend - Game)
1971 - 1979
Private Tutoring 3-11 (Core Design Bio)
1977
Lady Amelia Croft and Lara are in a plane
crash. Amelia disappears and Lara walks
out (Legend –game)
1979 - 1984
Wimbledon High School for Girls 11-16 (Core
Bio)
1980
“Pre-Teen Raider” (Re/Visioned animation)
(Gail Simone advises that Lara is about 12)
1984
Training with Von Croy in Ankor Wat (The
Last Revelation –Game)
“Black Isle” (Chronicles Game)
1985
Lord Richard Croft dies (differing accounts
are given in Rise of the Tomb Raider– Game, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – Movie and
Legend –Game)
Speculation Lara is adopted by her uncle
Lord Henshingly Croft and his wife.
Neither are fans of Lara adventuring and try to mould her into a proper
lady. The adoption explains why in 1996 her father is listed as Henshingly
Croft in the first game.
1984-1987
Gordonstoun Boarding School 16-18
1987-1989
Swiss Finishing School 18-21
1989
21 yo Plane crash Lara is only survivor
(Core Bio)
1990
Excavation Massacre (Legend – Game)
The Beginning (Dark Horse Comic)
The Ten Thousand Immortals (novel)
Season of the Witch (Dark Horse Comic 1-6)
1991
Secrets and Lies (Dark Horse Comic 7-12)
Queen of Snakes (Dark Horse Comic 13-18)
1992
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Game)
Baba Yaga The
Temple of the Witch (Rise expansion – Game)
Cold Darkness
Awakened (Rise Expansion – Game)
Blood Ties (Rise
Expansion – Game)
Lara’s Nightmare
(Rise Expansion – Game)
Spore (Dark Horse Comic 1-6) (Spore
features a 1996 flashback this must be a 1976 flashback)
Trial and Sacrifice (Dark Horse Comic 7-12)
1994
Finds Ark of the Covenant (Tomb Raider 1996
- Game)
1995
Philosopher’s Stone (Chronicles – Game)
1996
Unfinished
Business /Shadow of the Cat (Tomb Raider 1996 Expansion – Game)
1997
Tomb Raider II
Golden Mask
(Tomb Raider II Expansion - Game)
Tomb Raider/Witchblade (Top Cow Comic)
Lucozade (commercials) (the last commercial is not counted)
PlayStation Commercial
“Tibet Air” (Short Story)
1998
Tomb Raider III
Lost Artefact
(Tomb Raider III Expansion – Game)
Seat Cars (Commercials)
Spear of Destiny (Chronicles –Game)
Die Artze “Manner Sind Schweine” (Music
video)
Tomb Raider 2000 (Game)
1999
“Hemos terminado con él” The Companeros (Spanish TV Episode)
Brigitte Magazine (Commercial)
The Time’s Exclusive Bonus Level (Game)
The Last Revelation (Game)
Tomb Raider Chronicles (Framing Sequence –
Game)
The Amulet of Power (Novel)
Origins (Top Cow One Shot)
Dark Aeons (Glenat Comic)
The Greatest Treasure of All (Top Cow One
Shot)
Tomb Raider 0 (Top Cow Comic)
The Medusa Mask 1-4 Top Cow Comic)
2000
Merlin Stone 5-6 (Top Cow comic)
Dead Centre 7-10 (Top Cow Comic)
Chasing Shangri-La 11-12 (Top Cow Comic)
Dark Crossings (Top Cow One Shot)
Fathom 12-14 - the Resurrection of Taras (Top
Cow Comic)
The Tomb Raider Technical Manual (Book)
2001
Merlin Stone 5-6 (Top Cow Comic)
Dead Centre 7-10 (Top Cow Comic)
Chasing Shangri-La 11-12 (Top Cow Comic)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (Movie +
Novelisation)
Curse of the Sword (Game)
Grim Reaper 13-15 (Top Cow Comic)
Pieces of Zero 16-17, 19-20 (Top Cow Comic)
Year of the Cat 18 (Top Cow Comic)
Tomb Raider/The Darkness (Top Cow Comic)
2002
The Prophecy (Game)
The Osiris Codex (Game)
The Quest for Cinnabar (Game)
The Elixir of Life (Game)
The Trap: The Path of The Tiger 21-23 (Top
Cow Comic)
Medusa’s Garden 24 (Top Cow Comic)
Endgame 25 (Crossover with Witchblade/EVO)
(Top Cow Comic)
Tomb Raider: Apocalypse (Game)
The
Eye of Osiris
The
Shadow Falls
Armageddon
Journeys 1-12 (Top Cow Series)
2003
Abyss 26-28 (Top Cow Comic)
Strange Flesh 29-30 (Top Cow Comic)
Conquista 31 (Top Cow Comic)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider The Cradle of Life
(Movie + Novelisation)
Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness (Game) (The Action Adventure/The Board Game/Flash
Game versions and comic adaptation issues 32-34)
Epiphany (Top Cow comic One Shot)
G4 – (Commercial)
Visa - Monster Chase (Commercial)
Scarface’s Treasure (Top Cow comic One
Shot)
Monster War (Top Cow comic One Shot)
2004
The Lost Cult (novel)
The Black Legion 35-37 (Top Cow Comic)
Bloodstone 38-39 (Top Cow Comic)
The Man of Bronze (novel)
Risen 40 (Top Cow Comic)
Spirit Walker 41-42 (Top Cow Comic)
Takeover (Top Cow comic One Shot)
Sphere of Influence (Top Cow comic One
Shot)
Arabian Knights (Top Cow comic One Shot)
2005
Tower of Souls 43-44 (Top Cow Comic)
Inner Demons 45 (Top Cow Comic)
Gathering Storm 46-48 (Top Cow Comic)
Vendetta 49 (Top Cow Comic)
Alpha/Omega 50 (Top Cow Comic) In this
comic Lara finds the Fountain of Youth and is seen adventuring into the far
future.
2006
Legend (game)
The Reckoning (game)
Puzzle Paradox (Game)
2007
The Keys to the Kingdom (3 Parts)
(Re/visioned Animation)
Revenge of the Aztec Mummy (Re/Visioned
Animation)
Angel Spit (2 Parts)( Re/Visioned
Animation)
Lara Croft Legacy (Re/Visioned Animation)
Raising Thermopolis (Re/Visioned Animation)
A Complicated Woman (Re/Visioned Animation)
2008
Tomb Raider Underworld (Game - also has a
board game)
Beneath the
Ashes (expansion Level)
Lara’s Shadow (expansion
Level)
2010
Lara Croft and Guardian of Light (game)
2013
Lara Croft Reflections Card Game (Game)
2014
Lara Croft and Temple of Osiris (Game)
2015
Lara Croft Relic Run (game)
Lara Croft Go (Game)
Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen (comic)
2016
Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever
(novel)
TOMB RAIDER MEDIA ITEMS
Games (indented items are additional
downloadable Levels)
The Core Series –Original Timeline
Tomb Raider 1996
Unfinished
Business /Shadow of the Cat
Tomb Raider II 1997
Golden Mask
Tomb Raider III 1998
The Lost
Artefact
Tomb Raider: The Times Exclusive 1999
Tomb Raider the Last Revelation 1999
The Tomb Raider Chronicles 2000
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness 2003 (The
Action Adventure/The Board Game/Flash Game versions and comic adaptation)
Crystal Dynamics – Legend Reboot
Tomb Raider Legend 2006
Tomb Raider Anniversary 2007
Tomb Raider Underworld 2008
Beneath The
Ashes
Lara’s Shadow
LARA CROFT and the Guardian of Light 2010
LARA CROFT and the Temple of Osiris 2015
Survivor Reboot
Tomb Raider 2013
Rise of the Tomb Raider 2015
Baba Yaga The
Temple of the Witch
Cold Darkness
Awakened
Blood Ties
Lara’s Nightmare
Gameboy Games
Tomb Raider 2000
Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword 2001
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy 2002
Interactive TV Games
Tomb Raider: Apocalypse 2002
The
Eye of Osiris
The
Shadow Falls
Armageddon
Tomb Raider: The Reckoning 2006
Mobile Phone Games
Tomb Raider: The Osiris Codex 2003
Tomb Raider: The Quest for Cinnabar 2003
Tomb Raider: The Elixir of Life 2003
Tomb Raider: Puzzle Paradox 2006
Lara Croft Reflections 2014
Lara Croft Relic Run 2015
Lara Croft Go 2015
Board Games
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of
Darkness 2003
Tomb Raider: Underworld 2009
DVD Game
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Action
Adventure 2006 (adaptation of Angel of Darkness)
Flash Game
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness 2004
Books
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Tech manual by
Michael Jan Friedman 2001
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Movie Novelisation
by Dave Stern 2001
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life
Novelisation by Dave Stern 2003
Tomb Raider The Amulet of Power by Mike
Resnick 2003
Tomb Raider The Lost Cult by E.E. Knight
2004
Tomb Raider The Man of Bronze by James Alan
Gardner 2005
The Ten Thousand Immortals by Dan Abnett
& Nik Vincent 2014
The Blade of Gwynnver by Dan Abnett &
Nik Vincent 2016
Short Stories
“Tibet Air”
in Lara’s Book: Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider Phenomenon by Douglas
Coupland 1998
Movies
Lara Croft Tomb Raider 2001
Lara Croft Tomb Raider Cradle of Life 2003
TV
The Companeros “Hemos terminado
con él” 1999 (tie in for Last Revelation)
Commercials
PlayStation 1997 & 1998
Lucozade 1998 & 2001
Seat Cars 1999
Brigitte Magazine 1999
Visa Monster Chase 2003
G4 2003
Video Clips
Die Artze “Manner Sind Schweine” 1998
Re/Visioned 2007
The Keys to the Kingdom (3 Parts)
Revenge of the Aztec Mummy (1 part)
Angel Spit (2 Parts)
Lara Croft Legacy
Pre Teen Raider (about 12)
Raising Thermopolis (after first Game)
A Complicated Woman
Comics
Glenat
Dark Aeons 1999
Top
Cow
Tomb Raider Witchblade 1997
1999-2005
Tomb Raider 0
The Medusa Mask 1-4
Merlin Stone 5-6
Dead Centre 7-10
Chasing Shangri-La 11-12
Grim Reaper 13-15
Pieces of Zero 16-17, 19-20
Year of the Cat 18
The Trap: The Path of The Tiger 21-23
Medusa’s Garden 24
Endgame 25 (Crossover with Witchblade/EVO)
Abyss 26-28
Strange Flesh 29-30
Conquista 31
The Angel of Darkness 32-34 (Comic
Adaptation of Game)
The Black Legion 35-37
Bloodstone 38-39
Risen 40
Spirit Walker 41-42
Tower of Souls 43-44
Inner Demons 45
Gathering Storm 46-48
Vendetta 49
Alpha/Omega 50
Tomb Raider Origins 2000
Dark Crossings 2000
Fathom the Resurrection of Taras 12-14 2000-2002
Tomb Raider The Darkness 2001
Tomb Raider Journeys 2001-2003
Scarface’s Treasure 2003
Epiphany 2003 (AOD tie-in)
Monster War 2003
Takeover 2004
Sphere of Influence 2004
Arabian Knights 2004
The Greatest Treasure of All 2005
Dark
Horse
The Beginning 2013
Season of the Witch 1-6
Secrets and Lies 7-12
Queen of Serpents 13-18
Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen 1-5
Spore 1-6
Trials and Sacrifice 7-12