Difficulty

Difficulty is a gameplay feature within the Tomb Raider Series.

Original Timeline

The Original series only had one Difficulty setting, with the game simply working on a difficulty curve, with more difficult enemies being introduced as the games progressed.

Legend Timeline

Each game in the series has three difficulty settings, each equating to Easy, Medium or Hard

Tomb Raider: Legend

Explorer (Easy)

Enemies take increased damage, and inflict less upon Lara. They also drop more Ammo.

Adventurer (Medium)

The Medium setting with the default damage, and ammo drops.

Tomb Raider (Hard)

Enemies inflict more damage, and recieve less damage, and drop less Ammo.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary

Easy

Lara deals more and receives less damage.

Medium

Lara deals and receives Normal damage.

Hard

Lara deals less and receives more damage.

Tomb Raider: Underworld

Casual Explorer (Easy)

Enemies receive more damage, and deal less. Vastly increased ammunition.

Tomb Raider (Medium)

Default damage and ammunition.

Master Survivalist (Hard)

Enemies receive less damage, and deal more. Significantly less ammunition.

Survivor Timeline

Tomb Raider

There are three difficulty settings in game.

Easy

Lara deals additional damage and receive less damage.

Normal

Lara deals and receives normal damage.

Hard

Lara deals less damage and receives increased damage,

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Adventurer

• Combat has aim assistance enabled.
• Enemies have lower health and damage.

Tomb Raider

• Combat has aim assistance disabled.
• Enemies have normal health and damage.

Seasoned Raider

• Combat has aim assistance disabled.
• Health Regeneration is only available outside of combat.
• Enemies have increased health and damage.
• Enemies have increased senses.

Survivor

• Combat has aim assistance disabled.
• Health Regeneration is disabled.
• Enemies have increased health and damage.
• Enemies have increased senses.
• More difficult enemies will be present.
• There are fewer resources and upgrades are more expensive.
• Campsites use resources at the first time.

Extreme Survivor

• Combat has aim assistance disabled.
• Health Regeneration is disabled.
• Enemies have increased health and damage.
• Enemies have increased senses.
• More difficult enemies will be present.
• There are fewer resources and upgrades are more expensive.
• Campsites use resources at the first time.
• Game saves only at base camps.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Difficulties can be mix-matched between Easy to hard and changed during gameplay, Very Hard is locked into Overall Difficulty, and can't be changed from ingame.

Overall Difficulty

• Smart and Resourceful (Easy)
• Rite of Passage (Normal)
• One With the Jungle (Hard)
• Deadly Obsession (Very Hard)

Combat Difficulty

• Easy
  • Aim assist enabled. Ammunition boxes are plentiful.
  • Enemies have lower health, do less damage, and have illuminated silhouettes.
• Normal
  • Ammunition boxes are rare.
  • Enemies have normal health and damage. Enemies have illuminated silhouettes.
• Hard
  • No health regeneration in combat. Ammunition boxes are rare.
  • No hit marker on reticle.
  • Enemies have increased health, do more damage, and locate Lara more quickly.
  • Enemies are not highlighted in Survival Instincts.
• Very Hard
  • No health regeneration in combat. Ammunition boxes are rare.
  • No hit marker on reticle
  • Enemies have increased health, do more damage, and locate Lara more quickly.
  • Enemies are not highlighted in Survival Instincts.

Exploration Difficulty

• Easy
  • Obvious white paint on critical path. Longer saving grab timer.
  • Base Camps are lit.
• Normal
  • Discreet white paint on critical path. Normal saving grab timer.
  • Base Camps are unlit.
• Hard
  • No white paint on critical path. Reduced saving grab timer.
  • No survival Instincts during exploration. Base Camps are unlit.
• Very Hard
  • No white paint on critical path. Reduced saving grab timer.
  • No survival Instincts during exploration.
  • Base Camps are unlit and require resources to light. Game saves only at Base Camps.

Puzzle Difficulty

• Easy
  • Lara gives direct hints on the next action to perform.
  • Interactable objects are highlighted in Survival Instincts.
  • Objects necessary to progress highlighted in blue during Survival Instincts.
  • Longer window of opportunity for timed mechanics.
• Normal
  • Lara gives general hints on the next action to perform.
  • Interactable objects are highlighted in Survival Instincts.
  • Normal window of opportunity for timed mechanics.
• Hard
  • No hints given by Lara. No Survival Instincts. Shorter window of opportunity for timed mechanics.
• Very Hard
  • No hints given by Lara. No Survival Instincts. Shorter window of opportunity for timed mechanics.