"tomb raider" remains the most critically acclaimed game in the long-running franchise. upon its release in 1996, the game was widely praised by gaming magazines for its variety and depth of control, revolutionary graphics, intriguing environments, and use of occasional combat to maintain an atmosphere of tension. ryan macdonald of "gamespot" summarised, "take the puzzle solving of "resident evil", the gory action of "loaded", and the 360-degree freedom most gamers only dream of, and you have "tomb raider", the closest thing to a "super mario 64" killer' to date." the game tied with the saturn version of "street fighter alpha 2" for "electronic gaming monthly"s "game of the month", with their review team saying it "really stands out from the rest of the pack" and "is the best playstation game to date." "next generation" called it "a thought-provoking, riveting action-adventure easily on par in intensity with any of hollywood's finest efforts" and "a landmark title for this generation, and one that's sure to be imitated many times over."