---
title: "Tomb Raider (2013) Game of the Year Edition: Walkthrough & Tips"
game: "Tomb Raider Game of the Year"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/tomb-raider-game-of-the-year"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Walkthroughs", "Achievements", "Weapons", "Collectibles", "Settings"]
summary: "A spoiler-light guide to the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot: skills and upgrade priorities, the gear that opens new areas, combat and stealth, the optional tombs, collectibles and 100% completion, the Game of the Year extras,…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/tomb-raider-2013-game-of-the-year-edition-walkthrough-tips-da8d19aa"
published: "2026-09-27T16:38:57.597Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T16:38:57.597Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Tomb Raider (2013) Game of the Year Edition: Walkthrough & Tips

A spoiler-light guide to the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot: skills and upgrade priorities, the gear that opens new areas, combat and stealth, the optional tombs, collectibles and 100% completion, the Game of the Year extras, and PC settings.

*Researched September 2026 — this is a finished single-player game; the base game launched March 4, 2013, and the Steam GOTY version (January 2014) includes the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer and six single-player outfits. The remake Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis releases February 12, 2027. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## What It Is

Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics, 2013) reboots Lara Croft as a young archaeologist shipwrecked on **Yamatai**, an island in the Dragon's Triangle ruled by a cult called the **Solarii Brotherhood**. It's a cinematic action-adventure with light open hubs: you travel between areas via **base camps**, upgrade Lara and her gear, and come back later to explore spots you couldn't reach before.

The Game of the Year Edition on Steam adds the **Tomb of the Lost Adventurer** optional tomb and six single-player outfits to the base game. It's the first game of the "Survivor" trilogy, followed by Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

## Quick Start

1. **Use Survival Instinct constantly.** It highlights interactable objects, salvage, collectibles and enemies. It's the single most useful button in the game.
2. **Loot everything.** Salvage from crates, bodies and animals pays for weapon upgrades.
3. **Spend skill points at base camps.** Early Survivor skills that show more salvage and collectibles are worth taking first.
4. **Don't worry about missables.** After the story you can fast-travel back to every area and pick up whatever you missed.
5. **The bow is your best weapon.** It's silent, strong, and the upgrades turn it into a monster.
6. **Upgrade the bow and the pistol first**, then the shotgun and rifle as you unlock them.
7. **Enemies flank and throw dynamite.** Move between cover, and shoot dynamite back or dodge away.
8. **Optional tombs are short and rewarding.** Do them when you see the "Tomb nearby" notice.

## Skills

Skill points come from experience (combat, hunting, exploration, collectibles). Skills unlock in three trees:

| Tree | Focus | Early picks |
|---|---|---|
| **Survivor** | Exploration and loot | Skills that reveal salvage, animals and collectibles on Survival Instinct; extra salvage from crates |
| **Hunter** | Ranged combat and stealth | Arrow and ammo capacity; bonus salvage from kills |
| **Brawler** | Close combat and toughness | Dodge counters and finishers; extra durability |

**Priority order most players like:**
1. Survivor skills that reveal loot and salvage — they pay for everything else.
2. Hunter capacity skills — more arrows and ammo.
3. Brawler dodge-counter and finisher skills — they make close-range fights much safer.

## Weapons and Upgrades

Lara has four weapon types, each upgraded at base camps with salvage and improved with **weapon parts** found as you progress. Collecting enough parts unlocks a better version of the weapon.

| Weapon | Role | Key upgrades |
|---|---|---|
| **Bow** | Silent kills, fire arrows, rope arrows | Draw speed, damage, fire and napalm arrows |
| **Pistol** | Backup, reliable | Magazine, damage, rate of fire |
| **Rifle** | Mid range; later a grenade launcher attachment | Recoil, damage, grenade launcher |
| **Shotgun** | Close range, blows open barricades | Damage, rate of fire |

**Tools** (the climbing axe and later gear) also get upgrades, like faster rope climbing.

## Gear That Opens Areas

Tomb Raider uses Metroid-style gating: some areas are blocked until you have the right tool. You get these through the story:

| Gear | Opens |
|---|---|
| Climbing Axe | Climbing axe walls; prying open doors and crates |
| Rope Arrows | Pulling objects, creating ziplines to specific anchors |
| Shotgun | Blasting open wooden barricades |
| Rope Ascender | Pulling heavy objects and climbing ropes back up |
| Fire Arrows / Napalm | Burning rope barriers and cloth obstacles |
| Grenade Launcher (rifle) | Breaking reinforced walls |

If a door or path won't open, note it and come back later. The map marks many of these with icons.

## Story Areas at a Glance (Spoiler-Light)

The game moves through a string of areas, roughly:

1. **The opening escape and Coastal Forest** — tutorial for hunting, the bow and camps.
2. **Mountain Temple and Mountain Village** — first real combat and your first optional tomb.
3. **Base Approach and Mountain Base** — the radio tower climb.
4. **Geothermal Caverns and Shantytown** — the Solarii's shantytown and Himiko's lore deepening.
5. **Summit Forest, Shipwreck Beach and the research base** — the wreck of the Endurance, more crew, more tombs.
6. **The final push** — storming the Solarii fortress to stop the ritual, then the climax at the summit.

Main characters include **Conrad Roth** (Lara's mentor), **Samantha "Sam" Nishimura** (her friend), **Dr. James Whitman**, **Joslyn Reyes**, **Jonah Maiava**, **Angus "Grim" Grimaldi** and **Alex Weiss**, plus the Solarii leader **Mathias**. The island's legend centers on **Himiko**, the Sun Queen.

## Combat and Stealth

- **Stay in cover.** Lara crouches behind cover automatically. Move between cover with the right timing.
- **Headshots with the bow** take down most enemies instantly.
- **Stealth kills** are available when you sneak up on unaware enemies; Hunter skills improve them.
- **Dodge counter** (Brawler) lets you dodge a melee enemy and stab them. It's a lifesaver against shield and melee enemies.
- **Fire arrows** set enemies and flammable objects alight.
- **Shoot explosive barrels and lanterns** near groups.
- **Shielded enemies** need flanking, fire, or a shotgun blast; aim for exposed legs and heads.
- **Enemy dynamite** can be shot in their hands.

## Optional Tombs

The optional challenge tombs are short puzzles based on physics, fire, wind and water. Each ends with a treasure chest that rewards XP and salvage and reveals collectibles in that area on your map.

Tombs include **Hall of Ascension**, **Well of Tears**, **Chamber of Judgment**, **Stormguard Sanctuary** and **Tomb of the Unworthy**, plus the GOTY Edition's **Tomb of the Lost Adventurer**.

Tomb tips:

- Use Survival Instinct to highlight the key objects.
- Most puzzles are about weight (counterweights, pulling objects with rope arrows), fire (burning obstacles) or wind (timing jumps with gusts).
- If you're stuck, look at what moves. Tombs rarely require precise timing.

## Collectibles and 100%

Collectible types:

| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Documents | Journals and notes from the crew, the Solarii and the island's history |
| Relics | Examinable artifacts; rotating some reveals hidden details |
| GPS Caches | Hidden geocaches |
| Treasure Maps | Mark collectibles in an area |
| Challenges | Area-specific tasks (for example destroying or collecting a set of objects) |
| Optional tombs | Each gives a treasure map |

**How to get 100%:**
- Finish the story; you can explore every area afterward.
- Use fast travel between base camps.
- Find each area's treasure map (often in the optional tomb) to show what's left.
- Buy Survivor skills that reveal collectibles on Survival Instinct.

There's no true point of no return that locks collectibles away permanently; you can clean up after the credits.

## Achievements Tips

- Many achievements track collectibles, challenges, and tombs — play them as you go and clean up after the story.
- Some achievements ask for specific kills (headshots, dodge-counters, kills with specific weapons); they come naturally.
- Multiplayer achievements need online matches, and the multiplayer population is very small today. Organize with friends or the community if you're hunting them.

## Multiplayer

Multiplayer pits Lara's shipmates (Survivors) against the island's Scavengers across modes such as Team Deathmatch, Rescue and Cry for Help. Map packs included Caves & Cliffs, 1939 and Shipwrecked. In 2026 finding matches is difficult; treat it as a curiosity.

## PC Settings

- **TressFX Hair** gives Lara realistic hair physics but costs performance on older GPUs. Turn it off if frame rate dips.
- **SSAO and shadows** are the next biggest performance costs.
- **Frame rate** — the game runs well on modern hardware; V-Sync or a frame cap reduces stutter.
- Controller support is excellent if you prefer a gamepad.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Hoarding salvage.** Spend it on weapon upgrades at every camp.
- **Skipping Survivor skills.** Less salvage means weaker weapons for the whole game.
- **Fighting in the open.** Enemies with rifles and dynamite will punish you.
- **Chasing collectibles before you have the gear.** Come back later.
- **Ignoring optional tombs.** Their rewards help, and they're the best puzzles in the game.

## Advanced Tips

- **Upgrade the bow** early and use it on Hard — silent headshots avoid long firefights.
- **Use fire arrows** on groups in cover; they flush enemies out.
- **Take Brawler dodge-counter skills** for Hard difficulty.
- **Hunt animals** for XP and salvage early.
- **Fast travel after the story** to finish every area's collectibles and challenges.

## FAQ

**What's included in the Game of the Year Edition?**
The base game, the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, and six single-player outfits.

**Can you go back after finishing the story?**
Yes. After the credits, you can fast travel between base camps and explore every area for collectibles.

**How long is Tomb Raider 2013?**
The story is around 10-15 hours for most players; 100% takes longer.

**Are there missable collectibles?**
No permanently missable collectibles. Everything can be cleaned up after the story.

**Is multiplayer still active?**
Barely. Expect empty lobbies; play with friends.

**Is there a newer version or remake?**
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a reimagining of the original 1996 game, releases February 12, 2027, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst is set for 2027. Neither replaces the 2013 reboot, which stands as the start of the Survivor trilogy.

## Sources

- [Tomb Raider GOTY Edition on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/203160/Tomb_Raider/)
- [Tomb Raider (2013 video game) — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_Raider_(2013_video_game))
- [Tomb Raider Steam news (Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst announcements)](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/203160)