Tomb Raider: Anniversary - Controls - Stella's Tomb Raider Site

Tomb Raider: Anniversary Controls & Gameplay Notes

Updated: 12/23/14(†)

The following lists basic controls, as well as complex moves involving combinations of keys, and controls for combat and swimming. Lara can also do some nifty but non-essential gymnastic moves. I will add a separate page about these at some point. In the mean time, you can refer to the Tomb Raider: Legend acrobatic moves page, as these are similar.

Regardless of which system and controller you're using, you can change the controls to suit your taste. Just go to the Options menu, select Controls, then follow the instructions on screen.

Information about the heads-up display (HUD), inventory, difficulty settings, saving/loading and checkpoints, combat modes, adrenaline dodge, etc., is at the bottom of the page. Rewards and unlockable content and Xbox 360 Achievements are covered on separate pages.

Follow this link for PDF manuals for all the games.

Basic Moves

MOVE	CONTROLS (PC/PS/PSP/Xbox/Wii)	DESCRIPTION/NOTES
Run Forward/ Left/Right/Back	W/A/S/D Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Stick	(See the note on Camera & Movement Controls, below.)
Walk	Alt + W/A/S/D R2/Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Stick	PC players: Hold Alt and press direction keys/buttons to walk. Console players: Press lightly on the control stick to walk; press firmly to run. Lara will step off edges while walking. On the PlayStation, holding R2 while moving also makes Lara walk. (NOTE: The PC game manual incorrectly lists this key as Ctrl.)
Sneak	R + W/A/S/D Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Stick	Sneaking is used for even slower, more cautious movement than walking. PC players: Hold R and press direction keys/buttons to sneak. Console players: Press very lightly on the control stick to sneak. Note that Lara will step off edges while sneaking.
Pivot	N/A	Not available in Anniversary.
Sidestep	N/A	Not available in Anniversary.
Jump	Space Bar X X A A	Makes Lara jump straight up. Where there is something for her to grab, she'll grab it automatically. More complex jumps are covered under combo moves, below.
Interact	E Triangle Triangle Y Control Pad Up	Similar to 'Action' in previous games except *not* needed to grab ledges, etc., since Lara now grabs automatically. Interact is used to manipulate switches and levers, grab movable objects, pick up objects on the ground, etc. Also used in conjunction with movement keys to climb/swim faster and for the saving grab, below. (Note that in the Wii version, Interact is used in combination with the nunchuk and/or remote to move objects and use switches and levers. The on-screen instructions show what to do in each case.)
Manual Grab	Ctrl R2 n/a RB n/a	*All of the other controls on this page that involve grabbing assume you have Manual Grab disabled in the Options menu.* With Manual Grab disabled, Lara will grab onto ledges and handholds automatically whenever she steps off or jumps toward a grabbable edge. With Manual Grab enabled, you must press and hold Ctrl or R2 whenever you want Lara to grab and hang onto a ledge, handhold, etc. (As far as I know, Manual Grab is not an option on the PSP or Wii.)
Saving Grab/Balance	E Triangle Triangle Y Control Pad Up, Left or Right	Same key as Interact, above. Lara will grab most edges automatically when she jumps or falls. Occasionally, if she has to jump especially far or at an odd angle, she'll grab using only one hand. When this happens a warning icon appears (if you have Hint Icons on in the Options menu). Quickly press Interact to grab with both hands; otherwise Lara will fall. Similarly, when Lara lands on a tiny perch, or attempts to stand on one for an extended period, she may lose her balance. Press Interact to regain her footing. (On the Wii, you can also use left or right on the control pad to perform the saving grab.)
Crouch/Duck Let Go and Drop	Left Shift Circle Circle B Control Pad Down	Used alone, Lara will duck or crouch. (Note that she cannot draw weapons while crouching.) Hold Crouch and use the direction keys/buttons (left analog stick) to creep forward. Press Crouch once to make Lara let go if she is hanging. If there is a handhold below, she'll grab it automatically. Also used in several of the combination moves described below.
Crawl	N/A	Not available in Anniversary. (Use Roll or Crouch instead.)
Display HUD and Reset Camera/Rotate Camera	J/Move Mouse L2/Right Stick Triangle (hold)/Analog Stick LB/Right Stick C/Wii Remote	The first key resets the camera angle behind Lara and shows the heads-up display (HUD). To adjust the camera angle, use the mouse (PC) or right analog stick (PS2). On the Wii, tap C to center the camera behind Lara. Hold C and move the Wii Remote to aim the camera. The camera moves independently of Lara, so there is no separate 'Look' key. (See the note on Camera & Movement Controls, below.)

Lara's Gear

Use Small Medipack	V D-Pad Up Tap D-Pad Down D-Pad Down -	Small medipacks restore 25% of Lara's health. In addition to these hotkeys, you can select and use items like health packs from your inventory (below).
Use Large Medipack	B D-Pad Down Hold D-Pad Down D-Pad Up +	Large medipacks restore 100% of Lara's health. In addition to these hotkeys, you can select and use items like health packs from your inventory (below).
Grapple	Q Square Square X Nunchuk	Use of the grapple is covered in detail under Combination Moves, below.
Flashlight (Wii only)	Control Pad Left + Wii Remote	Press Left on the control pad to turn the flashlight on and off. Aim the beam using the Wii Remote. The flashlight is not available in other versions of the game.
Binoculars	N/A	Not available in Anniversary.
Weapons & Other Items	Tab Select Select Back 1	Press this button to go to the inventory screen to use items or select weapons. These are covered in greater detail under Combat and Inventory, below.

Combination Moves

Push/Pull Object	E + W/A/S/D Triangle + Left Stick Triangle + Analog Stick Y + Left Stick Control Pad Up + Control Stick	To grab a movable object, position Lara against it and press Interact to grab and hold on. Then use the direction keys/buttons (or control stick) to move the object. Tap Interact again to let go.
Jump/Running Jump/ Flip	W/A/S/D + Space Bar Left Stick + X Analog Stick + X Left Stick + A Control Stick + A	Press the directional key (or press on the left analog stick) in the direction you want Lara to go and simultaneously press Jump. Or, for a longer jump, start Lara running in the desired direction and then press Jump. Holding Jump keeps Lara in the air a little longer. When Lara has her guns drawn, press any direction key (or nudge the analog stick) and tap Jump, and she'll flip in that direction. (See the note on Camera & Movement Controls, below.)
Safety Drop	Ctrl + W/A/S/D Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Pad Down or B	Walk to an edge (either by holding Walk + direction keys/buttons or pressing lightly on the left stick). When she reaches the edge, Lara will then step off and grab the edge automatically.
Climbing	W/A/S/D Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Stick	When Lara is hanging from a ledge or other handhold, use the direction keys/buttons (or stick) to move laterally. (See the note on Camera & Movement Controls, below.)
Vault or Pull Up/Let Go and Drop	Space Bar/Left Shift X/Circle X/Circle A/B A/B or Control Pad Down	To vault up onto a ledge from which Lara is hanging, or to jump up and grab a higher ledge or handhold, tap Jump. To let go and drop, press Crouch. If there's a handhold below, she'll grab it automatically.
Pull Up into Handstand	Space Bar X X A A	When hanging from a ledge, press and hold Jump to make Lara pull up onto the ledge into a graceful handstand walkover. This takes a bit longer than the normal vault upward, but it's fun to watch.
Jump and Grab (while climbing)	W/A/S/D + Space Bar Left Stick + X Analog Stick + X Left Stick + A Control Stick + A	When Lara is climbing, to jump a gap and grab a handhold on the other side, climb as far as possible in the desired direction. Continue pressing the direction key (or stick). Lara will lean out in that direction. Press Jump and she'll leap and automatically grab. To jump straight up and grab a higher handhold, just press Jump. If there's a handhold above, she'll grab it automatically. (See the note on Camera & Movement Controls, below.)
Climbing Vertical Poles	W/A/S/D Left Analog Stick Analog Stick Left Analog Stick Control Stick	Lara will automatically grab a vertical pole, chain, fixed rope, etc., when she runs or jumps toward it. Once she's hanging on, use direction keys/buttons (or left stick) to climb up and down or to pivot left and right. Jumping off or letting go, is the same as for climbing, above.
Climbing and Swinging on Horizontal Bars	W/A/S/D...Space Bar Left Stick...X Analog Stick...X Left Stick...A Control Stick...A	When Lara is hanging from a horizontal pole, use the direction keys/buttons (or left stick) to move hand-over-hand laterally or to swing around the bar. While swinging, press Jump just as Lara passes the lowest point in the rotation to leap off. Or, press Crouch to let go and drop.
Climb Faster	E Triangle Square Y Nunchuk	While climbing along a ledge, vertical or horizontal bar, or ladder, tap Interact in time with Lara's movements to make her climb faster. On the Wii, snap the nunchuk repeatedly in the direction Lara is climbing (i.e., up and down or left to right) to climb faster.
Climbing Ladders	W/A/S/D Left Stick Analog Stick Left Stick Control Stick	To climb a ladder, just approach it and press the Up direction key or press upward on the left control stick. Use direction keys/stick to climb up, down and side to side. To climb faster, tap Interact as you go. To let go and drop, press Crouch. Or press Jump in combination with direction keys/buttons or control stick to leap off the ladder toward another grabbable object.
Forward Roll/ Somersault	W/A/S/D + F Left Stick + Circle Analog Stick + Circle Left Stick + B Control Stick + Control Pad Down	While running, tap Crouch to do a somersault. When Lara has her guns drawn, run in any direction and tap Crouch, and she'll perform an evasive roll.
Handsprings, Somersaults & Other Acrobatic Maneuvers	(various)	Along with the basics, Lara can perform a number of gymnastic feats using different combinations of basic movement keys. These aren't necessary to gameplay, but they're fun to do. Until I am able to make an updated list for Anniversary, please see the Legend Acrobatic Moves page.
Rope Swing	W...Space Bar Left Stick...X n/a Left Stick...A Control Stick...A	To grab a dangling rope (vine, etc.), point Lara toward it and take a running jump. She will automatically grab it. While she's hanging, position the camera behind her, press and hold Forward to swing back and forth. The longer you hold the key, the higher she'll swing. Press Jump to leap off or press Crouch to let go and fall.
Climb and Pivot (when hanging from rope)	E + W/A/S/D Triangle + Left Stick Square + Analog Stick Y + Left Stick Control Pad Up + Control Stick	When Lara is hanging from a rope, cable, etc., hold Interact then press Forward/Back or Left/Right (or use the control stick stick) to climb up and down or pivot.
Grapple	Q Square Square X Nunchuk	Lara's grapple can attach to certain objects in the environment. If you have Hint Icons enabled in the Options menu, you'll see a blue circle over an object that can be grappled. Press the grapple key (or snap the Wii nunchuk forward) to throw the grapple. Generally, Lara will automatically aim at the nearest viable target. Once the grapple is anchored, you can move as usual using direction keys/buttons (or left stick). Press Interact (or snap the Wii nunchuk back) to pull on the cable. Press Grapple again to release the cable if necessary.
Manual/Accurate Aim with the Grapple	Z...Q Right Stick Button (R3)...Square D-Pad Up...D-Pad Left Right Stick Button...X Wii Remote...Nunchuk	(Manual Aim is covered below under Combat.)
Grapple-swing	W/A/S/D + Space Bar + Q Left Stick + X + Square Analog Stick + X + X Left Stick + X + A Control Stick + A + Nunchuk	In certain areas where there are hooks or rings mounted on the ceiling, Lara can use her grapple to swing across gaps. To do this, jump into the gap you want to swing across. Then quickly release the direction and Jump keys and press the Grapple key to throw the grapple at the hook or ring above. To swing, climb and pivot while hanging from the cable, and jump off, use the same controls for ropes, above. (NOTE: Except in the PSP version, the move in Legend where you can double-jump to grapple, no longer works in Anniversary.)
Wall Run	W/A/S/D + Space Bar + Q Left Stick + X + Square Analog Stick + X + X Left Stick + X + A Control Stick + A + Nunchuk	Where there is a hook or ring mounted high on a wall, rather than on the ceiling, Lara can do a wall run maneuver to cross a wide gap. Jump into the gap you want to cross. Then quickly press the Grapple key (or snap the Wii nunchuk forward) to throw the grapple at the hook or ring above. Instead of swinging through the air, Lara braces her feet against the wall. You can then climb up or down the cable (Interact + Forward/Back), if necessary, then start running from side to side by pressing Left and Right alternatively. As Lara runs back and forth, she builds momentum. When she's running high enough, press Jump plus the direction you want her to go. When doing a perpendicular jump (i.e., straight off the wall rather than to either side) at the end of a wall run, it helps to release the direction controls briefly before pressing the desired direction + Jump. (See the Croft Manor walkthrough for details.)

Combat
(Some combat controls differ depending on which Combat Mode is selected. See Combat Modes & Targeting, below.)

Target Lock	Right Mouse Button/G L1 D-Pad Up LT Z	Used to draw and holster guns, as well as to keep a lock on a specific target. How it works varies depending on which Combat Mode you select. Also, if tapped repeatedly, this key cycles through the three different Combat Modes.
Fire Weapon	Left Mouse Button/H R1 Square RT B	This makes Lara draw weapon, target the nearest enemy and fire. (NOTE: Most weapons require repeatedly pressing the button to shoot. Only the mini SMGs fire continuously when you hold the button.)
Reload	E Triangle Hold L + R + Triangle Y Wii Remote	Lara will automatically reload when she runs out of ammo. To force reload, press Interact while weapons are drawn. On the Wii, when weapons are drawn but Lara is not actually shooting, flick the Wii Remote downward to reload. (For more info on individual weapons, see Combat and Inventory, below.)
Switch Weapon	-/+ keys or Mouse Wheel D-Pad Down D-Pad Right D-Pad Left/Right Control Pad Right	Press to cycle through available weapons. The HUD shows which one is currently selected.
Change Target	Right Mouse Button/G L1 L and R Right Analog Stick Wii Remote	When fighting multiple enemies, hold Target Lock to lock onto the enemy Lara is nearest or most directly facing. To change targets on the PC or Mac, move the mouse to point the camera toward the new target. On the Xbox 360 or PS2, when locked on, flick right thumbstick to change to the next available enemy. (NOTE: This is for Manual combat mode. If you're using Advanced Hold or Advanced Toggle, see the notes on Combat Modes below.) On the PSP, press L or R to cycle through available targets. On the Wii, release Target Lock, use the Wii remote to point the targeting reticle at the new enemy and press and hold Target Lock again.
Evasive Leap & Roll	Right Mouse + Direction Keys + Space Bar or Left Shift L1 + Left Stick + X or Circle Hold L and R + Analog Stick + X LT + Left Stick + A or B Z + Control Stick + Control Pad Down	During combat, when locked on to a target, jump or roll in any direction to evade the enemy.
Adrenaline Dodge & Headshot	Right Mouse Button or G + Direction Keys + Left Shift...Left Mouse Button L1 + Left Stick + Circle...R1 L + R...Circle + Analog Stick...Square LT + Left Stick + B...RT Z + Control Stick + Nunchuk or Control Pad Down...Wii Remote...B	This is a special series of moves used in certain combat situations. It is a bit difficult to master, so detailed instructions are included in a separate section below, as well as in a tutorial video.
Break Free	A/D (Left/Right) L3/R3 or Left Stick Analog Stick Left Stick Nunchuk	When an enemy bites or grabs Lara and holds on, alternate pressing left and right keys—or wiggle the left analong stick (or Wii nunchuk) from left to right—in rapid succession to break free.
Recover after knock-down	Space Bar X X A A	If an enemy knocks Lara off her feet, quickly and repeatedly tap Jump to spring back into action.
Manual/Accurate Aim	Z Right Stick Button (R3) D-Pad Up Right Stick Button Wii Remote	Note that on the consoles this involves clicking the right thumb stick (i.e., pressing it inward like a button). Manual aim is used for stationary targets or distant enemies. Press this key to enter manual aim view, center the targeting reticle on the enemy or object. The reticle turns red if the enemy is within range, though you can still hit some of the time when the reticle is gray. It turns blue if the object can be grappled. Press Fire or Grapple. Press Manual Aim again to return to normal view. On the Wii, whenever Lara has weapons drawn, you can use the Wii remote to aim. No special button is required.

Swimming

Surface	Space Bar X X A A	When Lara is swimming underwater, press Jump to swim toward the surface.
Dive	Left Shift Circle Circle B B	When Lara is swimming underwater or on the surface, press Crouch (B on the Wii) to dive deeper. Note that tapping Crouch just briefly will move Lara downward just a bit—handy when trying to reach an object or lever underwater. Hold the button to continue swimming downward.
Swim	W/A/S/D Left Stick Analog Stick Left Stick Control Stick	Use direction keys/buttons (or left stick) to swim on the surface or underwater. Or just press Forward and move the camera (with the mouse or right stick) to steer Lara. Combine with Surface/Dive to move up and down underwater.
Swim Faster	E Triangle Square Y Nunchuk	Tap Interact (or shake the Wii nunchuk forward and back) repeatedly to make Lara swim faster underwater or on the surface.
Exit Water	W/A/S/D Left Stick Analog Stick Left Stick Control Stick	To climb out of the water, swim toward the edge and keep pressing Forward (or whatever direction Lara is facing) and she'll automatically climb out if the edge is low enough.
Swan Dive	W/A/S/D + Space Bar + Left Shift Left Stick + X + Circle Analog Stick + X + Circle Left Stick + A + B Control Stick + A + Control Pad Down	To swan dive off a high cliff or ledge into water, start moving forward toward the edge and then press Jump followed immediately by Crouch. Lara can also swan dive on dry land, as long as the terrain is even and the drop is not too far. She'll hit the ground, tuck and roll. Doing a series of running swan dives is the fastest way to cover ground in this game.

CAMERA & MOVEMENT CONTROLS

Players who are not accustomed to this control scheme should note that Lara now moves relative to the camera. For example, if she is facing left and you press Forward she will turn and run away from you, not to the left (i.e., she moves forward based on where the camera is pointing). Similarly, if Lara is climbing and you want her to jump in a certain direction, you must press the direction key (or stick) in the desired direction on screen plus the Jump key (e.g., Back + Jump makes her jump toward you, regardless of which way she's facing before she jumps). When walking or running, it may help to "steer" Lara by pointing the camera in the direction you want her to go, using the mouse or right analog stick. Then just press Forward to move her. When jumping or doing grapple maneuvers, it may help to tap the Center Camera key first to move the camera behind Lara. Then the camera's right, left, forward and back are the same as hers. This doesn't work in some tight places, but it usually does the trick.

If you're playing on the PC, you may want to reassign the keyboard controls to make them more comfortable for you, or try a PC-compatible gamepad. I use a regular, wired Xbox 360 console controller, but there are many other controllers that will work.

On the PSP, press the L or R button to move camera from side to side, or hold Triangle and use the analog stick for free camera rotate.

In the Nintendo Wii game, the camera is controlled with the Wii Remote. Press and Hold C and move the Wii Remote to control the camera angle. To center the camera behind Lara, tap C and release.

HEADS-UP DISPLAY (HUD)

When you press the HUD key during combat, or for a few moments when gameplay resumes after reloading, the complete Heads-Up Display will appear on screen. At the top left is Lara's health meter (a blue bar). This shows how much health Lara has left. The number of small and large medipacks in your inventory are shown below the health bar. If Lara's health bar gets low, use a medipack to restore her health. If Lara is swimming, her air meter (also blue) will be shown at the top left. If she is underwater and her air runs out, she'll start to lose health rapidly. Unless you get to the surface, she'll drown.

When fighting a large enemy or "boss", that enemy's health meter is displayed at the top right corner of the screen (a yellow bar). When you injure an enemy enough to deplete its health meter, it will die. Below the health meter is a rage meter (red bar). Repeated attacks increase the enemy's rage meter. When the rage meter reaches maximum, the enemy will do some sort of special attack. These situations are covered in the relevant sections of the walkthrough.

Lara's currently selected weapon is displayed in the HUD at the bottom left corner of the screen. The numbers below the selected weapon indicate the number of rounds remaining in the gun over the number of rounds in inventory. (Pistols have infinite ammo.) When the ammo in the selected weapon is depleted, Lara pauses to reload. You can also reload manually by pressing Interact with weapons drawn. If you run out of ammo for one of the alternate weapons, Lara automatically switches to pistols. You can switch weapons on the inventory screen (below). Or, to cycle through available weapons, use the -/+ keys or Mouse Wheel (PC), D-Pad Down (PS2), D-Pad Right (PSP), D-Pad Left/Right (Xbox) or Control Pad Right (Wii).

The bottom right corner of the HUD is usually blank, unless you are replaying a level in Time Trial mode. In that case, the clock showing the remaining time is displayed there.

INVENTORY

The Anniversary inventory system is a kind of hybrid of the classic and Legend styles. Hotkeys (above) enable you to switch weapons and use medipacks on the fly, but you can also use and examine items from a separate inventory screen. To access inventory, press Tab (PC), Select (PS2/PSP), Back (Xbox) or the 1 button (Wii). The first inventory screen is for Gear. It shows any medipacks, weapons and ammunition you've collected. Small medipacks restore 25% of Lara's health; large ones restore full health. To use a health pack or select a weapon from inventory, use Left/Right keys (or D-Pad left/right, or press Left/Right on the control stick) to rotate the inventory ring until the item you want comes to the center. Then press Enter (PC), X (PS2/PSP) or A (Xbox/Wii) to use or select it.

To view the Special Items section of the inventory, first go to the main inventory screen. Then press Down/D-Pad Down. On this screen, you can cycle through the various keys and other special items you've collected. To examine any of these items, press Enter/X/A. To actually use things like keys, puzzle pieces, etc., you'll generally need to stand near the keyhole or other spot where the item belongs. Then press Interact to bring up the items screen. Often the item you want will already be centered. If not, rotate the ring to center it. Then press Enter/X/A to use it.

Once you have found it in the Croft Manor level, Lara's Journal is also available in the Items section of your inventory. You can refer to it for Lara's thoughts (hints) on the current situation.

Although Lara can carry as many medipacks as you can find, the amount of ammunition she can carry for the more powerful weapons is limited. Once that limit is reached, Lara won't pick up any more ammo for that particular gun until you first use some of the ammo you have. If you have less than a full supply of ammo, try reloading manually (by pressing Interact with the weapon equipped). After reloading, you'll be able to pick up new ammo to top off your supply. The maximum number of rounds Lara can carry for each gun is included in the table below.

WEAPON	AMMUNITION*	DESCRIPTION/NOTES
DUAL PISTOLS	40/infinite	Lara obtains the default pistols in the training level, Croft Manor. Even if you don't play that level, she'll still have the pistols at the beginning of the Mountain Caves. These guns are not too powerful but they never run out of ammo. It's possible to use them throughout the game, but of course certain fights will take longer. Be sure to switch back to these whenever heavy firepower isn't needed (e.g., shooting weak enemies, inanimate objects, etc.) to conserve ammo for the more powerful weapons.
SHOTGUN	8/40	Powerful at close range but somewhat unwieldy to aim and slow to reload. Also, Lara isn't as maneuverable during combat when holding this weapon. Obtained in level: Lost Valley, Tomb of Qualopec, Natla's Mines (Select the line of text above with your mouse to see the spoiler info.)
DUAL 50-CALIBER PISTOLS	30/150	A slightly more powerful version of the default pistols. Good against tougher foes in the middle levels of the game. Obtained in level: The Coliseum, Tomb of Tihocan, Natla's Mines (Select the line of text above with your mouse to see the spoiler info.)
DUAL MINI SMGs	50/250	Powerful and fast. These are the only weapons capable of sustained fire when you hold down the fire button. Convenient when fighting powerful enemies, but runs through ammo very quickly. Obtained in level: Sanctuary of the Scion, Natla's Mines (Select the line of text above with your mouse to see the spoiler info.)

*AMMUNITION: Listed as maximum number of rounds that can be loaded at one time over the maximum number of rounds that can be carried.

DIFFICULTY SETTINGS

The difficulty level can only be set at the beginning of the game. There are 3 difficulty settings: Easy, Medium and Hard. I'm not sure exactly how the difficulty setting affects gameplay, but I assume it has to do with things like enemy toughness, damage Lara sustains from enemies and hazards, etc. Puzzles are not affected.

When replaying levels you have completed, you can change the difficulty before you begin. A fourth setting, Time Trial is then available. (See the Rewards page for more info about Time Trials.)

SAVING/LOADING GAMES & CHECKPOINTS

Each level includes numerous checkpoints (indicated in the walkthrough). Every time Lara passes a checkpoint, the game is autosaved. If Lara dies, the game automatically reloads at the previous checkpoint. In-game prompts also remind you to save manually at the end of each level.

You can save or reload manually from the Pause menu (accessed by pressing Escape on the PC, the 2 button on the Wii, or Start on the other consoles). Select 'Save', then scroll to the bottom of the list of existing saves to where it says 'New saved game'. Then press Enter (PC), X (PS2/PSP) or A (Xbox/Wii). To load a previously saved game, select 'Load' from the Pause menu (or from the Load/Save option in the Main Menu), scroll down to the save you want and press Enter, X or A again.

Although you can save anywhere, reloading a saved game places Lara at the previous checkpoint. For PC players, who are accustomed to unlimited saves, this takes some getting used to, but it has the advantage of preventing you from saving as Lara is about to die. I strongly recommend saving manually at least a few times in each level. Then if you miss an important pickup, decide to do something differently or encounter a bug in the game, you can choose from several saves instead of being stuck with only the autosave. This can prevent you from having to replay the whole level to get one artifact or get past a bug.

The console games game allows you to save your progress in Croft Manor so you can restart this level from where you left off. The PC game is not quite so forgiving. That is, it should allow you to do this but the Manor save is buggy. If you play Croft Manor and exit before completing it, the game will remember which artifacts you've found, but it may not remember anything else, and you could end up having to replay most of the level in order to re-obtain the pistols, grapple and various puzzle objects.

Note that the checkpoint system can also help conserve health packs. If Lara's health is low, try and make it to the next checkpoint. Once you've passed it and the game autosaves, either kill her, quit the game, or save the game manually and then reload. When the game resumes, Lara has full health without using a single health pack.

Note also that artifacts and relics are recorded in your game profile, rather than in the individual game saves. So, if you obtain an artifact or relic and Lara subsequently dies before reaching the next checkpoint, you will still have the item when the game reloads. So there's no need to go after it again. (For more information on savegame and profile files, see here.)

COMBAT MODES & TARGETING

Combat in Anniversary also differs from previous games. First, you have a choice of three different Combat Modes (except in the PSP and Wii games, which have only one mode). In the Options Menu under Controls, select Combat Mode, then choose one of the following:

Manual - This is the default combat mode. With Manual mode set, you must press and hold the Target Lock key to aim at an enemy and maintain a lock on it. Where multiple enemies are present, this will target the one Lara is nearest or most directly facing. To change targets in the PC or Mac game, move the mouse to point the camera toward the new target. To change targets in the Xbox or PS2 game, flick the right stick in the direction of the desired target. When no enemies are present, Lara will automatically holster her weapons after a few moments unless you keep the Target Lock key pressed.
Advanced Hold - When this mode is selected, press and hold Target Lock to keep Lara's weapons drawn, or just keep firing. When you release Target Lock or stop shooting, she will holster her guns. Changing targets works the same way as the Standard mode.
Advanced Toggle - When this mode is selected, pressing Target Lock once and then releasing it causes Lara to draw weapons and target the nearest enemy. She will keep that target locked and guns drawn until you press Target Lock again. To change targets, press Target Lock to holster weapons, point the camera at the new enemy and then press Target Lock again to lock on. This is unwieldy in fights against multiple enemies, but can be useful in certain boss fights, where only one enemy is present.

In all three combat modes, the targeting reticle is color coded: If the targeted enemy is out of range, the reticle will be white. When an enemey comes into range, the reticle will turn gray then red. You may still be able to hit some of the time when shooting with a gray reticle, but Lara's aim isn't nearly as good.

During gameplay, you can also select Manual/Accurate Aim Mode. This is similar to the laser-sight view in previous games. It is also covered in the Combat section, above.

NOTES: In the PSP game, there are only two combat modes: Advanced Hold (hold Target Lock to pull out/put away Lara’s guns; firing locks-on to enemy automatically) and Advanced Lock (press Target Lock to pull out/put away Lara’s guns; firing locks-on to enemy automatically.) To change combat modes, go to Options > Controls > Target Lock.

In the Nintendo Wii game, there are no alternate combat modes. The Wii Remote is used for Manual targeting in all combat, as well as for targeting inanimate objects. Holding Target Lock (Z) is not required to hit a target, but it can help Lara keep a lock on when she's moving while firing.

THE ADRENALINE DODGE

During combat, some enemies will become enraged. When that happens, you'll have the opportunity to do a special move called the Adrenaline Dodge. When you perform this move successfully, the enemy will then do something that either causes it to injure itself or allows you to fight it in a special way. The walkthrough for each boss battle describes exactly what you need to do. For normal enemies, a successful adrenaline dodge causes Lara to do a headshot, which usually results in an instant kill.

Here's how to do the move:

If the enemy is a boss, shoot it until its rage bar maxes out. When the enemy becomes enraged, then the screen will blur slightly and the enemy will charge at Lara or do some other distinctive behavior indicating it's time to use the adrenaline dodge. For normal enemies like bears, etc., just shoot rapidly until the screen blurs slightly and the enemy charges. Then stop shooting for now.
Make sure you have a target lock on the enemy. I recommend setting the combat mode to Manual or Advanced Hold (above) before starting the fight. Then you'll be able to maintain a lock by simply holding the Target Lock key (right mouse button or G on the PC, L1 on the PS2, L + R on the PSP, LT on the Xbox 360) as you do the rest of the moves.

If you're used to playing with Advanced Toggle (or Advanced Lock on the PSP), then go ahead and stick with it, but I find this method gives you a little more control.
Also make sure Lara has plenty of room to maneuver, at least in the direction you plan to roll. If she hits a wall or other obstacle before completing the move, it won't work.
To do the dodge, while facing the enemy, move in a straight line to the left or right (using the direction keys/buttons on the PC or left control stick on the consoles). As Lara is moving to either side, not shooting at this time, press Crouch, as though you were doing a regular evasive roll. (That's Left Shift on the PC, Circle on PlayStation/PSP, B on Xbox.) She will then leap to the side while keeping a lock on the enemy.

NOTE: You can also dodge backward or forward instead of side to side, but doing so makes it more likely that the enemy or boss will run into Lara, spoiling the maneuver. So I generally recommend dodging left or right.
If your dodge is successful, you'll see two separate targeting reticles converge on the enemy's head. In order to see this, you may need to move the camera to point directly at the enemy. When the reticles overlap and turn red, you'll also hear a little ding. When this happens, shoot (Left Mouse on PC, R1 on PlayStation, Square on PSP, RT on Xbox).

This tutorial video may help if you're a more visual learner.

This maneuver is a little different on the Nintendo Wii: Shoot the enemy until it becomes enraged, as described above, and then stop shooting. Then, while facing the enemy and maintaining a target lock (holding Z), move in a straight line to the left or right (using the control stick). As Lara is moving in either direction, shake the nunchuk from side to side or press Crouch, as though you were doing a regular evasive roll. Lara will then leap to the side while keeping a lock on the enemy. A red targeting reticle will appear over the enemy's head. Use the Wii Remote to aim inside this target and then fire.

IMPORTANT: If you do not complete the adrenaline dodge tutorial with the bear at the beginning of the City of Vilcabamba level it may result in a bug later on in the game, in which the maneuver does not work correctly during the boss fights. See that walkthrough for more info.

Main Controls Page | Anniversary Walkthrough | Main Page

†UPDATE HISTORY: 6/11/07 - First posted this page online.
6/13/07 - Fix incorrect Walk key for PC. (I trusted the manual and didn't notice since I changed my own controls. Sorry.) Added alternate Fire and Target Lock keys for PC and Manual Grab key for PS2. (Thanks to Scott for the PS2 info.)
7/14/07 - Moved the Adrenaline Dodge move to a separate section with step-by-step instructions.
7/26/07 - Refined the section on using checkpoints to restore health, thanks to Randy.
12/31/07 - Added info about maximum amount of ammo that can be carried and the weapons chart. This info was previously included in the walkthrough but I thought it would be good to have here as well.
1/13/08 - Added Xbox 360 controls, thanks to Tiffany, and Wii controls. Also made a few minor tweaks to other descriptions and added controls for the handstand walkover, climbing ladders and sneaking.
2/19/08 - Added the PSP controls, thanks to Russell M.
4/11/08 - Added note on artifacts and relics to the section on saving and checkpoints.
10/9/08 - Attempted to further clarify the adrenaline dodge maneuver.
12/26/08 - Made a few minor changes for clarifty and consistency with the TR7 & TR8 pages.
10/19/09 - Added headshot tutorial video.
11/5/09 - Tweaked the descriptions of some combat controls slightly.
2/25/11 - Added adrenaline dodge bug note at bottom of page.
6/16/12 - Corrected the section on difficulty settings and time trials.
12/11/12 - Added additional tips to the section on wall running, thanks to info from Duncan.
11/24/13 - Added PlayStation walk control. Thanks to iAbdalltif for the info.
4/23/14 - Amended the adrenaline dodge/headshot controls for the PSP. I hope they are correct now, but I don't own a PSP to check. Please feel free to send me notes about this if you do.
12/23/14 - Fixed PSP controls for the Adrenaline Dodge maneuver, thanks to Alex Chien.

Special thanks to the following players for help with the controls for the consoles I don't own: Tiri Li, Teej, Rai and Tony (PS2), Tiffany (Xbox 360), and Russell and Tanner (PSP). I couldn't do it without you guys!

Copyright © 1998- Stellalune. All rights reserved. Feel free to link to this page but do not copy it. To give me your feedback, send email to or visit tombraiders.net. Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, and the Tomb Raider logo are trademarks of the Crystal Dynamics group of companies. All rights reserved.