TRX is the best way to play Tomb Raider I-III on your Mac
Perfectly playable on my Mac, but with some fantastic extras
Playing almost any Tomb Raider game on a Mac is a headache. It always has been since the Intel chip era, with the only way to play them being via emulators or when Tomb Raider II was available on the Mac App Store back in 2011. However, an open-source reimplementation project has reached a point where that's not a problem anymore.
Called TRX, it's an open-source effort managed by a team of four that can run Tomb Raider I-III and the expansion packs, but with a bunch of options that rival the official remasters. From restoring Lara's braid in TR1 to playing as TR4 Lara, as well as a photo mode and much more, I've come away very impressed with this project.
Not only is it available on Mac, but also on Windows and Linux, so you can easily install this on a Steam Deck and enjoy it. Considering Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is still plagued with issues due to patch 5 earlier this year, I now see TRX as the definitive version to play on my Mac.
A Lost Artefact
Setting up TRX is an easy process on Windows, but a slight hassle on Mac. First, you need the original files from every title, so if you own the trilogy on storefronts like GOG, or even an original disc, it's a matter of copying the files to certain folders. If you're running TRX on Windows, it's easy enough thanks to an installer, but on Mac, you have to right-click on the app, select Show Package Contents, go to Contents > Resources > Games, then follow these instructions. Also, make sure you have a backup - when I updated TRX to the latest version, it removed all of the files I copied over that took me a half hour to sort.
But once that's done, you just load up the app, and you're ready to go. You can play all three games and expansion packs from start to finish with no enhancements if you prefer, but there are a bunch that I love. From fast-shimmying to changing what the crystals do, it helps the experience without taking away the original intentions of the Core Design team.
There's a photo mode that works just as well as Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, but you can also fast-forward frames and choose even more poses to get the right photo. The outfits are great too. Want to play as Bacon Lara in TR3? Or perhaps London's boss from TR3, Sophia Leigh in TR2? It's possible by pressing a single key. A developer console mode also lets you warp to certain sections of every level, as well as some easter eggs, like '/disco'.
It's amazing how well TRX works on my Mac. I've been able to play TR3 from start to finish as intended, without the mess of patch 5 breaking textures and triggers.
TRX 1.10 arrived on August 12, which brings even more features like binding the binoculars to a key, faster shimmying, a TR4 camera mode, and more. The project has reached a point where you can complete all six titles on your Mac or Linux device with no issue.
But what I also love is the ease of use. I've remapped certain keys so I can change outfits with a simple press. Or pressing 'I' gives Lara all weapons and items. Or, if I type in /moreguns via the developer console, I can use every weapon from the three titles in any level. Rocket Launcher in Lost Valley? Desert Eagle in Bartoli's Hideout? It's possible, and it's fantastic.
However, whilst the trailer for TRX 1.10, shown above, hints toward Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation appearing someday, I'd love to see some other QOL features - some of which are inspired by Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
Feast Your Eyes
MGS 2 offered several modes that didn't affect the game - such as a Boss Mode and a Theatre Mode. These let players face every boss in the game, along with rewatching cutscenes with different characters - like swapping out Solid Snake with a PS1-model of Revolver Ocelot. I'd love to see these modes in TRX someday - seeing TR4 Lara in a TR3 cutscene works, so perhaps having the ability to swap some characters around would be a fun addition.
But the thought of facing Larson, Natla, the Dragon, and others one after the other feels like a great opportunity that the official remasters could have done.
I'd also like to see if Photo Mode's camera can be used with the mouse instead of the keyboard, and scrolling could let players zoom in and out.
Finally, a better way of installing future updates without removing the files I've copied from each game I own would be welcome. There's a backup I have now, but saving that space would be a help.
But all of these are minor when you see the big picture of TRX - a fully playable open-source reimplementation project that lets you play all three original games and their expansion packs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Patch 5 of Tomb Raider: I-III Remastered was the equivalent of someone going to a flower bed and placing a turnip there, hoping for it to grow. I thought I'd give it another go this month, just to see if anything had improved, and it was marginal. Enemies still spawning in awkward places, types of guns not appearing correctly, and music not playing in certain areas.
Challenge Mode unfortunately hacked through the efforts of the team assigned by Saber Interactive, resulting in a collection that still doesn't work correctly. But TRX showcases another aspect of the community that knows what to focus on and is able to avoid outside help.
It's why I now consider TRX to be the definitive article for the first three Tomb Raider games. That's not to disregard the contracted team at Saber on the remaster, but this project showcases how the games can cater to almost every fan of these games thanks to the countless features that can be used.
It's also another example of how passionate a part of the community can be - offering an alternative to official releases and making them shine.
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