- Tomb Raider Definitive Survivor Trilogy achievements span three separate trophy lists, one per game.
- Collectibles and challenge tombs drive the majority of completion-based unlocks in all three titles.
- Difficulty trophies reward runs on Survivor (Tomb Raider, Rise) and Deadly Obsession (Shadow).
- New Game Plus in Rise and Shadow makes cleanup of missed achievements significantly easier.
- No cheat codes exist in the trilogy; every achievement must be earned through legitimate gameplay.
Achievement Overview: Three Games, Three Trophy Lists
The Definitive Survivor Trilogy bundles Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Each game keeps its own independent achievement list, so you tackle them one at a time rather than as a unified meta-list. Broadly, the achievements in every game fall into four categories: story progression, collectibles, challenge tombs and side content, and skill-based combat or difficulty challenges.
| Achievement Category | Tomb Raider | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Shadow of the Tomb Raider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story completion | Finish all chapters on Yamatai | Complete the Divine Source campaign | Finish the Mayan apocalypse storyline |
| Collectibles | Documents, relics, GPS caches | Documents, relics, murals, coin caches | Documents, relics, murals, monoliths |
| Challenge tombs | Optional tomb completions | Tombs plus crypts and missions | Tombs plus DLC challenge tombs |
| Difficulty runs | Survivor difficulty clear | Survivor / Extreme Survivor | Deadly Obsession clear |
Plan your difficulty run on a second playthrough. A first Normal-difficulty run lets you learn encounters and gather gear, so your high-difficulty run moves faster and carries fewer surprises.
Story Achievements
- Unlocked automatically through chapters
- Cannot be missed if you finish the campaign
- Roughly a third of each list
Completion Achievements
- Tied to collectibles and tombs
- Require region-by-region tracking
- Best handled with treasure maps
Challenge Achievements
- Stealth streaks, headshot chains, hunting
- Difficulty-specific completions
- Best saved for New Game Plus
Difficulty Achievements Compared
Each game names its hardest mode differently, and the restrictions escalate across the trilogy. Shadow of the Tomb Raider's Deadly Obsession is the most demanding, combining scarce resources with manual campfire saving.
| Difficulty Tier | Tomb Raider | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Shadow of the Tomb Raider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Easy | Adventurer | Smart and Resourceful |
| Normal | Normal | Tomb Raider | Rite of Passage |
| Hard | Hard | Seasoned Raider | One with the Jungle |
| Hardest | Survivor | Extreme Survivor | Deadly Obsession |
| Save rules | Checkpoints | Restricted camps on Extreme | Manual campfire saves only on Deadly Obsession |
Deadly Obsession unlocks only after completing Shadow of the Tomb Raider once. Manual saves are limited to camps, and combat assistance is minimal. Stockpile resources and use stealth whenever possible before committing to fights.
For Rise of the Tomb Raider, Extreme Survivor similarly restricts campfire use. Treat these runs as patience exercises: stealth takedowns, poison or fear arrows, and careful ammo economy matter more than raw firepower.
Step-by-Step Achievement Roadmap
First Playthrough on Normal
Complete each campaign on a standard difficulty. Learn enemy layouts, unlock traversal gear, and finish the story naturally. Do not stress about missables yet in Rise and Shadow, since free-roam and New Game Plus allow cleanup.
Post-Story Free Roam Cleanup
After the credits, use fast travel between camps to sweep collectibles. Find treasure maps and archivist maps first, since they reveal collectible positions on your map and cut search time dramatically.
Challenge Tombs and Side Content
Complete every optional tomb, crypt, and side mission. Tombs reward skills and achievements, and in Shadow the DLC challenge tombs add their own objectives with outfit and weapon rewards.
Combat and Skill Achievements
Grind skill-based trophies such as stealth takedown streaks, headshot chains, and hunting objectives. Expedition and Score Attack modes in Rise are efficient places to farm combat-specific achievements.
Hardest Difficulty Run
Finish the top difficulty for each game: Survivor, Extreme Survivor, or Deadly Obsession. Use New Game Plus where available so upgraded weapons and skills carry forward.
Rise and Shadow both offer New Game Plus paths that carry over progression. Running your hardest difficulty on NG+ saves hours compared with a fresh save.
Hardest Achievements and How to Handle Them
Every game has a handful of achievements that cause most players trouble. The table below lists the notorious ones and the practical counter for each.
| Game | Common Pain Point | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Tomb Raider | Full relic and document completion | Use treasure maps per region, sweep before leaving each area |
| Tomb Raider | Survivor difficulty combat sections | Bow stealth, cover usage, explosive environment objects |
| Rise | Extreme Survivor restricted saves | Plan routes between camps, avoid unnecessary fights |
| Rise | Endurance mode survival achievements | Prioritize warmth and food, clear tombs only when safe |
| Shadow | Deadly Obsession full clear | NG+ with maxed gear, stealth-heavy play, manual save discipline |
| Shadow | 100% completion including DLC tombs | Track per-region checklists, finish side quests in Paititi |
Documents, murals, and monoliths in Shadow reward perception skills. Invest in Seeker abilities that widen Survival Instinct highlighting before grinding full-completion achievements.
Tomb Raider Cleanup Checklist
- All documents and relics per region
- Every GPS cache located
- All optional tombs completed
- Challenges such as burning statues and totems finished
Rise and Shadow Cleanup Checklist
- Murals, monoliths, and archivist maps found
- Crypts and coin caches cleared
- Side missions and DLC tombs done
- Combat skill achievements farmed in replay modes
Completion Planner
Trilogy Achievement Milestones:
- Complete all three campaigns on any difficulty
- Reach 100% map completion in each game
- Finish every challenge tomb including DLC tombs
- Clear Survivor difficulty in Tomb Raider
- Clear Deadly Obsession in Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- Complete New Game Plus in Rise and Shadow
The trilogy has no universal cheat-code system. Any site claiming code lists that instantly unlock achievements or gear is unreliable. All unlocks come from campaign progress, replay modes, DLC, and completion milestones.
Achievement FAQ
Q: Does the Tomb Raider Definitive Survivor Trilogy have one shared achievement list?
No. Each of the three games retains its own separate achievement list, so you earn three distinct completions across the bundle.
Q: Are any achievements missable in the trilogy?
Most collectible and tomb achievements can be cleaned up post-story through free roam or New Game Plus. Check difficulty-specific achievements in advance, since some require starting a run on the required setting.
Q: What is the hardest achievement in the trilogy?
Most players consider the Deadly Obsession completion in Shadow of the Tomb Raider the toughest, because it combines very scarce resources, minimal aim assistance, and manual campfire-only saving.
Q: Can I use cheat codes to speed up achievement hunting?
No. The trilogy has no traditional cheat-code system. Bonus outfits, weapons, and achievements are earned through progression, replay modes like Expeditions and Score Attack, DLC, and completion objectives.