About
Tomb Raider (Core Design, 1996) launched one of gaming's most iconic franchises, and OpenLara by XProger is an open source reverse-engineered renderer for the classic Tomb Raider games. Played on Steam Deck via the Libretro core in RetroArch, only Tomb Raider 1 is fully playable; TR2/TR3 levels can be loaded but lack their later mechanics, and TR4/TR5 are not yet supported by the core. It delivers uncapped FPS (60/90/120), optional PSX disc audio (which many consider superior to the PC version), and clean widescreen output.
Identity
Launch
- Binary
- retroarch
- Options
- -L openlara_libretro.so
- Needs files
-
- Tomb Raider game data from Steam app 224960 or GOG
Runtime
- Runs as
- Native Linux
- Proton
- not needed
The one thing to know
- Install via EmuDeck, which includes RetroArch and can install the OpenLara Libretro core.
- CRITICAL: in RetroArch, switch the video driver to OpenGL before loading the core — the default Vulkan driver causes rendering corruption with OpenLara.
- Requires Tomb Raider game data (.phd / .psx files); buy TR1 on Steam (app 224960) or GOG.
- PSX disc rip (.bin/.cue) is supported and provides better audio quality than the PC version — supply your own rip from a disc you own.
- Only Tomb Raider 1 is fully playable in this core. TR2/TR3 levels can be loaded with the correct file layout but use TR1's moveset (no sprint/duck/proper climb); TR4/TR5 are not supported yet. Each game requires its own data files.
- After selecting the OpenGL driver, enable 'Show Advanced Settings' then turn on Settings -> Core -> 'Enable Shared Hardware Context' (required by the core).
- Launch command shown is for manual RetroArch invocation; within EmuDeck/ES-DE, load the .phd file directly via the OpenLara core.
Community guides
Write-ups and threads from people who got this (or a similar) game running. deckport links to them — it doesn't reproduce them.
Get the artwork
deckport never hosts game images. Open this game on SteamGridDB, pick
the cover / hero / logo / icon you like, and drop them into the
game folder under .deckport-art/ before you push it to the
Deck. The importer files them under the right names automatically.
Run it on your Deck
Two files: the one-time importer (deckport.py) in your
Deck's home folder, and this game's install helper. Copy the game
into ~/Games and run the helper with Steam closed — it
writes the recipe (binary, launch options)
and registers the shortcut with artwork.