While Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog had spoken about how Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis was a remake of the classic that was developed as a “love letter by fans, for fans”, the development teams also want to reiterate that it will also be a great way for newcomers to get into the franchise. Speaking to MP1st, experience director Jeff Adams noted that it isn’t simply a remaster made for fans of the original.
Discussing the idea of finding the balance between catering to long-time fans of the franchise while also making newcomers who got in with the Survivor era feel welcome, Adams said that Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is more than just a remake; it’s a reimagining. Along with this, the fact that it works as an introduction to Lara Croft’s history as a whole will also allow it to be a great entry point for new fans.
“This game isn’t just for fans. It’s not a remaster. It’s not a coat of paint. We’re re-presenting this to all players because it’s an essential piece of Lara’s history, and it’s the first step in this next major phase of Tomb Raider gaming.”
He also spoke about how the development teams wanted to ensure that the core design of the Tomb Raider franchise went unchanged. This meant that the title would need to include dangerous environments to traverse, puzzles to solve, and combat that “puts you up against apex predators that will try to make you their next meal.” These aspects, he said, are what make a Tomb Raider game recognizable.
“As game developers, we bring our experience forward in how we construct our game. So, while we love Tomb Raider 1996 and Anniversary, we also understand there’s value in adding updated systems that give players more choice and more tunability in how they play. Providing a system that lets them bolster Lara’s attributes in ways that suit their tastes is a benefit. Giving them the ability to create buffs that help them navigate a dangerous challenge is helpful.”
Similarly, the studios are also working hard on making sure that the game is immersive. This can involve smaller things, like Lara’s healing animations in certain situations. This led to giving her the ability to create healing items, since “finding a med pack isn’t always appropriate when Lara is cracking open a tomb no one’s been in for thousands of years.”
“What you get in the end is hopefully something that inspires everybody. Your core fans, from the original adventure onward, get to see quintessential Tomb Raider environments brought to stunning detail on a modern console or PC, and they can navigate them in outfits from Lara’s wardrobe of past looks that are sure to delight. You also have the tunability Survivor fans appreciate alongside the humanized Lara that they were inspired by when they played the 2013 reboot.”
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 12th. For more details, check out last month’s teaser trailer that showcased the famous gold death scene from the original Tomb Raider rendered in the remake’s modern graphics style.
