30 Years Later, Tomb Raider Is Officially Switching Genres
Tomb Raider Is Making Some Huge Changes To Lara Croft's Original Adventure
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will be the second remake of the original Tomb Raider, and this time, the game is making a major pivot. The 2007 remake, Tomb Raider: Anniversary incorporated some contemporary game design, reducing the overall linearity and even adding motion controls on the Wii.
Set to release in 2027, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reflects two more decades of changes in game design. The latest look at the game dives into new combat and progression features, and the result is clearly far removed from the approach taken in the two previous versions of Tomb Raider.
A new video from the official Tomb Raider YouTube channel reveals that Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will feature a focus system in combat, allowing Lara to slow time to assist in completing Tomb Raider's signature acrobatic moves. The team also highlights an emphasis on enemy attack patterns, allowing players to understand and master how to avoid attacks and counter with Lara's iconic dual pistols.
Progression is also getting a major revamp, with design director Jason Epps praising the ability to "affect and increase Lara's power" in the rebooted Tomb Raider games. Legacy of Atlantis will feature a skill tree, herbs that can be brewed into food for buffs or healing, and new weapon options beyond the dual pistols.
For some, the news of more in-depth, RPG-inspired systems might be very welcome. I'm not convinced, however, that what Legacy of Atlantis is advertising sounds very exciting. Tomb Raider was a maverick game when it originally released, while the re-imagining seems to be peddling routine elements of modern game design that feel more obligatory than inspired.
The trailer's brief glimpse at the skill tree, for example, highlights a skill that "Increases the firing rate of all weapons by 10%." That's helpful, certainly, but navigating menus for marginal, number-based improvements may not add very much to the excitement or immersion of the adventure.
We'll certainly see more about this in the future, though, and it's possible that Legacy of Atlantis could have some more exciting skills and ideas up its sleeves. Either way, it's clear that Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis isn't willing to simply repackage the original game with more detailed graphics, charting a new course for Lara Croft's future.