Ladies, it’s time to grab your jungle pants, pack your guns and practice your British accents; Lara Croft is rolling back into town.
Earlier today, Crystal Dynamics officially announced Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, a new entry in the classic Tomb Raider series (although interestingly having dropped the ‘Tomb Raider’ title). Currently, little is known of the upcoming release, bar the fact that it will be a digital download title; PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and PC being the most likely candidates, naturally.
Darrell Gallagher (General Manager of Crystal Dynamics) says this of the upcoming release;
Could this be the fabled ‘reboot’ that rumors suggested so long ago? Whilst Tomb Raider: Underworld was a damned fine exploration game, some felt that it wasn’t enough of a leap forward in terms of game design, saying that it should have been more like the PS3 exclusive Uncharted. Personally, I think the games are far too different to compare; Uncharted is a great thrillride, but I do enjoy the lax attitude I can take when playing Tomb Raider games. There’s something almost free-ing about relaxing on my chair, unwinding and slowly exploring these fantastic locations.
This is a really exciting project for Crystal Dynamics, we have created something completely new and very different to what people might be expecting. Lara Croft is such an iconic character in videogames, with ‘Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light’ we have created what we believe is a truly original digital experience.
In case you missed the rumors last year for (what now appears to be) Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, here’s what they said;
Sounds good to me. Then again, I’ve been a Tomb Raider fanboy since I first started playing games so perhaps I’m a little biased. What do you think of the Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light announcement? Are you excited to see what happens?
When a sudden storm destroys her research vessel, a young and inexperienced Lara Croft finds herself stranded on a mysterious and remote island hidden off the shores of Japan. Despite several signs of various inhabitants the island is oddly deserted, and an uneasy feeling settles in as strange sounds emerge from the shadows.
With only her determination, inner strength, and resourcefulness to help her, Lara must overcome the challenges of a harsh and unforgiving journey that will take her across a vast island wilderness and deep into the claustrophobic and menacing underground tombs from the island’s past. As she struggles to prevail through brutal combat encounters and treacherous exploration, Lara will be pushed to her limits and forced to adapt to her situation in order to survive and escape from the lethal predators that stalk her every move.
Hunt or be hunted: Evade outsmart, track and kill mysterious enemies that hunt you as you prey
Survival Action: Brutally attack and defend yourself as you fight to survive through visceral one-on-one melee combat
Creative survival: React and adapt to the island by using only that which you can salvage from the environment like climbing axes, rope, and machetes that can be used to unlock new traversal and combat gameplay options.
Free Movement: Scramble up a vertical cliff wall, sprint and leap across a huge chasm, steer mid-air to land a misdirected jump. There is no one right way to traverse, survive, and explore the harsh environment of the island.
Open Cohesive World’s: The diverse multi-region island is an open playground alive with creatures, weather and natural elements.
Origin Story: This new Tomb Raider concept reboots the franchise by exploring the origins of Lara Crofts transformation into a hardened adventurer as you unravel the story behind the island’s mysterious past.
Look out for more news on Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light at GDC. Select members of the press will be invited to view the new title, and here at Game Rant, we’ll keep you updated.
