You realize what Tomb Raider is. Likelihood is you’ve performed on one of Lara Croft’s many adventures, or no less than one of the cinematic action-adventures that her authentic 1996 expedition impressed, whether or not that be the Uncharted, Horizon, or Star Wars Jedi collection. However now it’s time to go all the way in which again, as Legacy of Atlantis takes us full circle in a reimagining of the story that kick-started a style. I not too long ago had the chance to play by means of its brief water puzzle, cartwheel, and dinosaur shootout-filled demo, which actually felt acquainted, albeit with a beautiful new lick of paint and extra fashionable tweaks sprinkled in. I had enjoyable, and was left intrigued to see how deep this merging of an outdated story instructed utilizing a brand new field of methods will go when the complete sport releases subsequent February.
30 years is a very long time, particularly within the quickly evolving world of video video games, and in case you’ve picked up a controller and tried to play the unique Tomb Raider not too long ago, nothing emphasises that like how Lara Croft controls. Stiff and heavy, along with your thumbs the sufferer of her sluggish turning circle, Lara’s maneuverability resembles that of a transatlantic ocean liner greater than an enterprising Atlantis explorer. Fortunately, this remake – co-developed by the collection’ long-term custodian Crystal Dynamics and newcomer Flying Wild Hog, fixes this.
This Lara is gentle on her ft, with a floaty bounce extra reminiscent of Princess Peach than Nathan Drake. It takes a bit of getting used to at first, particularly in case you’ve change into accustomed to the adhesive-fingered strategy that Naughty Canine injected into the action-adventure sport, which was the muse for Tomb Raider’s most up-to-date “Survivor” trilogy. This Lara nonetheless clings onto some of the old-school motion really feel of the Core Designed-developed authentic. I’ll admit to battling it through the demo’s early moments, however quickly discovered this freer-feeling Lara pleasant to manage, even when her jumps did make me marvel if The Misplaced Valley in Peru had change into some kind of zero gravity zone. In the end, its extra old-school influenced strategy helps construct into the concept you’re really exploring an atmosphere reasonably than clambering alongside a set path.
The small space of jungle I used to be dropped into contained one of the basic cog-and-water puzzles that Lara has labored her manner by means of dozens of occasions over time. Utilizing a full exploration suite of climbing, swimming, and grappling round a miniature sandbox, I went in search of the lacking machine parts that will unlock the large gate blocking my progress. Aiding me right here was a brand-new grapple gadget that may be fired out of Lara’s wrist, Spider-Man model. It’s a malleable instrument, too, already showcased in a number of methods even on this small slice of motion. I used it to latch onto an overhead hook and swing throughout a raging river, unblock a mechanism by ripping some free wooden out of its gears, pull down a hefty weight, and bounce up onto stated weight earlier than the opposite finish of its stability beam lifted me up. These are age-old puzzles design-wise, however made fashionable by good additions like this grapple. Tweaks corresponding to these actually show Legacy of Atlantis’ want to be greater than only a remake, borrowing from the likes of Crystal Dynamics’ newer trilogy in the way it approaches Lara’s toolkit.
An extra addition is the quantity of collectibles littered all through the world, and the flexibility to survey the atmosphere in search of secrets and techniques utilizing Lara’s scanner. From what I can inform, Legacy of Atlantis remains to be a largely linear journey, however venturing off the principle path will reward you with all types of treasures, whether or not they be paperwork that construct out the lore of an historical civilization or objects that grant Lara additional ability factors. Sadly, the ability tree menu was locked off to me within the demo, so I can’t inform precisely how we’ll be capable to tweak her skills, however its mere existence is once more an indication of newfound depth. And that each one is smart, as a result of though Legacy of Atlantis is a retelling of the British adventurer’s first story, it is really half of the identical universe because the prequel trilogy that ran between 2013 and 2018. This is not her first rodeo, and he or she boasts the talents to point out for it.
That is finest displayed in fight, of which I bought a tiny style after stepping by means of the large doorway opened up by the aforementioned cog-finding problem-solving. It was on the opposite facet that I used to be welcomed by a gang of hungry Velociraptors, a much more vicious resident of Peru than Paddington Bear. That’s in all probability for the very best, although, as a result of the thought of unleashing a number of rounds into one of Britain’s loveliest imports would’ve made me cry on the spot. Fortunately, then, it was the job of one of Britain’s most threatening exports (Lara Croft, not me, simply to make clear) to tackle these prehistoric menaces as an alternative, dodging, cartwheeling, and backflipping out of the way in which of their lethal lunges. Get sufficient room between them and also you, and also you’ll be capable to hearth these iconic double pistols that handily come full with limitless ammo.
The taking pictures felt snappy and responsive, however actually got here alive as soon as one other new ability up Lara’s non-existent sleeves was launched: the Focus system. Performing well-timed acrobatics throughout fight and evading enemies on the proper time builds up her focus meter, filling up costs that can be utilized with a fast press of the appropriate bumper. Upon doing so, she stylishly spins into the air and enters bullet time, permitting you to unload full magazines into enemies as they virtually freeze within the line of hearth. It’s a fantastic addition to the motion, additional bringing these basic fights into the trendy age whereas giving Lara a welcome edge in encounters. I’m intrigued to see if extra highly effective makes use of of these focus costs await deeper within the sport, maybe the place they could possibly be utilized in an identical option to how Sucker Punch’s Ghost collection grants you devastating assaults and talents on the value of utilizing a couple of circle of power.
However earlier than I may experiment an excessive amount of with Tomb Raider’s personal tackle gun-fu, a impolite interruption was made as one of the collection’ most iconic moments took over the scene. Into the world stepped a towering T. rex, which made each Lara and her earlier foes flee the scene with haste. The sequence has undergone an entire facelift, translating the primitive capabilities of the unique PlayStation into one thing totally extra cinematic. The shift echoes the leap Naughty Canine produced from Crash operating and leaping towards the display to Nathan Drake leaping throughout hurtling trains on the PS3. Quite than a easy taking pictures affair, the scene now begins with a playable chase down a treacherous jungle pathway as Lara slides, swings, and clambers to flee its sharp-toothed maw. There’s a fantastic sense of peril within the cinematography and efficient use of gradual movement as Lara slides between the dinosaur’s legs, mirrored by a fantastic sense of muddled bewilderment and desperation within the voice of Alix Wilton Regan, the newest actor to select up the twin pistols.
And partway by means of this tried escape is the place my time with Legacy of Atlantis ended, as Lara plunged right into a river, her rope bridge escape route destroyed by the T. rex. This cliffhanger concluded a brief however different have a look at what this newest reboot of Tomb Raider has to supply, and up to now, it appears like all of the required components are there. At its core, the design makes an attempt to mix the basic really feel of Lara Croft’s motion with a extra fashionable strategy to fight and exploration. I’m wanting ahead to seeing how that each one comes collectively when Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis arrives on February 12, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Sequence X/S, PC, and Nintendo Change 2.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can primarily be discovered skulking round open world video games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing on the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Comply with him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.