Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered Dev Reflects on How the Original Games Hold Up Today

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As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that Lara Croft is an evergreen character who has managed to stay relevant and exciting throughout her journey. Having grown up playing the original Tomb Raider games, I’m thrilled to see Aspyr giving these classic titles a fresh coat of paint.

As one of gaming’s oldest mascots, it’s fair to say Lara Croft is aging gracefully. Since making her debut in 1996, the fearless explorer has reinvented herself numerous times and is just as relevant today as she was in the 90s. Aspyr recently released a remaster of the first three games and has also been working hard to remaster three more: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. All together, the Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered Collection is set for release in February 2025.

Game Rant recently spoke with Aspyr’s brand manager, Matthew Ray, about the remastering process for these three games. During their conversation, Ray talked about the change in tone compared to the original trilogy and how the development process reminded him of the exceptional quality that Core Design originally put into the first Tomb Raider games.

Tomb Raider’s Overall Tone is Considerably Darker in These Games

Initially, the early Tomb Raider games offered a mix of difficulty and broad appeal due to their balanced tone. However, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation signified a more somber era in Lara Croft’s journey, an atmosphere that was further deepened in Chronicles and Angel of Darkness. Ray highlighted that recreating this darker tone was one of the most challenging aspects when remastering the subsequent trilogy. In other words, the evolution of Lara’s story towards a grittier narrative presented a significant hurdle during the remastering process.

In terms of style, there’s a noticeable change between these video games. The fourth to sixth installments of Tomb Raider move towards a grittier, more story-focused approach compared to the initial three, which had a lighter and more adventure-oriented feel. To make the remaster stand out, we paid special attention to the ambiance of the settings and improved aspects like lighting and shadows to help players become engrossed in the darker narrative.

Tomb Raider’s Level Design is Still Impressive Today

Beyond the noticeable change in mood, Ray found it remarkable that certain level designs from the Tomb Raider trilogy still feel expansive and captivating today. Lara Croft’s explorer spirit necessitates environments that evoke a sense of grandeur to reinforce her sense of wonder and discovery. The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and Angel of Darkness all succeeded in creating this impression of vastness, a point that Ray appreciated as Aspyr embarked on their work for this trilogy. He commented, “It’s striking how these games still manage to convey a sense of scale, something I found particularly noteworthy during our remastering process.

”Even by today’s standards, the design of the levels is still remarkably impressive. The complex puzzles, extensive exploration areas, and feeling of vastness are among the best in gaming. These aspects demonstrate how visionary the original creators were, as they crafted experiences that continue to captivate and challenge players for decades. We put a lot of effort into preserving these elements in the remaster because they form a crucial part of what makes these games unique.”

In much the same way as the initial trilogy remasters, the revamped versions of Tomb Raider 4-6 should infuse some fresh energy into games that have lain dormant for quite some time. It’s truly an exciting era to be a fan of Tomb Raider. The developers at Crystal Dynamics are currently working on a new, unnamed game, there’s a live-action series in development over at Prime Video, and the second season of Netflix’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft has been greenlit.

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2024-12-21 17:38