Crystal Dynamics has announced its first new game since the completion and launch of 2008's Tomb Raider: Underworld. Set to debut in 2010, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light will see the roadworthy leading lady come to undisclosed platforms -- via download.
It wouldn't be the first time the posh pot-smasher and exotic animal extinguisher stars in a downloadable format, as Tomb Raider: Anniversary was digitally distributed in the form of Tomb Raider: Legend DLC on Xbox 360 before getting a regular retail spot. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, however, is a standalone title that Crystal Dynamics GM Darrell Gallagher hopes will defy expectations.
"This is a really exciting project for Crystal Dynamics, we have created something completely new and very different to what people might be expecting," he said. "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."
We expect to catch our first glimpse of the game at next week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, along with an indication on what else Crystal Dynamics has in store. Since the studio is staffed for two projects, we can't imagine this being the only Tomb Raider game in the works. The other one might even have "Tomb Raider" in the title.
Reader Comments (59)
Posted: Mar 4th 2010 1:43PM SirUrza said
The problem with Tomb Raider isn't that it's not Uncharted, the problem with Tomb Raider is it still suffers problems that TR1 suffered.
Bad camera angles and boring combat.
When you have a game that wins Game of the Year, and it's the same genre, there's no excuse for Tomb Raider's flaws.
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Bad camera angles and boring combat.
When you have a game that wins Game of the Year, and it's the same genre, there's no excuse for Tomb Raider's flaws.
Posted: Mar 4th 2010 2:01PM (Unverified) said
See, I don't agree at all. Tomb Raider isn't about the combat and action, whereas Uncharted is. Tomb Raider is all about puzzles and interacting with the environment (and every time they lose sight of that and try to turn Lara into James Bond, they fail). Granted, the combat in Underworld left a bit to be desired, but as do the puzzles in Uncharted. Apples & oranges, really.
I do think they owe everyone a slightly more refined experience, however. Underworld was clearly rushed and it hurt what was otherwise a very solid, underrated title. There was a lot of "good" there if you're not outright blinded by pessimism and herd-thinking.
Gamers are too big on the hyperbole these days. The Tomb Raider reboot trilogy was perfectly respectable both pre and post-Uncharted.
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I do think they owe everyone a slightly more refined experience, however. Underworld was clearly rushed and it hurt what was otherwise a very solid, underrated title. There was a lot of "good" there if you're not outright blinded by pessimism and herd-thinking.
Gamers are too big on the hyperbole these days. The Tomb Raider reboot trilogy was perfectly respectable both pre and post-Uncharted.
Posted: Mar 4th 2010 2:07PM (Unverified) said
I -completely- lost track of the point there, but what I was getting to was this: We shouldn't expect Uncharted-style production values out of Tomb Raider (after-all, we don't hold every action game to the standards of a Metal Gear title). However, we are owed a little more "quality assurance" than Underworld received.
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Posted: Mar 4th 2010 1:01PM GreenElf said
I like new and different. The TR series needs that.
Only thing that has me worried? Did anyone else notice that in the quotes they never called this thing a game?
Only thing that has me worried? Did anyone else notice that in the quotes they never called this thing a game?
Posted: Mar 4th 2010 2:30PM bm111 said
I was thinking the same thing. I bet its an interactive movie or someshit. Oh wait, there are plenty of barely interactive movies calling themselves games recently... maybe this'll be like a picture book with some simon-says button press segments every once in a while? I see things heading that way with games in general.
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Posted: Mar 6th 2010 1:30PM (Unverified) said
I freakin love Tomb Raider and i don't see anything wrong with it except for the camera and the bugs. It does in fact need better combat and melee and that's the thing that will make Tomb Raider come back on top. (hint hint: Eidos)
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:56AM (Unverified) said
Aren't there any updated comments out there besides mine. If tomb raider goes DLC only, then the rest of us are going to be cheeted out of the game. That's not right. In this day and age there should be know reason why a disk game can't be good. I have played 7 of the raider games and even thought sometimes camera views were a little off, they were still workable. And sometimes it was hard to get Lara to do what you wanted her to do. It only happened once in a while. Eventually at all worked out. I'm 53 with arthritis in my hands so if I can play these games on consoles and enjoy them it shouldn't be that disappointing to young people with good hands.
Posted: Apr 25th 2010 2:49PM (Unverified) said
I wonder how will the game look like while me playing it...
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