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New Details Emerge on Tomb Raider Reboot

Yesterday finally brought the official confirmation of Crystal Dynamics’ long-rumored Tomb Raider reboot, and now much more information on the title from Game Informer’s cover story has hit the net (via CVG). And it seems like remarkably little has actually changed in the game’s design and direction from the early details leaked in a survey way back in July of last year.
We already knew the game takes place on an island once a young and inexperienced Lara Croft becomes shipwrecked on it. And as GI’s story confirms, this new Tomb Raider will indeed be an "open world" game, with Lara theoretically able to travel anywhere on the island that she pleases. Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher evidently compared it to previous Tomb Raider titles as removing the "smoke and mirrors," as there’s no longer an "illusion of freedom" and gamers can reportedly choose any path they want to get to their goal. However, it also sounds like this Tomb Raider is taking on a little of the "Metroidvania" game design structure, as Lara’s skills and equipment will also upgrade throughout the game, allowing her to access more and more areas of the island.

Beyond the open-world nature of the game, the GI story also confirms a number of tidbits: Lara is 21 when the game takes place; they’re using performance capture for the animation; lock-on targeting has been eschewed in favor of a free aiming system; there will be base camps on the island where you can upgrade Lara’s skills and equipment, as well as use to fast-travel around the island; and Lara will evidently need to gather food and water to survive.

And lastly, and perhaps most shockingly, some of the enemies and hazards of the island where mentioned, including some of the gruesome ways that Lara can die. One is described as being stabbed in the chest by a "deranged" knife-wielding man (confirming there are indeed other humans on the island...), and another is having a boulder land on Lara’s leg to trap her, followed by another boulder landing on and crushing her head. Sheesh...is that a blood-splattered M-rating we see in Tomb Raider’s future?

There’s surely more to read about in GI’s actual cover story, so look out for the issue later this month.