Tomb Raider.

[Unknown Entity]

OMFG.

LOS ANGELES (December 6, 2010) — Square Enix Inc., is excited today to announce TOMB RAIDER®, the new game from Redwood City based studio Crystal Dynamics®.

'After a brutal storm destroys the boat she was travelling on,
a frightened young woman is left washed ashore on an unknown beach.
On her own but not alone she has only one goal, to survive'

Here begins the first adventure for a young and inexperienced Lara Croft in a story which charts the journey of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in order to stay alive.

"Forget everything you knew about TOMB RAIDER, we are exploring things that have never been done before in this game," said Darrell Gallagher, Head of Studio, Crystal Dynamics. "This is an origins story that creates Lara Croft and takes her on a character defining journey like no other."

Source.

Honestly, I'm pretty psyched. Then again, I always get pretty excited when I hear about a new Tomb Raider game because that's where my gaming started. However, I also know I've not enjoyed an original Tomb Raider game since Chronicles - Legend and Underworld were too short, and didn't feel like a Tomb Raider game to me. Anniversary was the only one worth playing in the last nine/ten years, and I've not played Guardian of Light - no opinion on that one yet. Angel of Darkness was okay - length wise was good, but controls weren't very friendly.

THIS one excites me more because it's an origin story, kind of like what Chronicles was, which was the last game I liked. Now, reading the source, it describes a boat, a storm, and a young Lara, which sounds like it might be set on Black Isle from Chronicles! 8D

I can't wait to hear more on this game.

So...

Anyone else here a Tomb Raider fan?
What was your favourite Tomb Raider and why?
What do you think this game might be about/include? (agree with me?)
Excited?

I know I'm probably getting my hopes up over such a tiny article, but... I have faith in the Tomb Raider series now that SE are on the scene.

[Andromeda]

I've never played a Tomb Raider game, but I did try out the demo of Guardians of the Light, which was fun. It has online co-op and I'm looking for an excuse to actually buy the game. >.>;

When I saw the picture on Kotaku this morning I was not too sure, but I was certainly very intrigued to see what they were doing. What I read it is apparently an open world origin story. I'm guess you have the entire island you're stranded on to explore. Which sounds like it might be a lot of fun. I don't know, but I'm probably more interested than any of the past Tomb Raider games. I enjoyed the movies, but the character model of Lara Croft really made me uninterested honestly. She always screamed trying too hard, on part of the artists making her. So I turned away.

And I love Square and all, but Square has plenty of failures in their library. They aren't instant gold. ^^

[GypsyElder]

I used to be really interested in the game when I was younger; I remember playing it a lot when it was available on demo disc but I don't remember specifically which one I played. I remember being at her house or something? o.o), But I would totally invest time in to play one of the older versions if I could find one.

I also had a gameboy version if I remember right.

[Unknown Entity]

I recall reading somewhere else that it was going to be open world too, but I can't remember for the life of me where. Most likely OPM UK, but somehow I doubt it. It sounds like a lot of fun though - I can imagine having to do puzzles to unlock other parts of the island, and all manner of near-extinct creatures and mythical bosses to kill. I hope it goes back to the series' roots in that respect, because I miss exploring in Tomb Raider games. =/

Seeing as it's going down the survival route, I wonder what that could have in store for Lara... perhaps the food and water on the island is used instead of First Aid Kits. I can imagine crafting weapons too. I think that'd be interesting, but I'm probably suggesting things way out of the Tomb Raider league and making it sound like The Sims Castaway. ^^;

And I love Square and all, but Square has plenty of failures in their library. They aren't instant gold. ^^

Agreed, but I think their helping hand might make Crystal Dynamics see the errors of their ways. Perhaps both have learnt something in the last however many years of trial and error? I hope so... xD;

I used to be really interested in the game when I was younger; I remember playing it a lot when it was available on demo disc but I don't remember specifically which one I played. I remember being at her house or something? o.o), But I would totally invest time in to play one of the older versions if I could find one.

Either TRI, TRII or TRIII. TRI was an empty house which Lara looked like she'd just moved into. TRII didn't have an outdoor assault course (I think? Maybe I'm thinking of the quad bike course). TRIII did have the outdoor assault course AND a quad bike course.

[ZantetsukeN]

Either TRI, TRII or TRIII. TRI was an empty house which Lara looked like she'd just moved into. TRII didn't have an outdoor assault course (I think? Maybe I'm thinking of the quad bike course). TRIII did have the outdoor assault course AND a quad bike course.

^TRII's mansion did have an assault course, but no Quad Bike track.

I always loved the first Tomb Raider. I've been playing it recently on my PS3, and it's still as good as it ever was.

I was never that good at TR, but they were great games. Although the final bosses were always REDICULOUS! Such as the dragon on TRII, what the hell?

TRII was good too. I liked all the additions of the extra weapons. Same with III. 4 was where it all started going downhill, and Chronicles was crap. I haven't played the PS2 ones and beyond, but I have seen them and they look OK. But I'm always going to be faithful to the first 3.

[Josh_R]

In the latest Game Informer there is a 6 page article about the latest game. It looks to be pretty interesting, they have also gotten rid of the Angelina Jolie look for the characters.

[Selquist]

OMFG.

I've not played Guardian of Light - no opinion on that one yet.

It is surprisingly a lot of fun. It's also much better when you play co-op with someone!

Personally, I find the new look to be much better, as well as far more realistic. Looking forward to the release.

I think the best change will be the free aiming aspect, as well as the visual bruising.

[Freya]

I think I also started gaming because of those games. The first one I played was TR III. It was also the only one I played to the bitter end. ^^" I also played IV, but I couldn't solve a riddle and hadn't had a clou that the internet would provide me with information back then. So I just stopped playing it. I tried again a few years ago, but the only thing I enjoyed about the game was the first half hour - the part when you see a really young Lara. :>

That's why the new game sounds great. Though I'm sure I won't buy or play it. I'm pretty sure it'll be for PS3, won't it? (I don't have a PS3...)
I think I'll wait until some people reviewed it... and then decide wether to buy it. Till then, I have more than enough games I'd like to play. ^^"

I think I also played a few other TR games... But I don't really remember their names... :/ I think I even played one of those halfway through... one my brother bought for PC... but I just can't remember. >_o

[UK-Lionheart]

I love the Tomb Raider series and cannot wait for the new one. I recently completed Underworld which I enjoyed.

[Chez Daja]

I loved Tomb Raider up until Revelations. I tried so much to love Chronicles but it just didn't feel the same to me, although the controls were very reminiscent to those in the earlier games.

Angel of Darkness was weird, I kind of liked it, kind of hated it. The controls were shoddy.
Never played Anniversary or Underworld fully, only demos but my friend loaned me his 'Guardian of Light'. Very unlike a Tomb Raider game but still a really fun game, especially for two players; one player... not so much.

I wish they'd go back to the original controls. I know they were a bit clunky but at least I knew how to play it with clunky controls. The newer games look fantastic but they command too much precision from the player and grant none in the controls system.

So yeah, I like Tomb Raider a lot but only the older ones.

[RamesesII]

Loved TR played them all except Underworld and the co-op one that was mentioned, my fav would definitely be Anniversary,by the time I got to Revelations my patience and nerves were wearing thin then I lost complete control in Angel of Darkness( I found Lara loved to jump of ledges more often than jumping in the direction she was meant to be going) and of course was CORE's downfall thank the heavens above Crystal came and swept up the carnage and remodeled it into Legend.

Although a diff style of gameplay to the original series, it was more fluent straight forward which has its pros and cons I did prefer trying to piece together what to do next (most of the time) but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I found Legend was to quick, Anniversary was utterly awesome it just brought back so many memories and added more detail to the original story and loved the new moves.

I have heard of the new one so far it sounds good no matter how good or bad it is I will definitely play it TR is by far one of my favorite series.

[Joyful Blue]

I remember back in the day when the Playstation was first released and it pretty much the biggest game around in the UK. I still think the first was the best in the series but the last few titles have done a lot to restore some of the franchises dignity for me. The first is still my fave as it's one of the few in the series I actually consider a "proper" Tomb Raider game. A lot of the more recent titles, and especially Tomb Raider 2 were far too combat based. Recent efforts have also seen platforming take a front seat while the actual puzzle solving of the original is almost nowhere to be found. I actually used to feel like I'd accomplished something when I finished a level or even solved a puzzle on some levels in the first game but the only one that's come close to that since is the third title in the series.

Angel of Darkness kind of killed it for a while and a lot of respect people had for it and while I thought the game was pretty horrendous myself it was still sad to see one of the early Playstation favourites getting thrown away. In truth though I think that the Drakes Fortune series of games has more than a little debt owed to the Tomb Raider games, especially the gameplay of the more recent titles and that has done amazingly well for itself.

Still, I hope what we're saying is true as the format the games use now has been around since Legend. I hope it's a good game simply because it was one of my fave series on the original Playstation and I'd hate to see it fall deeper into obscurity. I am wary of a supposed origins story though as that seems like a bit of a cop out to me, isn't that what The Last Revelation was about? That title is also one of the few in the series I genuinely dislike as well.

Guess I can't really say I'm uber excited about it but I'll definitely keep my eye on developments to see what direction they decide to take it in.

[kurohime]

Tomb raider was one of the first games i ever played on the ps1, it still holds its place within my top 10 games. i read about it when i was looking up new games for tombraider. Underworld was an okay game as well as legend but, like many fans im sure they want more adventure. I love Tomb raider very much and i also want to figure out more about the game.

[Howling Wind]

I play more Tomb Raider than I care to mention but, I still suck at it somehow. I have Tomb Raider Anniversary on my computer, it sure is fun to play but I still haven't finished it yet ... and its on easy.

Buuut this new game does sound interesting. If it doesn't come to certain platforms though, I'm rage quitting. Seriously!