End of an Era: Shadow of the Tomb Raider
By Dre on September 22, 2018 | No comments yet
Now that Shadow of The Tomb Raider has been out for a bit — a lot of us have had a chance to play it, so let’s talk about the ending of this trilogy, and the final moment’s of Lara’s journey to becoming the “Tomb Raider.”
*Spoilers Ahead*
A few years back, when I did the survival training course with Crystal Dynamics, after Rise of The Tomb Raider had launched, one of the developers mentioned that we’d probably never see Lara’s dual pistols in this newly rebooted series, as the fluidity, mechanics, and technology just “isn’t there yet.” Yes, we got to see a glimpse of classic Croft towards the end of the Reboot, and yes we got to see a ton of Classic Lara in Rise, but Shadow of The Tomb Raider really distanced itself from Classic Lara more-so than the first two games. Yes, there were a few outfits that paid homage to Classic Croft — we got to play in a stunning new incarnation of Croft Manor, but we never saw rebooted Lara become the Classic, double gun wielding badass Croft that we all know and love.
If this is in fact the last installment in this series — the ending was probably the most depressing and punishing conclusion that I could have imagined. In the end, we see Lara at her desk in Croft Manor, being served tea from her butler, referencing an easter egg — and though she was being served tea, the real tea was not spilled by a long shot.
In my mind, I kind of hoped and expected to see rebooted Lara strapped with her iconic pistols, wearing her Cyan tank top, short shorts, gold belt buckle, signature boots, and Camilla’s voice breathing life into rebooted Lara as she became Classic Lara Croft. These were my thoughts and expectations. I was expecting some sort of reward at the end of the franchise. Something that made it all worth it. Yes, Lara took us on some great new adventures, but let’s talk about the work and dedication the original team spent in reinterpreting Lara for modern gaming. Let’s talk about the blood sweat and tears each developer, story teller, and artist put into creating this new saga for Lara to thrive in — to reestablish her legacy in the gaming industry. They’ve created such a brilliant new incarnation of Lara Croft that really reflected and echoed classic Lara, while also distancing itself from past Croft at the same time — which is what made it so iconic for me. Lara’s survivor outfit: the blue top and cargo pants — reminisced the classic outfit, but in a fresh new take. Now fast forward to Shadow of The Tomb Raider’s final moments. Was it worth it? Was everything thrown to waste? Was all of it for nothing, or is this just the end of Lara’s battle with Trinity, who’s ready to take on new endeavorers within the same rebooted universe?
I hope we get to see reboot Lara in Classic Lara one day, even if we don’t get to play with the double guns — at least give us a cutscene.
Guide: Tomb Raider (2018) Initial Press Coverage
By Dre on October 11, 2017 | No comments yet
Hello, fellow Raiders!
Excited for the new Tomb Raider film releasing in 2018? Check out the gathered videos below for coverage and press interviews promoting the new movie!
Tomb Raider Movie: Poster – Teaser Trailer Reveal
By Dre on September 18, 2017 | No comments yet
Warner Bros has officially revealed the poster art and teaser for the new Tomb Raider film, starring Alicia Vikander — in theaters March 2018!
Alicia Vikander — A Rebooted Saga
By Dre on September 13, 2017 | No comments yet
An Exclusive with Empire Magazine
The Hollywood Reporter sat down for a press interview with Alicia Vikander for the release of her new film “Euphoria,” and had an opportunity to ask the tomb raider about Lara’s newest adventure on the silver screen.
First Look: Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in New Tomb Raider Film
By Dre on March 28, 2017 | No comments yet
MGM Studios and Warner Bros has officially released new photos of Alicia Vikander embodying the role of a fresh faced and eager young Lara Croft. The movie will stand as a reimagining of the Tomb Raider film franchise, much like the Tomb Raider 2013 reboot, and will not have connections to previous films that starred Angelina Jolie as classic Lara Croft.
The film is set to release in theaters March 16th, 2018 and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and in select territories by MGM.
Check out the film’s synopsis and gallery of our new Lara Croft!
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.
Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, “Tomb Raider” is the story that will set a young and resolute Lara Croft on a path toward becoming a global hero.
Lara Funko POP Figure Available Now!
By Dre on January 20, 2017 | No comments yet
Hello fellow Raiders, if you have yet to get your hands on a Funko POP! Lara figure — be sure to go out and get one! They’re available now, online and at your local GameStop! The Vinyl “Rock Candy” figure from Funko has just released! Check out the adorable little Lara’s below!
20 Years of Tomb Raider: 2016 in Review
By Dre on January 8, 2017 | No comments yet
My new year resolution for 2016 was a goal to become more involved with the Tomb Raider community and thankfully I was afforded that opportunity. I’ve met so many incredible people, made such great friends and joined a passionate and embracing Tomb Raider family.
After my initial trip to Crystal Dynamics in Redwood City, California — I was so eager to do Tomb Raider events the following year!
In July of 2016, I was able to fly out to San Diego during Comic-Con season. My family was already vacationing there, and it made sense for me to join my family later that week, and join in on the Tomb Raider festivities, such as the Cosplay gathering where members of the community showed off their awesome costumes and hung out for the weekend!
It was super nerve-wracking, meeting so many members of the community and development team. I remember being so reluctant and afraid to show up at the “Square Enix Experience” where demos and gatherings were being held downtown by the convention center. But it was such an incredible and memorable first experience, meeting such talented and likeminded people, all gathered for our love for Croft!
At the “Square Enix Experience” I was able to get hands on with the PS4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider, climb a super cool rock climbing wall, and meet the ever so fabulous Camilla Luddington! I was super nervous meeting her, I never in a million years expected to ever meet this girl. But there she was, glamorous and so down to earth. I remember being so starstruck and stunned to actually see her walk on to the lot, greeting all the fans.
SDCC 2016 was super special, and it was an honor to finally meet everyone there!
More recently in November of 2016, Crystal Dynamics and a company in northern Cali called Adventure Out partnered up to host a survival training course with staff members of IGN to be grouped up with members of the community to learn basic survival skills and compete Tomb Raider style!
As a Colorado native, it was quite the trip to haul ass halfway across the country on such short notice for the next TR event! That being said, I road tripped 13 hours from Colorado to Arizona to meet up with a buddy, Isaac Cabrera aka Tom Braider — Where we drove through Los Angeles to pick up a few more members of our party, and drove up the coast to Santa Cruz to join the rest of the group for the training class! We even met up with Earl Baylon for a lunch date in LA.
During the course we learned how to build shelter, purify water, make fire by friction, and even build bundle bows like Lara’s iconic makeshift bow in TR 2013! It was a blast, and I’m super excited for what’s to come in 2017! Be sure to check out the gallery below!
I want to give a special thanks to my road trip buddies — for dealing with my shenanigans, and being the best road trip pals. It was so much fun.
Rise of the Tomb Raider – Blood Ties VR Spoiler-Free Review
By Laura Louise on January 4, 2017 | No comments yet
As you may already be aware, 2016 was the year of Tomb Raider. Marking 20 years since the franchises birth, Crystal Dynamics celebrated 20 years of Tomb Raider by hosting several events — such as the Tomb Raider Suite that happened in December, and Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration edition that released on PlayStation 4. This edition of the game is jam packed with new content, as well as the award winning base game. The new content features a co-op version of Endurance mode, where people can play together to survive the wilderness. It also features new storyline DLC called Blood Ties – allowing us to explore Croft Manor first the first time in true HD and also in VR (Exclusively to PS4) – and that’s not all! In the special add on ‘Lara’s Nightmare’ we are be able to defend Croft Manor from Zombies in this new action packed adventure.
I was lucky enough to have a family member who owns PSVR and let me try out VR mode. PSVR is quite costly as many pieces of equipment are needed; the headset alone costs £349.99 in the UK ($399.99) and you also need a PlayStation camera for the headset to work which will set you back another £45.00 – so needless to say, I was extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to try this out without having to shell out a lot of cash.
The headset, when finally fitted is quite comfortable, there is a strap at the back for adjusting how tight it is. I was also pleasantly surprised that it’s possible to wear glasses with the PSVR and it will still work fine. The only issue I encountered with the headset is that the lenses can get a little fogged up depending on your surroundings and heated environment. Obviously when wearing the headset, you’re unable to see anything as the headset covers your eyes, for this reason it’s essential to make sure the area in which you are gaming is large enough and clear of obstacles.
I’ve read that it’s possible to use PlaySation Move controllers with the PSVR, however I didn’t have one so I used the DualShock 4 controller instead, and that worked just fine. It turns out there are two different ways of controlling Lara in VR mode; firstly, you can control her as normal, left analogue stick to move, right analogue stick for camera. Secondly you can use a strange “teleportation” mode where you use certain buttons on the controller to warp you to different areas. I found the latter quite confusing to figure out, so I went with the traditional style controls to move around Croft Manor.
It’s well known that using traditional controls whilst wearing the PSVR headset can make a lot of gamers dizzy and nauseous, but for me it wasn’t too bad, I noticed that they had slowed down the speed of which you can move greatly, possibly to counteract any dizziness or motion sickness.
This is where the reality (pun intended) of virtual reality kicks in.
I was standing in Lara’s study in Croft Manor, my view was first person, I could see the safe in front of me. If I turned to my right I could see down the hall, If I turned to the left I could see out of the window, this was insane. I made my way down to the main hallway and really took my time taking in the sights, looking up at the top right of the ‘screen’ I could see the beautiful architecture of the building, the stone balconies, rain pouring in from a hole in the roof, all like it was right there in real life. Wherever I turned my head, the camera would follow – hard to explain, but it was amazing to experience.
The only downsides I experienced with the PSVR were of course the lenses fogging up, which made it difficult to see, and also sometimes the camera wouldn’t track my movements properly and when I would load up the menu it would be at a very high portion of the screen, or an extremely low portion of the screen, although I think some of this may have had something to with the fact that I was using tradition controls to move Lara around, and using the right analogue stick messed the camera up.
Although I found the whole experience interesting, I still wouldn’t be tempted to shell out the £349.99 to be able to have this experience in my living room, however this is just my personal opinion. If you have the opportunity to try out Blood Ties VR mode, definitely try it out, but if not, the normal version is just as satisfying.
Be sure to check out the gallery below!
Tomb Raider Series Discounted in Steam Autumn Sale
By Laura Louise on November 24, 2016 | No comments yet
Great news for PC gamers this week. Steam launched their Autumn sale last night with some great offers for the Tomb Raider series.
If you were waiting to pick up Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20th Anniversary edition, the game is currently 50% on the Steam store, costing only £19.99/$29.99 which is an amazing price considering all of the content included in this version of the game:
– Classic Lara Skins
– Blood Ties story DLC
– Lara’s Nightmare expedition
– Cold Darkness Awakened DLC
– Endurance Mode
– Baba Yaga DLC
– Co-op Endurance Mode & much more!
Also discounted is Tomb Raider 2013, which you can pick up for around £3.74 – a really great deal. If classic Tomb Raider is more your thing, you can pick up the classic games for less than £1.50 a piece! Make sure to take advantage of these great deals as the Steam sale ends on November 29th!
Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Collectors Bundle Announced
By Laura Louise on September 26, 2016 | No comments yet
Recently a special collectors bundle for Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration was announced, it will release on October 11th 2016 alongside the standard and limited edition versions. So far this bundle is only available from the Square Enix European Store, priced at £89.99 which is great value for everything that you get in the box:
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration physical game
Replica of Lara’s diary
Replica of Lara’s necklace
Limited edition 20 Year Celebration art book
12″ Lara Croft statue
Beautiful collectors box
As someone who owned this version of the game for XBox One, I would highly guarantee this as a purchase, it will include all DLC previously announced as well as the new Croft Manor/Blood Ties/Lara’s Nightmare and Co-Op Endurance mode, priced at £89.99 this version of the game is a steal! I can’t speak for the artbook, however the replicas are well made and the Lara Croft statue is huge and beautiful.
At the moment this edition is only available from Square Enix Europe, as soon as any news for other regions becomes available, we will let you know.
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