As one of gaming's oldest mascots, it's fair to say that Lara Croft is aging gracefully. Since her debut in 1996, the intrepid explorer has reinvented herself many times and is as relevant today as she was in the 1990s. Aspyr recently released a remaster of the first three games and has also been hard at work remastering three more: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chroniclesand Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. all together Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered Collection due out in February 2025.
Game Rant recently caught up with Matthew Ray, Aspyr's brand manager, about the process of remastering the three games. Among other things, Ray discussed the shift in tone compared to the first trilogy and aspects of the development that reminded him of how well the first Tomb Raider the games were originally developed by Core Design.
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The overall tone of Tomb Raider is significantly darker in these games
Although no doubt soon Tomb Raider games were demanding experiences, the overall tone of the first trilogy was balanced, with the games appealing to a wide demographic. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation marked a significantly darker turn in Lara's legacy, and both Chronicles and Angel of Darkness continued this trend. Ray explained that this shift in tone was ultimately one of the biggest challenges in remastering the second trilogy. said:
''The most significant difference is the tone of these games. Tomb Raider 4-6 marks a shift to a darker, more narrative narrative compared to the lighter, more adventurous tone of the first three. This required a unique approach to the remaster, emphasizing the atmospheric details of the environments and enhancing elements such as lighting and shadows to immerse players in the story's darker themes.''
Tomb Raider's level design is still impressive today
In addition to the noticeable shift in tone, Ray was also very impressed with how well some of the trilogy's level designs hold up today. Lara Croft is an explorer at heart, so this is important Tomb Raider's level to feel appropriately large to bring home that sense of wonder and discovery. The last revelation, chronicles, and Angel of Darkness they all managed to achieve that sense of scope, something that wasn't lost on Ray when Aspyr began working on this trilogy. he explained
''The level design is still incredibly impressive by today's standards. The complex puzzles, exploration-heavy layouts, and sense of scale remain some of the best in gaming. These elements highlight how progressive the original developers were, creating experiences that continue to attract and challenge players decades later. That's something we worked hard to preserve in the remaster, because it's a cornerstone of what makes these games special.''
Similar to the first remasters of the trilogy, Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered should breathe new life into titles that have been dormant for some time. It sure is a great time to be a Tomb Raider fan. Crystal Dynamics is working on a brand new untitled game, Prime Video is developing a live-action series, and Netflix is in the works Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft was renewed for a second season.
Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered
