Home Gaming Meet the new Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

Meet the new Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

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tomb-raider-definitive-edition

If 2013 left one lasting impression on me, it was that this was the year that several remakes of popular games finally got the formula right. DmC: Devil May Cry tops my remake list, but Tomb Raider deserved and won plenty of love as well. And now the remake is getting a remake for next-gen consoles.

Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics is bringing back the first lady of gaming for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, that’ll see their series star get a fresh makeover.

“Having a chance to test the waters with next-gen console tech and doing a new Lara was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. For us, we always want to push the boundary on excellence and that means never settling,” executive producer Scott Amos said in an Eidos forum Q&A.

I’d say Lara’s looks are just the start for what we will continue to evolve for all future iterations of Tomb Raider on next-gen.

Part of that update includes a redesigned Lara Croft (AGAIN), which Crystal Dynamics reckoned needed to be more than just “a few extra polygons” on next-gen hardware.

“We’re excited about both this new step in upgrading Lara with her new TressFX hair, new sub-surface scattering on skin, and overall new look,” Amos said.

TRDE

Lara wasn’t the only game character that got a makeover, but she did get the best possible treatment, being the star of the game and all that according to Amos:

We even added special materials that dynamically change for her when she wades through mud, or gets blood on her, or when in rain/wet so it ties her more into the world’s state as she goes. TressFX was custom written and optimized for Lara this first-time out for us on Next-gen as we hadn’t ever done it before on consoles.

We now have a new particle system, new lighting work and enhanced shadow-casters, tons of more visual storytelling elements (more debris, more details on walls, more density in the environment for vegetation).

A few of our engineers were dedicated to improving physics both on Lara and in the world. A few quick examples – Lara has equipment on her that she acquires as she goes through her adventure. The climbing axe, her radio, her bow and a quiver of arrows, etc. All of these now have subtle but simulated physics on them so as she runs, jumps, falls, stumbles, they react accordingly giving her more grounding the world.

Then the world itself – we added so many objects, plants, trees, and then wind and weather effects that also have physics simulation built into them to react with each other. Wind will make trees and leaves sway or flutter; cloth flaps against light or heavy winds accordingly; particles and Lara’s TressFX hair will drift according to the directional wind impact. All-in-all it adds a great additional depth and realism to the world.

As far as a frame rate goes, there’s no word yet on whether or not Croft can raid a full 60FPS, but Amos did confirm that the PS4 and Xbox One versions would be rendered in full 1080P. Essentially the pimped out PC version that had all those lovely visual effects, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is expected to launch sometime in 2014.

Now I really have no excuse to not play the game.

Last Updated: December 18, 2013

40 Comments

  1. mmmmm, fell in love with her ALL over again this year

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      December 18, 2013 at 14:09

      Are you cheating on Liara now?

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        December 18, 2013 at 14:13

        Never, doublelove!

        Reply

        • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

          December 18, 2013 at 14:13

          That sounds dangerous to a few muscles and ligaments….

          Reply

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 18, 2013 at 14:22

            But he needs both hands… One for the Magnifying Glass and the other for the tweezers…*runs*

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            December 18, 2013 at 14:25

            I was referring to acrobatic abilities…. 0.o

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 18, 2013 at 14:34

            That’s not helping… :/

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 18, 2013 at 14:39

            This popped into my head for some reason, but only butt naked…

            http://www.nunnsperformancetraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/flexible-people-4.jpg

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            December 18, 2013 at 14:40

            Duuuuuuude

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 18, 2013 at 14:45

            What? 😛

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 18, 2013 at 14:41

            lol – I can’t blame you really, he’s said a few times NO PAAAAANTS.

    • Hammersteyn

      December 18, 2013 at 14:10

      Umm so you still have no pants on?

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        December 18, 2013 at 14:13

        What do you think?

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          December 18, 2013 at 14:18

          LULZ

          Reply

  2. Gareth L

    December 18, 2013 at 14:05

    Pssst. Playstation 4. 😉

    Reply

    • CodeName Tailgunner

      December 18, 2013 at 14:06

      THAT GUY THAT GUY THAT GUY THAT GUY!

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        December 18, 2013 at 14:07

        Damn that guy. He said it before me. :/

        Reply

        • CodeName Tailgunner

          December 18, 2013 at 14:08

          Because you wanted to be THAT GUY.

          (me too)

          Reply

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 18, 2013 at 14:21

            But who doesn’t want to be THAT GUY that makes fun of Darryn?

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            December 18, 2013 at 14:26

            I don’t get it. What’s the deal with THAT GUY?

            PS: I’m being serious lol. I don’t catch the joke

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 18, 2013 at 14:27

            lol – the guy pointing out a typo 😉

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 18, 2013 at 14:29

            Or general editing mishaps 😛

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            December 18, 2013 at 14:40

            Huh????

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 18, 2013 at 14:42

            The article originally said, “bringing back the first lady of gaming for the Xbox One and PlayStation 3”

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    December 18, 2013 at 14:08

    Tomb Raider is such a good game.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      December 18, 2013 at 14:13

      Agreed

      Reply

  4. CaptainNemo42

    December 18, 2013 at 14:14

    Why? Why not just focus on sequel to the first reboot? Now they want to make reboot of a reboot.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      December 18, 2013 at 14:15

      Ka-ching!

      Reply

  5. oVg

    December 18, 2013 at 14:20

    Now lets hope that Naughty Dog reveal the PS4 version of The Last of Us.
    please please please please please please

    Reply

  6. CaptainNemo42

    December 18, 2013 at 14:22

    Reply

  7. oVg

    December 18, 2013 at 14:22

    NEW

    Reply

    • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

      December 18, 2013 at 14:40

      Maybe she’s born with it?

      Reply

    • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

      December 18, 2013 at 14:53

      “RENDER. RINSE. REPEAT.” Am I the only one who though of a 3D rendered model of a Ginger?…

      Reply

      • oVg

        December 18, 2013 at 15:02

        yes

        Reply

        • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

          December 18, 2013 at 15:07

          Reply

          • oVg

            December 18, 2013 at 15:14

            Bwahahahahahahaha

  8. JHN

    December 18, 2013 at 14:55

    I was so shocked when one of my lady friends pointed out that the new lara is one of the chicks from greys anatomy.

    Reply

  9. RinceGivesRspectsToMadiba

    December 18, 2013 at 15:04

    Darryn! You haven’t played it?! Are you THAT scared of women?! 0-O

    Reply

  10. Willem Swanepoel

    December 19, 2013 at 08:09

    Lora is getting a BOOB JOB and a facelift!! So that is the connection between the old and new lara …. damn

    Reply

  11. Willem Swanepoel

    December 19, 2013 at 08:11

    Really, why do they want to reboot a reboot … Would be awesome to have a sequel of the 2013 version… I was never a Tomb Raider fan but the last one made me one … hell I fell in love with her and now I have to get to know a new version .. meh

    Reply

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