Lara Croft has pilfered quite a few mystical items and knick-knacks over the years. For archaeology of course, not for personal profit. Ancient daggers, ceremonial things and other such bric-a-brac have formed the basis of many a Tomb Raider game. But in the upcoming Rise Of The Tomb Raider, she won’t be going for something physical. Instead, she’ll be seeking out the secret to immortality. Which coincidentally, can also be found if you’re real nice to Dame Helen Mirren.
According to Game Informer, Lara will travel begin her quest by tracking an ancient and sunken city in the Russian frozen tundras, that vanished centuries ago. This journey ties into an actual myth that developer Crystal Dynamics began researching for the sequel to the 2013 game, setting up the game and its locations.
With a Russian myth forming the basis of the sequel, that now meant that a new Russian landscape would have to be developed, pushing the team to work on new environmental effects such as snow and ice. “We wanted to put Lara into a whole new location, someplace that still fulfilled the goals of survival, but had a whole new look than Yamatai,” game director Brian Horton said to GI.
When we did the research, we found a myth that would take us to the mountains of Siberia, and that just seemed like a really cool hostile place, which became a great foundation for our story and gave us a landscape that was new, and required a whole new set of technologies.
What this also meant, was that the game would need to tie back into the supernatural side of the 2013 reboot, as Lara faced down an immortal spirit that had trapped her and her colleagues on the Yamatai island. It was an ordeal that forged Lara into a hardened survivor, and set her on the path of becoming the titular Tomb Raider of previous games. And by focusing again on the concept of immortality, Crystal Dynamics could start building her character up further.
“One of the things I love about Lara is her determination, but at this point it’s grown into almost an obsession as she chases the secret to immortality across the globe looking for any clue that can validate what she’s seen,” franchise creative director Noah Hughes said.
She’s almost on the end of her rope at this point in the story. Some of these myths are true across cultures. There are echoes of this myth everywhere. But she alone is the one who connects the secret to immortality to the lost city of Kitezh.
It’s an interesting myth, that deals with purity, Mongol royalty and a city that vanished underneath the waters of time. And after I played the Definitive Edition of Tomb Raider last year, I’m pretty keen to see more of the new and improved Lara. Albeit on Xbox One, as timed exclusive. PC and PlayStation fans, will have to wait a bit longer before they get their turn at immortality.
Last Updated: February 11, 2015
Ryanza
February 11, 2015 at 11:41
I thought the Rise of The Tomb Raider was searching for 1080p and 60fps on Xbox One.
Don’t Support DRM.
Ghost In The Rift
February 11, 2015 at 11:48
Direct X 12 is coming.
Don’t Support Direct X 11.
Ghost In The Rift
February 11, 2015 at 11:48
Direct X 12 is coming.
Don’t Support Direct X 11.
Corrie
February 11, 2015 at 11:57
Windows 10 is coming.
Don’t support Windows 8/8.1
Corrie
February 11, 2015 at 11:59
The Future of gaming is coming.
Don’t support PS4/Xbones.
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 11, 2015 at 12:25
No, just 1080p. It’s looking for 60fps on PS4.
Nikola
February 11, 2015 at 11:52
Yip screw this game!! With it’s all exclusivity crap
Don’t Support Square Enix
Corrie
February 11, 2015 at 12:01
I don’t think many people are interested in this game at the moment and everyone is entitled to it, I honestly can see this being a really stupid move and it’s going to take one massive apology in order for them to possibly get sales
Gideon Venter
February 11, 2015 at 15:23
I’m massively interested. The previous one was amazing.
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2015 at 11:59
So it’s not an XBOX exclusive, we get to play Uncharted and this too eventually if we want. Though I’m not so sure if I want to.
Corrie
February 11, 2015 at 12:03
Agreed, I honestly haven’t even finished the first one and surprisingly I bought the dlc pack during the Squeenix sale last week
Don’t know why I did it but yeah…
Admiral Chief
February 11, 2015 at 12:16
DAT LARA
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 11, 2015 at 12:24
Sigh, spoiler alert?
Now there’s no point to me finishing the game. :/
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 11, 2015 at 12:27
Seriously though. That major plot spoiler for the reboot just spoiled my day… I had intended on finishing that after Bioshock Infinite…
Gideon Venter
February 11, 2015 at 15:24
Damn dude, that’s rough. my sympathies 🙁
Jonah Cash
February 11, 2015 at 12:26
I will not read anything about this Lara till they give me a date it releases on the PS4!! And if that never happens? Then she is dead to me!!
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 11, 2015 at 12:26
Not if she finds the secret to immortality.
Pieter Kruger
February 11, 2015 at 12:38
Looking forward to this! ????????????
oVg
February 11, 2015 at 12:54
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Their sweet innocent teenage minds are now BLOWN.
WitWolfy
February 12, 2015 at 09:38
I wonder how much they had to downgrade it from their original vision… Not to be a troll but this is Xbone we’re talking about here…