More exciting details about Rise of the Tomb Raider surfaced today from the leaked Game Informer magazine. According to Square Enix, the game follows Lara Croft on her journey to discover the secret of immortality. While traditional stories focus on South American and Asian mythology to explore this concept, Rise of the Tomb Raider takes the player to the Russian wilderness. The game will introduce us to Russian folklore and draw inspiration from local stories of legendary deathless creatures and the objects that grant them supernatural powers. This focus on Russia is definitely very unique. Other adventure games tend to explore overused material like Caribbean pirates again and again so seeing Russia featured prominently in a game is refreshing to say the least.
Lara’s journey will also pit her against Trinity, a formidable secret society, this time around. While no concrete details were provided other than the fact that they are also after the artifact that grants immortality, it is safe to assume that this convergence will lead to a significant clash. Since her time on Yamatai, Lara has grown into a seasoned treasure hunter due to her distressing experiences on the island. While her first expedition was more of a training period, Rise of the Tomb Raider is her first true adventure. Square Enix states that this game is not about avoiding danger and barely surviving. Lara will actively throws herself into peril and we will see her take major risks.
Upon Lara’s return to civilization, she told the world her story about what happened on Yamatai. She expected everyone to believe her supernatural experiences. Stories of a queen who had an immortal soul and the ability to summon storms did not sit well with anyone, especially those who lost loved ones there. Going into the Russian wilderness in search of the supernatural is more than just an exciting adventure. It is a journey of psychological redemption. According to the developer, Lara has to make sure what she saw was real and there is a whole aspect of existence we do not understand. It is a story of understanding. While other adventure games use greed or allegiances as a form of motivation, rarely has knowledge been the driving force behind the hunt for treasure. This is another unique aspect of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Square Enix gave more information about Lara’s motivation and the main quest to Game Informer magazine. According to them, a discovery like the existence of an immortal soul deserves to be studied thoroughly. She tries to find other instances of immortal beings and comes across the rumors surrounding the submerged city of Kitezh. Lara decides to venture there to verify her experiences on Yamatai.
Kitezh was a mythical city on the shores of lake Svetloyar in central Russia. Legend has it that Georgy II, Grand Prince of Vladimir, built it around 1200. The region was soon invaded by Mongols and they went after Kitezh. The city had no defenses and when the Mongol army came, people started praying for redemption. Kitezh was immediately engulfed by water and sank to the bottom of the lake. Locals believe that those pure of heart can still enter the eternal city. It is also said that you can hear the sound of bells and chanting at night. The pious may still reside down there.
Ancient Mongolian ruins also play a major part in the game. The developer said that there will be areas with engravings that lead to treasure. Exploring these regions will require some backtracking but they will be worth the effort due to substantial rewards. Lara will not be able to read the text in the beginning of the game because she will not have any decoder rings. As she finds more she can go back and solve these puzzles. Rise of the Tomb Raider is not a linear adventure like other such games so it allows you to do this.
The game features improvements to weapons, transversal, and crafting as well. This time around Lara is ready for almost anything and has access to more sophisticated weaponry and gadgets. Crafting and upgrading play a major part in Rise of the Tomb Raider and have been greatly expanded. Plants, metals, relics, minerals, and hides can be collected to make and enhance items. However, it is much more complex than that. There are different weapons with different properties. There are multiple bows that can be useful in different situations. Mastering this system is paramount for success.
Square Enix revealed that there will be two major areas for players to explore in the game. While one of those places is Siberia, the other is still a mystery which should be revealed soon. They said that Lara will transverse sand, caves , forests, snow, and much more. The weather will also play a major role in how you interact with the environment. Expect more challenging conditions. The hostile terrain is as much of an adversary as the other enemies in the game.
Lastly, stealth has been added to Rise of the Tomb Raider in a big way. Lara can now climb trees, hide in bushes, and lure enemies using her radio. Crystal Dynamics revealed that they wanted players to have multiple options when encountering hostiles. This will definitely add more variety and strategy to the gameplay.
Everything about Rise of the Tomb Raider sounds very encouraging. This game will be one of the best Xbox exclusives this year and our anticipation for the title just skyrocketed. Considering that Tomb Raider sold more than seven million copies, there are many gamers out there who want to see the series evolve even further. We cannot wait to play title!
Source: Imgur
Asher M is a games journalist, former News Writer (Gaming) at Windows Central. They contributed 18 articles to ICXM between 2014–2015, focused on game reviews, and Xbox news: one of several bylines used by Asher Madan during his time at ICXM.