Lara Croft fans eagerly waiting for Rise of the Tomb Raider’s release on Playstation 4 will be thoroughly impressed with the 20 Year Celebration edition releasing October 11. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics will bring a bundle of new content which includes an online co-op Endurance mode, PSVR support for the “Blood Ties” single-player story chapter exploring Croft Manor, and even zombie combat with “Lara’s Nightmare.” Xbox One and PC players will also receive the new content as well (minus VR support), as part of the Season Pass.
Having completed development, or “Gone Gold,” MonsterVine had the opportunity to attend a hands-on preview for Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration to talk with Crystal Dynamics and see first-hand the level of care and attention to detail that’s gone into Lara Croft’s venerated past.
Interview with Rich Briggs, Brand Director at Crystal Dynamics
Rich Briggs, Brand Director for Crystal Dynamics; poses for a photo during a recent press event at Square Enix’s office in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sept. 23, 2016. (Photo by Trevor Stamp)
Hands-On Preview
The new online co-op Endurance mode was the highlight of the showcase. With a cooperative element introduced, the survival dynamic changes in a way that’s deep and engaging. Dropped into a harsh winter environment, scavenging for food and resources is instantly better with a partner. Communication is key and while the opportunity is there for both players to wander off in opposite directions given a shared inventory, it’s recommended to stay together to maximize the experience. Players control Lara in their respective screen, while Nadia (introduced in the Baba Yaga DLC) represents the second player. Adding in a second person increases the importance of teamwork as each player can mark hazards or objects of interest viewed on screen. While looking for artifacts in a crypt, the markers helped our chances of survival in highlighting traps. The difficulty scales the longer you survive the day and night cycle, as there are more hazards and less options for food and shelter. At its conclusion, there’s a neat timeline recapping the entirety of the play though, from that memorable first moment of killing a squirrel to dying from starvation.
With PlayStation VR releasing next month, the team at Crystal Dynamics will be adding in VR support for its new single-player story chapter, “Blood Ties,” where players have the opportunity to explore the hallowed Croft Manor. To ease players into the world of virtual reality, “Comfort Mode” is available. Players teleport small distances in-game while incrementally moving the camera around. For those that suffer from VR sickness, this is a helpful feature to have. For those on the riskier side, “Free Mode” gives you full movement and camera control. With VR still in its early stages, I was left impressed by the possibilities especially as that feeling of vertigo hit as I looked over the second floor banister. The chapter itself unfolds as an investigation into an empty mansion, and while we weren’t able to explore the forbidden West Wing, the setup of the new chapter is more Sherlock Holmes than an action set piece. Finding clues and solving puzzles in a closed environment isn’t what I could classify action, but it comes off as a breath of fresh air and a nod to the point n’ click adventure genre.
In contrast to the calm adventure-oriented demeanor of Blood Tries, the zombie combat “Lara’s Nightmare” mode is the exact opposite. A premise that plays into the campier side of the series, endless waves of zombies have invaded Croft Manor and it’s up to Lara Croft to prove that she is the rightful heir of the estate. This is executed in a survival mode fashion, where Lara’s tasked with collecting randomly generated skulls in order to summon the final boss. Along the way, players will encounter varying zombie personalities to face, including ones who love running towards your direction with live explosives. If you’re familiar with this genre, this will be relatively easy to pick up and progress through as you pick up increasingly powerful weapons and unlock more parts of the mansion.
As an homage to its past and 20 Year Celebration, the team is working closely with Nixxes Software to bring past Lara Croft models to Rise of the Tomb Raider including one from the iconic 1996 video game. With the addition of an “Extreme Survivor” setting, hardcore fans have the opportunity to test their mettle with increased difficulty, no checkpoints and campfire saves that first need to be lit using the required resources. Rise of the Tomb Raider has already received numerous accolades from the reviews it’s garnered on Xbox One and the PC, so I was a bit hesitant on what the third go-around would entail. Turns out my skepticism was proven wrong, as the variety of content presented in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration for PS4 is enough to warrant another look when it releases this October.
