WIP Concepts for Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever

Crystal Dynamics concept artist, Brandon Russell, demonstrates his process in creating the cover for Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever. See the final cover and read more HERE.

ROTTR: 20 Year Celebration Gamescom Content

I was recently invited to a private viewing of the content shown at this past Gamescom event. I was joined by many of the other fansite webmasters as we watched the footage unfold and Meagan Marie and Will Kerslake answered some of our eager questions. What was previously only shown behind closed doors in the Gamescom Theatre is now revealed for all to see in the video above. Rich Briggs narrates the video giving a little more insight of what to expect without spoiling too much.

The demo opens up with what is called "Thin Ice," showcasing a section from the middle of the game. From what I could tell the game runs very beautifully on the PS4. We still need confirmation on the controllers supporting lighting and sound effects, as was with the reboot on PS4, but Will did mention the controller works as a flashlight in the VR mode of "Blood Ties." Speaking of VR, it sounds as though it is a very rich experience worth trying. Regarding the inclusion of old school, polygonal Lara skins, Meagan spoke of wanting to capture the history of the franchise with a good variety and even including the AOD sunglasses. The "Extreme Survival" difficulty mode sounds very difficult. There are no checkpoints. The only way to save is to fight your way to the next available campsite and ignite the camp. New achievements/trophies are added to the package as well.

Now the "Blood Ties" content in Croft Manor is what I'm most excited about. Lara's uncle is contesting her legal status in ownership of the Manor and she must find her father's will and testament to prove she is the rightful owner. This story-driven content actually fits into the main game's timeline in between Syria and Siberia, which I find is a nice touch. Lara wears her "London Jacket" outfit during this level as she discovers rooms she had never been in. There will be plenty of clues, relics, and even references to the old games. "So many throwbacks and secrets" Meagan noted. Will also spoke of "comments from Winston about certain freezing devices."

"Lara's Nightmare" is a new mode playable in Lara's Manor after completing the story portion. The level makes more sense to me now after hearing Meagan and Will elaborate. Think of it as Lara having a literal nightmare. Where everything that she has seen, everything she has encountered is culminating into one dark, twisted dream. It's the Manor story again, but then Lara's uncle is morphed into a demon like visage condemning her to death for fighting him on the matter of the estate. The manor is flooded with zombie-like men coming for Lara constantly. "Supernatural has always been a part of the Tomb Raider universe" said Meagan. You only have one life. You are trying to beat the level and get the highest score. You have to survive the hordes of zombies, destroy floating skull effigies, and then there is a boss apparently, which I did not see. The level is randomized each time you play as well which makes it that much more of a challenge.

Last, but not least is the Co-Op Endurance Mode which has you surviving with a friend in the bitter wilderness. This mode is only only, no local play. You both get to choose a couple of challenges and cards before starting and share them. The traps are more difficult in the fact that they do not slow down to give you time to shoot them. You need to disable them by tripping them first or you will die. Your teammate can revive you, bu you only have a limited number of revives. You can gain a revive by discovering a sarcophagi. You and your teammate share food and other supplies, but only if you are near each other. You individually collect weapons for more realism.

I, personally, am so excited to play this new content when it arrives on October 11th and I hope this inside information has you ready to play as well.

Check out more and pre-order HERE.

Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever Novel Coming This September

Do you remember this novel? It was originally announced in October of last year with a questionable release date... but now we have confirmation that Lara Croft and the Blade of Gwynnever will finally hit shelves September 13th, 2016! Read on and pre-order below!

Pre-Order from Prima Games

"A missing link must be recovered!

This stand-alone novel is an epic Lara Croft adventure, featuring enough dual-pistol wielding action and sharp wit to please nostalgic fans of the franchise.

After a ruthless competitor beats her in a race to recover a priceless antiquity in Sri Lanka, Lara Croft returns home to London. Nursing her bruises, she gets a call from an old friend in desperate need of help and learns that something truly strange has been discovered during a excavation beneath the City of London. Investigating, Lara witnesses something so spectacular it could rewrite the history of the British Isles—and perhaps even the world—but is drawn into a dangerous shadow world of espionage, conspiracy and black market trafficking. There’s too much at stake. Lara sets off on a globe-trotting mission to recover a precious antiquity that links the modern world to ancient myths and legends, as old foes and new threats gather to stop her finding the truth. What is the true secret of the blade, who can she really trust, and is this the one mission even she can’t survive?

Storyline written in conjunction with the game developers at Crystal Dynamics, and penned by Dan Abnett, a bestselling British novelist and comic book writer."

Source: Prima Games

ROTTR: 20 Year Celebration Xbox Trailer & IGN Interview

Xbox brings us a new trailer showcasing the upcoming "Blood Ties" and "Lara's Nightmare" DLC that will be available alongside the PlayStation 4 release of Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration edition. I have said it before, and I will say it again; I am so excited to play the imfamous manor! It has been too long! Check out the IGN Gamescom interview below for more footage and info. Also visit the ROTTR: 20 Year Celebration Page.

New Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Images

We've got a brand new piece of concept art and some tantalizing screenshots coming out of Gamescom in Germany today! Take a look at Lara's Manor from the upcoming "Blood Ties" and "Lara's Nightmare" levels! This will be the first time we've visited Croft Manor since Tomb Raider: Underworld and it looks absolutely divine! It's going to be a joy to play through the game with classic polygon Lara as well.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration releases the 11th of October this year on the PS4.

Pre-Order Now

For more info visit the ROTTR: 20 Year Celebration Page

Tomb Raider: Live In Concert

The recently announced Tomb Raider Suite will be performed live this December in London by the original composer himself, Nathan McCree, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The event is said to be an interactive experience with a giant screen overlooking the orchestra that will display various images and in-game footage celebrating the nostalgia of the franchise. Tickets are available now along with a VIP package including cool swag signed by Nathan McCree!

Buy Now

Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration In PlayStation Magazine UK

The latest issue of PlayStation Official Magazine UK has over 30 pages of exclusive content on Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration release on PS4 and much more! I have yet been able to get my hands on a copy here in the state of Idaho, but the issue is available now!

Alicia Vikander Talks Tomb Raider Film

Alicia Vikander elaborates a little about her upcoming role in the new "Tomb Raider" film to be released in 2018. It sounds like the filming will start later this year!

Tomb Raider Archives Announced

Some more fantastic news coming out of SDCC, Tomb Raider Archives was announced during the 20 Years of Tomb Raider: Lara Croft's Multimedia Empire. Dark Horse and Andy Park revealed the Top Cow comic collection, originally released in 1999, will be re-released in over sized 8" x 12" hardcover volumes.

Tomb Raider Archives includes the following:

• Tomb Raider Archives Vol. 1: Issues #1-15
• Tomb Raider Archives Vol. 2: Issues #16-24, #26-34
• Tomb Raider Archives Vol. 3: Issues #35-50, #0, #½
• Tomb Raider Archives Vol. 4: Tomb Raider Journeys #1-12, one-shots

Tomb Raider Archives Volume 1 is set for release on November 30, 2016 with the other volumes to come later in 2017.

Synopsis

There's only one woman capable of tracking down the world's rarest artifacts: Lara Croft. Armed with her iconic twin pistols, and aided by roguish playboy Chase Carver and her buttoned-up assistant Madeline Hovan, Lara crisscrosses the globe in search of adventure. Join Lara as she fights against a shadowy organization intent on her destruction, faces the ultimate betrayal, and uncovers legendary treasures.

This deluxe hardcover collects issues #1-#15 of the 1999 Top Cow Tomb Raider series and features the art of superstar artists Michael Turner, Marc Silvestri, David Finch, Andy Park and many more, all in an over sized format.

Pre-Order on Amazon

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Arriving On PS4

 

Rise of the Tomb Raider is finally getting it's release on the PlayStation 4 with the release of Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration this October 11th, 2016. Included is a plethora of goodies... YUSS WE GET TO PLAY LARA'S MANSION!!! Xbox One and PC Season Pass holders with get everything mentioned below as well, aside from the VR content. It will also be available as an individual digital purchase. Check out the FAQ. Pre-Order yours now from BuyROTTR.com

 

 

⦁ NEW “Blood Ties” Single Player Story – In the wake of her father’s death, Lara’s uncle challenges her ownership of Croft Manor. Lara is determined to reclaim her legacy and prove that she is the rightful heir, but to do that she will need to confront her past head on. Explore Lara’s childhood home in an hour of new Story Mode gameplay, and uncover a family mystery that will change her life forever. This new mode is playable in standard third person and can also be experienced in Virtual Reality mode.

 

⦁ NEW “Blood Ties” Nightmare - Lara’s worst nightmares come alive as hordes of the undead overrun her childhood home. Defeat hordes of infectious zombies to become the ultimate zombie slayer, before the nightmare overwhelms you! Compete with friends and create community challenges with card modifiers in an all new Nightmare Mode.

 

⦁ NEW Endurance Mode Co-Op: You and a friend must scrounge, scavenge and craft to survive the harsh elements by day, as well as lethal threats from enemies, both man and beast, by night. This is the ultimate test to see how long you and a friend can survive the sprawling, unforgiving landscapes. Fire takes fuel, cold kills the unprepared, food restores health, and everything must be caught, collected, or crafted. You start with nothing and must find everything. Work together and challenge others to your longest survival run and battle to the top of the leaderboards.

 

⦁ NEW 20 Year Celebration Content - Five classic Lara Croft skins as well as a reimagined outfit that pays tribute to Lara’s trip to Antarctica in Tomb Raider III. New content also includes the “Extreme Survivor” difficulty setting in Rise of the Tomb Raider that will severely limit your save points, crafting materials, resources, ammunition, and health – only the most resourceful and capable will survive this new extreme difficulty.

Tomb Raider at San Diego Comic-Con 2016

It's time for San Diego Comic-Con again and Tomb Raider is going to have a pretty good presence with more #TombRaider20 celebrations! Get your comics signed by the contributors, grab your custom Tomb Raider dog tags and lanyards, get your picture taken with famous cosplayers, and even climb an ice glacier! Sounds like there is going to be some big announcements too! How exciting!

SDCC Schedule

"Thursday, July 21

• 12:00 PM – 12:50 PM | SIGNING | Phillip Sevy @ Dark Horse: Join current Tomb Raider comic artist Phillip Sevy at the Dark Horse booth (#2615) from 12:00 - 12:50 to have your books signed. Anyone attending in an Tomb Raider costume get a free sketch. 
• 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | SIGNING | 20 Years of Tomb Raider: Digging up the Past, Defining the Future Promo: Join 20 Years of Tomb Raider author Meagan Marie at the Prima Games booth (#1028). Verify your pre-order of 20 Years of Tomb Raider and receive an autographed Rise of the Tomb Raider poster! With stunning visuals and in-depth commentary, 20 Years of Tomb Raider explores the ground-breaking, rich, and diverse history of this iconic gaming franchise. Book available to pre-order now. 

Friday, July 22

• 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM | ACTIVITIES | Square Enix Experience: Rise of the Tomb Raider Glacial Climb, #TombRaider20 custom dog tags, lanyard giveaway, and Lara Croft cosplay ambassador photo-ops at the Square Enix Experience: 7th Avenue and Market Street. 
• 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM | SIGNING | Corinna Bechko @ Dark Horse: Join Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen writer Corinna Bechko at the Dark Horse booth (#2615) from 5:00 - 5:50 to have your books signed. 

Saturday, July 23

• 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM | ACTIVITIES | Square Enix Experience: Rise of the Tomb Raider Glacial Climb, #TombRaider20 Custom dog tags, lanyard giveaway, and Lara Croft cosplay ambassador photo-ops at the Square Enix Experience: 7th Avenue and Market Street.
• 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | PANEL | 20 Years of Tomb Raider: Lara Croft’s Multimedia Empire: In 1996, Core Design unleashed Lara Croft on the world when they released the first Tomb Raider video game. Over the past two decades, Tomb Raider expanded to all facets of pop culture and entertainment – from critically acclaimed video games to record-breaking Hollywood movies; from best-selling comic series and chart-topping singles. Join major Franchise contributors on Saturday, July 23, (Room 24ABC) for a conversation about Lara Croft’s multimedia empire, presented by the top-tier talent who brought her to life across different mediums. Panelists: Greg Miller (Moderator), Camilla Luddington (Voice and Performance Artist for Lara Croft), Noah Hughes (Franchise Creative Director), Andy Park (Comic and Concept Artist), Debbie Lash (Eidos’ Lara Croft model manager and marketing executive), and Meagan Marie (Senior Community Manager at Crystal Dynamics, and author of 20 Years of Tomb Raider). The panel will not be live streamed, but will be uploaded online at a future date.
• 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | COSPLAY GATHERING | Square Enix Experience: Those who attend in costume will receive exclusive #TombRaider20 swag and professional photos. All Lara iterations – classic or current – as well as other characters from the franchise history are welcome to attend. If you’re looking for costume reference from Rise of the Tomb Raider, check out our Gear Up Guide gallery. Please review SDCC weapon and prop policy prior to attending the show. RSVP on Facebook for more info."

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog

Upcoming Tomb Raider Film Marked for March 2018

The "Tomb Raider" reboot film starring Alicia Vikander has a release date of March 2018. MGM and Warner Bros are producing the movie, which is still quite a mystery. Nothing else has been released regarding it. I'm unsure why they revealed a release date so soon, but at least we have a time frame. We have a long wait.

Source: Variety

Angel of Darkness Wins Final Statue in Anniversary Collection

The fans have cast their votes and Angel of Darkness Lara has won the final spot in the "20 Years of an Icon" statue collection! Stay tuned for more info and how to get yours soon!

See previous post for more info.

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog

"20 Years of Tomb Raider" Official Cover Revealed

"Digging up the past. Defining the future."

Another update coming out of this year's E3 pertains to the upcoming "20 Years of Tomb Raider" book. The official cover of the book as well as a small preview of it's contents were revealed. Flip through the stunning pages and watch the GameSpot reveal video below.

I love the detail and thought that went into the simple yet beautiful silhouette of Lara on the cover. I cannot wait to dig into this book and what all it has to offer. Plus, I am featured somewhere inside showcasing my Tomb Raider related tattoos! It will be a really awesome to see them alongside other hardcore fans.

Pre-Order Now

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog, GameSpot

Tomb Raider "20 Years of an Icon" Statue Collection Announced!

Among the 20th Anniversary festivities at this year's E3, a "20 Years of an Icon" Statue Collection has been announced! The collection, produced by Gaming Heads, will consist of 6 unique statues. 3 from the Core Design era and 3 from the Crystal Dynamics era. All 6 will fit together into an amazing diorama! The last statue is up to a vote by the fans! The choices are between the "Chronicles" cat suit or the original "Angel of Darkness" outfit. Vote Here Now!

Watch the announcement below as Meagan Marie and Rich Briggs discuss 20 Years of Tomb Raider. Brought to us by Tomb Raider Empire

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog, Tomb Raider Empire

20 Years of Tomb Raider at E3 2016

The 20 Years of Tomb Raider celebration continues at this year's E3! If you're at the event, stop by the Square Enix booth to pick up a custom engraved Tomb Raider dog tag! See the schedule below for more events coming up this week.

Tuesday, June 14: 1:00 PM PDT – 1:30 PM PDT: Square Enix Presents #TombRaider20: Top Tombs

Tuesday, June 14: 4:20 PM PDT: GameSpot Roundtable

Wednesday, June 15: 1:45 PM PDT: GameSpot Livestream  

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog

Alicia Vikander Cast as New Lara Croft in Upcoming Film

 

Alicia Vikander has been cast as Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider film. The Swedish actress, producer, and dancer is most recently known for her work in Ex Machina and The Danish Girl. The latter of which landed her an Academy Award. Alicia has mentioned that she was not allowed to play Tomb Raider games as a child, but did in secret. She definitely has the look and experience to play a more relatable Lara Croft. Expect more details sometime soon.

Source: IGN, Wikipedia

Lara Croft: The Undisputed Queen of Gaming @ PAX 2016

The Tomb Raider 20-Year Celebration kicked off at PAX East with the "Lara Croft: The Undisputed Queen of Gaming" panel featuring many well-known contributors of the franchise. Our very own Meagan Marie of Crystal Dynamics and composer Nathan McCree were among the panelists. Watch the footage via the link below and read on for some big announcements!

"Lara Croft: The Undisputed Queen of Gaming" Panel

BEHOLD: "The Tomb Raider Suite"

 



Nathan McCree, the original trilogy composer, is working on the new album featuring extensions, variations, and all classic tracks from the first three Tomb Raider games. The album will be recorded at Abbey Road Studios by a live orchestra, releasing this fall on CD and digital formats.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the fans, as well as me, to hear the music as I had always intended it,” said McCree.

A live performance of the album is scheduled in London to celebrate 20 years since the original Tomb Raider game's release. More information to come sometime soon.

The whole endeavor will be recorded as a behind the scenes documentary titled "Tomb Raider: Remastered" directed by Matthew Longfellow. Other documentaries included in his repertoire include Queen and Pink Floyd.


"Tomb Raider: The Trilogy (1998)"

A short film produced by Silver Films for the "Tomb Raider III" launch party has been released online for the first times since the event. Janey de Nordwall, the producer of the project, recently found the original tape resulting in this little treat for us all to share.

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog

20 Years of an Icon

Ladies and gentlemen, we are well into 2016. Do you know what that means? 20 fantastic years of Lara Croft!!! I am so ecstatic that our beloved adventurer has been raiding tombs for this long and I can't wait to find out what she has in store for us in the future.

Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix will be celebrating the occasion all year with special activities, kicked off with PAX EAST last week. I'll discuss it's happenings in a later post.

“Since its introduction, Tomb Raider has held a significant place in video game history, and further cements that with this milestone,” said Ron Rosenberg, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “We look forward to celebrating with fans, and honoring the iconic Lara Croft with special events, retrospectives, giveaways and other surprises throughout this year of Tomb Raider.”

“Tomb Raider has become a cultural phenomenon over the last 20 years, selling millions of copies worldwide, sparking one of the most successful video game film adaptations in history, and inspiring our amazing fans of all ages,” said Scot Amos, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “It’s incredible to be part of this legend and to see how much the series has evolved over time, and think about what’s yet to come. Here’s to 20 more years of adventure together.”

 

It is such an honor to be a part of this project and I am so excited to share it with you all now. 

 

BOOM: 20 YEARS OF TOMB RAIDER

 

Celebrate 20 exciting years of Tomb Raider with this premium, hardcover tome!With stunning visuals and in-depth commentary, 20 Years of Tomb Raider explores the ground-breaking, rich, and diverse history of this iconic gaming franchise. Including...

Highlighting previously unpublished images and assets.

Packed full of information on the rich lore, iconic characters, epic fan community, and, of course, the games that started it all.

Exclusive interviews from Core Design, Crystal Dynamics, official voice actors, composers, live actions models, comic artists, and more.

An in-depth look at all the iconic games, with insights into unreleased titles.

Covers the entirety of the Tomb Raider universe - games, comics, Hollywood movies, pop culture influences, and the community.

 

Written by the amazingly talented Meagan Marie, 20 Years of Tomb Raider ships this October.



PRE-ORDER NOW

Source: Official Tomb Raider Blog, Prima Games