tombraider
Latest
Playdate: Giving away a 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' Xbox One bundle
So you want to play the new timed-exclusive Tomb Raider game, but you don't have an Xbox One. We might be able to help with that: today on Engadget Playdate, we're streaming Rise of the Tomb Raider and giving one lucky viewer a chance to win a 1TB Xbox One (with the game, of course). Want in? Simply hit the contest widget after the break. Want to see what we're giving out? Join us on Twitch.tv/Joystiq, the Engadget Gaming homepage or right here in this post starting at 6PM Eastern / 3PM Pacific. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations to Angelina W. of Chandler, AZ!
Control the weather via Twitch and torture these poor souls in London
You read that correctly. It's called Survival Billboard, and to be clear, it's a marketing campaign for Rise of the Tomb Raider's launch in the UK -- but it's so strange (and slightly sadistic) that it's worth a mention. Eight people volunteered to stand on a billboard in London and be subjected to a series of extreme weather conditions, as chosen by people voting online. So far, the contestants have endured snow, wind, rain and heat, and they've been up there for just a few hours. One contestant has already been eliminated, meaning seven remain at time of publication. The last person standing wins a trip to exotic locations around the world. If you tune in (and vote to torture these people, you monster), be warned that the ad breaks (aside from the giant billboard) are lengthy and full of Tomb Raider cutscenes. That may be a small price to pay to be a digital weather god for a little while.
Twitch rewards you for watching 'Tomb Raider' on the Xbox One app
Live-streaming platform Twitch is handing out in-game points to people who watch Rise of the Tomb Raider via the Xbox One app. Plus, viewers on any platform have the ability to mess with their favorite Tomb Raider streams when the game is in Expedition Mode: Once prompted, people in chat can vote to activate one of two cards, which alter gameplay in specific ways. Some cards remove health regeneration, add armor to enemies, grant players more melee damage or enable "Big Head Mode," for example. Voting rounds appear every six minutes or so, and this only works if the streamer uses the Xbox One Twitch app to broadcast the game. Now, let's talk about those rewards.
18 ways to (nearly) die with Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
Lara Croft is basically a superhero. She leaps with the power of someone bitten by a radioactive kangaroo, climbs sheer rock faces like her hands are coated in glue and spontaneously zip-lines down hundreds of ancient, convenient ropes like she's strolling down to Starbucks on a Monday morning. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, players will most certainly die a few times, whether in firefights with hordes of gunmen, while running across a rapidly crumbling sheet of ice or jumping across gigantic crevasses. What's incredible (and absurd) is all of the times Lara Croft survives.
'Uncharted' borrows from cinema to sidestep clunky game design
Developer Naughty Dog's games have always had a flair for the cinematic and that's due in large part to their presentation. The studio takes a minimalistic approach to how it delivers information to the player, eschewing ugly on-screen means of directing you where to go by using filmic techniques like smart scene composition and color to subtly guide the players from one area to the next. In the video below, YouTuber Mark Brown explores Uncharted 3's opening, breaking down how Naughty Dog pretty masterfully keeps players on the right track during the rooftop chase sequence without it feeling claustrophobically linear.
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' is more of the same, and that's okay
Crystal Dynamics' 2013 Tomb Raider reboot pulled off a tough task: It successfully brought life back to an aging, muddled franchise and provided heroine Lara Croft with an excellent origin story. Now that Croft has made her transition from a terrified shipwreck survivor to adventuring (but still vulnerable) badass, what does she do for an encore? Rise of the Tomb Raider (coming to the Xbox One and 360 as a timed exclusive on November 10th) answers that by tightening up and refining the first game's core experience while throwing players into an entirely new environment. The world is bigger, there are more skills to improve, more secrets to find and, yes, more tombs to raid. It isn't wildly different than the last game, but that's not a knock: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Crystal Dynamics is putting the 'tomb' back in 'Tomb Raider'
2013's Tomb Raider was a reboot of a game that defined the 3rd-person adventure genre. It represented a change in direction for the series, one that took cues from successful titles like Uncharted to breathe fresh life into what had become a tired franchise. But while critics rightfully praised the game's many strengths, the core of the original's gameplay -- tomb raiding -- was pushed to one side, with most of the game consisting of stealth, combat, and survival. For the timed Xbox exclusive Rise of the Tomb Raider, developer Crystal Dynamics is bringing back tombs in a big way, and making some intelligent design decisions to update the old gameplay for the modern era.
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' hits PlayStation 4 and PC in 2016
When Square Enix announced Rise of the Tomb Raider at Gamescom last year, it dropped a bomb: The game would be exclusive to Xbox platforms, meaning PlayStation 4 and PC players wouldn't get to touch it. At least, not for a certain amount of time. Square Enix today confirmed that Rise of the Tomb Raider will indeed hit PC and PS4 after a period of Xbox exclusivity: It will launch on Windows 10 and Steam in early 2016, and PS4 in late 2016. Rise of the Tomb Raider is slated to hit Xbox One and Xbox 360 this year on November 10th.
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' hits Xbox One this November
Sorry, Sony, but the next installment in Lara Croft's tomb-raiding adventures is slated to hit Xbox One as an exclusive on November 10th. As Microsoft's Xbox head Phil Spencer announced at Gamescom last summer, the upcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider will be a platform exclusive, meaning gamers that don't own an Xbox One will be locked out of the party. From the gameplay trailer shown off at Microsoft's E3 presser, it seems this sequel will deliver more of the dodging, leaping, sliding, grappling and... tomb raiding developer Crystal Dynamics treated fans to with 2013's critically acclaimed reboot.
The original Tomb Raider is now available on iOS for $1
Perhaps you saw the lush TressFX in the latest Tomb Raider game and thought, "Man, I'd sure like to go back to the way things were, back when Lara Croft's hair was little more than a brown object affixed to her polygonal face!" Well you're in luck, as Square Enix today re-released the original 1996 version of Tomb Raider, rough edges and all, on the iOS App Store. Better still? It's just $1 -- about the maximum we could see ourselves paying for a nearly 20-year-old game. As for how easy you'll find guiding Lara through the tombs she's known to raid, that's another question altogether: Screenshots show a mess of contextual on-screen virtual buttons as the means of control (or perhaps as an attempt at control). Even if it's unplayable, the most money you could waste is a single bank note -- not exactly what we'd call a risky proposition.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition coming to PS4 and Xbox One January 28th, but you can pre-order now
Lara Croft is making her way to Sony's and Microsoft's latest gaming consoles next month. At Spike's VGX show, we got our first glimpse of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, which will be available for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on January 28th. The game, which is a collaboration effort between Crystal Dynamics, Nixxes and United Front Games, is essentially a new version of the 2013 game built specifically for the next-gen consoles, and is already up for pre-order on Amazon for $60. You'll get enhanced visuals, such as TressFX, and all of the game's previously released DLC for multiplayer. We've included the trailer below for your viewing enjoyment.
Microsoft unveils three Xbox 360 holiday bundles for Xbox One refuseniks
Microsoft is no stranger to launching Xbox 360 holiday bundles, but it faces a new challenge this year -- it has to include games that won't make us wish we had an Xbox One instead. It may have achieved that feat with a new trio of bundles launching worldwide. Its base 250GB kit ($300) includes both Halo 4 and Tomb Raider, two better games from recent memory. A 4GB Kinect pack (also $300) isn't very memorable with its inclusions of Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports 2, but a 250GB Kinect offering ($400) supplements these with Forza Horizon. As it did last year, Microsoft is also slashing $50 off the US price of these holiday systems between launch (around October 13th) and the end of the holiday season. We're sure that many would still prefer the latest and greatest Xbox as a gift, but a new 360 bundle could be a nice consolation prize.
gdgt's best deals for August 14: Samsung Galaxy S 4 and iPhone 5
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our sister site gdgt tracks price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Today's hottest deals include a pair of prime smartphones for sale at Target, with the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and the soon-to-be-supplanted iPhone 5 available with hefty price cuts on contract. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Tomb Raider comic book announced, may bridge to next game
Comic book veteran Gail Simone is working with publisher Dark Horse on a continuation of the Tomb Raider reboot. Kotaku reports Simone expects the series' narrative will pick up mere weeks after the first game's events and may lead directly into a sequel of this year's well-received game. "In continuity, it will be Tomb Raider canon, and lead DIRECTLY into the sequel," Simone said. "This is what got me excited; we get to be part of Lara Croft history." Simone, a long-time fan of the Lara Croft franchise, says the core difference between her series and the reboot will lie in Lara's surroundings. "The storytelling in the game hooked me instantly," Simone said. "The biggest difference is, the game told a claustrophobic story in an isolated setting. We are going globetrotting." Although Simone was a fan of the action-oriented character portrayed in the original Tomb Raider games, she's still fond of the character's new-found depth.
BlackBerry gets its game on at BBW, scores Jetpack Joyride and Sonic
One of the things BlackBerry has never really had going for it, is a deep games catalog. Now, that isn't about to change in one fell swoop, but things are about to get a lot better at BlackBerry World 2012. RIM's head of gaming, Anders Jeppsson, took to twitter to let the world know about the impressive pile of titles heading to the PlayBook and BlackBerry 10. The biggest names are certainly Jetpack Joyride, from Halfbrick (the studio behind Fruit Ninja), and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Other games in the pipeline include Galaxy on Fire 2 and Star Marine, while Tomb Raider fans can get down with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light starting today. Keep an ear out for more to hit during this week's BBW.
SCi receives, turns aside potential takeover bid
While talk of a takeover of British publisher SCi continues to be tossed around, this doesn't mean that Lara Croft's troubled parent is open to shacking up with just anyone. This week the company confirmed that it has received an offer from an unspecified suitor at a "significant premium" to SCi's current share price. However, the company stayed strong, turning away what we imagine to be bags of money emblazoned with dollar signs, claiming the offer was "not be in the best interests of the company or its shareholders." Still, with 14 projects in the vertical file and key management on the run, it might be time for SCi to lower its standards.
SCi pulls out of buyout talks, stock plunges following Tomb Raider delay
Eidos owner SCi has been on the hunt for a potential suitor for some time, reportedly having batted its eyelashes at everyone from Midway and Vivendi to Time Warner and even some mysterious outfit in China, with none showing enough interest to sign their name across the dotted line. However, after having been given the cold shoulder by Ubisoft last October, the British firm has finally gotten the hint and moved on, stating that it had not received any formal offers within the requested timeframe.What this means to you and I is that it may be some time before we see another major release branded with the Eidos logo, as SCi confirmed that it has pushed out the recently revealed Tomb Raider: Underworld until the fourth quarter of 2008, along with three other unspecified titles. The company also announced plans to bring Lara Croft's latest escapade to the DS, Wii and PS2, in addition to the previously known versions for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.Way to be strong, SCi, but you might not want to look at your stock this morning. Following the firm's decision to go it alone, SCi's stock hit "rock bottom," and according to a new Bloomberg report, suffered its biggest plummet in more than 18 years, falling some 61 percent after SCi admitted that the aforementioned delays will likely result in an operating loss for 2008 and that the company may need to look to outside parties for the money to stay afloat. Of course, with SCi's share price now swimming with the fishes, we wouldn't be too surprised if another company now swooped in and bought up SCi and its properties at bargain basement prices. You hear that EA? Someone is singing your song.
CES 2008: New titles join Games for Windows portfolio
In another CES 2008 announcement, Microsoft has highlighted nine new additions to its Games for Windows endeavor, promising to "continue the momentum for Windows-based gaming in 2008" and "revive" the PC gaming space. The titles due to be dressed in Microsoft's colors include: Alone in the Dark (Atari) Bionic Commando (Capcom) Conflict: Denied Ops (Eidos Interactive) Empire: Total War (SEGA) LEGO Indiana Jones (LucasArts) Microsoft Train Simulator 2 (Microsoft Game Studios) Sins of a Solar Empire (Stardock) Space Siege (SEGA) Tomb Raider: Underworld (Eidos Interactive) The list not only cements the "Underworld" subtitle to Eidos' next Tomb Raider, but provides reassurance as to the longevity of Microsoft's initiative. Games for Windows is sure to be around for quite some time if Alone in the Dark manages to arrive under its banner. Microsoft's polite press release is also keen to remind us that other expected 2008 titles -- Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Borderlands, The Club, Fallout 3 and Frontlines: Fuel of War -- will stand beneath the flapping emblem.
New Tomb Raider outlined in Play
As reported by Tomb Raider Chronicles, the latest issue of Play contains the first information regarding the next iteration of the Tomb Raider series. The issue was apparently available online earlier this morning, but has since been removed from Play's online store. Thankfully, Tomb Raider Chronicles have the details anyway. First and foremost, the game takes place after Tomb Raider: Legend. The game will be subtitled Underworld and will feature "a lush, vast interactive world." Whether or not this means the game will utilize the ever trendy sandbox / open world gameplay style remains unclear. The rest of the details center around nifty graphical effects like realistic footprint physics (no, seriously) and the fully motion captured acrobatics of Lara's latest incarnation. The game just might make it for a 2008 release and, yes, a 360 version looks to be in the cards.[Via Joystiq]
Tomb Raider engine to power Deus Ex 3
Adding itself to the rather small list of next-gen titles not using Epic's Unreal Engine, Eidos Montreal studio head Stephane D'Astous has confirmed to Develop that Deus Ex 3 will use fellow Eidos developer Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider engine to render its presumably post-apocalyptic environments. Said D'Astous, "We chose the Crystal engine because we plan to help develop this engine more and then share it back with the rest of the company, the other Eidos studios."The other in-house engine D'Astous considered was IO Interactive, who are responsible for the Hitman franchise and Kane & Lynch, the title currently vying for "Most Controversial Game of the Year" award. The original Deus Ex was designed by Warren Spector and Harvey Smith; although Spector is busy at Disney, perhaps the now out-of-work Smith can find a way to contribute to the new game (or, as Ludwig would put it, repent for Invisible War).
