Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Brings Back Classic Lara, But Lacks Innovation

Amazon's revival of the Tomb Raider franchise with Legacy of Atlantis aims to move beyond the PS4 reboot trilogy, but a recent hands-off demonstration at Gamescom left at least one observer underwhelmed despite acknowledging its technical merits.

Crystal Dynamics and Polish developer Flying Wild Hog presented a 30-minute slice of the game set in Greece, approximately a quarter through the campaign. The demo showcased the iconic Damocles Room from the original PS1 title, now reimagined as a sprawling underground metropolis with detailed environmental carvings, statues, and carefully designed lighting that uses shafts of light to highlight points of interest.

The developers have retained the acrobatic movement system that defined classic Lara Croft, with mocapped animations enhanced by stunt performers and additional flourishes added by animators to achieve an exaggerated, larger-than-life aesthetic. During a leopard boss encounter, Lara performed cartwheels, handstands, and dynamic leaps while engaging the enemy, which exhibits stalking behavior described as evidence of enhanced enemy AI.

However, the demo raised concerns about design choices. The game incorporates skill trees and crafting mechanics from the survivor trilogy, justified by developers as more immersive than finding medkits in ancient caves. Yet the preview questioned whether crafting broths from foraged vegetables maintains that immersion. A new optional scanner tool allows players to receive puzzle hints, though the reviewer suggested the game should guide players organically rather than through an external tool.

The Sword of Damocles puzzle, which requires positioning falling blades and climbing atop them to progress, drew comparisons to Uncharted but was described as less impressive. The puzzle can be solved by shooting down swords with Lara's dual pistols, though the dev recommended unlocking a dead-eye ability from the skill tree for precision, a mechanic the reviewer found formulaic.

Despite these reservations, the demo demonstrated solid technical execution with impressive environmental details and lighting design. The preview cautiously noted that opinions may shift when the full game releases in 2027, emphasizing Tomb Raider's place as a cherished franchise and welcoming the return of the classic Lara Croft after the survivor series concluded.