Today, during Epic Games’ State of Unreal 2022 event, developer Crystal Dynamics announced that work is underway on its next entry in the Tomb Raider series using Unreal Engine 5. No other details were given, but it’s a sign that the studio hasn’t abandoned Lara Croft in favor of Marvel properties.
The Tomb Raider reboot trilogy was reasonably well-received by fans of the series and newcomers alike. The game brought Lara Croft’s iconic graverobbing adventures to a new generation and added more focus on action by adopting many of the stylistic choices and mechanics Naughty Dog employed in the Uncharted series. This latest Tomb Raider title will almost certainly follow suit, but it’s hard to tell where it will go.
The story arc from Tomb Raider to Shadow of the Tomb Raider tied most plot holes and story threads up for fans. While an ending cutscene in the third game shows Lara Croft planning to return to Croft Manor, this could have been an indication that she won’t have any more adventures. With nothing else to go on from Crystal Dynamics, it’s impossible to tell where this new game will take Lara Croft if it indeed stars her.
Based on what Epic Games has shown Unreal Engine 5 is capable of, this new Tomb Raider title will be visually impressive. As long as the gameplay reaches the same level of quality, it could be a bright new beginning for the series on current-gen platforms.
Published: Apr 5, 2022 10:52 am