In case you missed the festivities last night, Crystal Dynamics presented a new Tomb Raider trailer at the
VGAs. Lara Croft voice and mocap actor
Camilla Luddington made the introduction, and composer
Jason Graves led a live orchestra accompanying the video, which made a big splash with fans in the audience and watching at home. My Twitter stream seized up, and #TombRaider was trending worldwide for quite a while. Here's the trailer that has everyone talking.
Camilla Luddington introduced the latest Tomb Raider trailer at the 2012 Video Game Awards. Photo courtesy of Tomb Raider Univers.
Tomb Raider composer Jason Graves conducted the orchestral accompaniment.
P.S. Tomb Raider didn't win
Most Anticipated Game after all. That honor went to Grand Theft Auto V, but I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of action at next year's VGAs.
Still not liking it a single bit. :( Hope the revelation of the tombs will finally change my mind. Although, as a huge fan of the series, I'm most probably going to buy the game anyway, but I'm just really missing the game design philosophy of the 90s and, for the most part, am really not a big fan of how game design has changed in several regards since then.
ReplyDeleteI've been feeling more and more like an old-school throwback myself, Siavash. These new games (not just TR but games in general) put so much effort into shiny graphics that test the hardware and try to emulate cinema, that they sometimes forget what makes for good gameplay. I hope Tomb Raider won't go any farther in that direction. I guess we'll see in a few months. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised.
ReplyDeleteExactly Stella! Have you seen the new Disney 3D animation film "Wreck-It Ralph"? It's based on video games and I happen to have fallen in love with this film! :) There is a particular game area in the film, called "Sugar Rush" and it's an area completely made of candy and sweets for a kart racing game. Not that this has been an uncommon location in games and not that it is in any way comparable to Tomb Raider, but it has been done so imaginatively in this film and when I was seeing it, I couldn't help but feel that I'm really missing the time when game developers used to make games THIS way. I want games to be imaginative, make good use of the environments in creative ways, be challenging and offer a lot of variety. But as time is passing by, these type of games are getting rarer and rarer, and I really find that sad. It's the same with Tomb Rider. Even though the classic TRs did not feature candy worlds, they had a lot of focus on creative level design and variety and didn't shy away from bending reality to offer a more unique game experience. In contrast, as you said, games of today are more and more going towards realism and cinematic experiences instead of... well.. gameplay; and this seems to make the game developers forget about creative level design and variety. Also, games of today often try too hard to appeal to a wide audience and as a result, they decrease in difficulty to appeal more to casual gamers. Even many die-hard gamers seem to have become less tolerant towards losing in games. But in my opinion, there is not much satisfaction in winning if you don't lose often enough in a game. I could go on forever and talk about things like how games are more and more becoming action oriented and such things, but anyway, I think I've rambled on too much and have probably given you a headache. :P I just want to add as a last thing, that I don't think that I'm a nostalgic person who is resistant towards change. I actually believe (and hope that I'm right) that I'm very open to change and gladly embrace new ideas, if I think they have potential. For many years, I have been a supporter of Sonic the Hedgehog, during times when others weren't. :) But I think it is OK to think that some things had been better in the past and that doesn't make one automatically a throwback. :)
ReplyDeleteI Love it, really love it!!!
ReplyDeleteGame looks amazing!!!!!
I've played the game of Tomb raider (2013) and I'm in 74%, so far of completion. It's fantastic! I must finish it to a 100%. It's reeally worth buying it
ReplyDeleteSofia Pinto
Porto /Portugal
I'm a fan of the new game. I have it on PS3. It's the first game I've completed without consulting a walkthrough and I have almost 90% completion so I'm impressed with myself. I enjoyed it but it didn't feel like a tomb raider game. It was sort of like a female Uncharted. I'm a huge fan of Uncharted so can see the similarities.
ReplyDeleteStella, what are your thoughts on the new TR game?
ReplyDeleteHey, John. Sorry about the delay in replying. I really like the new game, although, as with all of them, there are some things I love and things I'd change if I had the chance. Overall, I think it's super fun to play. The levels are well-designed and beautifully detailed; the hub system, fast travel and light RPG elements are well done; and Lara and the camera move like a dream. Best camera in any TR game by far.
DeleteMy main criticisms are that the puzzles are too easy and too few; the "secret" tombs are much too obvious and way too easy; the in-game hints system completely ruins the challenge in certain areas; and the combat--though the mechanics are very well designed--does get a little repetitive. I think they should have incorporated a greater variety of enemies, like in past games.
I understand how some of the things I don't like are included for less experienced players and to help tell a particular story, but that's how I feel.
Once I finish my waltkhrough (still not done yet...argh!) I plan to post a real review on the site.
And how about you? Did you play it and if so, what did you think?
DeleteI loved this game. I have serious withdrawal symptoms now and am considering playing it all over again. Not that I was 100% happy with it. I didn't like having to play it through steam account. Also in the end I got bored with shooting people and felt that it had become a shooter game rather than an action adventure game. The puzzles were too easy and the tomb raiding was just an unchallenging side line. However I understand why the creators decided on this concept and I loved its rawness.However I do hope that if another TR game is made that there will be equal emphasis on puzzles and variety of things to do in the game (much like assassins creed) rather than just becoming another shoot em up game.
ReplyDeleteI was really looking forward to playing it, but unfortunately I don't like it at all. The aiming system is a pain, the characterisation is too dark, puzzles a bit obvious and parts of it are nasty (pegi18). It is too far removed from the previous series for me. I've stopped part way through and will not continue. Real shame - hope they go back to the old style and values.
DeleteAs much as I love Tomb Raider, I'm afraid I won't be purchasing the newest release. For some reason, the makers have gone far, far away from what the game started out to be and have made it an 18, adding excessive violence and bad language. What's the point of that? This used to be a game I could play with my kids, with the suspense factor being paramount, particularly in the first game. Now they've turned it into a completely different format and just used the Tomb Raider name to create a survival game that has nothing to do with the original Tomb Raider.
ReplyDeleteI'm very upset!