July 19, 2016

Rise of the Tomb Raider Scavenger Hunt Returns

The Rise of the Tomb Raider Scavenger Hunt is back! Pre-order the 20 Year Celebration edition; complete weekly trivia, photo, and social challenges; and unlock DLC, prizes, and for one lucky winnner, an Arctic adventure holiday!

Details are on the Official Tomb Raider Blog and trscavengerhunt.com.

(Sorry but the challenge is only open to fans in the US and Canada.)

Rise of the Tomb Raider Coming to PS4 October 11 with Croft Manor DLC and VR Support

It's official! This morning Crystal Dynamics announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration will launch on PlayStation 4 October 11. This special edition will include the main game, all previously released DLC, plus a new story chapter called "Blood Ties," set in Croft Manor. Other new features include co-op play for Endurance Mode and PlayStation VR support. A collector's edition will also feature a 28-page book filled with official concept art and community contributions.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Box

Here's a quick rundown of the new features:
  • The price for the 20-Year Celebration edition without the Artbook is set at $59.99. Since the game includes all DLC, there is no Season Pass. (Compare to the Xbox One and PC releases were $59.99 plus $29.99 for the DLC season pass.)
  • The new single-player Croft Manor DLC chapter, "Blood Ties," will allow players to explore Croft Manor in the main story mode, then defend it against a zombie invasion in a replayable Expedition mode called "Lara’s Nightmare." Blood Ties includes approximately 60 minutes of new gameplay.
  • "Endurance Mode," a DLC pack previously released for Xbox and PC, will include a new online co-op expansion. Nadia (the NPC from the earlier Baba Yaga and Cold Darkness Awakened DLC, will be the second playable character. However, through clever design and dialogue, each player will appear as Lara, collaborating with Nadia for survival.
  • Brutal new "Extreme Survivor" difficulty mode with no checkpoints.
  • Re-designed cold-weather outfit inspired by the Antarctica levels in Tomb Raider III, plus classic Tomb Raider Uzis.
  • Classic Lara card pack which will allow fans to play Expedition Modes using one of five classic Lara models: Original Croft Manor, Classic Tomb Raider II, Tomb Raider II Bomber Jacket, Tomb Raider: Chronicles Catsuit, and Classic Angel of Darkness. (See the Expedition Modes FAQ for details on these special game modes included with the main game.)
  • All existing DLC including "Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch" and "Cold Darkness Awakened" packs, 12 outfits, 7 weapons, 35 Expedition Cards, etc., will be included at no extra cost.
  • Support for PlayStation VR that challenges players to unlock the mysteries of Croft Manor in first person.
  • PS4 Twitch integration featuring custom frame and viewer voting.
  • The Artbook Edition will be available worldwide on PlayStation 4 through participating retailers (TBA). Select European retailers will also offer the Artbook Edition for PC.
  • Rise of the Tomb Raider 20th Anniversary Edition (with all the DLC mentioned above) will also be available for PC and Xbox One, though not for Xbox 360. If you already own the original ROTTR game, the Blood Ties DLC and co-op Endurance Mode will be available for PC and Xbox One either separately or as part of the Season Pass. This new DLC is not available for Xbox 360.
  • If you do not own the Season Pass and wish to purchase only the "Blood Ties" pack it will be available separately for $9.99.
Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration includes tons of new content. Click to enlarge.

Pre-order the PS4 edition through your local game store or Amazon.com I will add links for Amazon UK, the Artbook edition, and the PC/Xbox One editions as soon as I have them.

For all the juicy details, check out this post on the official Tomb Raider blog and this Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration FAQ from Senior Community Manager Meagan Marie.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration screenshot
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration screenshot. Click to enlarge.

July 1, 2016

Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen Compendium

All five issues of Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen are now collected in a 120-page, full-color trade paperback from Dark Horse Comics. I've ordered a copy for our Extra Life giveaway in November. If you can't wait to win it, it's also available at Things From Another World (at 10% off the $19.99 cover price) or as single-issue downloads from Dark Horse Digital.

The series is set in the same universe as the Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Temple of Osiris games. The story, by Corinna Bechko, centers around Lara's and fellow adventurer Carter Bell's attempts to stop a shady cult from unleashing global devastation. According to the promo blurb, "Ancient ivory artifacts hold the key to both salvation and destruction, and these rivals turned friends must recover them before the cultists in a race against time! Lara's newest quest is filled with incredible action, dual pistols, and high-spirited adventure."