Tomb Raider (2013)

Crystal Dynamics as has always been sort of a Western game industry training ground, which employees some time run ahead of the engine available budgets and studio technology, and then take a grain positions in Electronic Arts, Blizzard, Naughty Dog ...

Two years ago, in February 2009 - first, the studio changed employer: Japanese holding Square Enix bought Eidos assets and took over the rights to the brand as Tomb Raider(among others), as well as studio urgently translated previous employer mode «Tomb Raider only» just before the transaction. Few months to continue the purge Eidos, which resulted in their seats lost fifty employees, and was hired by many new professionals. At the same time solving the most important question: what to do with already-running project, a continuation of Tomb Raider: Underworld , the success of which he believed did not even engaged in the development of every employee?

Strictly speaking, since there was Uncharted, the question of whether or not to restart the Tomb Raider, could be considered as solved. Late Game Eidos significantly lagged behind the big-budget blockbusters technically and game series Tomb Raider, in addition constrained set of conventions, most of which are more than fifteen years. This was evident in the absence of genre competition during Eidos, and this is especially evident now that the fate of the show was taken over by Square Enix. Before the new management was simple, if you think about it, the choice: to build a foundation for Tomb Raider from the ground, breathing in the stale series new life, or put one of the iconic characters of the industry "for the future." About Crystal Dynamics of the Japanese bosses were also two possible solutions: either by using the staffing situation, pull up to the level of modern studio AAA projects (and hence provide adequate funding and to create for "forge" the very conditions in which, finally, you get to keep best people in the field), or transfer to the sector unassuming downloadable games.

But do not forget about the merits of Crystal Dynamics. After the studio, on the right with a "heavy inheritance» Core Design and gave us an Anniversary , Legend and Underworld, to line up his trilogy on another material, get your hands on not just another character, another story and another's mythology, but also other people's gameplay dogma wrong frame and someone else's responsibility. In this work, begun in the last generation, done well, the cycle is completed, can and should move on. This is logical and fair - to allow the foster parents of Lara Croft by to raise a new baby. That's how it was decided to deal with the legacy of the Underworld, at a time when part of the staff engaged in the development of spin-off Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light .Under the auspices of Square Enix revised financial opportunities, set new - much more ambitious - goals, hired necessary to blockbuster AAA-class experts ... Thus was born one who will survive.

Sorry, Lara, we were told to forget you

Perhaps the appearance of dark concept sole survivor we owe adventures of Nathan Drake, famously appropriated numerous skirmishes against exotic landscapes - the concept, twice PLANT Lara Croft in a deadlock. In an attempt to dodge the direct competition authors Tomb Raider , intentionally or not, go back to the very first game of the series, which has already had to deal, working on her remake, Anniversary. Both Lara Croft appeared before a player is not hard-hearted supervuman ruthlessly shoot the clip for the clip in the seemingly endless villains, but resourceful, clever and emotionally vulnerable girl, whose hands have not been human blood. This time in the Crystal Dynamics are going to go further - to give us a heroine, not ready for the upcoming challenges. 21-year-old university graduate, whose fate forever changed that day when all of a sudden gust storm effortlessly break "persistent" not survive the battle with the raging elements and saved by a miracle. Beached willfully wave to an unknown shore extremely inhospitable island away from the other survivors, with nothing but the wreckage yesterday seemed indestructible rescue ship, Lara Croft will be what has never been involved, - the struggle for survival. And in order to survive, according to the developers, it will have to overcome the physical and psychological torment. And along with it - and us. In the first minutes of the game will own hands cause her character answered by a serious pain to hear her cry - and this is the only way to be saved from the fate of a lot worse than burnt clothes, vspuchivshayasya blistered skin and something spicy, dug into the side.

Increased attention emotional state of Lara (and with it the gamer) - one of the most important lines in the list of steering the project, Darrell Gallagher and Noah Hughes, the people responsible not only for a new game, but also for the whole restart the series, to update the brand.One of the super ideas restart - create a realistic Lara Croft, one in which you can believe. "Our goal was to create a very humane, authentic character. - Says Tim Longo, franchise director of Tomb Raider.- New, and then break it again to recover, forcing pass through a series of tests of survival, which will completely change it.After all, before the player will appear completely different person, someone to whom he had become attached, who grew up and matured in his eyes. "

To achieve this goal, first of all had to rethink not only the image but also the appearance of Lara Croft. The "classic" character, born in the era of unassumingly textures and acute shortage of grounds, obviously a bit late in its current guise, recalling not the plastic doll, not a wax figure, capable of only the most simple, cartoon-like exaggerated emotions.Certainly, "puppet" design had its own charm, but his time has passed. Brian Horton, chief designer of the project, is aware of the fact that the rejection of the usual appearance of Lara jarred many fans, but firmly to his: to make a realistic game, we need a realistic character. Of course, not created from scratch - work on the transfer of the main distinguishing features was carried out very tedious - but transformed bold enough to make gamers in a different way to treat "rebooting" the character. The current Lara young, unprepared, in pain and despair, and in a difficult situation may well bump into a panic. Do not ask her graceful flips and rollicking firing with two hands. Have compassion - live girl lost in a terrible jungle.