Developer Aspyr has shared new information about Tomb Raider I-II-III Remastered, presenting the improvements and new features of this remastered collection. The relationship between Aspyr and Lara Croft dates back to the company’s early days, when they released Tomb Raider II for Macintosh computers in its early days as a startup in the video game industry.
Until 2003, Aspyr continued to work on the Tomb Raider franchise, releasing iconic titles such as Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider III, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. After years of deliberation on how to approach the overhaul of these titles, Aspyr ultimately decided to pursue an approach that balances preservation and modernization.
Crystal Dynamics Vision and Remaster Goals:
With the goal of preserving the original essence of the games and making them accessible to modern audiences, Aspyr partnered with Crystal Dynamics. The remastering process was divided into three key areas: engineering, gameplay, and art.
- Engineering: Performance with Pixel-Perfect Preservation:
- Using the original source code and engine, the team ensures that users can switch between the original and remastered looks, paying homage to memories of the games in their classic form.
- Gameplay: Surprise and Please Always Fans:
- Maintaining the original gameplay with the existing source code, Aspyr focused on adding surprises and improvements. This includes modern control options inspired by the Legend, Anniversary and Underworld era of Tomb Raider, health bars for bosses, 3D sprite replacement for items, and over 200 trophies.
- Art: Visualization True to Memory:
- Working closely with Crystal Dynamics, Aspyr set out to make games look like we remember them. They introduced baked and real-time lighting effects, a graphical switch between the original and modern styles, new models for Lara Croft, environments and enemies, and additional updates to maintain visual consistency.
Launch and More Surprises:
Tomb Raider I-II-III Remastered is scheduled for release on February 14 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam. In addition to visual and gameplay improvements, a robust photo mode has been added so players can share iconic moments. Aspyr promises more surprises and content on the way to launch. Get ready to rediscover the magic of Tomb Raider in a remastered experience!
Fountain: Gematsu
