Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Presentation

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a complete reimagining of the original 1996 Tomb Raider. Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog revisit Lara Croft's foundational adventure while rebuilding its environments, exploration, puzzles and combat with a modern design approach.

Lara's quest takes her through several iconic regions: the jungles of Peru, the ruins of ancient Greece, the deserts of Egypt and a mysterious Mediterranean island associated with the myth of Atlantis.

Her objective remains the search for the different fragments of the Scion, an ancient artifact with considerable power. The classic story has also been expanded to further develop certain events and create new connections between this first adventure and later stages of Lara's journey.

Exploration remains central. Lara must climb walls, cross gaps, leap between structures and use her grappling hook to reach certain areas or swing across obstacles.

The environments have been significantly expanded compared with the original game. Some rooms that were once separate are now integrated into semi-connected spaces, offering multiple paths, approaches and optional areas to explore.

The puzzles have also been extensively reworked. Some notably require players to manipulate water flow, redirect beams of light, use pressure plates or interpret symbols discovered in the environment.

Several iconic situations from the 1996 game return in a new form. In Peru's Lost Valley, for example, the mechanisms and puzzle structure have been completely rebuilt rather than simply reproduced.

Combat retains Lara's signature dual pistols and pits her against various predators and creatures encountered during the expedition. The overall approach has been modernized to complement the new movement system and the more open environmental design.

Secrets, resources and collectible items also reward exploration of side paths and hidden areas.

The game therefore aims to preserve the identity of the original adventure while transforming its structure enough that exploration, puzzles and combat no longer rely on exactly the same solutions as the 1996 title.

Key points

• A complete reimagining of the original 1996 Tomb Raider.
• Lara searches for the fragments of the Scion.
• An adventure spanning Peru, Greece, Egypt and a Mediterranean island.
• Environments completely rebuilt with Unreal Engine 5.
• Exploration built around Lara's acrobatics and traversal abilities.
• The grappling hook allows her to climb and cross certain obstacles.
• Larger and more interconnected environments than in the original.
• Extensively reimagined puzzles.
• Water, light, pressure plates and symbols are used in certain mechanisms.
• The return of Lara's signature dual pistols.
• Predators and other dangers accompany exploration.
• Secrets, collectibles and resources reward side paths.
• A classic story expanded with new narrative connections.

Conclusion

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis does not simply reproduce the first game with new graphics: its environments and puzzles are rebuilt around a more modern approach to exploration.

The search for the Scion, the iconic destinations and the core principles of the original adventure remain intact, but Lara now has more developed traversal abilities and moves through larger, more interconnected spaces.

This approach allows the game to return to the origins of Tomb Raider while reinterpreting their structure enough to create a distinct version of the 1996 title.

Good to know

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is jointly developed by Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog, with Amazon Game Studios as publisher.

The game launches on February 12, 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.

It is developed with Unreal Engine 5.

The title is designed as a single-player experience.

Alix Wilton Regan voices Lara Croft in this new interpretation of the character.

The project revisits the original 1996 Tomb Raider, but its developers describe it as a complete reimagining rather than a simple remaster.

The environments have been expanded and several puzzles completely rebuilt. Peru's Lost Valley is notably used as an example of this new approach, with spaces that were once separate now connected more naturally.

The game is available in Standard, Deluxe and Collector's editions. The Deluxe Edition notably includes an additional narrative pack planned for release after launch, with its exact release date still unannounced.

Another separate adventure, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, is also planned for 2027. It is a new chapter in the series rather than a direct sequel included within Legacy of Atlantis.

This entry focuses on the main campaign, the search for the Scion, exploration, puzzles and the core systems of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, without detailing the commercial editions or the future narrative DLC.