Rise of the Tomb Raider Demo impressions.

Here’s a list of facts gleaned from the demo, bullet-pointed for your convenience.

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Siberia:

First of all I must say it looks fantastic. It certainly
reminds me of Tomb Raider II Golden Mask.

  • ·       
    Snow will limit Lara’s speed. Player will have
    to consider the environment if they plan to retreat from the enemy
  • ·       
    Camps are back. Fast travel, upgrades and
    crafting can be done here just like in TR2013
  • ·       
    You will need various ingredients to craft
    things. This is very much like the crafting system they used for Far Cry 4
  • ·       
    Lara will have multiple bows to choose from to
    please both stealth and action fans.
  • ·       
    Lara’s health regenerates over time but you
    can craft “medipacks” from berries and cloth.
  • ·       
    You can use medipacks just like in the classic
    Tomb Raider – no need to pause, just press the hotkey
  • ·       
    You can craft various types of ammo too. For
    example, Lara can craft poisoned arrows from mushrooms.
  • ·       
    She also can find a gasoline tank and craft some
    sort of bigger version of a Molotov
  • ·       
    The bear guards an entrance to the Tomb. There will
    be a few bosses like him
  • ·       
    Brian calls the bear “Mishka” or “Misha” which in
    Russian means “cute little bear”
  • ·       
    Lara lost Jonah and some of her equipment at the
    beginning of the level.
  • ·       
    Lara restores the abandoned camp, This is some
    sort of a tutorial to introduce you to crafting and collecting
  • ·       
    There are wolves
  • ·       
    There are “quick time events”
  • ·       
    The Soviet base is the biggest location that
    Crystal Dynamics have ever created
  • ·       
    The base is filled with side missions, crypts,
    documents, artefacts and, of course, tombs
  • ·       
    Lara can use various items to distract enemies. For example, she found a walkie-talkie and threw it to cause a distraction
  • ·       
    Lara listens to the broadcast from Trinity over the radio. This is how she learns about the organisation
  • ·       
    Lara uses the environment to kill enemies (she
    can for example pick up a rock and smash it off their heads)

Syria

The location that was once referred to as Oasis has finally
been revealed. Lara goes to North Western border of Syria. It starts with Lara’s
guide driving them in a Jeep. A military helicopter suddenly follows them. Lara
learns that the guide sold her out (TR4 anyone?) but he gets shot by the
helicopter right away. The car crashes. Lara is obviously the sole survivor.

  • ·       
    Lara is looking for a tomb of some “prophet”
  • ·       
    There are some artefacts to collect. They look
    like little chests
  • ·       
    Lara climbs mountains using her bare hands!
  • ·       
    Lara has a voice recorder with her father’s
    notes on it. She listens to them where appropriate. This is very similar to Werner’s
    diary in the Angel of Darkness.
  • ·       
    In order for Lara to translate a monolith she
    needs to increase her language proficiency. She does it by observing and
    reading various drawings on the walls etc.
  • ·       
    Lara interacts naturally with the environment – she will touch
    walls as she goes by etc.
  • ·       
    The camera gets “dirty” and “wet”
  • ·        Tips are displayed on Loading Screens

  • ·       
    There are LOADS of traps and puzzles to solve.
  • ·       
    Lara can use environment to solve puzzles. IE
    she can flood the lower level to reach the higher level (just like Tomb Raider
    Anniversary, St Francis Folly => Neptune Hall)

Transportation, lodging, and E3 badge
provided by Crystal Dynamics and Xbox as a part of the E3 2015 Ambassador
Program.