Long-time Tomb Raider fans have plenty to look forward to with the upcoming re-release of the first three games in the series. Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered will feature various controls options, an in-depth photo mode, and plenty more.
Developer Aspyr detailed many of the planned changes coming to the imminent Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered release in a post on the PlayStation Blog this morning. Here’s what they shared with us:
Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered Features:
Classic and Modern Control Options
Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered will feature an option for modernized controls. This control scheme is reminiscent of the way Lara moves in Tomb Raider: Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld. Players will be able to move Lara independently of the camera, with the right stick retaining full camera control and the left stick moving Lara directionally. Tank controls will still be available for those seeking an experience more faithful to the original releases.
Boss Health Bars
Boss encounters will now feature a health bar UI at the bottom of the player’s screen. This health bar is meant to assist players through the more bullet-spongy enemies. With this extra information available, it’ll be easier to choose whether to lay on some heavy damage with the games’ bigger weapons or continue plinking away with Lara’s signature dual pistols.
3D Item Sprites
In the original trilogy, in-game items and treasures were depicted with 2D sprites. Part of Aspyr’s effort to enhance the gameplay experience is converting these 2D sprites to full 3D models, giving them a better sense of presence in the world. The art style of these new models remains faithful to the original game’s vision, preventing them from standing out or seeming out-of-place.
Trophies, Trophies, and More Trophies
Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered will feature a whopping 200+ trophies for players to collect. We don’t have the full trophy list yet, but Aspyr has reassured players that you will get a trophy for the most important actions like locking Winston the Butler in the freezer. Good times.
Photo Mode
No modern game is complete without a photo mode. With options for poses, facial expressions, outfits, and weapon changes, Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered’s new photo mode will give players plenty of opportunities to show off the game’s delightful new graphics and document Lara’s adventures.
Visual Upgrades
Speaking of new graphics, the team at Aspyr strived to update the game in a way that remained faithful to the original trilogy’s aesthetic and feel. As they put it, they “want the games to look the way they did in your mind.” They do so through a few key improvements:
- Baked and Real-Time Lighting Effects – Updated lighting goes a long way in older games. There’s a pretty clear difference and improvement in environmental ambience with the updated lighting system, but it’s not overdone in a way that kills the feel of the tomb-plundering classics.
- Graphics Toggle – At any point in time, players can swap back and forth between the original and updated graphics. This really helps to cement the differences and let players see exactly what’s changed.
- New Models, Environments, and Enemies – Aspyr’s touched up every part of the games’ 3D spaces, especially when it comes to character and enemy models. Lara herself sports a shiny new look that fits with the modern graphics without being unrecognizable. Textures and shaders have all been updated as well, giving them a “modern PS1” feel that really hits home.
This game looks great. It remains to be seen whether it hits the ideal remaster mark, but Aspyr clearly had a great design philosophy when working on this. Hopefully, it’ll turn those rose-colored memories of our time with the originals into reality and let us re-live some classic gaming experiences.
Tomb Raider Trilogy Remastered launches on February 14 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Source: PlayStation Blog
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