After showcasing the ice-cold and unforgiving environments of Siberia just yesterday, Crystal Dynamics was in attendance for Square Enix’s E3 presentation to take us behind the scenes of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Here, we learn much more abut the studio’s creative process as they set out to build the hotly-anticipated sequel from the ground up for Xbox One – it’s expected to release for PS4 and PC at a later, as-yet-unspecified date – including the rendering of heroine Lara Croft, who will naturally react to the different environments around her. This means that, over time, snowflakes will gradually accumulate on her clothes and skin, and though it’s a minor detail in the grand, tomb-raiding scale of things, it’s still a nice touch nonetheless.
It’s a method of approach that extends to facial animations, too, and we’ve already seen some of the natural, strikingly realistic characters on display in the footage released thus far for Rise of the Tomb Raider. As one of Microsoft’s undisputed heavy-hitters, there’s certainly a lot riding on Crystal’s follow-up not only in the sense that it has to deliver on the promise of its predecessor, but also because it has to rub shoulders with the likes of Fallout 4 and Star Wars Battlefront in what is fast becoming a crowded holiday season.
Lara Croft will pursue the elixir of immortality when Rise of the Tomb Raider hits Xbox One on November 10. Stay tuned for more updates on Crystal Dynamics’ sequel as it nears launch.
