Now that Crystal Dynamics has re-established Lara Croft’s place on the pantheon of modern video game franchises, the studio is facing the difficult second album trope with this year’s Rise of the Tomb Raider. Barely a month has passed since the sequel’s E3 showcase, but already Microsoft is gearing up for the game to have a big presence at San Diego Comic-Con later this week.
In preparation for the event, Entertainment Weekly has revealed a series of concept art for Rise of the Tomb Raider, while Art Director Brenoch Adams spoke to the outlet about the inspiration behind some of the in-game settings.
“In this piece we see Lara outfitted with her signature bow, approaching an enemy base. She’ll need to rely on her intellect and quick wits, while using her surroundings to her advantage to defeat her enemies. “This piece exudes the sense of grandeur, majesty and adventure that we hope players will experience as they discover and explore these tombs.”
Whereas the studio’s bold 2013 reboot portrayed a younger, slightly more naive Lara Croft as a intrepid explorer, Rise of the Tomb Raider will witness gaming’s most enduring heroine become the titular raider of tombs we know and love. Up until now, the vast majority of promotional material has centered around the sequel’s icy Siberian setting, though Crystal’s follow-up will see Lara chart course for a Russian gulag and mythic Byzantine ruins, too – locations that Adams describes as some of the “most hostile” on Earth.
Rise of the Tomb Raider will launch as an Xbox timed-exclusive on November 10. Crystal Dynamics’ hotly-anticipated sequel is expected to make its way over onto PlayStation 4 and PC about six months after its initial release.
