Tomb Raider Franchise Revamp Due Summer 2005?

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing a possible date for the relaunch of the Tomb Raider videogame franchise. According to the story: "Top Cow Productions announced they are temporarily halting production of the Tomb Raider comic book. According to the post, the comic 'will relaunch in conjunction with the release of the seventh Tomb Raider video game in the summer of 2005.'" We've previously covered news that "Crystal Dynamics is currently developing the new game with, according to some reports, the input of Ion Storm founder Warren Spector" - what changes would you like to see in a new Tomb Raider title?

Just let it die.

[PocketPick]

When is name-value a bad thing? When your game is called 'Tomb Raider'. While the brand is well recognized, few game players and reviewer circles have anything good to say about the quality of the product since it's second installment. I guess that Eidos never predicted that stale gameplay mechanics that were popular several years ago could ever wear out. It's only fitting now that Eidos is left with a series that is only known for it's big-breasted-heroine and not much else.

Gamers have grown considerably since the early PSX days, and people simply don't care anymore about the Tomb Raider sex-image that captured a number young gamers 7 years ago. I find it hard to imagine that anything else other than a complete overhall of every aspect of the game (including its main character) will salvage this series.

Hmm, Warren Spector designing a game...

[Cecil]

What would I like from it? How about having it designed for PC not for X-Box. *slaps Warren Spector*

Yeah, right. That'll never happen. It's so much easier to implement DRM and copy-protection and other garbage on a console, it's no wonder everyone is not-so-subtly trying to elbow the PC out of the way. We might as well forget that we once had the ability to do things like take screenshots from games without having a copyright notice splattered on them. (If you think I'm being facetious, try taking a screenshot in Final Fantasy XI)

Tomb Raider 'fixes'

[Marc_Hawke]

If I'm allowed to comment, since I've never actually played any.. :)

It seems the later games devolved into just being a vehicle for Lara. They accomplished their goal of making her a star, but then they didn't know what to do with her. So they dressed her up in new outfits and give her different types of 'extreme sports' to do.

(it's funny, but that's the exact same as the second movie)

If I were making a Lara game, I'd take a look at the new Prince of Persia. I'd also look at a SplinterCell2 type multiplayer, but also try to get a 4 person 'coop' thing going on with 'online' missions that are built for teamwork.

Think big, like Angel of Darkness, but don't rush

[jvmatthe]

While developing Angel of Darkness, Core Design actually quite a lengthy story/script to span three games. Angel of Darkness was just the first part, and by their accounts (as far as you can trust them), not the best part and by no means giving away the scope of the whole. The work put into giving Angel of Darkness a real story was pretty significant, and the characterization of Lara as a person was an important step forward for the series. It's a shame that people got so hung up on the faults of Angel of Darkness that they couldn't see these truly positive things: a good story and finally a three dimensional Lara that was more than just an a pair of adventuring breasts.

So, I say they should stick to the script (or improve it, as needed) and give us the rest of the story, and continue to refine Lara as a character. After the degradation in the second through the fifth games, where Lara becomes more of a mass murderer than an adventurer, let's not lose sight the real benefits of the sixth game just because it was rushed out the door by the publisher, Eidos, in a buggy state.

And, while you're at it, how about having a vision for a series that's larger than a single game? That was part of the Angel of Darkness plan too, and I'd like to see more game developers approaching their franchises a little less like discrete, unrelated points and more like a continuum.

Re:Easy....

[hoferbr]

Secondly, give the game a MGS2 move and make the player play as a 'rookie' character.
Seriously? Playing as Raiden in MGS2 was kind of anticlimatic, IMO.

Lara Croft is an overdone character thats around simply because of the 'boob' factor.
Tomb Raider is popular because of Lara Croft, not the other way around. When it first came out, the game did not have any mind blowing graphics or gameplay. The game success was based on Lara Croft (or her boobs, i don't know...)

Re:Just let it die.

[curtisk]

that was the same exact thought I had when I read the headline..."JUST LET IT DIE!"

It had its time, now let it die gracefully. Its like when 80's bands try to make a comeback, we had great memories of THEN (LOL if you are in my age range), don't tarnish them for trying to cash in NOW. Please...