The locations have been a massive part of the Tomb Raider franchise since its initial release back in 1996. The ruins and jungles have served as an almost secondary character and antagonist to Lara as she explores the innards of tombs and remote locales, placing herself in peril to do so. In 2013, the series underwent a largely successful reboot that placed Lady Croft on the island of Yamatai following a catastrophic shipwreck and while many new innovations and personality developments were added to the then 17 year old series, the importance of the locations and setting stayed just as paramount. This crucial piece will be no different in the new sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider due out later this year.
(Above, Bierstadt's Cathedral Rock. Below, official concept art.)
Director of art, Brenoch Adams, spoke to how the atmosphere and visuals of the new installment help keep the player immersed in the game’s intended tone. “The uniqueness of this game comes from the combined efforts of all visual design to create an overwhelmingly immersive and powerful experience.” Drawing on 19th century masters such as Repin, Bierstadt and Mallord, the art team was able to create breath taking landscapes that evoke the awe, insolation and the press for survival of the games have always sought to inspire.
(Pictured above, Turner's Slave Ship. Below, offical concept art)
Just as important as the backdrop of the story, is the lore that pushes the plot forward. This is where Brian Horton, the game’s director comes in, “Sometimes we think about location first, sometimes about myths first, but it’s usually together. We wanted to go to an artic location, and when we did research on myths, we found this legend of the city of Kitezh – the city that sank into a lake. It seemed a legend that hasn’t been exploited much in modern cinema or modern books and games and it was those things that said it was perfect.” This introduction of a “new” old mythos for us to explore is a great avenue for new storytelling and a consideration we hope continues as the new incarnations of the series progress. We won’t be seeing the same gold encrusted Egyptian Valley of the Kings or moss sponged ruins of Cambodia or even the abandoned Cold War facilities of earlier games. This is a new world to go along with a new Lara.
