[Prevailer]

This interview with Global Brand Director Karl Stewart was recorded at Gamescom 2012.

On why they decide to make a reboot:

Karl Stewart: "Tomb Raider has been around now sixteen years and Crystal Dynamics were fortunate and honoured to be albe to inherit the franchise and created Legend, Anniversary and Underworld. During that period of time we always felt like we wanted to put our mark on the franchise and at the same time sort of reimagine it for today’s audience to bring the franchise to a space where people will care for the character in a very different way and care for the franchise and understand the franchise and bring personality that we may not have seen before. We just felt like it was the right time to take chance to tell an origins story. You know, Lara came on the scene sixteen years ago and she had twin guns and she was this adventure girl where you could never see this side of her."

About their inspirations:

Karl Stewart: "In terms of actual location it wasn’t a case where we decided that we wanted it to place on an island. We wanted to take it place on a place where we could to have some history and back story. For us it was a great narrative opportunity to build upon. The inspiration for inside of the game came from many places. So the reimagining inspiration came from things like James Bond and Batman Begins where you take existing franchises and turn them around. Then inside of it: actual sequences. We look at the climb out which we showed at our demo last year, it is very reminiscent of the movie “The Descent”. When you look at Lara’s character and you think of Ripley of “Alien” starting as a regular group member and ending up as kick ass girl. So inspirations just came from many different places and not just one."

It still feels like a Tomb Raider game:

Karl Stewart: "We make sure from the very beginning that the game is build upon pillars of Tomb Raider of years gone by. So the puzzle solving, the exploration and the combat, they are firm things that – even if we reimagined them – are still there, to make sure when you’re playing it, it still feels like a Tomb Raider game. The idea was to bring the pillars into a cinematic quality so that you feel like you’re in that world. As you play the game it feels almost like you’re playing a movie at times and once you know you’re in control of that you can sort of keep that differentiation in between. As we demo the game sometimes we have to show people that we are actually controlling it because it’s literally like watching a movie. So it’s very important that we retain the pillars and just build upon them and make it unique to the point that we reimagining the characters and the gameplay."

Here is a english video of the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yIyg2DqpVY

Here is the english transcript:
http://jpgames.de/2012/08/interview-...-karl-stewart/

In my opinion this was one of the best.. or the best.. game showed at Gamescom 2012. I'm really looking forward.

[Holy Crap]

I'm still really hyped for this game. I always seem to get Lara Croft a pass on these iteration but I doom Sonic on every endeavor. I wonder why that is.

[Derrick01]

I remain hopeful for the game because Eidos has a really good reputation this generation but everything they show makes it look like femcharted. If there's substance to the game then they need to stop saying and start showing.

[Salaadin]

I remain hopeful for the game because Eidos has a really good reputation this generation but everything they show makes it look like femcharted. If there's substance to the game then they need to stop saying and start showing.

Exactly how I feel.

[iNvid02]

im gonna buy it, i quite enjoyed uncharted

[Hindle]

I've no interest in controlling a movie, I want to play a game. They're going to mess this up again I feel it.

[Glass Rebel]

I remain hopeful for the game because Eidos has a really good reputation this generation but everything they show makes it look like femcharted. If there's substance to the game then they need to stop saying and start showing.

Good marketing by Square-Enix Europe? Surely you jest. Better hope some Italian magazine leaks review code for Hitman: Absolution and Tomb Raider.

[Imm0rt4l]

I'm of the type that doesn't know what that means. The Tomb Raider games that I knew were 1-3, exploring, finding keys/switches getting lost for a long time and eventually beating the level.

[AHA-Lambda]

I remain hopeful for the game because Eidos has a really good reputation this generation but everything they show makes it look like femcharted. If there's substance to the game then they need to stop saying and start showing.

Yeah, this sums up my feelings perfectly on the game.

[GreggTheGrimReaper]

Still undecided. I loved the old Tomb Raider games but never enjoyed "cinematic gameplay" so I'll have to wait and see how this will turn out.

[sleepykyo]

it still feels like a Tomb Raider game

Between this and the feel of 60fps, I've learned that in pr speak: feels = let's just pretend it is, even though it clearly isn't.

[Hindle]

I was under the impression the game played like MGS 3 or an Arkham Asylum, but so far it seems it's more Uncharted. They need to start talking about the depth or the exploration in the game and less about the story and cinema.

[LeBrick James]

Anyone expecting old school Tomb Raider design is sure to be disappointed. It'll be Tomb Raider, but modernized and inspired by Uncharted. Not that I have much of a problem with that, since Uncharted is a great series to take after.

I'm expecting the best Tomb Raider release since Croft in her heyday, but nothing special.

[Lime]

Oh look, another PR attempt at downplaying everyone's fears, despite all trailer evidence to the contrary.

[Y2Kev]

okie dokie, put out your e3 demo :)

[UrbanRats]

Everything they showed pretty much told me otherwise, the things i loved about Tomb Raider do not seem to be there, in their place i've seen a lot of shooting, a lot of combat with humans and a lot of talking and cutscenes/QTEs.

But hey, i'm still tuned in, waiting for something to convince me otherwise.

Oh look, another PR attempt at downplaying everyone's fears, despite all trailer evidence to the contrary.

To be fair, Hitman had a lot of crappy PR talking too, but then they also showed some meaty Hitman-like gameplay, that placated the fans.
Let's hope they'll do the same (although i think there too much combat and crap, already).

[boutrosinit]

"Brand Director".

FFS.

I saw the demo being played. Looks annoyingly over-scripted and overly laid up for noobs.

They're probably saving all the actual tomb raiding platformy stuff for closer to release.

[Lime]

"Slide down slope" - 10 XP

"Climb a ladder" - 40 XP

"Pick up equipment" - 50 XP

"Survive cutscene" - 100 XP!

Game Design 2012, ladies and gentlemen

Sorry if I'm ruining the thread, but the XP mechanic we have seen is so incredibly dumb and really puts me off the whole storytelling ideal they are aiming for. I want this game to be good.

[Lime]

To be fair, Hitman had a lot of crappy PR talking too, but then they also showed some meaty Hitman-like gameplay, that placated the fans. Let's hope they'll do the same (although i think there too much combat and crap, already).

You're right, the Hitman gameplay trailer finally alleviated everyone's fears, but I still think it's such a common PR tactic for AAA game developers to go out and state something to try and calm the fanbase down, despite the material shown pointing to the contrary (like you yourself mentioned).

[Nibel]

Wait

There is XP shit in this?

[Boerseun]

They just keep on digging ...

[Ninjimbo]

CD has put out 4 good Tomb Raider games this gen. There's no for me to doubt them.

I'm sure we'll see the exploration and puzzles as we get closer to release. We're still half a year away from when its supposed to be out.

[Derrick01]

Wait There is XP shit in this?

Yes. In one of the E3 demos the player got XP just for watching a cutscene...

[curttard]

The idea was to bring the pillars into a cinematic quality so that you feel like you’re in that world.

Making a game feel like a movie is just putting two layers between the effect you're after instead of one.

The whole strength of games is that, at their best, you feel like you're in this world, discovering it, exploring it, interacting with it.

With movies, at best you're LOOKING AT this world.

Why in the fuck is taking away the immersion and interaction of a game and replacing it with the passive spectating of a movie suddenly considered a goal to strive for? They don't look as good as movies, they're not acted as well as movies, they're not written as well as movies; why on earth do I want some shitty CG puppet version of a shitty made-for-SyFy movie in my $60 videogame?

Someone explain to me how videogames grew and grew until the world took notice, announcing with surprise that games are becoming as big and as popular as movies, then even surpassing movies, and the videogame makers decided this was their cue to, rather than expand on what games had that was enabling them to overtake movies, instead work to turn them into the movies they were overtaking?

[UrbanRats]

You're right, the Hitman gameplay trailer finally alleviated everyone's fears, but I still think it's such a common PR tactic for AAA game developers to go out and state something to try and calm the fanbase down, despite the material shown pointing to the contrary (like you yourself mentioned).

I feel you man, as a huge fan of the brand, for its core elements of isolation, exploration and exotic tombs, i'm pretty disappointed so far.

Wait There is XP shit in this?

More than you can imagine, apparently.

[iammeiam]

"Slide down slope" - 10 XP "Climb a ladder" - 40 XP "Pick up equipment" - 50 XP "Survive cutscene" - 100 XP! Game Design 2012, ladies and gentlemen

That is cinematic as all hell--you're getting to interactively play a training montage! I assume they're still working out which 80s pop song to license for the sequence.

[Messofanego]

Oh God are the TV spots going to be like Uncharted where casual people go gaga over how much it looks like a movie?

Enough is enough, I've had it with these low investment mechanics!

[Jocchan]

With every interview, my interest in this game keeps going down.

That is cinematic as all hell--you're getting to interactively play a training montage! I assume they're still working out which 80s pop song to license for the sequence.

Eye of the Tiger please.

[Diprosalic]

i don't mind franchises changing, i think they should but this one looks like a steaming pile of garbage.

[Brobzoid]

He talks about being inspired by James Bond and Batman, but why not Modesty Blaze? There is a hair-thin difference between Modesty Blaze and Lara Croft as far as back-stories or whatever go, easiest copypasta recipe in the world damn it.

[Y2Kev]

With every interview, my interest in this game keeps going down. Eye of the Tiger please.

Why? Don't you like awesome games? How many gaffers need to post day -1 for you to understand? or are you one of those people that likes to read?

[Haunted]

okie dokie, put out your e3 demo :)

Won't anyone think of the 10 million dollar marketing campaign schedule!

[Hiltz]

Karl Stewart: Tomb Raider feels like Tomb Raider, but it's like Uncharted, you know ? I mean, instead of Nathan Drake, we have Lara and she's vunerable and alone and she gets hurt a lot. Oh, and there's rape. That's the difference. Well, I should say, attempted rape. We thought it would be natural. An empowering way to show a female lead character survive in hostile territory under realistic circumstances. It felt natural to show Lara almost being raped. Fans will love it, the rape I mean. It's part of the immersive experience. Was it necessary to include rape? No. However, I like rape. I mean to say that I like the idea of attempted rape.

[Kizer]

I have to admit I haven't been following the news on this game very much. Is the attempted rape scene going to be a quick time event?

[Hiltz]

I have to admit I haven't been following the news on this game very much. Is the attempted rape scene going to be a quick time event?

I have no idea, but it would be hilarious to see what happens if you fail to press the button in time. Lara would like break the fourth wall by staring at you and say something like "You really want this to happen ?"

[Jocchan]

or are you one of those people that likes to read?

I tried to stop, I swear.

[Kizer]

I have no idea, but it would be hilarious to see what happens if you fail to press the button in time. Lara would like break the fourth wall by staring at you and say something like "You really want this to happen ?"

...I kinda like that idea to be honest. It would be like when your playing a game and you make the choices the game doesn't want you to make so it rewinds and tells you not to do that. Why the hell do games give false choices like that anyway?

[Xav]

I think this game is getting way too much hate, everyone is jumping to conclusions. Isn't game like 9 months off still?
Personally I'm really looking forward to it and if it does remind you of Uncharted is that a bad thing? Uncharted was basically Tomb Raider & Gears of War put together anyway. The only thing I don't like is Lara's new voice, I prefered whoever did the Legend/Anniversary/Underworld but it's a minor compliant. Game looks awesome, bring it on.

[Grisby]

Yeah, I hope it does. Some cinematic stuff is fine but not every game has to be a movie.

[iammeiam]

Game looks awesome, bring it on.

Isn't the game like 9 months off still? It's a bit early to be jumping to conclusions.

Realistically, companies do interviews and pre-release marketing because they want us jumping to conclusions about how awesome their game is gonna be to build buzz before it comes out. Tomb Raider has thusfar been doing a spectacular job of alienating the shit out of a substantial portion of its target audience; game could wind up amazing but it doesn't mean we can't talk about how dumb the game they're presenting it as sounds. Some people actually liked the old TR style gameplay and seeing it replaced with Uncharted is disappointing. We already have an Uncharted series.

[jimi_dini]

Karl Stewart: "It still feels like a Tomb Raider game"

Do not worry. You got enough time left to remove the remaining left-overs.

[PetriP-TNT]

Karl Stewart: "It still feels like a Tomb Raider game" (Gamescom 2012 interview)...

...which does make sense, because Uncharted 1 did feel like an Tomb Raider game on many parts

[sublimit]

If he really thinks so then i think i have a very different idea from his of what a true Tomb Raider game is.

Anyway it's just PR so it doesn't really matter.

[Anticitizen One]

Was this game changed radically mid development? Based off the initial trailers and the leaked concept art it was going to be Lara stranded alone on an island in Japan and it would have been open world metroidvania as she tried to get off the island and figure out the mystery I believe the enemies would have been these undead zombie like creatures roaming the island but then at this E3 it seems like it was changed to be more like a cinematic COD/Uncharted game with linear levels and that lara is part of a team stuck on the island and they are fighting some mercenary group. I wonder what gives

[LiquidSolid]

I was under the impression the game played like MGS 3 or an Arkham Asylum, but so far it seems it's more Uncharted. They need to start talking about the depth or the exploration in the game and less about the story and cinema.

Arkham Asylum was exactly what I was expecting after the first 2-3 leaks. The idea of being able to explore this open world island which opened up as you found more equipment was new and really interesting. Sadly, everything they've shown since then has decreased my hype and I really don't care that much anymore. I've got 4 real Uncharted games, I don't need a clone with horrendous writing and voice acting.

[Mithos]

With every interview, my interest in this game keeps going down.

At least I don't have to worry about the game.

[Xav]

Realistically, companies do interviews and pre-release marketing because they want us jumping to conclusions about how awesome their game is gonna be to build buzz before it comes out.

Thanks dude, I had no idea about that until you pointed it out...

[disappeared]

They need to stop putting Lara up on the pedestal here. They're making it sound like she's about to die for our sins or something.

Just keep your mouth shut and let the game do the talking.

[DR2K]

They need to stop putting Lara up on the pedestal here. They're making it sound like she's about to die for our sins or something. Just keep your mouth shut and let the game do the talking.

Don't read the interviews and just play the game when it comes out.

[Liamario]

I love uncharted, but I'm started to get a little concerned about the direction that games like it are taking. Gameplay should be paramount above all else. Unfortunately, it seems that some developers are trying to create interactive films.
This may not be the case with this, but what I've seen of gameplay has unimpressed me.