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[Meelow]

Yes and before that concept art and details were released when it was originally going to be a very different project. It was originally about lara marooned on a Japenese island that she could explore. The island was inhabitad by strange creatures from japenese folklore. It was open world with metroidvania elements and it would have had a survival horror slant.

Then somewhere along the way they decided to just make an uncharted clone

It's like the Epic Mickey of the Tomb Raider franchise, companies might as well not release concept art when the it looks much cooler then the released game.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

CD should release a new trailer that shows off some of the creepier stuff in the game, a hint of the supernatural or mythic creatures on the island.

Cause we know they're in there.

 

[kunonabi]

I used to think protect her jokes were funny until I took an arrow to the knee.



Health packs make just about as little sense as regenerating health. Oh I was shot in the chest three times? Better sprint over this box with a red cross on it that's randomly lying around, there, now I'm fine.

Developer like regenerating health because it let's them control the minimum amount of health you have in a given situation.

It prevents you from getting caught in a dead-end situation where you've got 3% health right before a big battle.

Players could just get better at the game to avoid that instead of having the developers holding their hand every step of the way.

 

[ProfessorMoran]

I used to think protect her jokes were funny until I took an arrow to the knee.



Health packs make just about as little sense as regenerating health. Oh I was shot in the chest three times? Better sprint over this box with a red cross on it that's randomly lying around, there, now I'm fine.

Developer like regenerating health because it let's them control the minimum amount of health you have in a given situation.

It prevents you from getting caught in a dead-end situation where you've got 3% health right before a big battle.

At least it's better than fucking picking up random red, blue and green potted plants all over the place and somehow having the time to grind them into powder and mix them, and then the game doesn't even give you a backpack to store all this shit.

Players could just get better at the game to avoid that instead of having the developers holding their hand every step of the way.

You do need a certain level of minimum health and the game designed so that with enough skill, you can survive a level with minimum health.

I think it would be good to have a combination of minimum health that can be regenerated and what Naughty Dog is doing with TLOU using bandages, at least that seems more realistic, but that's really for single player campaigns, in MP most devs don't do health packs anymore.

 

[Circle Jerk]

Players could just get better at the game to avoid that instead of having the developers holding their hand every step of the way.

That's poor design.

 

[NullPointer]

This game could be good, but damn if there hasn't been anything shown so far to make me believe in it. Will wait for the final product to judge, but man has the PR/marketing for this game hit all the wrong notes.

I don't even mind the lack of swimming all that much (even if one of my favorite small pleasures in Tomb Raider was finding the largest cliff to swan-dive off of), but the nonsensical way they answer the question: "Lara can swim, but not in this game."

Show me that this game isn't a linear scripted shooting/bowfest. Show me that there is actual exploration, and actual tombs filled with more age and mystery and acrobatic challenges than mercs. Show me more than explosions and chase sequences and QTEs and cinematics. Maybe then I could get interested.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

What's wrong with it at the EG Expo?

The demo was just about 5 minutes long and it was just a hand holding very scripted tutorial section, there was nothing there that I felt I could properly judge the game on. I was annoyed at the fact I queued about 45 minutes for something so damned short >_>

 

[neoism]

lol good to know will wait for a $20 dollar steam sale at most.

 

[tci]

Health packs make just about as little sense as regenerating health. Oh I was shot in the chest three times? Better sprint over this box with a red cross on it that's randomly lying around, there, now I'm fine.

Developer like regenerating health because it let's them control the minimum amount of health you have in a given situation.

It prevents you from getting caught in a dead-end situation where you've got 3% health right before a big battle.

Health regen is a lazy design because devs can go the easy route when designing levels, enemies, and encounters. Many games do this by just throwing lots of enemies at you, just because you just need to hide to heal. In addition instead of making a good design for boss encounters, they just give bosses 1000% health and throw him in there.

What you do is to award taking down/surviving an encounter. Either with a health kit or bandages. Why do you kill someone in a survivor game? Too get ammo and health. If you can sneak in and take it without being spotted, well reward that too.

To add to the survivor part, give her a backpack with limited slots. Then let that be expanded with either boss encounters or by exploration. That way you reward the player the correct way.

Games today is so dumbed down it is just silly. Wow, you just shot 50 guys, great! Have some xp. Where is the achievement in that? Game design today is pathetic. And CD is by far not the worst offender. Also one of the reasons I rarely buy games anymore. Just keep getting disappointed.

 

[Meccanical]

So have they announced the next title where we actually play as Lara Croft yet or what?

 

[Amir0x]

Have no idea why this is constantly getting bashed here on GAF. Whatever - Day 1!

Same reason why many "reboots" of series get bashed - because they're taking a franchise that has established tropes and a fanbase that has enjoyed the series for years, sometimes decades, and then changing everything that made it appealing in the first place.

It's not that change isn't good. It's that you can change while keeping it faithful to what made the series compelling.

QTE scenes, autoplatforming, health regen, a drastically diminished focus on actual tombs in favor of "set pieces"... this is not Tomb Raider, it's Uncharted.

It's worse in this case because despite some quite negative entries, they were finally on the right track again AND there is no other game series still that plays anything like true TR titles. The combination of relatively challenging platforming, extended multilayered puzzles, and isolation is simply still not being attempted by almost anything else on the market in this same precise fashion. The comparisons to Uncharted were a joke before; now with this latest TR it's true.

So the added fact that this Tomb Raider is yet the latest entry in the autogame setpiece genre and looks and feels nothing like a TR game in any way, it's obviously going to have people bashing it.

I don't know why this shocks people.

Edit: Oh, it's important to note just the distinction here about change. Tomb Raider Guardian of Light is a astoundingly good game, and it is as changed as can be. But it is pretty universally loved, by me and by many others on GAF. It's not change, it's the TYPE of change

 

[Mlatador]

Just realize it guys. This is not a game for people who liked Tomb Raider... How silly to believe that. Did you really think it was make for "YOU"??

 

[MuddyDonut]

I-I-I liked the swimming in the OG Tomb Raiders, like how Underworld started too!
You fucking fought sharks man!

 

[PhoenixSFT]

I'm actually pretty pumped for this re-boot (is it still coming to WiiU?), but really, regenerative health in a game that LOOKS geared towards survival just seems pointless.

 

[Meccanical]

I'm actually pretty pumped for this re-boot (is it still coming to WiiU?), but really, regenerative health in a game that LOOKS geared towards survival just seems pointless.

It's not so much about survival as it is making you want to protect her.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I'm actually pretty pumped for this re-boot (is it still coming to WiiU?), but really, regenerative health in a game that LOOKS geared towards survival just seems pointless.

Yeah, CD posted a shot from the WiiU version a few days ago.

Spoiler

 

[ProfessorMoran]

Health regen is a lazy design because devs can go the easy route when designing levels, enemies, and encounters. Many games do this by just throwing lots of enemies at you, just because you just need to hide to heal. In addition instead of making a good design for boss encounters, they just give bosses 1000% health and throw him in there.

What you do is to award taking down/surviving an encounter. Either with a health kit or bandages. Why do you kill someone in a survivor game? Too get ammo and health. If you can sneak in and take it without being spotted, well reward that too.

To add to the survivor part, give her a backpack with limited slots. Then let that be expanded with either boss encounters or by exploration. That way you reward the player the correct way.

Games today is so dumbed down it is just silly. Wow, you just shot 50 guys, great! Have some xp. Where is the achievement in that? Game design today is pathetic. And CD is by far not the worst offender. Also one of the reasons I rarely buy games anymore. Just keep getting disappointed.

Are you talking about TLOU?

 

[Amir0x]

Yeah, CD posted a shot from the WiiU version a few days ago.

Spoiler

So Wii U is getting the better game confirmed. Will purchase this version.

 

[CambriaRising]

Whatever, looks cool to me.

 

[ArjanN]

I-I-I liked the swimming in the OG Tomb Raiders, like how Underworld started too!
You fucking fought sharks man!

As far as swimming sections go, Tomb Raider was generally pretty well done actually.

Same reason why many "reboots" of series get bashed - because they're taking a franchise that has established tropes and a fanbase that has enjoyed the series for years, sometimes decades, and then changing everything that made it appealing in the first place.

It's not that change isn't good. It's that you can change while keeping it faithful to what made the series compelling.

QTE scenes, autoplatforming, health regen, a drastically diminished focus on actual tombs in favor of "set pieces"... this is not Tomb Raider, it's Uncharted.

It's worse in this case because despite some quite negative entries, they were finally on the right track again AND there is no other game series still that plays anything like true TR titles. The combination of relatively challenging platforming, extended multilayered puzzles, and isolation is simply still not being attempted by almost anything else on the market in this same precise fashion. The comparisons to Uncharted were a joke before; now with this latest TR it's true.

So the added fact that this Tomb Raider is yet the latest entry in the autogame setpiece genre and looks and feels nothing like a TR game in any way, it's obviously going to have people bashing it.

I don't know why this shocks people.

Edit: Oh, it's important to note just the distinction here about change. Tomb Raider Guardian of Light is a astoundingly good game, and it is as changed as can be. But it is pretty universally loved, by me and by many others on GAF. It's not change, it's the TYPE of change

Too bad you can't actually know if any of that is actually true until the game comes out.

 

[Meccanical]

Too bad you can't actually know if any of that is actually true until the game comes out.

Trailers and demos don't represent the game huh?

Well this is some failure marketing.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

So Wii U is getting the better game confirmed. Will purchase this version.

Touche!

Spoiler

Personally I'd still buy the Uncharted clone.

 

[tci]

Are you talking about TLOU?

Sorry?

 

[Amir0x]

Too bad you can't actually know if any of that is actually true until the game comes out.

Abuh? Every feature I've listed has already been confirmed by the developer at some stage, or confirmed by watching actual gameplay videos.

I mean whether or not you'll enjoy it is of course up for debate... but the actual feature set? We already know this game does not resemble Tomb Raider in the least for all the reasons I stated. Which is fine for some people... but it is a representation of why some are disappointed with the final result, which is what my answer was about.

Touche!

Spoiler

Personally I'd still buy the Uncharted clone.

Yeah and so will many others too

 

[Meccanical]

Sorry?

The Last of Us, new game currently in development by Naughty Dog.

 

[Zee-Row]

Regenerating health is the worst game play mechanic ever , i hate it.

 

[Chinner]

does anyone know if this game has any political commentary on american political system? i ask before i see that this game is supposed to be highly intelligent.

 

[ArjanN]

Abuh? Every feature I've listed has already been confirmed by the developer at some stage, or confirmed by watching actual gameplay videos.

I mean whether or not you'll enjoy it is of course up for debate... but the actual feature set? We already know this game does not resemble Tomb Raider in the least for all the reasons I stated. Which is fine for some people... but it is a representation of why some are disappointed with the final result, which is what my answer was about.

Umm, no we don't. This looks way more like the previous Tomb Raider games than Guardian of Light did. (which was indeed a great game)
We don't know what the final result is at all yet. I wasn't talking about the feature set, I meant the conclusions you drew about it, stuff like this:

So the added fact that this Tomb Raider is yet the latest entry in the autogame setpiece genre and looks and feels nothing like a TR game in any way, it's obviously going to have people bashing it.

Which is just your opinion. IMO it's way too soon to write the the game off given how little we've actually seen of the game.

 

[Amir0x]

I didn't mean the feature set, I meant the conclusions you drew about it, stuff like this:



Which is just your opinion. IMO it's way too soon to write the the game off given how little we've actually seen of the game.

It's my opinion technically, but I think it's a fairly obvious conclusion to make. I've played every single TR game that exists, some of them multiple times. I know every little in and outs of their gameplay. I also played the Tomb Raider demo at NYCC 2012.

This is nothing like previous Tomb Raider games. It is so far from what makes Tomb Raider click it really might as well be a different franchise. Which is why some people are disappointed. There is no game on the market that plays like traditional TR games; now there are really no games at all that play like that.

Which isn't to say plenty of people won't still find it enjoyable. It just will be enjoyable for reasons entirely unrelated to what made previous TR games enjoyable.

 

[DjRoomba]

Are we only now complaining bout health regen? Not for every other game that nonsensically uses it? Regular war joe in every fps is an invincible superhero? Drake from uncharted a demigod? Laziest design work ever, yet so few avoid it. When did this shit start anyway, and why did every game after follow it?

 

[Kelegacy]

Swimming is one of my favorite exploration parts in any game. Especially the first Tomb Raider game. Lots of great memories.

Not being able to swim really puts the damper on this for me. And health regen...gaming has gone down a really messed up route the last decade. Too many games have the same mechanics...too many games are basically the same.

It's time for some new mechanics to be introduced and let's change gears a bit.

I'll play this game but not really excited to do so right now.

 

[Amir0x]

Are we only now complaining bout health regen? Not for every other game that nonsensically uses it? Laziest design work ever, yet so few avoid it. When did this shit start anyway, and why did every game after follow it?

The old Ys game had health regen back in the day. I think some other RPGs used it too.

But it blew up with Halo 2. That's when it got popular. Thank you Halo :/

 

[Combichristoffersen]

does anyone know if this game has any political commentary on american political system? i ask before i see that this game is supposed to be highly intelligent.

Yes. Lara is the USA, the villains are libruls and you, the player, is the GOP. Your (the GOP's) job is to protect Lara (the US) from being raped by the villains (libruls). The final boss is a black guy (Obama) who wants to steal all of Lara's treasures (overtax the US like the commie he is).

 

[Iceman]

Are we only now complaining bout health regen? Not for every other game that nonsensically uses it? Laziest design work ever, yet so few avoid it. When did this shit start anyway, and why did every game after follow it?

I always thought it started with Halo 2??

Shield regeneration was such a welcome concept to the FPS. The success of Uncharted I think made it an option for TR clones, even though it was built into Uncharted (I presume) in order to endure the combat elements that are, historically, few and far between in the TR series.

 

[NullPointer]

The old Ys game had health regen back in the day. I think some other RPGs used it too.

But it blew up with Halo 2. That's when it got popular. Thank you Halo :/

The only thing wrong with regenerating health is that its used in almost every game now, regardless of whether its a good fit.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Are we only now complaining bout health regen? Not for every other game that nonsensically uses it? Laziest design work ever, yet so few avoid it. When did this shit start anyway, and why did every game after follow it?

I'm fine with health regen in some games. But there are some series that it has no place in. I don't want to see it in something like a Metal Gear or Tomb Raider.

This game is just becoming more confusing as we learn more info on it. As some have mentioned earlier, the fact that it has health regen suggests that combat is going to play a very large role in it. That's usually why developers use health regen. It takes some heat off the player when they know they can hide behind something to gain health instead of having to search and keep health packs.

 

[NullPointer]

This game is just becoming more confusing as we learn more info on it. As some have mentioned earlier, the fact that it has health regen suggests that combat is going to play a very large role in it. That's usually why developers use health regen. It takes some heat off the player when they know they can hide behind something to gain health instead of having to search and keep health packs.

And if we can know anything its that Tomb Raider fans have always wanted more combat. Yup.

 

[SomeOneInaHat]

So no water levels:

 

[Glass Rebel]

And if we can know anything its that Tomb Raider fans have always wanted more combat. Yup.

At least it won't be worse than in Legend.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

One of my favorite aspects in the original Tomb Raider was finding those high, multiplatform rooms with the pool at the bottom, climbing to the top, and diving off.

Also those ridiculous dives that would absolutely end in an agonizing deaths.


Loved TR1 and 2.

 

[Ricker]

I don't believe this...people aren't buying this or waiting for bin or Steam sale because Lara can't swim??? jesus christ,no wonder NPD sales are going down each month...

 

[Eideka]

I don't believe this...people aren't buying this or waiting for bin or Steam sale because Lara can't swim??? jesus christ,no wonder NPD sales are going down each month...

Nothing wrong about waiting for a price drop.

It's their job to figure a right business model.

 

[NullPointer]

One of my favorite aspects in the original Tomb Raider was finding those high, multiplatform rooms with the pool at the bottom, climbing to the top, and diving off.

Also those ridiculous dives that would absolutely end in an agonizing deaths.


Loved TR1 and 2.

 

[Glass Rebel]

I don't believe this...people aren't buying this or waiting for bin or Steam sale because Lara can't swim??? jesus christ,no wonder NPD sales are going down each month...

Those poor multi-million dollar companies.

 

[Hindle]

I was so up for this when it was first announced. Metroidvania in an island, it just sounded awesome. But nope they had to go down the emotional, storytelling, Uncharted shit route.

 

[bone_and_sinew]

I don't believe this...people aren't buying this or waiting for bin or Steam sale because Lara can't swim??? jesus christ,no wonder NPD sales are going down each month...

Lara Croft not being able to swim is like Mario not being able to jump.

And the regen health just screams lazy, cookie-cutter, this gen AAA design. Everything about this game is just completely offputting.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I quite like the old TR games, but they were getting pretty stale.

Tomb Raider: Uncharted might not be original, but I bet it will be more fun than another traditional TR game the way things were going. If they do it right, of course.

Day 1.

 

[Anticitizen One]

As far as im concerned this Tomb Raider should have been an open world 30-40 hour adventure in the vein of Metroid Prime that allows you to explore at your own pace. There could still be story scripted moments and big action moments like Skyrim it just shouldn't be the entire game like that.

Most modern games feel like im just rushing down a corridor holding X for 6 hours and then boom ending (with bonus cliffhanger scene after credits to set up the next 6 hour corridor run!) and its sad to see Tomb Raider join the fray.

 

[Nyoro SF]

I'm interested in seeing how many people buy the game despite the obvious warning signs everywhere. Should be fun!

 

[ChosenPredator]

It's like the Epic Mickey of the Tomb Raider franchise, companies might as well not release concept art when the it looks much cooler then the released game.

sooooooo true the concept art for epic mickey was amazing and it turned out to be such a massive disappointment