Custom Search
Release Dates and Platforms: Xbox One and Xbox 360 (November 2015). Windows PC (January 2016), PS4 (October 2016). Mac and Linux (April 2018), Stadia (2019).
ESRB/PEGI: Mature/18+
Metacritic Score: 86 (details)
Rise of the Tomb Raider is the second installment in the TR Survivor trilogy, focusing on Lara Croft's early adventures and evolution into a more mature adventurer. This story arc began in TOMB RAIDER (2013) and will culminate in Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018.
Rise of the Tomb Raider was originally released exclusively on Xbox One and 360. The Windows PC version followed a few months after, but the PS4 release did not occur until nearly a year ater the initial launch. For links to additional media coverage, including the announcement of the PS4 release and 20 Year Celebration edition, check out the various ROTTR posts on Stella's Tomb Raider Blog. The list of bullet points below includes a spoiler-free overview of the game.
Rise of the Tomb Raider Screenshots
Click each image to enlarge. This collection is by no means complete. Check out the Official TR10 Media thread on the Square Enix Forums for everything released so far.
Rise of the Tomb Raider Game Details
- The game initially launched in November 2015 as an Xbox exclusive, with Crystal Dynamics developing the Xbox One version and Nixxes Studios, which has collaborated closely with Crystal in the past, working on the Xbox 360 game. The PC version came out in January 2016. The PlayStation 4 version is scheduled to release October 11, 2016, as a special 20 Year Celebration edition including all previous DLC plus new content and features.
- Camilla Luddington and Earl Baylon reprise their roles as Lara and Jonah. In addition to regular voice and motion capture, the game incorporates Mova motion-capture technology, which is used for high-resolution facial capture in films as well as videogames.
- As we saw in the Rise of the Tomb Raider announcement trailer, Lara carries both physical and psychological scars from her experiences in TOMB RAIDER (2013). Her encounter with the Sun Queen, Himiko, has fueled an obsession with immortality myths. Lara now seeks answers to the questions raised by her experiences on Yamatai.
- The story centers on Lara's search for the invisible city of Kitezh from Russian folklore.
- An early level set in the Syrian desert centers on Lara's search for a tomb mentioned in her father's research. Most of the game takes place in Siberia, though it comprises a variety of terrain types including icy peaks, dense forests, and underwater caverns.
- Survival against the elements, combat, and exploration continue to play major roles in the game, but in response to fan feedback, the developers have incorporated more tombs and ancient ruins—as well as more elaborate, multi-layered puzzles.
- Rise includes an expanded crafting system that involves collecting such items as "plants, minerals, metals, cloth, hides, and other items" which can then be used to create new tools and weapons, including grapple lines for traversal; traps, explosives, and poisoned weapons for combat; and bandages for healing on the fly.
- Lara will still wield her new trademark climbing axe and bow, but there will also be an expanded variety of weapons and weapon upgrades.
- There are numerous hidden collectibles, similar to the documents and GPS caches found in the last game, as well as obelisks with ancient inscriptions that Lara must decipher. As her translation skills develop, Lara's—and the player's—understanding of the game's lore and secrets will deepen.
- The game world includes a number of medium sized, somewhat linear levels. There are also two massive "hub" levels, which are two to three times larger than the ones featured in the last game. In-game transitions between areas are seamless with no load screens, although using the network of fast-travel camps to move between distant areas does require a little load time.
- The secret organization known as "Trinity," which was mentioned in TOMB RAIDER (2013), as well as in the Dark Horse comic series and the novel Tomb Raider: The Ten Thousand Immortals, will play a major part in Rise.
- In addition to hiding behind cover, as in the last game, Lara can now climb trees and swim underwater, providing more options for moving through the game world and approaching (or avoiding) combat.
- There is no multiplayer component in the main game; however, players can extend their gameplay and compete against friends through various "Expedition" modes. These incorporate virtual collector's cards, which can be earned by completing in-game challenges or purchased with real money. For details, check out my blog post, "Rise of the Tomb Raider Season Pass and Expeditions FAQ."
- Co-op Endurance mode, a two-player online survival challenge, was added in October 2016.
- Game Director Brian Horton estimates 15 hours of gameplay to finish the story, 30+ hours for 100% completion.
- PC System Requirements:
Minimum system requirements:
Minimum OS: Windows 7 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD equivalent
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 650 2GB or AMD HD7770 2GB
RAM: 6GB
HD Space: 25GB
DirectX: DirectX 11
Input: Mouse + Keyboard
Recommended system requirements:
OS: Windows 10 64 bit
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 980Ti 2560x1440 or NVIDIA GTX 970 1920x1080
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 25 GB available space
Additional PC Resources:
System Requirements Lab - Can You RUN It?
Maximum PC's Rise of the Tomb Raider Optimization Guide
For more details about the PC version, check out this blog post.
