Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Preview - How Lara's Classic Becomes Modern on Switch 2

Thirty years after Lara Croft's first adventure, the archaeologist returns to her roots in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog are not just remaking the 1996 game but also expanding its content and gameplay mechanics. We attended an in-depth presentation at gamescom, which primarily showcased Lara's time in Greece. Our preview of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reveals the impressions we gained.

Familiar, But Bigger

The presented demo sends Lara to St. Francis' Folly. In the original game, this is the fifth level. Lara has just arrived from Peru and continues her search for the Scion fragments in Greece.

The Damocles' Trial was a central focus of the presentation, with its swords naturally playing a key role. In Tomb Raider, players had to dodge these sharp blades; in Legacy of Atlantis, they are more integrated into the puzzles. This opens up multiple options for overcoming the room unharmed, suggesting more player freedom which would make the upcoming game more modern.

Instead of merely dodging the falling swords, the developer in the demo uses the massive blades as platforms. Once embedded in the floor, Lara can easily reach the next level. This demonstrates the developers' core approach: taking existing elements, expanding them, and thus enhancing the experience of the original title. For each level, they analyzed both the original and Tomb Raider: Anniversary to decide what to retain and what to rework. The goal is for the game to feel familiar without being a mere copy, a sentiment we can confirm for the demo level.

More Action, More Systems

As Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog have already announced, not only are the levels receiving a facelift, but Lara's movement and weapon arsenal are also being re-imagined. Here too, the aim is to preserve the old core while offering new options.

Lara's classic dual pistols are back, alongside other weapons like a shotgun, whose impact we could directly experience. In the final game, it will also be possible to complete the game solely with the dual pistols. Additionally, Lara possesses a focus system that allows her to briefly slow down time and fire more precise shots. This looked very good in the demo and should feel equally satisfying during gameplay.

The grappling hook also makes an appearance. Lara uses it to swing across chasms, rappel down, or interact with various mechanisms. While a grappling hook is expected in a modern action-adventure, whether it truly fits Lara remains to be seen and will require hands-on experience.

We also got a glimpse of the new skill tree, designed to adapt the game mechanics to the player's individual playstyle. Lara already possesses extensive abilities at the start of the game; instead, players can adjust aspects like combat, exploration, and survival skills. It's unclear at this point how this will manifest in gameplay or if it will remain a minor feature.

Crafting is also new. Instead of solely finding medipacks in ancient ruins, Lara will collect materials from her surroundings to craft healing items or temporary upgrades. This is a familiar mechanic in modern action titles. Whether these systems will truly improve the classic Tomb Raider experience remains to be seen.

Puzzles Without Constant Hand-Holding

A positive aspect was that the developers do not intend to constantly guide players through puzzles. Lara does have a scanner that can provide hints about the environment and puzzles, but its use is entirely optional.

In the subsequent Q&A, the team confirmed that the assistance features will be reduced or even entirely disableable. If they manage to appeal to both purists and newcomers, it would be highly desirable, as not everyone enjoys excessive player guidance.

Switch 2 Remains a Question Mark

While the demo likely ran on a powerful PC, the performance of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis on Nintendo Switch 2 remains uncertain. When asked, the developers explained that the Switch 2 version is being developed by an external partner working closely with the main studios. However, the specific studio responsible was not named. We can only hope that the project is in good hands, wherever it may be developed.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is set to release on February 12, 2027, for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis appears to be seeking the right balance between nostalgia and current gaming systems. Familiar locations and puzzles meet new mechanics, gadgets, and weapons, aiming to create a significantly more modern gameplay feel. Whether this approach will ultimately succeed and how well it will captivate both old fans and new adventurers remains to be seen in a playable version of Legacy of Atlantis. Everything looks good so far, and we'll find out if it plays as well in February 2027.