Tomb Raider: Underworld

Tomb Raider 8
Tomb Raider Underworld
Release Date	2008, 4th quarter
Platforms	probably PC, PlayStation 3, XBox 360, PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS
Developer	Crystal Dynamics
Publisher	Eidos Interactive
Game Chronology:
Tomb Raider Anniversary	Tomb Raider 8

Tomb Raider Underworld will most likely continue the story of Tomb Raider Legend, as it was left open at the end. Lara's next adventure revolves around the ancient Mayan calendar and the five days that leave the portal to the Underworld open. This Underworld may be the same as Avalon.

Release Dates & Platforms

Tomb Raider Underworld will probably come out late 2008 and will be playable on PC, PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and PS2. Other versions are highly unlikely.

Levels

• 4 Mexico
• Prologue

• No Illusions

• Mediterranean

• The Path to Avalon
• Niflheim
• The Norse Connection
• God of Thunder
• Realm of the Dead

• Coastal Thailand

• Remnants
• Bhogavati
• The Ancient World
• Puppet No Longer

• Croft Manor

• Protected by the Dead

• Southern Mexico

• The Unnamed Days
• Xibalba
• The Midgard Serpent
• Land of the Dead

• Jan Mayen Island

• Gate of the Dead
• Valhalla

• Andaman Sea

• Rituals Old

• Arctic Sea

• Helheim
• Yggdrasil
• Out of Time

Features and Controls

• dynamic weather
• dynamic dirt on Lara's clothes
• Lara "has more than a dozen layers that determine her skin tone and texture, how light reflects or scatters, how shadows form, etc."
• Lara has additional non-gameplay-relevant animations like pushing away branches
• Destroyed objects and defeated enemies will no longer vanish
• new combat tactics (hand-to-hand combat - kicking and punching - melee combat... e.g. hitting opponents with picked-up sticks)
• shooting two targets at once
• shooting while climbing
• shooting while balancing on a pole
• advanced environment interaction
• multiple usage of objects (e.g. using picked up items - like a wooden stick - as weapons or for climbing)
• sprinting
• balancing on ropes
• new, advanced wall-climbing
• multiple usage of the grapple rope (e.g. pulling objects closer, for climbing, for balancing across...)
• The game will be significantly longer than Tomb Raider Legend
• the game will contain more difficult puzzles
• The hint system can be turned off
• fewer boss fights
• Lara will encounter dangerous cryptids (creatures that are presumed extinct, or have yet to be discovered) that require many shots before being defeated
• improved opponent AI (e.g. recognition of thrown grenades and evasive actions)
• It has been rumoured that the medipacks will no longer exist and thus Lara must find another way of healing
• Keeley Hawes voices Lara

Locations

• South America, Mexico
• Australia
• Easter Island
• the Golden Triangle
• Mesopotamia
• Rome and the Vatican

Traps and Obstacles

• Spring Board

Characters and Enemies

Characters

• Lara Croft
• Winston
• Zip (not confirmed)
• Alister (not confirmed)

Enemies

• Animals
  • black panthers
  • bats
• spiders
• Monster Creatures
• Human Opponents

The number of human opponents is less than the number of animals in the game.

Outfits

As in Tomb Raider Legend and Anniversary Lara will have numerous Outfits at her disposal.

• Underworld Outfit

Vehicles

Lara will be able to drive her motorbike as part of the Mexico level. She will also make use of other (still unnamed) vehicles.

• Motorbike

Press Releases

January 2008

SCI Entertainment announces that Tomb Raider Underworld will be released in the fourth quarter of 2008, for PS3, XBox 360, PC, Wii, Nintendo DS and PS2.