The Tomb Raider franchise has gone through many ebbs and flows over the years through its game and film releases - with the series' first few games standing as some of the most important of their era and the reboots heralded as some of the best. But with the Tomb Raider franchise now at a stand-still, it might be time for it to return to its roots, m💮ore or less.
Arguably, the series reached its height with its first four games, with the first two being its highlights in the eyes of many. However, it's undeniable that the gameplay found in the reboots, similar to the polished mechanics of Uncharted, is far superior to the originals. With updated gunplay, refined traversal, and satisfying set-pieces, 2013's Tomb Raider, 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider were great modern-day takes on the franchise. Why not take these mechanics to the originals in the style what has been done with Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and MediEvil.
Although this accomplishes several objectives, this would help remind players, perhaps disillusioned by the reboots, why they fell in love with the series in the first place. Graphically updated locales with refined gameplay could make for the ultimate experience for old-school Tomb Raider fans who missed the boat with the reboot trilogy.
Starting from scratch might also be a terrific way to introduce newcomers to the series. However successful the reboot trilogy was, there are likely a lot of players that missed their chance, including some existing Uncharted fans. A remake of the originals would offe🅰r fans a modern way to play some of the most beloved classics on 📖the original PlayStation.
This would be a new starting point from the series, tonally and otherwise. The reboot trilogy had the unfortunate tendency to be overly dark and gruesome at times, with Lara Croft prone to horrible deaths at any given moment. By contrast, any new titles following the hypothetical remakes could be comparatively light-hearted and comparable to the more uplifting moments of the Uncharted franchise. Of course, part of the Tomb Raider reboots' objective was to distinguish itself from that franchise, which took inspiration from Tomb Raider. However, ๊the dark tone was simply dragged through the mud.
With the Tomb Raider reboot saga having reached its apparent conclusion, it's time for a fresh start, and it could easily initiate that by riding on the coattails of thꦆe successful remakes that have been developed in recent times. This would help players discover, and rediscover, its beloved beginnings while giving it another breath of fresh air.