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Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered: Everything We Know

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7 months ago

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Lara Croft is about to receive a well-overdue makeover—a bit of TLC that, quite frankly, we really could’ve done with seeing twenty or so years ago. But alas, the gun-toting archeologist is on the verge of stepping back onto updated hardware, and the so-called Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered will be aiming to bring the best of the first three entries and a whole ocean of additional content, no less. So, good things are on the horizon for series die-hards after all, it seems.

As the title suggests, we already know that the upcoming bundle will include remastered versions of the first three PlayStation classics that launched back in the late 90s. But what else do we need to know about the collection? Who’s behind the development, and when are we likely to see it grace the shelves? Well, here’s everything we’ve been able to gather on the matter since first hearing of its existence a little earlier this month.

What Is Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered?

Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered is—you guessed it—a three-piece collection of the first three Tomb Raider games, completely revamped and modernized for a fresher look. But it’s more than that, though, apparently; the collection will also include all expansions and secret levels—a list that includes the following:

  • Tomb Raider I and “The Unfinished Business” Expansion
  • Tomb Raider II and “The Gold Mask” Expansion
  • Tomb Raider III and “The Lost Artifact” Expansion

According to the developer, Aspyr, the upcoming collection will feature the option to alternate between the classic polygon visuals, and a modern palette that’s been built from the ground up using updated tech and a newer engine. Either way, consumers will have their hands full when the jam-packed three-piece comes to the table. So there’s that.

Story

For those who’ve yet to brush up on the lore behind Tomb Raider, we can only say this: the first three games do not depict Lara Croft’s origin story. In fact, the first of the three games in the original trilogy actually takes place several years after the survivor trilogy—yet another three-piece that consists of 2013’s Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Having said that, you will not need to have slugged through those installments in order to make heads or tails of the originals. Sure enough, it would help to paint a clearer picture and give the world some level of context — but it isn’t exactly mandatory, either.

Story-wise, the first three games in the series follow Lara and her perilous endeavors across the likes of Atlantis and Antarctica on a quest to unravel treasures and long-lost mythological discoveries. From the looks of the trailer, the remastered versions won’t deviate too far from the source code, either, so you needn’t worry about missing out on any of the original storylines and plot points.

Gameplay

Aside from the all-round graphics overhaul, it seems the gameplay aspects will stay mostly true to the source, which means you’ll be able to experience the best of both worlds, really. As such, players will also be able to experience the rawness of the adventure-platforming series, along with every puzzle, obstacle, and hidden secret that made up the original series and its several expansions. Not a whole lot has changed on that front, by the looks of it, so we can expect our fair share of nostalgic moments over the course of the trilogy, that’s for sure.

Development

In case you missed the initial announcement, Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered is being built by the same team that gave life to the likes of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and MythForce. Rumor has it, the forthcoming remaster will launch in tandem with an official announcement from Square Enix—who’s currently working to “unify the timelines” and bring old Lara Croft full circle in a fourth and potentially final chapter for the 2013 rebooted series. But, of course, we can take that one with a grain of salt.

Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered first came to light as part of a Nintendo Direct event, which went on to outline the release date (we’ll get to that momentarily) and core gameplay elements. According to the devs, the collection will be playable across all major platforms, including Xbox One and PlayStation 4. But more on that shortly.

Trailer

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered - Announce Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Aspyr was ever so kind as to release a short trailer outlining a good portion of the gameplay details earlier this week, which you can check out for yourself by tapping the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered will be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam on February 14, 2024. It will be available for $29.99 on launch, and will come in just the standard edition on all major platforms. So, hardly any cause for concern there, then.

The good news is, those who decide to pre-order the collection ahead of its global launch will receive a slight discount, which is currently marked up as 10%. You can go ahead and get your hands on a pre-order copy from any of the respective stores today.

Interested in staying up to date with the latest Tomb Raider collection? If so, then be sure to check in with the devs over on their joint social handle for all the latest pre-launch updates here. If anything pops up ahead of its release, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

 

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of the Tomb Raider 1-2-3 Remastered collection when it releases on consoles and PC next year? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.

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Jord is acting Team Leader at gaming.net. If he isn't blabbering on in his daily listicles, then he's probably out writing fantasy novels or scraping Game Pass of all its slept on indies.