Tomb Raider was, in its early days, one of the best gaming series around. But after the first three games it just seemed to lose its shine, looking old, tired, and a little samey. However the lead character remains strong and the gameplay remains fun, so there’s always a chance of a comeback.
Square Enix is now re-imagining the Tomb Raider franchise, with a new game currently in the works. Originally slated for a late-2012 release it has now slipped to early-2013. But that may not be such a bad thing.
According to Mike Fischer, President and CEO of Square Enix’ U.S. division, the game is already looking great but the extra few months of development time could mean it’s something special. While talking about how it takes time to get things right he told VentureBeat:
“The same thing applies to Tomb Raider, right? We just announced the game’s going to be coming out in 2013. We could ship that game now, it’s so good. So imagine how awesome it’s going to be when it hits the market. I can look you in the eye and tell you, honest to goodness, we want this to be the best game of the generation. And the time that we’re giving it is going to allow that to happen. Look, you’re going to see the game at E3. Tell me if you think I’m blowing smoke your way. It’s really that good.”
We’ll know by the footage shown at E3 what state the game is in. But it makes sense for Square Enix to get this reboot right. It could completely revitalize the series in the minds of old and new fans alike. I’d be happy if it turns out to be an Uncharted clone, quite frankly.
