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Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis includes crafting and skill trees from the Survivor trilogy, and fans already hate it – but the devs have some good news
Developed over time first seen 3 months ago
GamesRadar+ reported that the upcoming game Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will carry over crafting systems and skill trees from the Survivor trilogy, the Crystal Dynamics-developed reboot series comprising Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The design choice drew a negative reaction from some fans, who had hoped for a departure from these established mechanics, though the report noted that the developers offered reassurance in response to the criticism.
Beyond the headline claim, the available report did not set out further specifics of what the developers' reassurance entailed, nor did it confirm additional gameplay details or a release date for the title. The story appears to have received no further coverage beyond this initial report, leaving the precise nature of the "good news" from the development team unconfirmed.
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In short
- Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reuses Survivor trilogy crafting and skill trees
- Some fans reacted negatively to the returning systems
- Developers reportedly reassured fans, but details remain unconfirmed
How this story developed
- 3 months ago GamesRadar+ reports that the upcoming game Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will feature crafting systems and skill trees carried over from the Survivor trilogy (the Crystal Dynamics-developed reboot series comprising Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider).
- 3 months ago GamesRadar+ reported that the upcoming game Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will carry over crafting systems and skill trees from the Survivor trilogy, the Crystal Dynamics-developed reboot series comprising Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The crafting and skill tree systems proved their worth across three commercially successful Survivor trilogy entries, with demonstrated player engagement and integration into exploration and action gameplay. Retaining these mechanics allows the development team to build upon an established foundation that resonates with the existing player base, freeing resources for new content, stories, and innovations rather than redesigning core systems from scratch.
The case against
Players seeking franchise evolution have a legitimate case that carrying over the same progression systems risks creative stagnation and mechanical fatigue. A fresh entry offers the creative opportunity to design original systems that better reflect new direction and story, potentially appealing to players who want genuine innovation rather than iteration on familiar mechanics, and avoiding the perception that the series is repeating itself.
Explained simply
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is an upcoming instalment in the long-running Tomb Raider video game series, which follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft. The new game is being developed as a follow-up to the recent "Survivor" trilogy of games, which relaunched the series with a grittier, more survival-focused style. Its developers have revealed some gameplay features carried over from those earlier titles, prompting strong reactions from parts of the game's fan base.
Central to the discussion are two systems familiar to many modern action games: crafting, where players gather resources to build or upgrade items, and skill trees, where players unlock new abilities as they progress. Some long-time Tomb Raider fans see these mechanics as a departure from the puzzle-and-exploration focus of older games in the series, sparking debate about the direction the franchise is taking.
In response to the criticism, the development team has been offering reassurances about how these systems will work in practice, including how much freedom players will have over their preferred playstyle and equipment choices. The story matters to followers of the franchise because it speaks to an ongoing tension in long-running game series between introducing new mechanics to appeal to wider audiences and preserving the elements that originally made a series distinctive.