Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Revealed

Eidos revealed exclusive information to GameSpot and videogames.com about the next Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. The game will be available on both the PC and PlayStation and is expected release this November.

As can be predicted, Lara Croft will return, but this time the entire game is set in a single location, Egypt, and stretches back (while moving forward) to its original Tomb Raider design, emphasizing gameplay and story in a single, jointed theme. The story this time has Lara, as archeologist, traversing a timely millennium story that uses astronomy and mythology to push the gameplay forward.

According to Eidos, "The title returns Lara to the cloak-and-dagger intrigue of Northern Africa developed in the still-popular original Tomb Raider game." Besides reaching back to the elements that made players enjoy the game in the first place, Core is addressing gripes that gamers have had regarding the game's difficulty level, graphics, and lack of cohesiveness.

Particularly of note is the work Core has put into the game's engine. The Last Revelation will be, according to developers, almost completely seamless. Also, according to Eidos, "New programming routines allow levels to dissolve into cinematic cutscenes and full-motion video (FMV). Loading screens are eliminated, making the adventure a continuous experience. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation¹s redesigned inventory system replaces traditional inventory rings with an easier-to-use interface allowing items to be combined, collected, and stored. The new inventory also features Lara's diary, which includes her personal notes from each adventure and a location map that players can access for hints and tips. Application of the transformed system will give new life to puzzle elements - a key feature of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation."

The new game will be much more focused on the environment at hand, and you won't be jumping around from scenario to scenario as you did in TR III. Likewise, these scenarios will be much more like those in the original game in terms of the setting - tombs and such. And the gameplay? More puzzles (some very much like board games) and less platform jumping. You'll also have more environmental objects to interact with - meaning enemies and inanimate materials.

And what will Lara look like? Much better, says Eidos. Unlike her old polygonal self, Lara will now appear with a highly detailed skin without any polygon gaps, and she'll have new moves.

Eidos calls The Last Revelation an amalgamation of all other Tomb Raiders. We have much, much more in store for you, so keep checking back for more first information on the game. In the meantime, check out the shots.