Shadow Of The Tomb Raider At E3 2018: What We Know And Want

Lara Croft returns in the upcoming Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the last entry in the Tomb Raider origin trilogy, which began with the titular series reboot in 2013. As one of Square Enix's biggest upcoming games, we're more than likely to hear about it at E3 2018. To prepare for what's ahead, let's breakdown what we already know about Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and what we're hoping to see at this year's E3.

What We Know So Far

Square Enix officially confirmed that Shadow of the Tomb Raider was in development with a trailer in March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when an employee was spotted in a subway train working on a presentation with the game's name. The game is scheduled to release on September 14 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While it'll be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal (Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Thief), it's worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project.

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You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization that tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During this expedition, Lara accidentally sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which thrusts her on a journey to save the world. The game is being touted as the darkest adventure Lara has been on yet, with developers mentioning that there will be far more drama and internal conflict than past games.

In terms of mechanics, Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series, including revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems.

What's Confirmed For E3?

With Shadow of the Tomb Raider's release in September, it's likely we'll see much more of the game at Square Enix's E3 2018 press conference on June 11. In a recent interview with GamesBeat, Eidos Montreal studio head David Anfossi teased that they'll be divulging more details on what differentiates Shadow of the Tomb Raider from past games. He described the future reveal as new, interesting, and very surprising for Tomb Raider fans.

What We Hope To See At E3

Aside from its initial reveal trailer and several screenshots, no actual gameplay has been shown of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. We're hoping Square Enix remedies this by offering a full demonstration at this year's press conference, showcasing the enhancements that Eidos Montreal has made to combat, stealth, and exploration. A closer look at any of the game's larger hub worlds would also be nice.

There has been discussion of Lara experiencing more internal conflict this time around. We'd love to get a better idea of what's going on with Lara, and how it has impacted her relationship to the game's supporting cast. Currently, we know that Lara's closest ally Jonah is returning, and it has been stated that he's evolved since his appearance in Rise of the Tomb Raider. An example of how his views clash with Lara's would be great to witness during gameplay. In addition, we hope to get a brief glimpse of the game's antagonist, who we know to be a part of Trinity, the villainous organization from the second game.

This might seem a bit cheesy, but if we can get a confirmation that Lara can use her signature dual-pistols, that would be amazing. Since the reboot series began in 2013, we've been slowly seeing Lara grow into the Tomb Raider we all know her to be. From sheltered archaeology graduate student to strong-willed survivalist, it's only a matter of time before she dawns the dual-pistols and performs acrobatic flips while simultaneously killing and skinning a grizzly bear. Okay, maybe that's a bit too much, but we're really hoping for another reference to Lara's classic pistols--at the very least!

Further Reading

• Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Wants To Make Lara Face Consequences
• Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Shows Lara In A Different Light