Tomb Raider Reloaded
{{Short description|2023 video game}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Tomb Raider Reloaded
| image = TombRaiderReloaded logo.png
| developer = Emerald City Games{{efn|Support for and additional development of the game by DECA Games since late 2023.{{cite web |title=Tomb Raider Reloaded Scores New Game Developer |url=https://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines4742.html |website=Tomb Raider Chronicles |access-date=20 December 2023 |date=19 December 2023}}}}
| publisher = CDE Entertainment
| engine = Unity
| released = {{Start date|2023|02|14|df=y}}{{cite web | url=https://www.polygon.com/23580235/tomb-raider-reloaded-release-date-roguelike-android-ios | title=Lara Croft discovers the roguelike in Tomb Raider Reloaded | website=Polygon | date=February 2023}}
| genre = Action
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer{{efn|Added as of version 1.4. First multiplayer event commenced on September 29, 2023.}}
| caption =
| alt =
}}
Tomb Raider Reloaded is an action arcade game developed by Emerald City Games and published by CDE Entertainment for iOS and Android devices. Based on the Tomb Raider series, the game uses the classic character depiction of protagonist Lara Croft, departing from the "grittier" presentation of the "Survivor" reboot trilogy that began with Tomb Raider in 2013. The title was released between 2020 and 2022 in a few select countries as a free-to-play game, with optional in-app purchases,{{Cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Cass |title=Classic Lara Croft is back in cute mobile game Tomb Raider Reloaded |work=Polygon |date=2020-11-23 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/11/23/21591559/tomb-raider-reloaded-lara-croft-mobile-game-release-date-trailer |language=en-US |access-date=2020-11-23 |df=mdy-all}}{{Cite web |last1=Gregson-Wood |first1=Stephen |title=Tomb Raider Reloaded is an upcoming action arcade game that's heading for mobile in 2021 |work=Pocket Gamer |date=2020-11-23 |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/084873/tomb-raider-reloaded-is-an-upcoming-action-arcade-game-thats-heading-for-mobile-in-2021/ |language=en |access-date=2020-11-23 |df=mdy-all}} with a full release on 14 February 2023.
Gameplay
{{Expand section|date=June 2023}}
Tomb Raider Reloaded is a top-down shooter that plays similar to the mobile game Archero, becoming one of the few Tomb Raider games played from a top-down perspective, such as Tomb Raider: The Prophecy and the two Lara Croft spin-offs Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris.
Premise
{{Further|Tomb Raider (1996 video game)#Plot|Tomb Raider: Anniversary#Plot}}
Tomb Raider Reloaded is the third Tomb Raider video game to be based on archaeologist Lara Croft's quest to uncover the lost kingdom of Atlantis by searching for three parts of an Atlantean artifact known as the Scion in three countries.
Development
The game was announced in November 2020 for a 2021 release on iOS and Android, with Canadian studio Emerald City Games serving as the development studio, with it being published by Square Enix London Mobile.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-23|title=Tomb Raider Reloaded has been announced for mobiles|url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/tomb-raider-reloaded-has-been-announced-for-mobiles/|access-date=2021-07-22|website=VGC|language=en-GB}} Franchise developer Crystal Dynamics was not directly involved with the game, but provided assistance to assure a "great Tomb Raider experience".{{Cite web|last=Roli|title=Tomb Raider Reloaded - A New Mobile Game Announced for 2021|url=http://raidingtheglobe.com/news/tomb-raider-reloaded-announcement|access-date=2021-07-22|website=Raiding The Globe|date=November 23, 2020 |language=en-GB}} The game soft-launched in South East Asia, Thailand and the Philippines on the Google Play Store in May 2021.
On July 21, an update was released that included improved graphics, more levels, new music, bug fixes and more. The game also added a new opening cutscene featuring the voice of Keeley Hawes, who last voiced Lara Croft in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris.{{Cite web|title=Keeley Hawes (visual voices guide)|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Keeley-Hawes/|access-date=2021-08-30|website=Behind The Voice Actors|language=en-US}} On October 15, Square Enix London Mobile director Ed Perkins said that the game was delayed to 2022 and clarified that it was not meant to tie in directly to Square Enix's official 25th anniversary celebration of the Tomb Raider franchise in 2021.{{Cite tweet|last=Perkins|first=Ed|user=WellPlay_ed|number=1449063393701289987|date=October 15, 2021|title=Hi all - my aim has always been to be really open and honest with the TR community I interact with, so I wanted to give you this heads up before we do an official announcement about our projects next week: sadly Tomb Raider Reloaded will now be releasing globally in 2022|access-date=December 11, 2021}} However, on the 25th anniversary of the release of Tomb Raider on the Sega Saturn in Europe on October 28, Shelley Blond, Judith Gibbins and Jonell Elliott were revealed to voice Lara Croft in Reloaded, giving players the option to choose between their voices as a launch exclusive feature.{{Cite web|title=Tomb Raider 25th Anniversary {{!}} SQUARE ENIX|url=https://tombraider25.square-enix-games.com/|access-date=2021-12-13|website=Tomb Raider 25th Anniversary {{!}} SQUARE ENIX|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}
The game was delayed until its release on February 14, 2023.
As of December 2023, DECA Games, a German subsidiary of Embracer Group, assumed development responsibilities for the game, replacing Emerald City Games. By the following summer, the game completed its transition to DECA Games and now has a new dedicated development team at work on updates.{{cite web |title=TOMB RAIDER RELOADED DEVELOPMENT UPDATE POSTED |url=https://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines4947.html |website=Tomb Raider Chronicles (Tomb Raider news site) |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=8 August 2024}}
Release and updates
Reloaded was released as scheduled on February 14, 2023, with a Netflix version also available alongside it that grants Netflix subscribers a premium gameplay experience that is free of advertisements and in-app purchases.{{cite magazine |last1=LeBlanc |first1=Wesley |title=Tomb Raider Reloaded Is A Mobile Roguelike Starring Lara Croft And It's Out This Month |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/02/01/tomb-raider-reloaded-is-a-mobile-roguelike-starring-lara-croft-and-its-out-this-month |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201160842/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/02/01/tomb-raider-reloaded-is-a-mobile-roguelike-starring-lara-croft-and-its-out-this-month |url-status=live |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}} Players who pre-registered for the game ahead of its worldwide launch would begin the game with uncommon golden pistols.{{cite web |title=TOMB RAIDER RELOADED LEAPS INTO PRE-REGISTRATION AHEAD OF FEBRUARY 14, 2023 RELEASE |url=https://www.crystald.com/tomb-raider-reloaded-leaps-into-pre-registration-ahead-of-february-14-2023-release/ |website=Crystal Dynamics |access-date=16 June 2023 |date=1 February 2023}}
The game's campaign was initially released incomplete, with only 9 chapters available to play across two acts, one in Peru and one in Greece, pursuant to the source material's plot. An update on June 12 added a final chapter for Greece, set in the tomb of Tihocan, to complete the second act,{{cite web |title=TOMB RAIDER RELOADED UPDATED TO VERSION 1.3.0 |url=https://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines4643.html |website=Tomb Raider Chronicles |access-date=16 June 2023}} while also providing a sneak peek of three additional chapters set in Egypt for the story's third act.
Version 1.4, released on September 6, introduces a small aspect of multiplayer competition into the game in the form of event leaderboards and leagues, while also nerfing the gold pistols by changing their bonus ability that unlocks on epic rarity or higher.{{cite web |title=TOMB RAIDER RELOADED UPDATED TO VERSION 1.4 |url=https://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines4673.html |website=Tomb Raider Chronicles |access-date=7 September 2023 |date=21 August 2023}}
Version 1.5, released on December 7, added the first chapter of the long-awaited Egypt chapters. In addition, new Doppelganger and Evening Dress outfits were added to the game.{{cite web |title=Tomb Raider Reloaded Received a Huge Update |url=https://www.raidingtheglobe.com/news/tomb-raider-reloaded-received-a-huge-update |website=Raiding The Globe |date=7 December 2023}}
Notes
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References
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External links
- {{official website|https://tombraiderreloaded.com/}}
{{Tomb Raider}}
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Category:Android (operating system) games
Category:Free-to-play video games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games developed in Canada
Category:Video games developed in Germany
Category:Video games set in Egypt
Category:Video games set in Greece