Tomb Raider Gamers Divided on Sequel Plot

Tomb Raider fans are divided on what the next game’s plot should be, and your opinion may depend on whether you’re a fan of the classic series, or the newer reboots.

It’s been seven years since we last had a Tomb Raider game to play, and it feels like the wait for the next sequel is nowhere near over.

Crystal Dynamics has made a few teases regarding the next game over the years, including an official first look at the concept for Lara’s appearance in the next game.

The next Tomb Raider game will reportedly be built in Unreal Engine 5, and is being dubbed part of the “Unified Timeline” by Crystal Dynamics. What this essentially means is that the developer is taking aspects from each era of the series to create a single unified continuity.

The idea has proven to be unpopular with some, particularly older fans, who feel that the personality of the original Lara Croft that was developed under Core Design clashes with the later incarnations of the character as designed by Crystal Dynamics. After all, the character has a wildly different backstory and personality depending on which era you’re looking at, and it could be quite messy to try and unify all these elements.

Crystal Dynamics)

What could Tomb Raider 4 be about?

One fan over on the Tomb Raider Reddit page has proposed a solution.

“What if the old Classic Lara was portrayed in the unified Timeline as her recounting her adventures and how she views herself versus how she actually is?” writes user ShippFFXI.

“What if Lara, in her old age, has published her adventures in some type of memoir and the classic Lara who is the sassy snark-spitting, WHERE IS MY Mother Lara is who she writes herself as being? Or maybe the old games are the Movie/Game adaptations of Survivor Lara's numerous escapades?” the post continues.

“I think it would be more fun to imagine the Tomb Raider games as basically like licensed games,” writes another user in the replies. “The game developers pay rights to use Lara's likeness and take some inspiration from her written articles and life's work for the stories and exotic locales.”

“I think it could be interesting if it’s handled right,” reads another. “So for example, you as Lara can (for some reason) sit down and boot up Tomb Raider II or Legend or whatever. As if the games exist in the world.”

Other fans were a little less keen on the idea.

“Creative ideas... but still hard nope…,” reads a comment in the same post. “Lara doesn't need to be made to feel ashamed of anything.”

“So original Lara would be ‘false Lara’ and reboot Lara would be ‘one true Lara’? No thanks,” reads another.

It seems your opinion may come down to whether you’re a fan of the older games, or prefer the newer ones. One thing’s for certain though, that new game can’t come soon enough.