Older Tomb Raider titles now available on Steam

After sixteen years of its release, the original Tomb Raider is now available on Steam. All of the six games in the series are available for $9.99 (approximately Rs 540) each. Other games in the series that can now be bought on Steam include Tomb Raider 2, Tomb Raider 3, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles and Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. The only Tomb Raider games that could be bought on Steam before this were Tomb Raider: Anniversary (a remake of the original Tomb Raider with a better control system), Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Underworld, and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light.

Steam gets older Tomb Raider titles.

Back in November, more information about the reboot of the game, simply titled Tomb Raider, was revealed at a Q&A round with fans on the game’s twitter page. The game is set to be around 12 to 15 hours long, depending on your play style. Along with this, Crystal Dynamics has promised lots of twists and turns in the story. The company said you will not be required to have any knowledge of the previous games in the series, since it is a reboot and tells Lara Croft’s origin story.

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But it seems Tomb Raider won’t be immune to modernisation, as Crystal Dynamics revealed that it would feature a regenerating health system. This is odd because the company has so far laid emphasis on the game’s survival aspects, but survival isn’t an issue when your health can regenerate after hiding in cover for some time.

The game will focus on the need for survival, including doing things like finding shelter and hunting for food. The primary weapon featured in the video is a bow, as opposed to the classic Lara Croft going akimbo with two pistols. The game seems to aim for a more open world style instead of the linear platforming of the older games. Lara must overcome a hostile island and its not-so-nice inhabitants after her ship is torn apart by a nasty storm. The game sports a darker tone than what you’re used to in most Tomb Raider games and will push Lara to the very edge of her sanity. The new game is a radical departure from the standard action/adventure gameplay of the previous titles in the series, and seems to go for a style of gameplay more focused on survival.

The developer has also made a curious design decision: Lara won’t have the ability to swim in this game. “Lara can swim, but just not in this game,” Crystal Dynamics tweeted. And if the reboot is successful, it will also be getting a sequel. Crystal Dynamics has said that more information on the game will be revealed in December, including whether it would focus on stealth or all out action. The company also plans to show some more platforming elements in the game.

Tomb Raider will be released on the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and the PC on March 5, 2013.