Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Walks the Line Between Honoring Classic Lara and Charting New Territory

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is taking a different approach to the iconic franchise—one that doesn’t simply recreate the classic formula, but still maintains respect for what made the original Lara Croft games legendary. Game director Raul Siquera has spoken about the challenge of balancing innovation with reverence for the character’s storied history.

What the New Game Is Doing

Legacy of Atlantis represents a rebuild of the Tomb Raider experience rather than a straightforward homage. Siquera’s comments indicate the development team is aware they’re working with one of gaming’s most iconic characters and franchises, and the design philosophy reflects that weight. The game isn’t attempting to be a carbon copy of the original titles, but it’s being made with clear awareness of why those games mattered and what players loved about them.

The challenge Siquera describes—balancing old and new—is something many franchise revivals attempt but few nail. In this case, the team is deliberately stepping away from a pure retro approach while still acknowledging the legacy that precedes it. This suggests players should expect something that feels contemporary in its design and mechanics, even if it carries forward thematic or narrative elements that connect to Lara’s roots.

Why This Approach Matters

Tomb Raider is one of gaming’s most recognizable franchises, with Lara Croft standing as one of the medium’s defining characters since 1996. The original games set the standard for action-adventure gaming, and the 2013-2018 reboot trilogy already proved that modern development teams could successfully reimagine the character for contemporary audiences. But Legacy of Atlantis appears to be taking yet another direction—not continuing where the recent trilogy left off, but offering something distinct.

For players who grew up with the originals, wholesale abandonment of what made those games work would feel like a betrayal. For new players, slavish recreation of 25-year-old game design would feel outdated. Walking that tightrope requires understanding what aspects of the classic formula are timeless and which are simply products of their era. Siquera’s explicit acknowledgment of this tension suggests the team has thought carefully about this question.

The respect for the original also matters because Lara Croft has endured through multiple evolutionary cycles. She’s survived platformers, action games, and the cinematic blockbuster reimagining route. A new Tomb Raider that ignores its heritage entirely risks disconnecting from what makes the character resonate across generations of players.

What Comes Next

Players will soon see whether Legacy of Atlantis actually delivers on this philosophy of balanced innovation. How the game handles exploration, puzzle-solving, and Lara’s character will reveal whether the team truly found the middle ground Siquera describes.