‘Rise Of The Tomb Raider’ Dev Promises To Push The Limits Of The Xbox One

Xie Enwei, General Manager Of Management And Operations Of Microsoft In China, Speaks During The Presentation Of The Xbox One — IN PHOTO: Xie Enwei, general manager of management and operations of Microsoft in China, speaks during the presentation of the Xbox One by Microsoft as part of ChinaJoy 2014 China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference in Shanghai July 30, 2014. Reuters/Carlos Barria

Despite the fact that the current generation is now well into its second year, AAA titles such as “Battlefield Hardline” and “Rise of the Tomb Raider” are still being developed with older hardware in mind. The theory goes that the technical limitations of the ageing consoles will require studios to develop for the lowest-common denominator and limit creativity. Not so, says “Rise of the Tomb Raider” developer Crystal Dynamics, who promise to push Microsoft's console as hard as possible.

Speaking in response to a user-submitted question during the latest Game Informer Podcast, “Rise of the Tomb Raider” game director Brian Horton promised that the existence of an Xbox 360 port would not compromise the team’s vision.

“We are not limited at all. We're pushing the boundaries when it comes to what the Xbox One can do,” he said.

Horton went on to give examples of some of the areas the team were pushing graphics technology, citing advancements in hair rendering and the fact that hair has always been important in the “Tomb Raider” franchise. He went as far as stating that the team believes their hair simulation solution for “Rise of the Tomb Raider” is the best in the industry.

The director was quick to explain that just because another team, long-time partner; Nixxes, was handling the Xbox 360 version, didn’t mean it would be a different game. He stated that the team was pleased with the work Nixxes was doing and said that he believed they would get the most out of Microsoft’s older hardware.

Over the course of the rest of the interview, Horton tackled a number of other questions from fans. In response to whether "Rise of the Tomb Raider” would deliver on the first game’s tease referencing the lost colony of Croatoan, Horton stated that there was never any express desire to feature the location. He explains that the Croatoan tease, found in Lara’s journal entry, was merely to get fans thinking about the adventures Lara might embark upon.

He goes on to state that some time has passed between the first game and “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” during which Lara has gone on a number of adventures detailed in a series of novels and comic books. When pressed on which foes Lara might encounter in her latest outing, Horton said that the team had seeded a number of clues that hinted at the motivations of a mysterious organisation called Trinity, which has similar goals to Lara.

GamesRadar notes in their coverage that the exclusivity deal keeping “Rise of the Tomb Raider” off PlayStation and PC platforms is a timed one. Crystal Dynamics’ owner, Square Enix has not yet announced whether or not the title will be released on other platforms, though it is worth noting that Microsoft will be handling publishing duties. The subject of exclusivity has been a prickly subject for gamers with regard to “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” which has a long multiplatform history dating back to “Tomb Raider 1” on DOS, Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation.

Horton also confirmed the return of supernatural elements, as well as the gory deaths seen in the previous game. He also went on to clarify that the 2013 game did in fact represent a franchise reboot, and that “Rise of the Tomb Raider” does not exist between “Tomb Raider” and the classic games, beginning with “Tomb Raider 1.”

“Rise of the Tomb Raider” represents a major step forward in Crystal Dynamics’ ongoing effort to reintroduce the character of Lara Croft to modern audiences. The journey began in 2013 with “Tomb Raider,” which was met with widespread critical acclaim. Gamespot rated the game an 8/10 in its review, praising the game’s deliberate pacing and tight combat mechanics. “Rise of the Tomb Raider” is scheduled to launch sometime during Holiday 2015, on Xbox One and Xbox 360.