Last week at Gamescom, a hands‑off showcase of Tomb Ranger: Legacy of Atlantis made it clear that this title is far more than a straightforward remaster of the 1996 classic; it is a full‑scale reimagining of Lara Croft’s inaugural adventure. The responsibility for bringing this vision to life has been handed to the Polish development house Flying Wild Hog, which has injected fresh ideas into the established Tomb Ranger formula.
For example, the familiar first‑aid kits have vanished, replaced by a new crafting system where Lara gathers ingredients to brew health‑restoring tinctures and prepare meals that boost her stats. Additionally, a skill‑tree has been introduced, allowing players to allocate points to enhance the range of Lara’s signature dual pistols, as demonstrated in the demo. Following the demo, a round‑table Q&A featured Raul Siqueira, game director at Crystal Dynamics, and Arek Tomaszewski, art director at Flying Wild Hog. The two executives shed light on how the external partnership functions, the studios’ relationship with publisher Amazon, and the decision to abandon the nostalgic tank‑control scheme for the upcoming February 12 launch.
Both California‑based Crystal Dynamics and Poland’s Flying Wild Hog are co‑developing Legacy of Atlantis, yet Siqueira emphasizes that everyone works as a single unit, internally dubbed "Team Atlantis." He explains, "We’re very good at tearing down the invisible walls that can appear between studios during a project. From the very first conversations it was obvious that both teams share the same development philosophy. We’re brutally honest about what we need and how we want to execute it, and that honesty made the collaboration feel natural." He continues, "Crystal brings a deep legacy of Tomb Ranger titles and a wealth of history, but sometimes you need fresh eyes.
Bringing in a new perspective lets you look at the material differently and craft something truly unique. That partnership has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this project." Flying Wild Hog isn’t the only external relationship Crystal Dynamics is juggling for Legacy of Atlantis.
Amazon, the tech and retail behemoth, is publishing both this game and the forthcoming Tomb Ranger: Catalyst, and is also producing a television series based on the franchise starring Sophie Turner. Siqueira notes that his studio works "pretty closely" with Amazon across all fronts. "We share a commitment to the franchise and the character that goes beyond studio walls," he says. "We have an internal franchise team at Crystal Dynamics—seasoned veterans who have spent over two decades shaping Lara’s world.
They’re involved in every project, fostering strong collaboration across the board." He adds with a laugh, "If I start talking about all the other projects we have, some people might chase me off the stage." At the start of development, the team revisited both the original 1996 game and the 2007 remake, Tomb Ranger: Anniversary, to understand how memory can distort perception. "We all carry an image of how the game looks in our heads, and when we actually play it, we notice the differences," Siqueira explains. "That exercise helped us pinpoint the essential moments, locations, and set‑pieces that must stay true, while also identifying where we could safely color outside the lines." Team Atlantis has introduced several modern conveniences, such as crafting and weapon upgrades, but one hallmark of the original has been deliberately omitted: tank controls. When asked about this, Siqueira says, "The control scheme has been updated for today’s audience.
Of course the original games are still available—you can play Tomb Ranger 1 Remastered if you want the classic feel. If you’re eager to revisit tank controls, I admire the enthusiasm, but I’ve tried them many times and they’re genuinely tough to master." Tomaszewski echoes that sentiment: "When I think back to the original, it felt awesome, but playing it after twenty years is a whole different experience—it's just… hard." Legacy of Atlantis was announced alongside Tomb Ranger: Catalyst, a sequel set years after the events of 2008’s Tomb Ranger: Underworld. When questioned about the synergy between the two titles, Siqueira confirms there is "definite collaboration" but stresses that each game remains distinct.
"We’re developing both games together, yet it’s crucial to treat Legacy of Atlantis as its own project, faithful to the source material. Regarding Lara’s narrative arc, we want to respect both the games that preceded and those that will follow. The Lara you see here is the same Lara from the Survivor era—Tomb Ranger (2013), Rise of the Tomb Ranger, and Shadow of the Tomb Ranger—and she will continue to be that version in our future endeavors." In summary, the partnership between Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog illustrates how an outside studio can inject new life into a beloved classic, delivering modern mechanics while preserving the core identity that fans cherish. By abandoning outdated control schemes, adding depth through crafting and skill trees, and maintaining a collaborative spirit with both internal teams and external partners like Amazon, Legacy of Atlantis aims to honor its legacy while charting a fresh course for Lara Croft’s next adventure.
Disclosure: Alex Forbes‑Calvin has previously collaborated with Crystal Dynamics on the book *Chronicles of the Tomb Ranger*.