Returning to its 1996 roots, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is set to reimagine the classic video game to today’s modern platforms. We’ve had the opportunity to preview the game during the Summer Game Fest and it’s shaping to be a great adventure for fans of the franchise and newcomers to enjoy.

Visually Pleasing to Discover

During our demo, the landscape, the atmosphere, and of course the protagonist, Lara Croft, are visually stunning. Splashed with vibrant colors and details on ancient artifacts, I was pulled in wanting to explore every nook and cranny inside of the jungle.

Controlling Lara Croft felt smooth from strolling through the forest, the swan dives, and to her acrobatic movements during battle. Her jumps do give that “floaty” physic that felt it was a nod to the original game’s movements. Honestly it didn’t bother me while maneuvering and jumping across platforms.

The game displays icon indications for specific actions such as using your grappling hook to pull objects down or to help get across pits and other hard-to-reach areas to cross. It’s the main key to figure out the puzzles laid in Legacy of Atlantis and during crucial moments. Climbing up to higher ground required your eyes to stay peeled as the game used a light orange highlight on stones to grab onto, a white stroke on cliffs that indicated where to jump onto, and more. Tricky at first but once you were used to the signs, it started to become second nature.

Hunt or Be Hunted

Dinosaurs make their return in Legacy of Atlantis. During the Summer Game Fest demo, I had to terminate a set of raptors that wanted to take me down. There wasn’t a button command to set an auto lock but the game’s Focus system did make combat easier to tackle these dinosaurs. Initiating this command lets Lara Croft maneuver and attack in slow motion, making it easier for the user to comprehend the situation. It reminds me of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Flurry Rush.

However, T-Rex itself was not something I could combat in this demo. Instead, the game went into a chase mode where it became cinematic and I found myself entertained with the situation. You do need to initiate moves correctly when the icon displays, such as using your grappling hook and swing at the right location. Otherwise if you landed the wrong spot, you’re dino food.

A Memorable Adventure

From puzzles to dino chases, I left the Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis demo feeling satisfied where the game was heading. Overall I wanted more to explore and see it all. Unfortunately I have to wait a little longer to get to see more.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis set to launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 12, 2027. Fans can visit the game’s official website for additional information and purchasing options. We appreciate Amazon Games giving us the opportunity to test out Lara Croft’s adventure at the Summer Game Fest.