Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light Interview

We caught up with Keir Edmonds, Group Community Manager at Square Enix Europe (with a current focus on Tomb Raider), to ask a few questions about Lara Croft’s latest adventure, and to see if he could tell us anything about the inevitable Tomb Raider 9. Read on to find out more.

Game Rant: First of all, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions guys, it’s much appreciated.

GR: You must be pretty pleased with the way that Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is being received by the community. But I guess my first question is: Why is this attached to the Lara Croft name? It’s a wild departure from anything we’ve seen before — Tomb Raider Underworld, for instance — so how did it all come about? Did you have a game concept and then realize that Lara would be a great fit, or did you think “Lara needs something new”?

GR: Following on from that, what would you say it is about the Tomb Raider/Lara Croft titles that make them distinct? When the PlayStation 3 exclusive Uncharted was first released, there were comparisons made between the two, even though I’d argue they’re quite different games — are there specific themes and characteristics of the Tomb Raider universe that you believe have to present to make it Tomb Raider?

The whole project came about following the release of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Crystal Dynamics had a chance to experiment with a new project. It was a great opportunity to try something different and breathe some life into the franchise. The digital space is really exciting and following a lot of brain storming we arrived at the conclusion that a game like LCGoL would be a great way to deliver a fun experience for the fans, bring some new elements to the franchise, while still delivering the exploration and puzzle solving that are intrinsically linked to Tomb Raider.

From day one we decided to drop the ‘Tomb Raider’ tag. We wanted to make a clear distinction between the digital title and the pillar releases from the off.

GR: One of the most exciting additions to the Lara Croft franchise in Guardian of Light was the inclusion of a co-operative experience. What was the main design decision behind having two separate campaigns - one solo, and one co-operative? It’s a bold move, and one that most companies wouldn’t want to risk. How did it all come about?

GR: Unfortunately, the online co-op is currently unavailable, and will not be released until September 28th, alongside the PSN and Steam versions. The initial report stated that you weren’t happy with the quality of the experience, and that you held it back to improve it. Was there anything specific you weren’t happy with?

GR: The one aspect of the Tomb Raider titles I’ve always been enamored with is the sense of scale and subsequent possible exploration. However, Guardian of Light is much more streamlined: Why did you guys decide on the twin-stick shooter nature of the gameplay and focus more on the moment-to-moment action, as opposed to some of the slower gameplay elements seen in earlier games?

GR: Moving away from the specifics of the ‘Main Quest’, what can you tell us about the upcoming DLC packs? We know that five are coming, with the first three expanding the game with new puzzles, exploratory areas and combat experiences, and the final two being playable character packs. Can you tell us where in the game the DLC will take place? Will it take place after the ‘final battle’, or will it slot in elsewhere? Can you give any specifics as to what you’ll be doing in these DLC packs?

GR: Earlier this year, you guys made it clear that Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was completely unrelated to Tomb Raider 9. Whilst I’m not expecting any hard details about the upcoming title, can you tell us if there’s anything you learned from the development of Guardian of Light that will be applied to Tomb Raider 9?

GR: Some critics and gamers have criticized the story in Guardian of Light, but as I mentioned in my review, I felt this wasn’t a huge detriment because of the game’s arcade-like nature. With regards to Tomb Raider 9, will the story still dabble in the fantasy and mysticism that Tomb Raider is known for, or will it attempt a more ‘realistic’ story?

GR: Thanks immensely for taking the time to answer these questions. I look forward to seeing what you guys have in store for us next!

What did you think of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light? Are you excited by the prospects of Tomb Raider 9? Was there anything particularly interesting you noticed in the interview? Let us know in the comments below.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is available now on the Xbox Live Arcade, and will be arriving on the PlayStation Network and Steam on September 28.