As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations for Tomb Raider, Square Enix has revealed footage and details of Tomb Raider: Ascension, an early survival-horror-like prototype created by Crystal Dynamics as it explored ways to reimagine the series – with various aspects of the project ultimately making their way into the developer’s 2013 reboot.
“After narrowing in on the concept of a survival story on a remote island,” explains Square Enix over on YouTube, “[Crystal Dynamics] began developing what was internally called Tomb Raider: Ascension.” The project is said to have “felt closer to a horror game than a Tomb Raider title” at one point, although this aspect would eventually fade into the background as the studio opted to focus in on survival elements.
Square’s Ascension showcase takes the form of three videos, the first consisting of concept art, and the second showing a surprisingly substantial chunk of in-game footage, in which Lara scrambles through a claustrophobic flooded cave, prowls (and eventually rides horseback) around a vast, foggy forest wilderness, and more.
There’s a definite sinister fantasy edge to proceedings as Lara encounters various unsettling, otherworldly creatures, but there are undoubtedly early hints of survival too, with Lara seen brandishing her crossbow, and using fire to hold back enemies and clear a path forward.