Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis – 20 Minutes In, Still Hungry

The Tomb Raider saga is poised for a monumental resurgence, with a slate of new titles announced and a high‑profile television adaptation featuring Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner nearing completion.

During Summer Game Fest, I was granted a brief 20‑minute glimpse into Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a reimagining of Lara Croft’s inaugural adventure that will commemorate the franchise’s anniversary—though it will arrive a few months shy of 2026.

The demo opens in a verdant, densely packed jungle that immediately showcases the game’s striking visual fidelity. Lara’s newly introduced scanner highlights interactive objects, a clever design choice that compensates for the challenge of discerning usable items amid the high‑definition scenery.

In this opening segment, players must locate two sizable cogs to divert a cascading waterfall—a classic Tomb Raider puzzle. As I ascended the mountain to retrieve the first cog, I was struck by the lush graphics and the area’s generous exploration opportunities, including hidden caves that reward curiosity with collectibles.

Just before my hands‑on session, I was introduced to the crown jewel of the reimagined adventure: Lara’s newly minted bullet‑time mechanic. By catapulting herself into the air, she can momentarily freeze time, turning every encounter into a breathtaking, cinematic spectacle. It’s a fresh take on a classic, and it feels genuinely exhilarating.

The shooting mechanics hold up well, but I noticed that the smaller dinosaurs I was dispatching took an unusually long time to register significant damage, which slightly dampened the pace.

Overall, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis still feels a bit unfinished. The visuals are stunning and the bullet‑time feature is a highlight, yet the platforming—especially the jumping—needs a serious overhaul before launch, or it risks turning large portions of the game into a frustrating experience.

I remain eager to dive into the full title, as third‑person, globe‑trotting adventures of this caliber are increasingly rare compared to the era of Uncharted and the recent Tomb Raider reboots. I hope that by February, the current quirks with Lara’s latest iteration will be ironed out.