Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered: Aspyr is Bringing Lara’s Bumpiest Adventures Back in Style
The Tomb Raider games from Core Design were… let’s just say, a wild ride. The original trilogy? Absolute classics. (Shoutout to Aspyr for the awesome remaster last year!) But after Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation did well, things took a nosedive. Chronicles and The Angel of Darkness stumbled so hard they nearly buried the franchise—and Core Design along with it.
Now, Aspyr is back with Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, because apparently, the plan was always to bring back all six of the original games.
The Vision Behind the Remaster 🏹
VG247 caught up with Jordon Reese, Product Manager at Aspyr, to get the inside scoop. According to Reese, the goal was always to give fans the full Tomb Raider experience—good, bad, and weird.
“From the start, we always envisioned giving fans the complete classic Tomb Raider experience,” Reese explained. But what really locked in the decision? The huge success of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered last year. Fans loved it, Embracer was happy, and Aspyr decided to keep the nostalgia train rolling. Oh, and by the way—this also explains why Soul Reaver 1+2 Remastered got fast-tracked.
And yeah, we know that Chronicles and Angel of Darkness aren’t fan favorites, but Aspyr saw this as a golden opportunity to fix them up while keeping their original charm intact. “It just didn’t feel right to stop at IV,” Reese admitted.
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Winning Over the Fans (and Newcomers)
Not everyone is thrilled about revisiting Lara’s “darkest adventures.” Some hardcore Tomb Raider fans would argue that Chronicles and Angel of Darkness should just stay in the past. So how does Aspyr plan to change minds?
According to Reese, their goal is to respect the originals while making them way more playable for modern gamers. “Our primary focus with these titles is to both preserve the original look and feel while giving gamers something additional to be excited about with updated graphics and functionality.”
In short: same Tomb Raider, just less janky.
Is Crystal Dynamics Involved? 🤔
Since Core Design is long gone, you might be wondering—what about Crystal Dynamics (aka the studio that saved Tomb Raider after Angel of Darkness)?
Turns out, Aspyr has been working closely with them. They want to make sure the remasters stay true to the original style, tone, and gameplay, while still modernizing the experience where possible. Oh, and Embracer Group (the current rights holder) is also in the loop.
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The Challenges of Updating These Games
Let’s be real: things get super weird in Chronicles and Angel of Darkness. From wild level design to bizarre character choices, these games are not as straightforward to remaster as the first three.
Reese says the key to getting it right is constant fine-tuning. Aspyr has spent hours tweaking color, lighting, ambiance, and fidelity to make sure these games look and feel like you remember them—just, you know, way less blocky.
What to Expect in 2025
We haven’t played the new remasters yet, but given Aspyr’s track record, we’re optimistic. They’ve already turned cult-classic games (from other franchises, too!) into solid modern experiences.
If you’re a Tomb Raider veteran, you’ll get a polished version of Lara’s toughest years. If you’re new? Well, buckle up—Chronicles and Angel of Darkness are definitely a ride.
📅 Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered drops February 14 on PC (Steam, Epic, GOG), PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S & One, and Nintendo Switch. Time to dust off those dual pistols! 🔥
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