Combat Reimagined
In Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, combat is all about movement, instinct, and using every ounce of Lara’s agility to stay one step ahead of whatever is trying to bring her down.
Combat in Motion
“It’s all about using Lara’s acrobatic skills to move through the combat arenas, dodge enemy attacks while firing back at them,” says Raul Siqueira, Game Director at Crystal Dynamics. “This isn’t a cover shooter. We don’t want players to stop and wait for the right opportunity to attack. We want them to take the initiative and show enemies why no one can do what Lara can.”
Jason Epps, Design Director at Crystal Dynamics, frames it in terms of what today’s players expect. “Legacy of Atlantis is built as a modern third-person shooter. While combat in the original games was simple and effective for its time, today’s players expect more depth and responsiveness. We’ve modernized the system with features like aim assist and target snapping, all while ensuring animal predators and new human enemies are varied, challenging, and satisfying to fight.”
Acrobatics as a Weapon
That depth starts with the way Lara moves. The heart of the system is her acrobatics, and the key that unlocks them in combat is Focus Mode.
“We always knew from very early on that we wanted acrobatics to play a part in combat,” Siqueira says. “While initially it presented as a challenge given how acrobatics adds flourish to an animation at the expense of increasing its length, there was an opportunity there with Focus Mode. So by having an acrobatic move trigger when we enter focus mode, we accomplish two things. We give players an advantage in combat, and we celebrate Lara’s personality in a way that’s wholly her own.”
Epps describes how that plays out in the player’s hands. “The acrobatics button responds to context. In over-the-shoulder mode, players can dodge quickly in any direction, while during movement it helps Lara create distance and change direction fast. Acrobatics also build focus, with stronger rewards for dodging attacks, making them essential to the flow of combat.”
Jeff Adams, Experience Director at Crystal Dynamics, describes what that looks like on screen. “When facing a fierce predator, she’ll pull out those iconic dual pistols and do everything she can to inflict damage before the creature closes the distance. At just the right moment, she’ll launch herself into a graceful somersault, continuing to fire on the enemy until she finally brings it down. It creates a unique look and feel for our fierce fight sequences.”
Lara’s Arsenal
Lara’s signature weapons carry real history. “The only weapons that are truly Lara’s are her dual pistols,” Adams says. “They were gifted to her by Conrad Roth, and they carry a piece of her family’s history with them. Every other weapon she uses throughout the adventure is sourced from the world itself. Lara instinctively knows how to wield each one to its greatest effect.”
And no matter how a fight unfolds, she stays in motion. “We want combat in Legacy of Atlantis to feel fluid,” Adams says. “That means Lara recovers quickly from hits, gets back on her feet, and gets right back into the fight. Whether she’s quickly dodging an incoming attack or using her acrobatics to fling herself clear of a charging predator, every movement is designed to feel responsive and just a little larger than life.”
Enemies That Think
The biggest addition to combat is variety, and that starts with a new kind of foe: human mercenaries.
“Human mercenaries add a new dimension to combat: cover,” Epps says. “Animal enemies are fun to fight, but they don’t naturally support classic cover-based encounters. Mercenaries create more varied combat scenarios while also strengthening the fictional connection to Natla’s faction.” They also coordinate as a team, each role creating pressure in a different way. “Assault rifle mercs pin Lara down, shotgun mercs close the distance, and snipers stay back to line up headshots.”
The animals are just as cunning. “Leopards use hidey-holes to attack from unexpected angles, while crocodiles can drag Lara into the water and drown her if players aren’t careful,” Epps says. And they adapt to the pack around them. “When fighting animals in groups, like wolves or raptors, their behavior changes based on how many are still left alive. When in a group, you can see them circling around the player more and respecting each other’s positions, while the last member standing from the pack will go into berserk mode and become more aggressive and unpredictable.”
Each type asks something different of the player. “While fighting animals, players are more focused on learning their attack patterns and dodging,” Siqueira says. “The human enemies ask players to be mindful of their position, moving around the arena to get outside of their range and taking opportunities to break line of sight.”
Whether she’s facing a pack of raptors or a squad of Natla’s mercenaries, the answer is always the same: keep moving, stay sharp, and remind them why no one does it like Lara Croft.
Pre-order Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Lara Croft’s greatest adventure begins February 12, 2027. Pre-orders are live now. Secure your edition before launch, and join us across the months ahead for new mini-documentaries, deep dives, and exclusive looks at the world of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.
