The developers describe Lara as a character who moves confidently and has an acrobatic and athletic style to perform all types of movements, including climbing and jumping. «That’s what makes Lara, Lara,» says one of them. For creative director Michal Kuk, one of his tasks has been to know how Lara moves and moves. «There are a lot of very subtle details that make it Lara Croft’s way of climbing, not someone else’s,» Kuk says. «It is achieved with animation, with the dynamics of animation. How fast he jumps from one ledge to another, how long his jump into the void will be.»
«Those were the most important questions for us,» adds the creative director. «Because the normal jump is not a jump that Lara Croft would do.» One of the developers explains that they have several ways to climb, including poles, ledges, and circling horizontal poles, as well as the option to use the grappling hook.
«Perfecting Lara’s moves is one of the most important things in a Tomb Raider game,» says Raul Siqueira, director of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. «When you play any game, if a character doesn’t move the way they should, it causes frustration. If it’s a franchise that has spent several years establishing what a character should be, you have to do it right. It’s very important that you function with the controls and it also has to be noticeable in the gameplay.»
In a title like Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, players have some leeway to explore and refine Lara’s movements, but the developers use visual language to guide them through the levels and try to take them to certain places without them realizing it. Furthermore, the remake recover Charlie, a fish that according to legend guides players. «The fish swims to the places you need to go,» says the art director. In addition to the fish, in the remake Lara and the environment will offer different clues to tell the player where to go or if there is danger nearby.
Level designer Andrzej Kula assures that in addition to living Lara’s adventures throughout the campaign offered by Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, it is possible to «spend 20 minutes doing handstands and other acrobatics or choosing what clothes you are going to wear.»