Tomb Raider Reloaded offers a fresh take on the franchise with a top-down roguelike developed exclusively for mobile devices. It's available for pre-registration starting today ahead of its worldwide launch on February 14th. The publisher has stated the game will simultaneously release through Netflix Games without ads or in-app purchases alongside the standard Play Store release (akin to Cats & Soup), but at least this will provide players with a choice.
Tomb Raider Reloaded is the first roguelike in the series, but it's got plenty of throwbacks to older games. Expect characters from previous titles like Winston and Werner Von Croy to reappear, with a soundtrack that consists of classic Tomb Raider themes recorded for this game.
Since Tomb Raider Reloaded is a roguelike, you'll unlock rewards that can only be used for that run. Your goal is to obtain the ancient Scion artifact, but while the goals remain the same, the runs do not. With each attempt, you'll unlock permanent upgrades that will help you in future runs. Weapons can be crafted, XP modifiers boost your level, and new outfits can be unlocked and upgraded. Enemies will be randomized each run, punctuated by more challenging bosses.
Beyond the core adventure, you can expect regular challenges and unique events, including the Temple of the Sun mode, which sees how long you can survive against waves of enemies.
Tomb Raider Reloaded ditches the gritty ultra-realistic visuals used by previous games in favor of stylized cartoon graphics. It's an approach better suited for mobile, and the roguelike format makes it much easier to fit one or two quick games in on your commute.
Overall, Tomb Raider Reloaded has the potential to be a great mobile addition to the genre. We're a little wary of the monetization mechanics, but if you're a Netflix subscriber, you won't have to worry about this. Pre-register now to receive an exclusive golden version of Lara Croft's dual pistols.