Tomb Raider comes back stronger than ever. And in a double dose.

For those who had been waiting for quite some time, at best, for a distant teaser of a new Tomb Raider - something maybe for “many years from now” - receiving the news of two games announced at once is more than a surprise. It’s a gift. One arrives next year, which is practically now. The other comes in 2027. For fans, this is a historic moment.

And I confess: I’m excited in a way I haven’t been for a long time. The kind of excitement that took me back in time, when every new Tomb Raider was an event, a real expectation, almost ritualistic. It’s been a long time since I felt this.

Maybe because, for the first time in years, everything that was shown truly seems to speak to what Tomb Raider has always been, and to what it needs to be going forward.

The pleasure of seeing Tomb Raider look like Tomb Raider

The two announcements made yesterday at The Game Awards deliver different things, but both convey the same feeling: lots of action, a strong reinforcement of identity, and careful attention to detail. Even with distinct approaches - one closer to gameplay, the other more conceptual - the visuals are beautiful, the pace feels intense, and the creative direction finally feels confident.

But what affected me the most was Lara Croft.

Seeing Lara with braids, with less hair covering her face (a point that has always bothered me a lot), the return of the classic dual pistols, that outfit that directly references the character’s DNA… all of this hit hard. I really missed these visual choices. They are not empty nostalgia. They are symbols. And Tomb Raider has always known how to work with symbols very well - it’s no coincidence that archaeology is at the core of the franchise.

Lara’s face looks beautiful, well balanced, elegant. But nothing - absolutely nothing - was as impactful as the voice.

The voice was a key element. Through it, you can perceive a more mature Lara, not in terms of age, but in terms of experience. Someone who has lived a lot, who knows exactly where she stands, who speaks calmly, firmly, with confidence.

It’s a British, classic, elegant voice. A voice that doesn’t need to prove anything. And that says a lot about who this Lara is.

She doesn’t sound rushed. She doesn’t sound insecure. She doesn’t sound lost or hysterical. She sounds… like Lara Croft. And that, for me, was a huge relief.

What pleases me most about this new phase is realizing that two movements are happening simultaneously. One game revisits the origins, speaks to those who have been here since the beginning, while the other pushes the franchise forward, thinking about scale, narrative, and new audiences.

This creates something very special: a generational journey. Old and new fans starting to play almost together. People who discovered Lara in the 90s, like me, and people who are arriving now, with different references, different expectations, different needs.

And it’s really good to see that Crystal Dynamics, together with Amazon, seems attentive to this. It’s not just about pleasing those who already love the franchise. It’s about ensuring that Lara Croft remains relevant, alive, and desired by those who have yet to discover her.

In the end, the feeling that remains is simple and powerful: we can’t wait to play.

I’m extremely anxious. Very happy with the moment Tomb Raider is living right now. This refresh was necessary. Important. Strategic. And, above all, done with respect.

Respect for the character. Respect for the story. Respect for the fans, old and future.

If this is the beginning of what’s coming, we can say with confidence:Lara Croft is in good hands. And so are we.

#Tombraider #newtombraider #laracroft