The upcoming 2013 reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise is one of my most anticipated games of the dawning new year. I have been an avid fan of the lovely Miss Croft ever since she adorned the Sega Saturn in her first ever adventure to Atlantis in 1994. My love affair with this bodacious explorer has continued since that time, with each new adventure invigorating my interest in Miss Croft’s unusually complicated yet illustrious life.

At the turn of the century the Tomb Raider franchise suffered a few odd and unfortunate disappointments. The fifth game in the franchise, Angel of Darkness, is by far the worst Tomb Raider video game to be published and, although I enjoyed each one immensely, the Angelina Jolie driven Tomb Raider movies were less than satisfactory game-to-movie adaptations. However, all was not lost.

Production of the Tomb Raider video game series moved to Crystal Dynamics in 2004, which lead to a fantastic new trilogy for the franchise – a trilogy that breathed new life into a fading, yet immensely popular, female video game mascot and heroine. Crystal Dynamics is, thankfully, once again behind the new Tomb Raider reboot and they appear to be pulling out all of the stops for Lara Croft’s third rebirth.

When Tomb Raider (2013) hits store shelves on the 5th March next year, it will be available in three different versions: standard, survival and a collectors edition.

The Survival Edition of the game (pictured above) will retail for £54.99 (R800) and includes the following:

  • Art Book: A 32-page mini art book compiled by Tomb Raider Art Director Brian Horton, depicting Lara’s epic adventure through original concept art.
  • 15” (38cm) x 19” (48cm) Double Sided Island Map and Poster: Discover key landmarks from the mysterious island of Yamati, where Lara Croft and her fellow castaways were marooned after the Endurance shipwreck. On the reverse is a poster size image of the box art that epitomises Lara’s origin story.
  • 4″ (10cm) x 6″ (15cm) Waterproof Survival Pouch: A waterproof resealable adventure pouch for storing key items you will need to protect when fighting off scavengers on the island.
  • CD Soundtrack: Tomb Raider Original Soundtrack ‘Survivalist cut’ that includes a collection of 10 tracks totaling over 60 minutes of music from the game.
  • Downloadable Content: Weapons Pack – A selection of weapons to help Lara survive against the island’s inhabitants.
The Collectors Edition of the game (pictured above) includes the same content as the Survival Edition, but it will retail on consoles for £74.99 (R1100)/PC for £64.99 (R950) and includes the following extras:
  • Endurance Survival Kit Packaging: A survival tin salvaged from the ill-fated Endurance. The tin houses a copy of the game and the Lara Croft Play Arts Kai figure.
  • Play Arts Kai Lara Croft Figurine: Fully posable figurine with over 40 points of articulation. The dirt on her body and clothes has been realistically recreated to tell the tale of Lara’s fierce fight for survival on a desolate island. Comes with alternate set of three (3) hands, bow and arrow, shotgun, handgun, and climbing axe. Figure Size: Approx 8.0” (20cm) Tall.
Although official pricing has not been declared for the South African market, the estimates above should be fairly accurate. I know for certain that I will be pre-ordering the Collectors Edition of Lara Croft’s latest adventure. Which version will you purchase?

Vamers - Tomb Raider (2013) - Lara Croft Play Arts Kai Collectible

 [Sources: Examiner, Official Tomb Raider BlogYouTube]

Owner, founder and editor-in-chief at Vamers, Hans has a vested interest in geek culture and the interactive entertainment industry. With a Masters degree in Communications and Ludology, he is well read and versed in matters relating to video games and communication media, among many other topics of interest.