Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Exposed (1999)

by IGN Staff - July 19, 1999

Eidos just gave IGNPSX the green light to unveil new game features that will appear in the latest addition to the Tomb Raider franchise, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. Now, IGNPSX has official screen-shots for your viewing pleasure.

According to the Core team, the brains behind the other Tomb Raider titles, the game will star Lara Croft and will take place in the far reaches of Egypt. Unlike last year's difficult and bizarre mix of gameplay levels which, Eidos feels went too far away from the original Tomb Raider, TR: Last Revelation focuses on one spot, Egypt. The attention that is going into the gameplay specifically highlights those elements that made the first game so imaginative and fresh, clever puzzles, intelligent level design, and a better mix of adventure to action. Core emphasizes that it wants "to go back to its roots," making Tomb Raider IV more like the very first game, which received universal applause from critics and gamers alike.

Core has also said that it has found a new way to program FMV sequences. In-game levels will now seamlessly dissolve into full-motion video cut-scenes, and the load screens have been removed, providing a solution for those PlayStation owners so used to annoying, 20-30 second load screens. Textures have improved as well. Lara's body textures were far more...telling, as soft-skin textures replaced former simple texture-wraps.

In yet another addition, Core redesigned the inventory system. Gamers can not only stock up on items, but now, they can combine them. Core explains that this new feature adds more depth to the game and has increased the difficulty in the game's riddles and puzzles.

Now to answer the most important question... "Will there be any changes to Lara's look?" Core has completely redesigned Lara's look -- Lara is now naked. We're kidding! Seriously, Core claims that Lara will look better than ever, including smoother skin textures and few new moves. No nude code has been announced. (And probably never will be, sorry kids...)

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (which, incidentally, is not called "Tomb Raider IV") is being developed by Core and is scheduled to be released November 1999.

Eidos Cranks Up the Lara Machine (1999)

With an expensive marketing campaign behind it, Tomb Raider Last Revelation receives big backing.

by IGN Staff - October 18, 1999

From television to online to yes, even candy bars, Lara Croft, the star heroine of the Tomb Raider series, will appear just about everywhere this fall. The fact is, videogame have been pummeled with Tomb Raider advertising since day one with this franchise, and every year, just around Thanksgiving, it comes back in full force.

The soon to be movie star will receive a $5 million in marketing, spanning from print, television and online advertising campaign. The annual advertising push is to be supplemented by a Point of Purchase (POP) program and gigantic billboards in six major cities. But this year's push is different, because in addition to the regular channels of promotion, Lara this year has new ways to catch your fancy via collectible cards, Lara Croft candy bars (what flavor, we wonder?), t-shirts available in K-Mart, Mervyns, and Millers Outpost, a new action figure, and Top Cow's Tomb Raider monthly comic book.

"Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation will hit stores propelled by one of the biggest, most-diverse promotional and advertising campaigns in the history of gaming," said Paul Baldwin, Eidos vice president of marketing.

Tomb Raider Last Revelation is due out in mid-November.

Tomb Raider 4 Goes Gold (1999)

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation has gone gold and will begin manufacturing immediately.

by IGN Staff - November 22, 1999

Eidos Interactive today announced that Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation has gone gold and will begin manufacturing immediately for the PlayStation. The game should begin arriving in stores this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, just in time for the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

Viva Las Vegas With Lara Croft, Baby. Yeah! (1999)

Win a trip for two for three nights at the Luxor just by entering this Tomb Raider contest.

by IGN Staff - December 3, 1999

No, you didn't hear wrong. We've mingled with the big shots at Eidos to give you the chance to win BIG: an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas, Nevada.

This prize includes round-trip airfare, three nights at the Luxor Hotel, dinner for two, and $500 spending money! Can you stand it? The winner will also take a copy of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation home with them, plus a Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation watch and a Tomb Raider T-shirt.

All you have to do to enter is click here and register for our contests. We bet you can hear the chips falling already ...

Enter now to win!

Viva Las Vegas With Lara Croft, Baby. Yeah! (1999)

The fourth Tomb Raider hit the mark, but other Eidos titles missed it.

by IGN Staff - January 18, 2000

Eidos announced today that it expects its year-end sales to be lower than expected due to a couple central reasons. Tomb Raider: Last Revelation was completed one week later than normal (in the past three years Tomb Raider was out before Thanksgiving, and this year it was a week late), and other games from Eidos' corral didn't sell well. After the announcement, Eidos' stock fell in the London Stock Exchange before leveling off again at a lower percentage point. "The combination of product delays and in some instances disappointing performance has led the board to revise downwards its expectations for the quarter and full year," Eidos Plc. said. Aside from Tomb Raider: Last Revelation, Championship Manager 99/00 (not released in the US) was the only other title that performed well. Games such as Nomad Soul and Abomination (PC titles) performed weaker than expected. While not up to critical expectations, sales of Fighting Force 2 were not reported. Eidos remains optimistic, however, in light of its major investment in games for PlayStation2 and a bigger group of games coming in the first half, the company said. As many as 13 games are scheduled before March 31, Eidos said.