Just under a year after its debut on Xbox One and Microsoft Windows, Rise of the Tomb Raider is following up the success of the title with a PS4 release. This special edition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tomb Raider will include a new DLC mission Blood Ties and co-op endurance mode.
Diving into the Blood Ties DLC, you are dropped inside the Croft manor interacting and tracking down the will to prove the manor belongs to Lara Croft and uncover the mystery of what happened to her mother. Clues and memories are scattered around the decrepit mansion in order to help you solve the history of the Croft family and their home. The similarities between father and daughter are explored through letters and relics from the past, outlining their shared passion and obsession. Along the way memories from Lara’s childhood arise and awaken new mysteries from the previous title.
Lara’s mean old Uncle Atlas intends to take everything from Lara as her Mother’s side of the family detests the Crofts after their daughter cancelled an arranged marriage with the Earl of Farrington to marry Lord Croft, abandoning her soon after the wedding. Lara’s mother was torn with her choice of leaving her family behind for love. Blood ties is a story of love and loss.
The other great thing about Blood Ties is that you can also experience the DLC in PlayStation VR. This new segment will be compatible with the display unit as you explore the mansion from the viewpoint of Lara.
A zombie mode has also been introduced in Rise of the Tomb Raider. Survive an onslaught inside your manor with special challenges for bonus rewards. Equip yourself with cards to alter your play style and give yourself the upper hand. Survive waves of enemies and summon the final boss. Lara’s nightmare comes to fruition as she must survive an invasion of the undead. With limited resources and enemies armoured to the teeth Lara must move quickly to survive. This mode is utterly terrifying, similar in gameplay to Call of Duty Zombies but a thousand times worse as you are all alone and equipment is sparse. This mode is almost like Resident Evil in a sense but far more intense with enemies running and grabbing you.
In the new online co-op Endurance Mode, players will scavenge the forest for artefacts in the ultimate survival experience. Recover artefacts. Find or make fires to stay warm, gather food from plants and animals, search enemies for new weapons and explore ruins and crypts for artefacts in single player or multiplayer mode.
Call for rescue or tempt fate and search the area for all the hidden treasures for a higher reward. The choice is up to you. The wilderness is a dangerous place as you find yourself stranded without food or warmth and with enemies lurking near. Find a way out or take them out. How many days will you survive?
Rise of the Tomb Raider will also allow you to replay the expedition mode with cards that change the gameplay experience and allows you to customise your Lara Croft. With new outfits and weapon packs, these cards allow you to alter how you gear up for expeditions. Older editions of Lara Croft from previous titles have been included for players to enjoy, including the old school polygon sprites that add a novelty retro flavour to the modern Tomb Raider.
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration for PS4 releases worldwide on the 11th of October.