[Interview] Aspyr talks Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered

Ahead of the imminent launch of Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, we caught up with Aspyr to chat a bit more about the package as part of an interview. Brand manager Matthew Ray was kind enough to answer some of our questions.

We’re just days away from a new round of Tomb Raider remasters with The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness coming together in a new collection. This follows updated versions of the series’ first three games that launched on Nintendo Switch last year.

Here’s our full discussion:

This new collection is coming out just a year after the previous package that featured the series’ first three games. Can you speak about the development of Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered and when it started? Was it always the plan to continue with additional remasters?

We knew right from the start that the original Tomb Raider trilogy wouldn’t be the end of the journey. The response to the first remastered collection reinforced our commitment to preserving and celebrating Lara Croft’s early adventures. Development for Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered began shortly after the first trilogy

Can you tell us about the development team for this project? Is it the same group of people that comprised the original remaster trilogy?

A lot of the team from the first remaster, and key fans from the community returned for Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered and their familiarity with the original games and the remastering process was invaluable. That said, we also brought in several new faces to help bring fresh perspectives and expertise to the project.

Was the team able to take away anything from the previous remasters in terms of experience or feedback that’s helped with Tomb Raider 4-6?

Absolutely. Feedback from the players was essential. The fan-favorite Photo Mode made a return for this new collection, and since we saw so many players having fun sharing their in-game photography – we decided to give them even more control by adding the Flyby Camera Maker! The lessons learned during the first remaster trilogy helped to make this one even more player-focused. During our Tomb Raider I-III marketing campaign, we revealed new key art, Lara outfits, and a handful of remastered bosses to get people excited about the new visuals. The response that people had from our released content taught us a lot about the Tomb Raider audience and even more about what gamers want to see when they hear the word “Remaster.” The feedback and engagement was key in developing our plans for Tomb Raider IV-VI.

In terms of the overall reception for these three titles, Angel of Darkness probably had the roughest response back in the day. We know that there are general improvements planned for the remasters overall, but has any extra work been done on this title in particular?

Angel of Darkness is a pivotal chapter in Lara Croft’s journey, and we wanted to give it the attention it deserves, hence why we decided to showcase AoD Lara as the lead character on the key art for the remastered collection. It’s also become somewhat of a cult classic within the community and is considered to be one of the most important classic titles to both Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics. The gritty approach and PS3-era nostalgia really seems to resonate with players today.

What sort of challenges did you encounter while working on these remasters? And on the other hand, what was the most enjoyable aspect of development?

Finding the perfect balance of nostalgia and innovation is extra tricky when you’re trying to make art improvements while also maintaining the look and feel of the original game, especially for games with such a dedicated fanbase. On the flip side, seeing these games come to life in a way that resonates with both longtime fans and new players has been incredibly rewarding.

Will the games feature any new content or content that was previously cut?

We’ve added some new features for players to experience in this collection, including the ability to skip cutscenes, new animations, and the brand new Flyby Camera Maker tool! On this collection, we made sure to focus on preserving the original look and feel while also making as many refinements as possible.

Will there be any changes or censorship in terms of content already in the games, or will the experience be fully faithful to the originals?

The remasters are as faithful to the originals as possible. We haven’t made changes to the core content or storylines. Our focus was on improving visuals, gameplay mechanics, and quality-of-life features. Fans can rest assured that these games are still the classics they know and love—just brought to life in stunning detail for a modern audience.

Are there plans for any sort of updates or DLC in the future to bring in additional outfits or even something like additional levels?

We’re always listening to the community. If there’s a strong demand for additional content, we’d certainly love to hear about it. For now, we’re focusing on delivering the best possible experience at launch.

Since we’ve received many questions about this, we have to ask: is there a physical release planned?

Aspyr definitely knows physical collectables are a big part of classic and nostalgic gaming. More details will be shared soon…

We understand that you can’t make any announcements, but does the team have interest in working on additional Tomb Raider remasters in the future?

Aspyr has really enjoyed our partnership with Crystal Dynamics. They’re a great team. We would love to work on more Tomb Raider and Crystal games in the future.

Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered launches for Nintendo Switch on February 14, 2025. You can find more information here.