A new gameplay video from Flying Wild Hog reveals skill trees and focus bars. However, the radical changes to the classic are facing fierce backlash.
Amazon Game Studios and Crystal Dynamics have released a new video for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. It is already the sixth episode of the “Behind-the-Scenes” video series. In it, the developers shed light on the development of the upcoming remake, which Flying Wild Hog is currently fine-tuning. The latest video shows us some previously unseen gameplay elements. And in some places, these differ quite significantly from the original 1996 title.
New Focus Mechanics, RPG Skill Tree, and Community Criticism
The “fiery, fabulous, and fit” incarnation of Lara in Legacy of Atlantis is meant to feel, above all, agile and dangerous. She also comes with a new Focus bar. This bar fills up when you deal damage, take damage, or dodge attacks. When you use Focus, you slow down time around you. This allows you to perform acrobatic maneuvers that are designed to feel really smooth on the controller. This is a massive departure from the original. In that game, you could simply pull Lara’s acrobatic moves out of thin air at any time, without any special focus mechanic.
“When I played the Survivor series [starting with Tomb Raider 2013], I was suddenly able to directly influence and increase Lara’s strength in the game,” says Design Director Jason Epps. “That made me feel much more involved in the action.” As a logical consequence, the game now features an RPG-style skill tree. You’ll also collect herbs, which you can combine to create useful buffs. For example, you can reduce the damage you take or restore your health. Unlike in the Survivor series, however, you don’t earn experience points by completing various tasks. To get upgrades, you must instead collect artifacts scattered throughout the levels.
“No thanks, I don’t like that at all,” remarks a useron ResetEra. He’s referring to the new-fangled mechanics that are now making their way into the classic game. “I hate it,” another user agrees. “It just disgusts me, damn it,”writes a user on X. “I was really hoping we’d finally be rid of all that RPG stuff after the Survivor trilogy.” My absolute favorite response, however, perfectly sums up the contradiction between gameplay and story: “Shouldn’t she already be a seasoned veteran of treasure hunting in this game? Why the hell does she still have to learn new skills at her age?”
And that’s the tragedy.
I’m so disgusted, for crying out loud. I was really hoping to be rid of all the RPG elements after the Survivor trilogy. I hope it won’t be too overwhelming in the experience… Legacy of Atlantis didn’t need this. pic.twitter.com/LznV3ZUV8L
— Matthieu Collin (@Matthiew_BC) August 17, 2026
Return of the Twin Pistols, AI Controversy, and 2027 Release
Elsewhere in the video, Flying Wild Hog confirms an important detail: Lara’s iconic twin pistols are making a comeback and will serve as her primary standard weapon. “We’re offering four weapons in the game,” explains Senior System Designer Marcin Steliga. “Each weapon is tailored to different playstyles and distances from enemies.” The developers then explain in more detail how the shotgun, submachine guns, and assault rifle optimally complement the twin pistols in a wide variety of situations.
All in all, these are pretty drastic changes. And they’re apparently not going over well at all with the Tomb Raider community. Incidentally, this isn’t the first time Amazon, Crystal Dynamics, and Flying Wild Hog have come under fire for this project. Back in June, the studio sparked a massive outcry for relying on AI tools during the game’s development.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis was originally scheduled to be released in 2026. However, it will now be released next year—more specifically, on February 12, 2027. The action-adventure game will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC (via Steam).
