PC port of Rise of the Tomb Raider requires a potent rig

By Brad Jones Published January 27, 2016

Rise of the Tomb Raider PC/Xbox One Graphics Comparison

Microsoft may have paid for the latest installment in the long-running Tomb Raider franchise to be a timed Xbox One exclusive, but that deal was only ever going to last for a short while. This week, the game will be released for PC — and you’ll need a potent rig to run it.

First and foremost, it’s important to stress that Rise of the Tomb Raider seems to have been very faithfully ported to the PC. This isn’t a slapdash job akin to the Batman: Arkham Knight fiasco that played out last year, it’s just that the already handsome Xbox One version has been outfitted with some extra options to really push its limits.

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Digital Foundry put the game through its paces, publishing the findings in a report posted on Eurogamer. Apparently, though, the extra work put in to ensure that Rise of the Tomb Raider sparkled as an Xbox One exclusive means that a budget PC might not be able to recreate the console experience, even if the game is still playable on such hardware.

To test out the more advanced graphical options, Digital Foundry compared an Nvidia GTX 970 and an AMD R9 390. With unlocked framerates and all settings maxed out, the AMD card offered a slight framerate advantage. However, it was noted that the GTX 970 actually fared better in some parts of the game, with cut-scenes, close-ups and interiors managed better by the R9.

The report states that players will need a rig packed with an i5 quad-core processor and a GTX 970 or comparable graphics card for results similar to the Xbox One version of the game. That’s a formidable set of specs, but not altogether unsurprising given that Lara Croft’s latest excursion is something of a graphical showcase.

This is only the first of two Rise of the Tomb Raider ports scheduled for 2016, and Xbox fans will no doubt be interested to see how both versions of the adventure measure up to the original release. The game is out for PC tomorrow, with a PlayStation 4 launch scheduled for the fall.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

Gaming

Controversial Switch Kingdom Hearts cloud port gets big fix

kingdom hearts cloud versions updated with server congestion status performance and graphics mode 3 version update

Square Enix Japan has announced that the cloud version of the Kingdom Hearts series for Nintendo Switch has received an update that allows users to check server congestion status and switch between performance and graphics modes as part of Version 1.0.3.

The server congestion status is the most important patch of all, appearing across all three collections -- Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + ReMind. Square Enix releasing the Kingdom Hearts series on the Switch as a cloud version (or the Kingdom Hearts Masterpiece Integrum collection, as it's officially called) caused controversy among fans in October 2021, as they reported getting kicked out of the server mid-game along with lag -- both issues that are commonplace with internet cloud streaming. Starting today, they can see how busy the servers are in order to determine when the best time to play is in order to get the best gameplay experience.

Gaming

Square Enix sells Tomb Raider, Deus Ex developers to Embracer

Lara Croft runs from a crashing plane in Tomb Raider.

Square Enix has offloaded its North American operations as it announced the sale of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal to Embracer Group today. The deal also nets Embracer Group over 50 notable franchises such as Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, and Legacy of Kain.
Crystal Dynamics is best known for its work on the Tomb Raider franchise, though it recently released the tumultuous live service Marvel's Avengers game. Eidos Montreal is behind series like Deus Ex and recently garnered critical acclaim following the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. Square Enix Montreal is a mobile-focused studio that makes games like Lara Croft GO and Hitman Sniper.

Embracer Group is purchasing the three studios, which employ over 1,100 developers, for only $300 million. The status of certain series like Sleeping Dogs and Gex, as well as the status of the Marvel deal that spawned Marvel's Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy game, are still in question. As of now, the only announced game from these studios is a brand-new Tomb Raider that will run on Unreal Engine 5, though the related press release says Crystal Dynamics is "actively working on several AAA projects."
Meanwhile, the announcement says the Eidos Montreal "is working on a host of AAA projects including both new releases from beloved franchises and original IP," and that Square Enix Montreal "will continue to develop and operate memorable mobile games based on AAA IP." Embracer is interested in these studios' potential to make single-player AAA titles for PC, consoles, and mobile and all of the classic series that come with them.
While it's not the best-known gaming company, Embracer Group is much bigger than you might think. This European holding company owns a massive range of developers and publishers from around the world. THQ Nordic, Deep Silver, Gearbox, Saber Interactive, Coffee Stain, and all of those studios' subsidiaries are owned by Embracer. The company even has holdings outside of video games, as it recently acquired Asmodee and Dark Horse.
These former Square Enix studios and the franchises that come with them will simply beef up the company's already massive offerings. Embracer and Square Enix expect this deal to close between July and September 2022.

Gaming

A new Tomb Raider game is in development on Unreal Engine 5

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Review

Crystal Dynamics confirmed that it is working on a new Tomb Raider game that will use Unreal Engine 5, a game engine now available to all developers.
At the end of Epic Games' The State of Unreal 2022 presentation, which marked the wide release of Unreal Engine 5 to all developers, Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider franchise general manager Dallas Dickinson confirmed the new project. No gameplay or in-engine development footage was shown, but Dickinson voiced his enthusiasm for using Unreal Engine 5 to create the project.
"This new engine translates into next-level storytelling in gameplay experiences, and that's why we are thrilled to announce today that we have just started development of our next Tomb Raider game, powered by Unreal Engine 5," he said. "Our goal is to push the envelope of fidelity and to deliver the high-quality cinematic action-adventure experience that fans deserve from both Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider franchise."
https://twitter.com/tombraider/status/1511368712279904258
There are no new story or gameplay details. However, Crystal Dynamics has previously voiced its intention to connect the most recent trilogy and the classic titles with new Tomb Raider media. Outside of Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics is currently working on post-launch support for Marvel's Avengers and is assisting The Initiative in developing the next Perfect Dark game, which also uses Unreal Engine 5. Eidos Montreal, not Crystal Dynamics, actually developed Shadow of the Tomb Raider, so this marks the studio's return to the series.
The new Tomb Raider is one of several brand-new games that will use Unreal Engine 5, as many studios like Crystal Dynamics and The Witcher's CD Projekt Red have committed to using the game engine for their next titles. The new engine features notable improvements over Unreal Engine 4, namely its Lumen global illumination system and Nanite technology, allowing for increased geometric detail and fidelity.
It sounds like this new Tomb Raider is early in development, so it will likely be a while before we hear more about it. Hopefully, it's an awesome showcase of Unreal Engine 5's power when it launches, presumably only on current-gen platforms.

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