The free fan project Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition from Delca and Trxye enthusiasts will be released in May on the TRCustoms platform — the classic Lara Croft returns in the 2D platformer format. While gamers are waiting for major official releases, the community on Reddit has already appreciated the authentic physics and spirit of the PlayStation era.
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What to expect from Tomb Raider: Side-Scroller Edition before the release of Catalyst?
The Tomb Raider franchise is clearly on the rise right now. Publishers are shuffling the rights, but the gaming icon is steadily finding its way to release. The main intrigue for the hardcore audience lies in Tomb Raider: Catalyst from Crystal Dynamics studio, announced for 2027. The project is supposed to dig deep into the old mythology of the series. Plus, don’t forget about Legacy of Atlantis (a full-fledged remake of the original), which is looming on the horizon this year. But why wait so long?
The May release hits home with nostalgia. The developers didn’t just transfer the pixels, but scrupulously recreated the very physics from the nineties. Jumped past the ledge? Lara will fall to her death spectacularly (yes, everything is according to the canon). The visual and sound design give out a pure concentrate of the first PlayStation, carefully assembling mechanics from several old parts at once.
The main features of the demo:
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A mix of platform elements from several classic games in the series;
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Honest retro physics of moving and jumping;
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Fully authentic PS1 era sound and visuals.
Reddit users greeted the announcement very warmly. In the comments, the novelty has already been compared to a gold base like Super Mario and Sonic. And this is not an exaggeration. Gamers praise the cute visual style and the titanic work of the authors. As soon as development is completed, the final build will be uploaded to TRCustoms, the main library of fan mods. A great timekiller to brighten up the wait for numbered parts.
Why is now the best time to be a Tomb Raider fan?
The gap between the expected releases of Catalyst and Legacy of Atlantis is definitely not boring. Copyright holders competently develop interest in the audience, massively returning classics to the modern information field. The games of the past are collecting cash again.
The current schedule for the development of the franchise looks solid:
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Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered compilation — just recently flew onto the brand new Switch 2.
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Tomb Raider 4-6 remasters have been quietly sitting on digital shelves for over a year now.
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A new animated series from Netflix and a large-scale live—action film adaptation are in active production.
And we don’t even take into account the two television projects that have already been released in recent years. The media expansion of Lara Croft (yes, the one) has gained a lot of momentum. Therefore, after many decades of lull, the Tomb Raider franchise has finally regained its status as the main adventure engine of the industry. There is enough content for everyone.
