Thanks to mixed reality, you can experience the first Tomb Raider from 1996 from a whole new perspective. A pioneering experiment by Team Beef shows amazing things
Mixed reality is a sub-area of VR that still receives relatively little attention in the field of video games. Based on the legendaryfirst Tomb Raidera group of experts has now reached a special technical milestone.
Team Beeffinanced by fan donationson Patreonhas created a VR port for the Meta Quest glasses for the 1996 action adventure game – and presented itin a sensational videoon YouTube. The caption “This is not a Skybox!” refers to the blue sky that can be seen above the level.
Because this is not an element of the original game, i.e. a texture, but the real skythat the player sees with their VR glasses parallel to the gameplay (the level is open at the top).
The whole thing is toappear as a modviathe Side Quest VRplatform, currently the beta versions are only available to paying users. Before Tomb Raider, there were already official MR games such as Lego Bricktales or Crumbling, but so far no game not intended for this with sudden MR applications
You may remember:When Microsoft presented Minecraft for the Hololensin augmented reality on a table in the room at E3 2015, there was great enthusiasm. Although the project was discontinued at the time, modders are now building this functionality into games that were not originally intended for it
Not just mixed reality
Onthe group’s YouTube channelthere are more videos that show, among other thingsthe switch between first- and third-person perspectivesas well as unusual camera angles that allow you to move freely in three-dimensional space with the VR controllers:
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Expert assessment
Mixed reality is becoming an interesting trend, and not just thanks to Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3. Seeing the real world flashing through computer games is quite fascinating and has already put a grin on my face withAssassin’s Creed: Nexus VR . I therefore find a wave of modded (retro) titles with MR capabilities just as exciting as the current trend towards VR mods for PC classics
What’s going on with Tomb Raider right now?
According to the analysts at VG Insightsover 120,000 peoplehave boughtTomb Raider 1-3 Remasteredon Steam alone. The latest game about Lara Croft’s adventures to date should therefore be considered a success for publisher Aspyr and its owner Embracer.
Meanwhile, there’s big news in the entertainment sector: Amazon is currently working on alive-action series based on Tomb Raider. This is likely to be in the style of the successful Fallout series from 2024,but is currently still a long way off
Significantly earlier, on October 10, 2024, the animated series The Legend of Lara Croft will launch on Netflix, for which a new trailer was recently released:
What do you think of VR projects that use mixed reality to bring games like Tomb Raider into your living room or, in this case, even outdoors? Would you play it? And do you even have the appropriate hardware to enjoy this unusual gaming experience? Let us know in the comments below:
