.jpg?width=1200&height=630&fit=crop&enable=upscale&auto=webp "South of Midnight wins Game and Experience of the Year at Games for Change Awards 2026")
In a new episode of their mini-docuseries, the minds at Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog explained why bringing back Lara Croft’s iconic acrobatics and movement was so important to Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and fans couldn’t be happier about it.
Legacy of Atlantis is the latest reimagining of Lara Croft’s debut adventure, marking a stark contrast from the gritty realism of the reboot trilogy.
Amazon Game Studios’ fresh take on the original 1996 Tomb Raider brings back Lara’s high-flying movement, both in traversal and combat. As told by game director Raul Siqueira, “This is a moment where a normal person would step to the side. Lara Croft doesn’t step to the side; she cartwheels to the side, because she’s fast, because she’s agile, because she can do all of those things.”
In a July 21 episode of the game’s behind-the-scenes mini-doc, the team made it clear that they’re bringing back old-school Lara Croft for the new generation — and that includes all of her badass abilities like handstands and swan dives.
“She’s moving confidently, with all these acrobatics, climbing and jumping,” principal technical game designer Grzegorz Grzywacz said. “That’s what makes Lara, Lara.”
“All of those things were the biggest issue for us. Because a regular jump isn’t a Lara Croft regular jump, right?” creative director Michal Kuk added.
In fact, Lara’s physicality was so integral to the game that her actress, Alix Wilton Regan, trained extensively in several different disciplines to get into character.
“I did a lot — I still do a lot — of weight training, running, yoga, rock-climbing. I freakin’ love rock climbing, that is my jam,” she said.
In previous episodes of the docuseries, Regan was shown in full mocap getup, solving ‘puzzles,’ exploring treacherous terrain, and getting into standoffs with as-yet unrevealed enemies on set.
“She is very, very strong. She is very, very capable. …I really wanted to bring that confidence to Lara,” Regan said.
Fans are ecstatic about the developers’ dedication to Lara’s classic moves, which the team confirmed players will be able to practice to their hearts’ content before setting off to explore new areas of the game.
“This is the NUMBER ONE thing for me — I’m so grateful the devs are focusing on Lara’s movement and advertising it as a major factor in defining her,” one player wrote on YouTube.
“Her acrobatics are a part of her character. Literally no one else has or ever done it like her. Thank you for bringing it back to life!” another said.
“I’m so happy the handstand and swan dive are back. Iconic Lara abilities,” yet another praised.
Speaking at IGN Live 2026, Regan said she recorded for three weeks at a time, joking that, “You get a bit hot and sweaty and extremely intimate with your costars doing ten hours in a mocap suit.”
IGN got the chance to preview the game at Summer Game Fest 2026, with Simon Cardy saying it “makes a 30-year-old adventure feel brand-new.”
Initially slated for a 2026 release, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis now launches on February 12, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
