“Please, No Skill Trees or Crafting in the Tomb Raider Remake!”

In a recently unveiled video about *Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis*, the highly anticipated remake of the classic title, developers showcased more gameplay elements, and it looks like we’re getting a skill tree. Plus, there’s crafting involved? Oh boy…

On August 17, the official *Tomb Raider* YouTube channel dropped the latest episode in a mini-documentary series exploring different facets of *Legacy of Atlantis*, which is set to release in February for consoles and PC. This installment, titled “Combat & Progression Reimagined,” had me bracing for disappointment, and by the end, I was indeed left feeling frustrated and exhausted.

*Legacy of Atlantis* continues a trend in AAA game design that many players find tiresome: resource gathering and crafting. This remake introduces a crafting system that wasn’t part of the original game. Players can collect “herbs” throughout their journey, which can be combined to create buff-giving foods or healing items like bandages. Exciting, right? Just what I want to do in an action-adventure game—spend time fiddling with menus.

The game also features a skill tree. The video only reveals one unlockable skill, which sounds rather dull and insignificant: a 10 percent increase in the fire rate of Lara’s weapons. Riveting stuff.

“When I played the Survivor series, and I could suddenly affect and increase Lara’s power in the game, I felt much more engaged,” says Jason Epps, design director at Crystal Dynamics, in the video.

I enjoyed the *Tomb Raider* games from the Survivor era, too. However, what I was hoping for in *Legacy of Atlantis* was a return to the action and platforming of the earlier titles, showcasing a fully capable Lara Croft with her iconic dual pistols, rather than continuing the survival and RPG mechanics of the recent games. I’m not alone in this sentiment; many fans on the *Tomb Raider* subreddit are expressing their dissatisfaction with the inclusion of a skill tree.

“I don’t need her to improve over time in the game,” one Reddit user commented about the skill tree. “I want to step into Lara’s shoes as a skilled and already accomplished character. Not ‘oh yay, I can fall better.’”

“I was really hoping they’d leave this behind. Lara is already at her peak,” another fan added.

“100% agree,” replied a different user. “It’s such a shame that she’s still not ‘The Tomb Raider.’ Skill trees completely undermine this.”

“I don’t necessarily hate the skill tree, but seriously, if she is such a seasoned explorer as she is touted to be, why does she need to improve her abilities over the course of the game?” another user posted.

I share that frustration. I look at *Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced*, a recent remake that successfully avoided the RPG skill trees found in newer titles, opting instead to stay true to the original vision and feel of *Black Flag*. *Legacy of Atlantis* could have marked a fresh start for the franchise, moving away from the RPG-like mechanics of the Survivor games and ushering in a new era for *Tomb Raider*. Instead, it appears we’re getting yet another AAA action-adventure game where I’m collecting plants and crafting items while gradually improving my jumping and running skills. To top it off, the inclusion of AI-generated assets has completely drained my excitement.

*Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis* is set to launch on February 12, 2027. If you opt for the premium versions, you can get a two-day head start on the adventure.