The Right Balance of Horror and Adventure | Tomb Raider 1's ATLANTIS [VIDEO ESSAY]

[@Yaspercs]

I really love how you set up your love for TR and for this level in particular throughout the video. Never played Tomb Raider before but you sparked my interest now. On a side note, the video came out really well done and the narration was captivating. I may be bias because I love videogame videos on this format that talk about things that you may have missed during gameplay tho. Thanks YT algorithm for the recommendation. :D

[@higantegamerYT]

Thank you so much! I’ll be making more videos like this in the coming weeks not only about TR, but also about other videogames that I played as well. So be on the lookout! 💜🎬

[@viktimm333]

I was so, so, so disappointed with how in Anniversary they completely got rid of the horror elements and the constant gore. It just did nothing to me when in the original, even the very opening scene is eery and really atmospheric with the flickering lights suddenly turned on and that mutant room... the heart pounding, walls pulsating, it was such a great level from beginning to end. But I'M SO GLAD what they've done here in the remastered version! Cannot wait to get there myself.

[@higantegamerYT]

The lights turning on as you enter the pyramid in the OG was iconic! They even made it creepier in the remasters with the new animated textures where there are some slimy thing moving inside the walls 😍 Also, glad you enjoyed the video and happy raiding! 💜

[@johncallaghan8696]

Another wonderful video. I'm really enjoying your videos. Playing Atlantis was amazing. Getting higher and higher up the main chamber was awesome. Another brilliant level. Plus that amazing sound as you crept around each corner. Steve 👍

[@higantegamerYT]

Glad that you enjoyed this video too! 💜 If you’re interested, I made a video essay about angel of darkness years ago as well. I think my writing for this one is still kinda rough but do check it out 👇 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWSZmJ-Mjdxsfsk

[@ChaoticVoicesofAndreas]

I'm playing Unfinished Business right now and absolutely ADORE the vibe of Atlantis. It's like nothing I've ever experienced since seeing my dad play it in the 90s

[@higantegamerYT]

I’ve yet to play Unfinished Business because I got busy with work hahaha.. might play it one of these days if I have free time 💜

[@saimonroe]

as someone who is new to tomb raiders lore, recontextualizing atlantis to be something very macabre and horror-like is a rlly interesting take!!

[@higantegamerYT]

definitely! core design (the OG devs) are really having a field day with this location 🤭

[@DarkArtistKaiser]

I gotta say, of all the portrayals of Atlantis, its certainly one of the more unique ones. I don't think anyones really portrayed Atlantis as this fleshy horror out of Lovecrafts nightmares.

[@chadmcdeadlift6792]

Atlantis is 100% what I imagine what's it's like to be inside the Lament Configuration from Hellraiser.

[@thenandnow_games]

this is so insightful! thanks for covering atlantis it’s also my fave level

[@higantegamerYT]

glad you enjoyed it! I love how gross this level is 😍

[@JeffBytes]

really sound and nicely edited and paced video! i big agree Atlantis is one of my faves too and for such unique level design it's often slept on and overlooked by Lost Valley. i LOVE the Atlanteans i think theyre soo creative and creepy and have such sick designs (both meanings intended lol)

[@higantegamerYT]

Glad you enjoyed the video! I love Lost Valley too, especially the TRex area with its lush foliage.. but daaammn Atlantis really took it up a notch. Core Design really gave their all in terms of design and traversal knowing that it will be the final location of the game 💜

[@EntaraXia]

Due to the lack of clear TR Atlantis lore to this day ( by my knowledge) it s not very clear what Atlantis is supposed to really look like. The limited graphics of the time did not help to make it clear what was classic building materials and what was organic and how the 2 interact with each other. It s not very clear also if the organic part is like an infestation created by Natla experiments or if organic architecture is a part of original Atlantis culture that got corrupted by Natla and got out of way. They mention in a cutscene that she "used their own army against them" and the scorched creature is the one to activate the lever that put her in cryo. It makes Atlantis really intriguing and open to interpretation. That s why we had such a different design in Anniversary and I understand why they went this way. In the recent remaster the decoration pattern also included red "intestines" like you 'said but to me it was more like precious materials in the original texture. But it s hard to tell and it s down to perception and interpretation so they made this choice with is understandable also . I wish there were more "meat" (lol) on the lore or the creative process behind the original Atlantis design... But in a way it really add to the horror to not really knowing what's going on and what's the history of this place. Thanks for your video.

[@higantegamerYT]

really well-explained 💜👏 I’ve read that TRA’s Atlantis leaned more to its fantasy-like technological design because of the story changes too. Back then when I played TRA for the first time, I was shocked that the three rulers were “Gods” now whereas they aren’t in the OG 😯

[@SenseiJacksama]

My personal interpretation is the flesh is an infestation gone awry over the centuries since natla was imprisoned. There are parts especially in the begging where you can see textures of stone carved blocks next to the fleshy parts as if the stone was the original structure and its being overtaken by the organic. The window blocks you run on at the begining of Atlantis are an example of this too. I really wish there was more official lore about this.

[@GuilhermeKitten]

I wish they added some 3D gorey details to that main dungeon room in the remasters tho, big missed opportunity. I recall Core's TRAE had that big meat column going on in the middle of the main room.

[@higantegamerYT]

Exactly! It made the central shaft to look less empty and actually more gross in TRAE 😍 Wish they considered adding it too on the remasters but I'm still glad of what we got 😃

[@Mitsu2040]

I love this game. Those crawlers are really tough to kill

[@higantegamerYT]

indeed! they’re so jumpy 💀

[@SethMcKenzieTV]

Great video, I totally agree! If you love the look of this, you'll love Core Design's cancelled Tomb Raider 10th Anniversary Edition version! Have you seen that?

[@higantegamerYT]

glad you enjoyed the video, Seth! 😃 and yes I've seen the TRAE version and I LOVE that there's a LOT of added objects that made Atlantis more gross and immersive 💜

[@azbanspace]

I agree TRA lacked of flesh covered rooms and IMO it should have been gradually textured with flesh as you get closer to the large incubator, giving a feeling of getting closer to Natla's abominations nest. But considering that the previous rulers of Atlantis were obsessed by technology, I don't think TRA totally misses the mark because it looks more high tech, more like Tihocan's and Qualopec's vision of Atlantis who ruled over Atlantis for centuries. Natla only took over the remnants Atlantis 50 years prior to the story. All 3 rulers probably relied on extending their lifespan, Tihocan and Qualopec by replacing failing organs with prosthetics and enhancements (eyes, mouth etc... are cybernetic in the OG FMV + Qualopec's exosqueleton), and Natla using genetic engineering and modifications. I think there's a right balance in visual storytelling that has to be found yet. The TR Altantis would probably be a mix of BotW/TotK-like technology for the ancient tech looks (I don't have the trope name for ancient high tech and would link to the other Atlantis/Mu lores), Cyberpunk since Tihocan and Qualopec were technically cyborgs and Scorn's aesthetics for Natla. Showing a growing evolution of the Atlan culture and technology.

[@higantegamerYT]

I do agree with you with this too 😃 Imagine the level design getting more gross and fleshy as we reach the top and that would’ve made more sense, given your explanation about Tihocan and Qualopec’s technology too 💜 But I think the rune-like design of the walls are made on purpose to connect TRA with TRU because we’re seeing a lot of those runes too in the final level (if memory serves me right)

[@EsperElves]

I love the Atlantis levels in the original as they are so creative and interesting (and Tomb Raider 1 in general). Personally I think the remaster added a little too much extra gore, like I never imagined the Scion altar looking this disgusting or the red symbols on the walls being flesh as well. The lighting also gives it a more horror feeling even though to me, Tomb Raider, when it adds scary elements, it balances it with an ambience of adventure. I prefer the remastered levels of Peru, Greece and Sanctuary of the Scion, but I definitely prefer the lighting, colors and atmosphere of the original Egypt and Atlantis levels.

[@higantegamerYT]

same! I actually didn’t expect the red symbols on the walls are intenstines in the remastered version. I guess Aspyr really just went with it to make Atlantis even more organic and alive 😆

[@IsatisAngel]

Have you seen the TRAE version of Atlantis (the cancelled TRA of Core) ? It's pure nightmare fuel ! I'm sure you will love to see this :)

[@higantegamerYT]

Yes! It was all around TR twitter back in 2021 if I remember correctly. But I never got the chance to play it because the steps are too complicated to run the build 😭

[@azbanspace]

Thanks for sharing, I didn't know this version. It has a nice balance of tech and flesh especially that last womb.

[@faville]

That's interesting--I never considered how being inside all of that pulsating tissue might smell. Going back and forth in the graphics, I'm still forever impressed by the original, and actually quite prefer the brighter atmosphere--it sometimes makes the rooms look even more expansive. But I do love what the remaster did as well and so glad to have the option of looking at both so effortlessly.

[@higantegamerYT]

The quick toggle between the OG graphics and the remastered is such a godsend indeed! It's made creating content like this very easyy 💜

[@MamboCat84]

Bacon pyramid

[@higantegamerYT]

Perfect definition! 🤣

[@kokokirifull]

The 3 tomb raider PS1 era is still unsettling to me, even on venice level

[@higantegamerYT]

true! but for me it's unsettling because of the low-res textures haha I can't figure out that much where to go and all.. now with the remasters it's much easier to see because of how HD everything looks 😄

[@castafioreomg]

I always imagined it as this Giger inspired macabre level and its not overly gory in original..you see pulsing walls and lava it's like being inside a living pyramid

[@bringbackmy90s]

Only the 90s TR is real TR

[@higantegamerYT]

How about the LAU trilogy TR? Legend and Underworld were great TR games for its time imo

[@solidkwon]

Prior to the remaster the 3 levels (and the levels in Unfinished Business) were so ugly, and hard to conceptualize what was happening But the remaster makes these levels really come to life in a fascinating grotesque but eerily beautiful way. I think the Atlantis levels is what rly makes remaster so worth it

[@higantegamerYT]

Exactly! I've been watching OG Atlantis playthroughs before and it made me think how the hell are they getting it? Like it's hard to make up what ledge to grab and where to go because of the low-res textures 😆 The Remasters addition of new lighting along with the new high-res updated textures really made Atlantis' pop out! 💜💜

[@DanWick26]

More like someone's colon. Lara Croft becomes Osmosis Jones

[@higantegamerYT]

LMAAOOOOO 😭🏃💨

[@missxmarvel]

I liked the anniversary version of Atlantis, the markings looks great but still that's the only thing that was good from that game. TR OG is the best.

[@higantegamerYT]

I think the wall markings in Anniversary’s Atlantis was made on purpose so it will continue on with Underworld. The development cycles for this trilogy is on a yearly basis so crystal dynamics probably have it planned. 😯 Nevertheless, TR1’s Atlantis is still iconic even up to this day 💜

[@ShMartinJo]

Well made video. Anniversary was a serviceable game but it does not hold a candle to the original in every way. Another fan tried to convince me I was wrong but nothing they say can change my mind. Even the cutscenes direction (or the lack of) makes TR1 the overall more horrific between the two. I was not scared at all in Anniversary. Ironic what the commentary for Anniversary said. I was more scared exploring the side rooms than Anniversary having them removed, despite the forced tension of the possibility of falling below. I kinda wish sometimes that Anniversary never happened. We probably would have had a superior remake by now. No other TR game after TR1 can match the originality of what this game had to offer, especially with the story’s twists.

[@darkservantofheaven]

if I could describe the two versions of Atlantis in one word 2 words each it would be Tomb Raider 96 Atlantis: Infernal Womb Tomb Raider Anniversary: Etheral Temple the 96 and remaster felt Atlantis was a peice of Hell coming into Earth. Doesnt help that the mutants already look like demons. Kind like the Underworld level of Devil May Cry 1 (which itself looks like a womb) Tomb Raider anniversary felt like something out of a fantasy adventure (which it is) that you could see in Tomb Raider Last Revelation or Indiana Jones excelent vid

[@higantegamerYT]

Excellent descriptions! I’ve read somewhere that TRA’s Atlantis design change was made like that to match the story changes in TRA too 😃

[@darkservantofheaven]

@@higantegamerYT a few of things I like in TRA over TR96, was Natlas demon atlanteon Form, and the battle music. Very climatic feeling. Plus the human form of Natla is still quite Alien.

[@higantegamerYT]

​@@darkservantofheaven exactly! I still get goosebumps with Natla's battle in TRA even up to this day 💜

[@darkservantofheaven]

@@higantegamerYT I wish Tomb Raider would embrace horror ambience again.

[@MarcosSouza-rr5ns]

🥰

[@higantegamerYT]

glad you enjoyed the video! 💜

[@KennyGorehound]

Bussy Raider more like

[@higantegamerYT]

LMAAOO 😭