‘Tomb Raider 2’ Gets A Fan-Made Remake Approved By Crystal Dynamics

“Tomb Raider” fans who’ve been playing the game since it first launched on the original PlayStation as well as those looking to play older titles in the franchise will be glad to know that a fan-made remake of “Tomb Raider 2” is already available for download.

“Tomb Raider 2: The Dagger of Xian” is a partial remake of the second entry in the long-running “Tomb Raider” franchise that has been live since the ’90s. PC Gamer reported that this remake of sorts is being made by fans using the Unreal Engine 4.

Currently, a demo is available for download via the developers’ website specifically created for the game. The game doesn’t look like a complete overhaul of the original title, and it’s nowhere near a full “remake” like what Square Enix did with “Final Fantasy VII Remake.” Rather, it updates the game to make use of newer technologies available today.

“The Dagger of Xian” was created by a modder who goes by the name Nicobass, along with some fans of the original game, the names of whom can be seen in the remake’s website. The game is only available for the PC.

The demo version, per PC Gamer, includes a photomode, new water simulation rendering, volumetric lighting, an option to highlight ledges that players can climb (for those who would prefer to take things easy and just see what the old game was like) and alternative outfits for Lara Croft and other character models.

The people behind the game also made sure to include new fish models that will react to the player character’s movements in water, new dead body models, better interaction with foliage and improvements to underwater particles.

Those who were hoping to see Lara Croft’s old physique should not expect to see that here as the developers have introduced “adjustments of the body shape of Lara for something a little bit more realistic.” This means she looks more like the adventurer she really is now.

PC Gamer noted that the fan-made “Tomb Raider” remake only contains a small chunk of the original title, but new locations might be added in the future. The outlet added that Crystal Dynamics indicated that it is “OK” with this fan project, provided it remains free and not for sale.