Today Crystal Dynamics released more information about the Blood Ties trailer and the Gamescom demo through a live stream with Meagan Marie, Robin Huey, and designer Will Kerslake. They spoke about the various areas of the game and answered our (web admin) questions submitted earlier in between each gameplay segment. I took notes as well as I would expect others did, and to my best recollection, I have developed this article. I apologise for any erroneous entries. 

 This should give Tomb Raider fans more info about the forthcoming 20th-Anniversary release! I am very impressed with the information about the DLC’s Blood Ties and Lara’s Nightmare etc. Also, the new Endurance co-op mode will be wonderful. 

The first video is a narrative and the second is without narrative. 

• Endurance co-op mode:

It is pleasing that the new Endurance co-op will have players helping each other. That is if you are low on your resources you can share the ones you have to help your teammates survive. As we all know Endurance mode is the ultimate survivor mode in the game, and the co-op mode for this is simply amazing. 

It shall have harder traps and more of them. Also, there are areas of the mode where your life will gain, but to manage that is very difficult. Additionally, if you wander off away from your comrades, you will not be able to gain any resources from them and they won’t from you either. The key is to stay together and share and share alike. I like this mode a lot and cannot wait to play it. 

• Blood Ties (Story DLC)

Blood Ties is an explorational DLC set in the manor about Lara’s uncle trying to take her manor from here and disinherit her. You should find at least an hour’s worth of gameplay, maybe more with this lovely addition. At this point, Lara talks about how the manor is deteriorating and wonders if she should let him have it. However, something pushes her on, through memories of her father and mother. Her connection to the past is far too strong to leave it this way, and she goes on an explorative mission. As she progresses through the maze of memories we see and hear, she speculates if her father built places in the manor the way they were to protect his research.

Progressing through the game, we hear young Lara speaking with her father about different archeology sites and elements within them like a library and ancient traps.  The dialogue here is in her father’s voice and young Lara’s through her memories. Some favourite paintings are mentioned that her mother held dear. She whets our curiosity by speculating about the amount of secrets that could be hidden in the manor. It is all interesting and is placed in an area of the game you will have to play through in order to activate this DLC. I also must speculate about one of the secrets possibly being the whereabouts of Lara’s mother. Her uncle did say she disappeared and her death was never formally acknowledged. 

Lara’s memories are her revisiting her childhood and it shows how her father played an important role in her life by encouraging her thirst for exploration. I must admit, that listening to the sequence reminded me of Werner Von Croy and young Lara in Revelation. (memories) Her memories will come to the surface visually when she goes into certain areas of the manor from the Grand Hall etc … it is like going down memory lane. A great DLC that feels connected to her past in a big way! I really enjoyed the footage. 

The DLCs become available once you get through Syria.
Additionally, if you complete the campaign story, more items will become available. There will also be special achievement trophies for the 20th-anniversary edition.

• Lara’s Nightmare (DLC Set In The Manor)

Nightmare is a mix of terrifying characters from events that Lara has endured through Rise. Throughout this level, her uncle’s voice booms in the background rageful, screaming, threatening! It is a combative  world you have to make it through with one life. It is a hard world to make it through but a great addition to the game. You will see the manor in a way you never dreamed. I like the zombies that are in this as well as other creepy things. 

To elaborate, It is everything that she has seen that is terrifying in her life to this point. So, Nightmare is a challenge level that really is packed with excitement and fast pace. It is worth the time to play through.

If you lose during gameplay, Nightmare will make Lara wake up in a different room everything moves around to make gameplay a different experience each time you start over. The elements used within this game are all from Rise.

Nightmare is a short combat focused level, unlike Cold Darkness which is more puzzle oriented. 
You must shut the place down in Cold Darkness to stop the zombies from getting out into the world. Nightmare, of course, is different, but how impressive it is! I was VERY pleased with all the new items coming to the 20th-anniversary edition this October! We have a lot of fine content to look forward to. Yahoo for that and a job well done! Thank you Meagan, Robin and senior designer Will Kerslake for an outstanding and informative live-stream session today! It was amazing! 

Blood Ties Gallery

You can buy this edition of Rise of the Tomb Raider  on PlayStation 4 October 11 worldwide. Not counting PlayStation VR support, all Season Pass holders on Xbox One and PC will receive the new content for free. This new content shall not be available for Xbox 360. You can pre-order the game HERE

~Emma Q.