Tomb Raider: Catalyst vs BLACKWOOD

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Northern India (Post-Cataclysm)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Window: 2027
• Unique Feature: The largest world map in the franchise's history, powered by Unreal Engine 5, featuring the experienced Lara Croft in the new Unified Timeline.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: 2012 Brooklyn, New York
• Platforms: PC
• Release Window: Q3 2026
• Unique Feature: A unique dual-life gameplay system that blends life simulation as a DVD store owner with a brutal, cinematic, John Wick-inspired third-person shooter.

• Ancient Artifacts: Revealed by the mythical cataclysm, these are the secrets Lara must protect from exploitation.
• Specialized Gadgets: Rumored to be discovered throughout the adventure, with some possibly infused with mythical powers.

• DVDs: As the owner of a DVD store, players can buy and sell films, which may function as a form of collectible.
• Lore Items: The detailed world is filled with environmental storytelling (ads, tattoos, posters) that piece together the game's narrative.

• Adventure
• Archaeology
• Unified Timeline
• Cataclysm
• Ancient Secrets
• Rivalry
• Next-Gen

• Action
• Thriller
• Third-Person Shooter
• Hitman
• Dual Life
• Crime
• Narrative-Driven
• Beat 'em up

• Firearms: Varies
  A diverse arsenal of over 30 unique weapons for fast, stylish, and unforgiving gunplay.
• Hand-to-Hand: Melee
  A core component of combat, used in the game's extensive and brutal takedown system.
• Environmental Weapons: Improvised
  Players can use the environment around them to eliminate enemies with precision and style as part of the contextual finisher system.

Progression is based on enhancing Lara's abilities and rich, customized adventure tech. Players will likely upgrade their traversal gear (wrist-mounted grappling tool) and combat skills as they delve into lost tombs and solve intricate puzzles.

The game incorporates light RPG elements to make Anton's dual identity feel more tangible. While specific skill trees have not been detailed, progression is tied to mastering the combat system, which includes fluid movement (dives, rolls, slides) and a vast arsenal of over 30 unique weapons. A key part of the gameplay is mastering the game's 30+ contextual finishers.

The game promises the largest Tomb Raider world yet. Lara will traverse an expansive and interconnected landscape in Northern India, densely packed with secrets, tombs, and outlandish terrains. The environment is designed to reward exploration at an increasing scale.

The game takes place in the open world of 2012 New York. The city is designed to be a living character, with every detail carrying meaning. The core gameplay loop is split between managing Anton's DVD store in Brooklyn during the day and exploring the city's criminal underworld on contract kills at night.

• Lara Croft: Playable Protagonist
  An experienced, confident, and fierce adventurer set years after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Voiced by Alix Wilton Regan.
• Global Rivals: Antagonists
  Notorious treasure hunters from around the world who descend upon Northern India to exploit the ancient power unleashed by the cataclysm.

• Main Campaign: Story
  A story-driven, potentially more linear adventure focused on preventing a global catastrophe and protecting an ancient secret in Northern India after a mythical cataclysm.
• Tomb Raiding: Puzzle
  Delving into lost tombs filled with intricate environmental puzzles, utilizing Lara's brilliance and customized tech.

• Main Story Quests
  A cinematic, slow-burn narrative campaign that follows Anton Blackwood as he carries out his contracts and gets pulled deeper into a web of conspiracies, questioning if he is truly in control of his own life.
• DVD Store Management
  A life simulation gameplay loop where players must run Anton's business by buying and selling films, decorating the shop, and interacting with customers.

• Q: What is Tomb Raider: Catalyst?
  A: It is the next major, single-player action-adventure game in the Tomb Raider franchise, developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Amazon Games.
• Q: Which game engine does it use?
  A: The game is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, allowing the developers to deliver the largest and most expansive adventure in the series' history.
• Q: When does it take place?
  A: It is set 'years after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld' (2008). The reboot trilogy (2013-2018) is officially canonized as Lara's origin story.
• Q: What new gear does Lara have?
  A: Lara has her iconic dual pistols and a new wrist-mounted grappling tool for enhanced traversal and combat.

• Q: What is BLACKWOOD?
  A: BLACKWOOD is a single-player, third-person action thriller about a man living a double life as a DVD store owner by day and a professional hitman by night. It is known for its John Wick-inspired combat and deep, cinematic narrative.
• Q: What is the gameplay like?
  A: It is a blend of life simulation and third-person shooting. By day, you manage a DVD store. By night, you engage in fast, stylish, and brutal cover-based gunplay and hand-to-hand combat, with a focus on over 30 contextual takedowns.
• Q: Who is making the game?
  A: The game is being developed and published by AttritoM7 Productions, the studio behind the tactical FPS, Zero Hour.
• Q: When will it be released?
  A: The game is scheduled for release in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026 on PC via Steam.

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. Official hardware details have not been released, but the game is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, requiring next-generation console capabilities.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be heavily reliant on the mobile GPU's TGP and the CPU's ability to handle asset streaming and rendering in an expansive UE5 environment.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced rendering features of UE5 and the promised 'largest world yet.'
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's scope and use of UE5 will require a premium cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (e.g., i7/R7 equivalent) will be critical for handling asset streaming and physics in the expansive, interconnected environments.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for minimizing latency in action-adventure gameplay.
• Game Name: Tomb Raider: Catalyst

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. As official specs are To Be Determined (TBD), these are hypothetical projections for a next-generation title, likely built on Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Performance Note: A title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop for the best experience. The game's emphasis on cinematic action and fluid animations will require stable performance.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain high framerates during intense firefights.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich city and effects-heavy combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the advanced enemy AI and physics-based interactions.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced shooter.
• Game Name: BLACKWOOD

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced rendering features of UE5 and the promised 'largest world yet.'
• Cooling Thermals: The game's scope and use of UE5 will require a premium cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (e.g., i7/R7 equivalent) will be critical for handling asset streaming and physics in the expansive, interconnected environments.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for minimizing latency in action-adventure gameplay.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain high framerates during intense firefights.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich city and effects-heavy combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the advanced enemy AI and physics-based interactions.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced shooter.