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Direct access to Rise of the Tomb Raider has been somewhat limited thus far, so the chance to go hands-on with Microsoft's exclusive at a recent London event wasn't one to miss. The good news is that Crystal Dynamics' latest is looking very impressive; Lara has never been more convincingly rendered, while this preview takes us to a vivid, varied spread of locales. From the Siberian glaciers at its start (as seen at E3) to a war-torn Syrian border on the hunt for a prophet's tomb, each spot is detailed with great artistic precision. However, it's also fair to say certain technical aspects in this preview build fall short of its lofty goals right now. Take, for example, the Soviet Installation Hub area that appears within the game's first two hour of play - a level we were permitted to capture that follows on from the E3 and Gamescom demo areas. Here Lara broaches a military base nestled between mountains, terrain dotted with conifer trees, and covered with snow and ice. The demo kicks off with us perched atop a rocky precipice, where the engine gives us a great overview of the landscape with little pop-in as we zip-line down.
Lara herself is a particular point of renewed focus this time around, with increased detail evident across the model. Skin shaders are more natural than before, with snowflakes accumulating gradually on her clothing. The real standout point is her expressional range, with her eyes gazing realistically into the distance with a nice parallax effect helping to provide real depth. As the wind blows across the valley, we also see updated version of TressFX that deftly handles her hair as it whips around behind her. Even her mountaineering tools bounce around realistically as she runs - an effect first seen in Tomb Raider Definitive Edition.
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