Tomb Raider Will Take 12-15 Hours to Complete, Lara to Have Regenerative Health

Karl Stewart, Crystal Dynamics' global brand director, recently went on Twitter to answer a few questions fans have about the studio's upcoming Tomb Raider reboot.

First up, Stewart revealed that the game will clock in at 12-15 hours to complete depending on your "play-style." In addition to that, while Lara was an adept swimmer in earlier iterations of the title, in this reboot, Lara won't or can't swim…at least not yet, anyway. We don't know if this means that there won't be swimming sections in the game, if Lara dies whenever she dives off a body of water, or she literally do not know how to swim just yet.

Stewart also kept mum when asked by a fan if we should expect any sort of "tribute" to the original Tomb Raider series; and only commented, "you'll have to wait and see :)."  I assume that smiley face means an Easter Egg or two will be there, no?

Regarding the title's potential as a franchise, Stewart admits that the story and game can have a sequel with the only caveat that it's successful — which, is pretty much common sense these days, no? Also of note regarding the story, expect twists as the brand director states that they "love twists at Crystal D."

Lastly, don't expect medpacks or health vials in the game, as Stewart also confirms that Lara's health will be regenerative — a game mechanic abhorred by some game purists. 

That's basically it for now. Although I do admit, Tomb Raider clocking in at 12-15 hours in length is a rather good surprise. I was expecting it to last for about 8-10 hours, which is the norm these days for single-player experiences. 

Regarding health, I don't mind it regenerating that much. I mean, we see Lara lost and without supplies in an island, so I expect there won't be a lot of medical supplies to help her on the way, no? 

Has any of the details shared by Stewart troubling for you? Could the fact that Lara won't be able to swim be counter-immersive? And what do you think of regenerating health in games? Are they a necessary evil nowadays or just a lazy gameplay crutch?

Thanks, OnlySP