Rise of the Tomb Raider adds Minecraft-like Endurance mode

By Danny Cowan December 29, 2015

rise of the tomb raider endurance mode dlc released tombendur header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Developer Crystal Dynamics has rolled out a new gameplay mode for its cinematic adventure game Rise of the Tomb Raider that mimics the survival-oriented challenges of Minecraft‘s core campaign.

Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s new Endurance mode, available as a DLC add-on, challenges players to stay alive in a harsh wilderness setting by employing traditional survival methods, making for a drastically different gameplay experience.

In Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s new Endurance mode, players must keep starring character Lara Croft alive for as long as possible over the course of multiple in-game days. Lara can restore her constantly depleting health by cooking and eating meals throughout, but an accelerated in-game timer ensures that players will have limited opportunities to hunt for wild animals before nightfall.

In addition to keeping Lara healthy and fed, players must also gather fuel for fire throughout, as freezing temperatures provide another layer of challenge. Crucial weapons and items must also be crafted using materials scavenged from the surrounding environment, forcing players to make efficient use of limited resources.

“Fire takes fuel, cold kills the unprepared, food restores health, but everything must be caught, collected, or crafted,” developer Crystal Dynamics warns. “You start with nothing and must find everything.”

Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s freeform Endurance mode is reminiscent of Mojang’s indie hit Minecraft, which offers a similar Survival mode at its core. In Minecraft‘s default gameplay mode, players must hunt for food in order to fill a depleting hunger meter, and shelters must be constructed in order to fend off enemies who invade at nightfall.

Endurance mode features its own unique set of global leaderboards, and players who purchase the DLC pack will receive an exclusive in-game outfit and weapon. Endurance mode is included as part of Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s Season Pass, and is also available as a standalone download priced at $10.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

The Nintendo Switch just got 2 surprise games — and they’re both worth grabbing

A teddy beat sits on an embroidery hoop in Stitch.

If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.

Both games are ports of previously released games, but both went a bit under the radar upon their original launch. Sticky Business modestly launched last summer on PC, whereas Stitch has actually been around since 2022 as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The latter even has an Apple Vision Pro version now that can be played in mixed reality. I can't blame anyone for missing either, but their Switch releases offer a good opportunity to catch up with some quiet hidden gems.

Computing

Is this Razer’s Steam Deck killer?

The Razer Kishi Ultra sitting on a table.

Razer has been oddly quiet in the burgeoning world of handheld gaming PCs. When I met up with the company at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to learn about its new products, I was happy to hear it had an answer to the success of the Steam Deck.

But it was not the type of answer I was expecting.

Gaming

The best iPhone emulators

A collage of the delta emulator.

The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store. That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone, That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.

Here's the exact wording: "Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws. Software that does not comply with one or more guidelines will lead to the rejection of your app. You must also ensure that the software adheres to the additional rules that follow in 4.7.1 and 4.7.5. These additional rules are important to preserve the experience that App Store customers expect, and to help ensure user safety."