Unearthed Crystal Dynamics art suggests long shadow to new Tomb Raider

The upcoming Tomb Raider reboot already looks like an open love letter to the survival horror genre, and a cache of Crystal Dynamics design notes and concept art from 2006 suggests the developer has wanted to make a spook-tacular title for quite some time.

Siliconera's sleuths turned up a collection of design documents pertaining to an undeveloped, open-world survival horror game with clear Tomb Raider influences.

Rough sketches and notes reveal Tomb Raider-esque puzzles involving multi-room mirror chains and torturous climbing paths across ruined buildings.

A set of environment designs from another, contemporary ex-staffer is not confirmed as originating with the same title, but bears a marked similarity.

Both stashes have obvious parallels with Crystal Dynamics' latest project; the upcoming Tomb Raider carries the tagline "A Survivor is Born", appears loaded with monsters and horror tropes, and is reportedly set in an open-world environment.