Clambering up steep edifice, slipping over ridges, pushing boulders, dodging traps, collecting trinkets, solving extensive puzzles and a vast 3D environment, these are just some of the elements presented by the action adventure game "Tomb Raider" in its first release in 1996. Moreover, a female protagonist broke the traditional male dominated adventure games. The first installment had been so successful it sold over 7 million units worldwide.
Protagonist Lara Croft had been an instant icon in gaming that fans continue to recognize her as a celebrity (surprisingly) even outside of her game world having scored movie adaptations, short films, an animated series, comic book appearances and novels, with her newest film coming out in 2018.
With the advent of the newest Tomb Raider film, we review what made Lara Croft the iconic heroine she is.
Character development
Core Design game developer Toby Gard originally visualized the Tomb Raider protagonist to be a man. Company co-founder Jeremy Heath-Smith was worried players would see the character as an Indiana Jones rip-off, so he decided to change the character's gender. The main playable character had to go through multiple revisions since the game is to be played in third person, making the avatar visible almost all the time via a movable 3D camera. Playing Tomb Raider makes you realize that third person games involve most of your time looking at your avatar's behind, the final design makes playing easier on the eyes since it would probably make most players uncomfortable looking at a man's butt.
An accomplished woman
Apart from her other accomplishments, Lara Croft is known to have earned a spot on the Walk of Game, an attraction in the United States honoring the icons and pioneers of the video game industry and Guinness World Records for Most Magazine Covers for a Video game Character, Best-selling video game heroine, having the largest gathering of people dressed as Lara Croft and was recognized as the "most successful human video game heroine" in 2006 to name a few.
Sex appeal
Probably the most sexualized woman in gaming Lara Croft has been known to have issues having her sex appeal being used for marketing. At one point, there were speculations that it was the reason why Toby Gard left Core Design in 1997 to found his own gaming company Confounding Factor. There had been rumors of a nude code during the 90's to see Lara’s 540 polygons bare it all, the demand for such a code to be put in the game was one of the said reasons why Toby Gard left Core Design.
These are just some of the reasons why fans love Lara Croft, all the more reason to love her and be excited as her newest film is said to be released March 16, 2018. The role is to be played by Alicia Vikander as the young Lara.
