The Tomb Raider 2013 reboot trilogy by Crystal Dynamics was a statement of intent – a shot aimed directly at Nathan Drake and the Uncharted series. Whilst Lara Croft was hibernating, Naughty Dog may have had free reign to set a new standard for creating cinematic action-adventure narratives, but maybe true legends like Lara will always endure?
Crystal Dynamics reboot made the smart decision to present us with a pre-iconic Lara Croft. This was a Lara without her signature dual pistols and rock-solid confidence. Lara began her journey in Tomb Raider 2013 as a young archaeology student on an expedition to find the ancient kingdom of Yamatai and uncover evidence of its supposedly immortal queen, Himiko.
Lara’s narrative arc was tough and put her through the ringer but travelling along with her, we experienced her growth, and came to understand the origins of her grit and her determination to survive. We also see her selflessness to save other people. In the earlier Tomb Raiders Lara has no qualms dispatching henchmen, T.rexes and even dragons. In the reboot, we see her first kill and witness the trauma it inflicts. There are multiple layers to this trauma: she first had to watch her mentor Roth die and then had to protect her friend Sam from becoming a sacrifice. Awful as they are, these events were the catalyst that unlocked the potential for Lara to flourish and grow into the Tomb Raider we all know and love.
