It seems a bit ironic that as we approach one ’90s video game anachronism’s questionable release into the modern day with Duke Nukem Forever, we also bear witness to the rebirth of another iconic character from that same decade.
Lara Croft, the face that launched a million pubescent gamers into manhood, is back. And she’s… vulnerable?
Yes, as announced not long ago in the pages of Game Informer, the Tomb Raider franchise is getting rebooted. Gone is the Lara of old; self-aware, fearless, a bit cocksure. In her place is a much more realistic, humanized, younger Miss Croft; one who’s going to need to tap into wells of self-reliance she didn’t previously know she possessed.
And even though it’s only CGI (though gorgeous CGI, to be fair), here’s our first look, courtesy of Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix, at the new, improved Lara, who we’ll be meeting in the fall of 2012 when Tomb Raider launches for PC, PS3, and 360.
(Just a note regarding that ‘face’ bit earlier. I don’t think her face that people were looking at. All those jaggy polygons… ugh. Then again, young desperate boys have never been known to be picky for fantasy material…)
I never really cared too much for the old Tomb Raider games. Sure, they were fun but I didn’t finish any of them. I’ve really been a fan of the series through Anniversary, Legend, and Underworld – all quite good.
I have high hopes for this one. Been watching it ever since the first mention of it, where I dubbed it “Tomb Raider: Lost In Blue”…after the DS series Lost In Blue
As a huge fan of the Tomb Raider series (I was given the original game and a PS One console for my birthday the year it came out), I always look forward to new games in the series. Legend bought the series back after the disappointment that was Angel of Darkness, and Anniversary and Underworld proved that the heroine was in very safe hands with Crystal Dynamics.
I only hope that this shake up and rebirth is different from the planned rebirth of Angel of Darkness; Lara does drastically need an update to compete with Nathan Drake and similar, but straying too far from what makes the series a true “Tomb Raider” may leave fans disappointed.
I hope Lara can ignite passions as she once did in the 90′s, for her sake and for Crystal Dynamics’.
I approve of this wholeheartedly.