Request Your Free Article Now:

"The Enduring Legacy of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider"

The effect of Lara Croft on the Tomb Raider franchise

There are a few female video game characters that stand out above the rest: Samus from Metroid. Jill and Claire from Resident Evil. Mona Sax. Tifa Lockhart. Ellie from The Last of Us. The Boss. Uncharted‘s Elena Fisher.

But none hold a candle to Lara Croft in popularity, legacy, or controversy. Lara is one of the most beloved — and criticized — characters in the video game canon. She evokes heated debates on feminine strength, the male gaze, gender representation, and power.

Tomb Raider is one of the most successful franchises in video game history. And Lara’s wide appeal is very much at the center of that success. She’s both hailed as an empowering example of a strong female protagonist and belittled as an unrealistic male fantasy trope.

And, maybe above all, she takes us on adventures that simply wouldn’t work with other video game characters. There’s just no one else like Lara.

In this piece, we’ll dig through the history of the Tomb Raider franchise — both its ups and its downs — and looking at some of the issues that surround Ms. Croft herself. People have written entire books about Lara and her effect on culture and video game gender stereotypes, so we’ll just scratch the surface here.

Offered Free by: MakeUseOf
See All Resources from: MakeUseOf