WHY DO WE LOVE LARA CROFT SO MUCH?!
For over 20 years we have been completely engulfed and intrigued by the Tomb Raider franchise. There has been 18 titles spanning that time and the franchise has not shown any signs of slowing down. Square Enix just published “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” about a week ago. Above all else though, Lara Croft has been one of the most popular gaming mascots over the years. Her gaming sprite is instantly recognizable no matter what generation. Just think about it for a second. There are people who have never played the game, however they still know the name Lara Croft. They might associate her with Angelina Jolie, as she had starred in two of the three Tomb Raider films. So it begs the question; “Why do we love Lara Croft so much?”. Here are a couple of reasons why.
SHE IS A LEGITIMATE FEMALE PROTAGONIST
For many years, women have been portrayed in media as either a damsel in distress, a prize or an annoying side kick. There of course were a few exceptions like Sarah Conner and Ripley. But other than that.....there aint been much. Now enter Lara Croft. She is an archaeologist; expert hand to hand combatant; expert marksman; gymnast; has a genius level intellect and has her own money. Not to mention she runs toward danger and adventure! She has qualities that are both interesting and intriguing for a movie goer or a game player. Let's not forget that she is straight up tough as nails and can take a beating. She has headlined every movie and video game that she has ever been in. Not even Samus has that kind of track record.
THE WAY SHE LOOKS
Look, let's just get this out of the way. Lara Croft is one of the longest reigning sexy women in the video game world. Her iconic light gray short sleeved shirt; brown pants and twin pistols are something of legend. A new born baby would be able to point her out of a line up. I know that I have had a thing for her since PS1. All of that sweet 128 bit beauty. If you don't recognize Lara Croft when you see her, you must have been living under a rock for the last 20 years, you poor thing.
THE TOMB RAIDER GAMES ARE AWESOME
Last but certainly the most important reason why we love Lara Croft is because the Tomb Raider games are absolutely amazing! There have been a few hiccups here and there, but overall each one of these titles have been awesome. From the Indiana Jones style booby trap puzzle games of the 90's, all the way to the gritty, dirty hardcore survival style of the new games. The games have always went over well with casual and hardcore gamers. The franchise has sold over 63 million copies worldwide! That's nothing to sneeze at, it's one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time!! That's not by accident. This formula proves that if you have a likable character, fun gameplay and a cool story our franchise can go the distance.
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