The Lara Croft Redesign

[manic_depressive13]

This thread really reminded of my primary school days. "MY MUMMY said she doesn't look like Lara!"

She looks fine. At least it wasn't as drastic as Dante's new look. They just made her a bit more proportional.

 

[Palademon]

I facepalmed at everyone in this thread that said "Laura".

 

[JediMB]

T'n'A = "fearless, beautiful treasure hunter"?

No, I have to say that the new Lara looks a whole lot more capable than any of the old incarnations. And she's attractive in a real way, rather than as a sex caricature or a porn star.

But, really, what excites me about the new Lara is her exploration of a new genre. I've played a couple of Tomb Raider games and liked them, but if the series successfully reboots into the Metroidvania genre I might just become a fan of the franchise.

 

[Vault101]

Hmm, I never played much Lara Croft to be honest, but... to me this look like Lara Croft who took a few punches to the face - I don't quite get what the 'zomg! redesign!' thing is about.

Aside from the busted lips/nose/forehead... what exactly is so different from the 'old' Lara Croft? Is the fact that she's anatomically correct and not wearing short-shorts that big of a deal?

If you put all the different Lara's in a line, this new design would the one that doesn't look anything like the others.

She has no ass.

She has no chest.

She barely has any hips.

If it weren't for the lips, you'd have a hard time telling it was a woman and not just a very lean man.

She has no self-confidence. She doesn't look determined or prepared or in charge of anything, much less being a hot, smart, ass-kicker. She looks like she's just ready to go back and cry in her dorm room over a cup of express-o , not like she's ready to goo retrieve the most valuable treasures the world has ever known.

Hell, though we obviously don't have the game yet, I'd put this up there with the level of character destruction that went on in Metroid: Other M.

its called charachter development and flaws make for a more compelling charachter and if you can't tell thats a female perhaps you need oyur eyes checked...I think somones been playing too many video games and forgotten what real women look like

 

[Zeema]

I once Saw a Female Undead called LaraCroft. Which is funny because the Franchise is DEAD yet people want it to live

 

[Sun Flash]

She looks like an early 20s late teens Lara, which is what they were going for. She looks more real, which should make it easier to write her in a sympathetic light and give her another personality trait other than rich *****. Even with the dead mum stuff in legends, I could not care for that character and Never have, I should also mention that yes, I've played all the games except guardians of light, so I think I know what I'm talking about.

The only thing that bugs me about the redesign is the cooties on the side of her lip. Surely I was not the only one immediately drawn to her face herpes?

 

[Mr Pantomime]

My mother loves Tomb Raider - she has beaten every single one multiple times, except for the ones on the 360 (because I own the only 360 in the house).

Dude, let your mum play Lara Croft on your 360. Its the right thing to do.

Actually, maybe not, the new one apparently isnt that good.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I'm really glad they're doing this. I think it still looks like Lara Croft, and I have to say that I hadn't seen the full body shot yet, but it looks even cooler than I had imagined.

I am also a long time Tomb Raider fan, I've mde no secret of the fact that it was my first game, and is easily my favourite series, and how much of a nerd I am for it, and I speaking as a long term fan am completely behind it.

If your mum doesn't like it, don't get it. If anyone doesn't like it, don't get it. No one is forcing you to. If you are so determined to be put off by a couple of concept art designs and a brief description of the story then I wouldn't really consider you to be a fan. A fan likes something, and is always willing to give it a chance.

A fanboy on the other hand is someone who gets so obsessed with the thing that they decide that their own personal views on it are right and the best, and anyone who disagrees with them must not really 'understand' the series.

Find, let the fanboys bugger off and leave it for the fans, but could they please shut up about it as well?

 

[ultimateownage]

It's horrible. She just looks stupid and somehow combined with the dirt and blood it manages to make her look even less realistic than before. There's a difference between making her less of a sex symbol and more helpless. Lara was meant to be sexy, yes, but she was also meant to be capable.
All they had to do was change her shape a little bit and stop pushing Lara's sex appeal and she would have been fine.

*EDIT* Not to mention she crashed a boat, and she's surrounded by water. How the fuck is she so dirty? Did she go roll in a pile of mud or something?

 

[Knusper]

Isn't this game set before all of the others, and so that is why she looks so young? I personally think she looks more attractive yet also more capable and also realistic - it looks like she has been crawling through caves or jumping from waterfalls what with all the cuts, bruises and mud.

 

[Sixcess]

The number of woman-in-peril screenshots I've seen of the new game, and the devs' babbling on about how cool the new death sequences are, makes me think that people best lower their expectations about the new game now to avoid disapointment later. This isn't going to be some festival of female empowerment.

Personally I dislike the new look and a lot of what I've read about the new 'vulnerable, frightened' Lara. Lara's not meant to be a realistic character, never has been. I fear this is an Other M situation waiting to happen.

 

[Zer_]

**Snip**

You want to know why people would explode if they redid Duke? Because he is a satire of the big badass of 80s action films. Lara croft isn't based off of a satire of anything. Neither, is Dante from Dante's inferno.

 

[Cheesus333]

"But she isn't supposed to be "realistic". She is supposed to be a fearless, beautiful treasure hunter who goes anywhere and does pretty much anything. This Lara looks like a random, average college student who looks like she'd shit herself at the sight of a large dog, much less having to fight a pack of wolves moments into her first adventure. If they're trying to "fix" the series, why would they mess with the part that really never had anything "wrong" with it?"

I'd like to say at this point that, without a hint of irony or childish joke-making, I love your mother.

I don't like the redesign. I don't play the Tomb Raider games, but I know my gaming icons and given that Samus - the 'other' strong woman character - took a big kick to the female empowerment gland recently (Other M, I'm looking at you. And wishing I wasn't) Lara is basically the only one left. [footnote][sub]I don't anticipate Alyx will survive Episode 3...[/sub][/footnote] And by the looks of it, they're making moves to ruin that.

 

[CLEVERSLEAZOID]

She has more of a Kaylee from Firefly look now

Mmmm tasty Kaylee. I can almost agree, the dirt could kinda be taken as grease/engine oil instead x)

As for the new look of Lara?

I've been playing the Tomb Raider games since day frikken one. Same as my father. We both agree that Lara needs this. The change-over when Crystal Dynamics took control of the Tomb Raider franchise was an extremely good one, and breathed fresh life into what was pretty much a dead franchise [Let's be honest!]

This rehash also looks brilliant. Not just taking it on the photo alone though, the various bits and pieces I've read about the plot [Lara being a girl fresh out of University, off on her first archaeological trek] make it sound like they've really taken the time to think about this.

Don't get me wrong though, as I loved the original storyline [I was disgusted with the shite Tomb Raider movies and their re-imagining of the plot though], sometimes things like this need to be done.

 

[GotMalkAvian]

Character redesigns happen. The old Lara was created in a time when a completely square head was the height of rendering technology, and her overstated features and ridiculous proportions were a direct result of that. Since her creation, the Tomb Raider series has spiraled downward impressively. The only decent games to out in recent memory were either remakes or downloadable spinoffs. Really, a reboot for the series isn't a terrible idea.
Also, you've got to realize that the trend right now is toward more "realistic" adventure games. Uncharted is easily the leader in this, with games like Assassin's Creed following close behind. Add in the desire to bring in more female gamers, and it's easy to see why developers see the old "lips and tits" Lara as undesirable.
I enjoyed the old games immensely, and no amount of rebooting or redesign will ever change that. However, I'm still willing to give the new game a shot. I'm not exactly sure why you and your mother seem to think that Lara's old personality and old appearance are inextricably linked, but I believe that the new game will show us the beginnings of the character we all came to love, at least personality-wise.
Oh, and for what it's worth, I think the new Lara is pretty damned sexy. No, she's not the type of woman that I'd see in a porno, but she's the kind I would've lusted after in college (or now, even).

 

[Syntax Error]

Tomb Raider is a game about an unreasonably busty billionaire breaking into ancient demonic temples to fight alien space gods with akimbo gun-fu.

Am I the only one who thinks "realism" is NOT the right way to take this franchise?

Spoiler: Also here is Dantes new look for anyone who hasn't seen it.

Seriously... WTF? He looks like Lurch from the Adam's Family.

The hell is wrong with game developers these days? Did Chester Bennington hold the sutdio hostage?

Wait, Dante's supposed to be English? Or is that just a fashion statement?

 

[Vykrel]

"But she isn't supposed to be "realistic". She is supposed to be a fearless, beautiful treasure hunter who goes anywhere and does pretty much anything. This Lara looks like a random, average college student who looks like she'd shit herself at the sight of a large dog, much less having to fight a pack of wolves moments into her first adventure. If they're trying to "fix" the series, why would they mess with the part that really never had anything "wrong" with it?"

once i read that, i felt as though you are making this story up...

anyway, in case you or your "mother" didnt notice, the Tomb Raider series has been going downhill the past few years. they need this reboot, and they need it to be good. but most of all, the need it to be NEW and DIFFERENT.

also, its not so abnormal for people to look a little different 15-20 years earlier in their lives.

 

[logiman]

I thought that boobs should get bigger and bigger with every game..