Tomb Raider series to escape its colonial past

https://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines4855.html

British adventurer Lara Croft will transition from being a raider of tombs to a seeker of truth as Evil Hat Productions and Crystal Dynamics seek to redefine the Tomb Raider series in order to escape a history wounded by colonialism, according to an excerpt from the official Tomb Raider Shadows of Truth RPG rulebook.

I hate this studio so much.

Meh. Can’t say that I have any problems with that myself. If the games are good then I’ll play them. If not then I won’t. 🤷‍♂️

This is just some spin-off book 12 people will read.

More worried about the gameplay completely written off, modern Tomb Raider sucks, has sucked for years.

If this is the trend Western-developed games are heading, then I would rather play Japanese-developed games instead. I had enough of the emasculation of Western culture.

Don't wanna get into it, because I know what forum I'm on, but Japanese devs are affected too.

Yes, yes. I still will express my resentment until I die or leave games, though.

By the way, I find it weird that Z-targeting has never been used to squeeze between walls in a game. It would work so well in the games where the camera can be moved while holding the bumper or trigger. I'd even be happy having it just once in a game, an optional area if it's deemed too weird, as a moment that makes me go, "No, they DIDN'T!"

I had to squeeze between a fence and equipment to get to a product and thought of Tomb Raider.

I...ugh, I mean...ok?

I feel.like cup can repost his post from that star wars thread here with same effect.

I mean isn't that the first thing everyone thinks about when Tomb Raider comes to mind? A world hurt by evil colonialism? Give me a break.. lol. Every country in the world has had its boundaries redrawn at least a dozen times. Can't we just get the games and stop pretending they are real? Isn't that the freaking point of a game?

With that said.. I don't care either way if they are good games. I've never been a Tomb Raider fan, so maybe the shake up will interest me more. Just need to remind myself to ignore the cringe ignorance

If the game is good I will play it, if it sucks then I'll skip it. The name has no real bearing on it for me.

Folks are reacting to this snippet as a problem, but I don't see what the problem is. Dare I asked and not get any answers?🤔

Eh. Sounds like Crystal Dynamics finally realised what some people have already figured out more than a decade ago: Lara Croft is a villain protagonist.

Think about it: what does she do in these games? She stomps her way into a foreign developing country, smashes up the place, kills a bunch of people and wildlife, then steals their priceless artifacts and treasures only to hoard them away in her giant mansion her rich father left to her.

Maybe CD came to the same realisation, but just used an unnecessarily elaborate wording to describe it, to which I say just simplify your language, be specific and spit it out. "Whoops, turns out our protagonist is evil and completely psychotic all this time. We'll try to make her more conventionally heroic in the next game."

Either way, this is all vague with no specifics at this point, so I'll wait and see.

Just found out about this. Like holy shit bro. Some devs are truly fucked in the head, aren't they? He sums it up nicely.

Next studio update we find out that she is a hardcore lesbian.

I don't know who this guy is. But he's right. The virtue signaling is reads like parody. I couldn't imagine dealing with people like that in real life. So up their own ass and fucking embarrassing.

DUde come on, how is it even possible that you have no idea who this is?

*sigh* outrage culture and victim mentality of gamers rears its ugly head again.

This will have like no bearing on the quality of the game; if it sucks, it's because of the gameplay. If you want to be outraged because they're going in a direction that's a bit more sensitive to others then you have bigger problems.

Yep, same.

No, stay outraged and don't seek out a.) new info or b.) context.

It's not a big deal to me personally, so I'm just arguing here for the sake of argument, but...

...by your logic, why even bother trying to improve?

I mean, I get where you're coming from. But life imitates art, as they say; what we see in our works of art we take out into the world and find in life. If art presents a better version or a better way to view things or asks people to pursue their ideals, then perhaps there is actual good that can stem from taking a more sensitive approach.

So instead of raiding tombs Lara will sit in a library and read gender studies? Could be ok I guess, but it seems a bit less exciting.

@mrbojangles25: I'm not arguing your opinion and I'm glad people feel differently about things.. after all that's what makes the world turn.

For me personally video games are one of the last bastions for freedoms of many kinds. It's one of the few places I feel there shouldn't really be all that many rules (obvious restrictions apply). I, for one, simply don't buy something I'm not interested in, but I would never try to change it or ask that it not be made at the expense of my or other people's feelings.

Life goes on and I just prefer to keep reality and fantasy separate so that I can have fun and enjoy my games. That's just me though.. I'm just tired of everything having to be politically correct all the time, that was and still is one of the biggest things that draws me to gaming... a reprieve from the conundrums of every day problems if you will.

Taking insignificant things in life too seriously must be a miserable existence for some people and I don't envy their inability to take things in stride and not just respect others opinions even if they don't match their own. I'm not trying to hurt feelings and I'm a nice guy, but I'm not going out of my to lie to people just so they can hear what they want me to say. (Just so you know, I'm not talking about you, just in general as to why I feel that way)

Kay. I want Tomb Raider to tomb raid, but I guess it's too much to ask.

I guess you want her to be a woman too?

You sexist pig.

@R4gn4r0k: lol, you got me.

Will this effect the puzzles and platforming?

@judaspete: Nope but please be outraged.🙃

Sounds like GOAT material right there. lol :P

"history wounded by colonialism" what does that mean? wounded by men?

wounded by Patriotism? Lara Croft was strong feminine Badass. nothing wrong with that.

yet woke does not exist accorded to some in this forum.

please I guess you not into strong feminine woman. just strong ugly manly woman that you can't tell if its a woman or not.

So tell me what is wrong with the old tomb raider? you know the best made tomb raiders games. what makes them so bad that they have to hate on it and change it to a character we don't know. who is this game targeting audience? woke moms that don't play? woke gay hollywood that is changing there child's sex just for attention? who?

@WitIsWisdom: Totally agree with that, and I think that developers should have the feeling that their art medium (video games) should be a safe space for them to say whatever they want. Whether or not they want to make social or political commentary, or to just make a fun game free of that, or have big breasty women or realistic women...they should be free to do that.

Ultimately if we disagree with it, we shouldn't buy it, and that should be the end of it (likewise, if we like it or simply don't care enough about the commentary, we should buy it). "Move along, nothing to see here" in so many words and actions.

As usual this stuff usually just comes from higher-ups and people that don't actually make games, i.e. human resources, marketing, etc. and we all pay the price lol.

Brain. Please use.

r.

It's a book. A niche' product where they will have more creative freedom.

Not saying it isn't cringe, as soon as I read this I groaned. But very likely has next to nothing to do with whatever game comes out.

Never mind. Remember him now. I said this about him not long ago:

Said it in the "Lounge" thread, but watching a coworker climb a ladder with a rope and then pull a bag with equipment up with it a few weeks ago made me think some more about the possibilities in action-adventure games. Obviously can't put Lara's guns or anything that goes in her backpack in there. Was thinking more of environmental objects used to progress. Could make it challenging by putting moving objects, fire or creatures (spiders) that can break/burn the rope between the top and the ground where she came from, could have her walk left and right while pulling the rope and object up to avoid the hazards.

Eh, not the same guy. Was sure while I was working, not on the internet. Bunch of them are kinda the same.

I mean, "Shadow of the Tomb Raider" couldn't have expressed that concept any louder if it had big flashing, neon lights.

Reminds me of viewers of "Dune, Part II" realizing that Paul was actually the bad guy.

@warm_gun said:

@hardwenzen said:

@warm_gun said:

@hardwenzen said:

Just found out about this. Like holy shit bro. Some devs are truly fucked in the head, aren't they? He sums it up nicely.

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I don't know who this guy is. But he's right.

DUde come on, how is it even possible that you have no idea who this is?

Never mind. Remember him now. I said this about him not long ago:

Said it in the "Lounge" thread, but watching a coworker climb a ladder with a rope and then pull a bag with equipment up with it a few weeks ago made me think some more about the possibilities in action-adventure games. Obviously can't put Lara's guns or anything that goes in her backpack in there. Was thinking more of environmental objects used to progress. Could make it challenging by putting moving objects, fire or creatures (spiders) that can break/burn the rope between the top and the ground where she came from, could have her walk left and right while pulling the rope and object up to avoid the hazards.

It was a dumb take, the Tomb Raider: Remastered itself has "modern controls", 0 chance of this.

Said before Tomb Raider: Remastered was released modern controls would effectively break the game and proven right. Dumb decision to pander to dribble mouths.

The maps, combat and pacing are specifically designed around them.

Why Tomb Raider: Anniversary is combatively shit, because it tries to take all this stuff and template it into a shallow as a puddle action game with massive chunks of the game chopped out to simplify it.

Now the "anti-woke" crowd are crying over a spin-off rulebook... Y'all even more pathetic than the "woke" crowd crying over Stellar Blade.

@Pedro: I don't see what the problem is either. The "anti-woke" crowd are just crying over the dumbest crap. It's just a rulebook, lol.

I'm in the same boat as you are with this one. For the longest time, Tomb Raider name was just to avoid saying Grave Robber as it was more obvious Lara herself would have been label as a criminal.

That being said, it's just the name change of her title and as long as the game itself is still fun, and still doing treasure hunting stuff, I'm find with the title change.

@onesiphorus: Japanese games/anime/movies frequently bash Western colonialism though. The evil World Government in One Piece is basically America. The evil Britannian Empire in Code Geass is basically the British Empire. In Metal Gear Solid, the American government is the big villain. In numerous JRPGs, they frequently bash the Catholic Church. Even Godzilla is a critique of American imperialism (ironically turned into a Hollywood franchise). If you're getting triggered by this Tomb Raider rulebook criticizing Western/British colonialism, then you won't find any less of that in Japanese pop culture.

Not really fucked in the head, it's just suits trying to make a buck by pandering. It's called capitalism lol. Let them lose in the free market.

Its been clear that this pandering shit ain't working, and for some time now. Be it in the gaming industry or the film industry, its a shitshow. They gotta be braindead at this point to do this in 2024.

True.

Lara Croft is a British imperialist thief. That is what she is.

But instead of whitewashing it, they should just embrace it. Could make for a good anti-heroine redemption story.

But I doubt there even will be a new Tomb Raider game at this point. The franchise is pretty much dead in the water ever since Square Enix sold it off.

Haha "Tomb Raider: The Fall of Croft" would actually be kind of cool. You could play her, start off all idealistic, then through a series of bad choices and circumstances throughout the game, ultimately end up being a villain.

I'd be open to that!

Waiting on Nintendo to go woke. Link saving Zelda for decades is way too sexist. She is a strong woman that can take care of herself, and we need to accept that. Waiting on Zelda to save a captured link tbh.

I'd be fine a with "the Legend of Link" where you play as Zelda... Why wouldn't that be awesome? Nintendo went woke in 87 when Samus Aran took her helmet off and made millions of little boys feel funny. Remember?

Point is... If done with intention a change of perspective can be done really well. Art never needs to check a box. It's intentional.

Hope she has a taser gun and is as strong as Mary Jane.

Well, Lara already "died" in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation...

But not a bad idea. Could have choices and consequences too, where your choices determine whether Lara ends up being a heroine or villainess.

I mean, it's called The Legend of Zelda, yet we never actually get to play as Zelda. A Legend of Zelda game where you actually play as Zelda would be pretty dope... *cough* CD-i don't count *cough*

Would be especially cool if we learn more about her story. Truth is, she is an actual lesbian that did crack for seven years straight.

Instead of a lesbian on crack, let's make her an asexual on shrooms... Oh wait, that's a princess from another castle.

So, what I understand from this thread is that the anti-wokes just want devs to recycle the same shit year after year and sell it as a brand new product.

What's wrong with changes in a positive direction? Plus, if the next game will be a sequel rather than a new reboot, it would make sense for Lara to stop doing the same shit, because she was raiding tombs to beat the bad guys, and the bad guys have been dealt with in the last game.