With two new Tomb Raider games on the horizon, I’m taking a look back at my own history with England’s most famous video game heroine.

The year was 1999. I was ten years old. It was a dark, possibly autumnal evening. I was quite poorly and my father took pity on me and allowed me to play one of his computer games for the first time. That game was Tomb Raider, a game that had been out for three years and already had two (almost three) sequels by that point. I was already pretty familiar with how to use a keyboard so it didn’t take long to get used to the controls, and within minutes I was hooked.

I couldn’t get enough of Lara Croft. I had two Tomb Raider games on Gameboy Colour, collected action figures and the cereal box toys, and I dressed in a blue tank top and a pair of shorts when I went to see Lara Croft: Tomb Raider at the cinema – I had just turned 12 and the film was certified 12 in the UK, so I was absolutely made up that I could see it (I maintain that Angelina Jolie was a fantastic Lara. I was also pretty stoked when I learned her original name was Laura Cruise, but dismayed to further learn that the name was deemed too “American” for this English aristocrat, and so it was changed. I’m not mad about it – her name suits her – but oh, what could have been…

Now here we are, 26 years after that first taste of bullets and medipacks and I’m just as much a fan of the games as I was then. I’ve played through the original Core Design series numerous times (strictly on PC) and the Legend trilogy right through the Crystal Dynamics takeover a few times, too. In the past couple of years I’ve played through the two remastered trilogies, and I’m actually thinking about doing it again soon – like many people I just love being in her world of exploration, danger and puzzles. In spite of the aged graphics and interface, it’s incredibly nostalgic and still super immersive – I can lose hours of my life to those games and not even realise it.

I was full of trepidation when Square Enix’s prequel trilogy, dubbed the Survivor trilogy, was on its way because I was such a keen fan of the original games. The first was quite enjoyable – Lara was younger and still adept but in a more conceivable way than, say, Chronicles Lara. The story was likable, the puzzles were there, and the gameplay was pretty smooth on the whole. Then came Rise of the Tomb Raider, which I only remember bits and pieces of (it’s been a heck of a long time since I played it) so I can’t really say a lot about it other than I’m sure I enjoyed it enough to finish it. Finally, there was Shadow of the Tomb Raider. All I remember of that one is getting so pissed off during a repetitive and difficult fight that I put the controller down (maybe not so calmly) and never picked it up again for that game. I also didn’t really enjoy the story, if I remember correctly. It’s the only one I haven’t finished, but I’m sure I will go back to it for the sake of being a mild completionist, though I’ll do it reluctantly and with gritted teeth. Maybe I’ll like it after some time away, but I’m not holding my breath.

Next year we can expect a reimagining of 1996’s Tomb Raider titled Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (check out the trailer here) that will follow much the same storyline as Tomb Raider. Some TR fans are pissed that instead of a whole new game we’re just getting a repeat of a previous game. I understand the furore, but I’m quite happy with this news. This is a good way to introduce the latest Lara, now voiced by Alix Wilton Regan, and fully embed her within the Raiderverse (™). We had Tomb Raider: Anniversary in 2007 which was an updated remake of the original game, and while it was greatly enjoyable, it didn’t offer much in the way of newness. Atlantis sounds like it’ll take ’26 Lara where ’96 Lara couldn’t go, making full use of updated technology to bring a classic game into the 21st century. The bottom line is I’m happy to get a game that brings back original Lara in some form, and I’m dying to know just how they’ve ‘reimagined’ the Atlantis levels – if I’m not shitting my pants in fear I’ll be sorely disappointed.

Then there’s a planned released of an entirely new game for 2027 entitled Tomb Raider: Catalyst, set to be a direct sequel to 2008’s Underworld:

Set in Northern India, the game follows Lara Croft as she navigates the aftermath of a mysterious cataclysm. This event reveals long-hidden ancient structures and awakens the forces dedicated to their protection. As rival treasure hunters gather in the region, Lara finds herself caught in a conflict between preservation and exploitation. The events that unfold serve as a catalyst for her development as an explorer and archaeologist.
Catalyst makes use of Unreal Engine 5 and is centred around expansive interconnected environments, environmental puzzles, and cinematic storytelling. (Wikipedia)

It’s interesting to me that it’ll be exploring ‘a conflict between preservation and exploitation’, because that’s always been a source of contention between the games and fans. The fact Lara shoots her way into these countries, killing wildlife and taking artifacts without permission (to our knowledge), is… well, very typically British of her quite honestly, but it’s something that needs to be reckoned with. I’m also not sure about the character design – in the trailer she kind of looks like a weird AI blend of Natalie Portman and Mille Bobby Brown. Anyway, I’ll reserve judgement until the game is (both games are) released.

To get one Tomb Raider game soon is exciting in itself, but to have a second following hot on its heels is just pure exaltation for me. Ten-year-old Laura cannot wait to lose more hours of her life to this franchise and play as Lara again. With another movie in the works as well, with Alicia Vikander apparently retired from the role and Sophie Turner taking over (that’s a conversation for another time), it looks like the near future is very much coming up Croft.