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Lara Croft gets reinvented for Tomb Raider reboot

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Adventure, Eidos, PlayStation 3, Square Enix, Xbox 360,

tomb raider new lara croft

Tomb Raider has never been a game about pushing the boundaries of the character. Lara Croft herself served as the main attraction, using her alluring sexuality to coerce fan boys into controlling her around through uninspired sequel after sequel. While the gameplay was a novel innovation back in the PS One days, Lara Croft – and Tomb Raider in particular – has been spinning her tires in a rut. Not one to let character die, Crystal Dynamics finally has decided to bring Lara in for rehabilitation.

What is it that drives the story of a game? Is it the action? Or perhaps it is the environment? Certainly these things matter, but what drives them is the character. Great stories are moved along by the characters. The old Lara Croft really had nothing going for her. She’s the trophy wife – a hot chick you married too quickly only to realize just how vapid she really is. Sure you raid tombs and look hot doing it, but why do you do it, Lara? Are you truly happy?

Ironically, Toby Gard designed the character of Lara Croft as a reaction against stereotypes. But look at Lara Croft today and she is the biggest ‘F’-you to female gamers everywhere. Saddening considering the character behind the double D’s is an intriguing one: a wealthy and well educated aristocrat searching for her own way in life.

Transforming Lara into a believable character that is both accessible and strong willed is no simple task. Global Brand Director Karl Stewart and Art Director Brian Horton had to strip down the old Lara Croft in order to birth a new, more authentic person in her place.

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Gallery: Lara Croft gets reinvented for Tomb Raider reboot


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Summer of Arcade 2010 Xbox Live Arcade lineup

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Adventure, Driving, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Release Dates, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Arcade,

Summer of Arcade 2010

The third-annual Xbox Live Arcade Summer of Arcade kicks off on Wednesday, and goes through August 18th with a block of five titles that Microsoft thinks are worthy of knocking your socks off. Things start off with the release of Limbo on July 21, which is the black and white mystery game where a boy sets out to discover the fate of his sister. On July 28th, Hydro Thunder Hurricane drops, with Castlevania Harmony of Despair coming the week after, bringing the 2D side-scrolling goodness of Castlevania back to the forefront. On August 11th, Monday Night Combat, a fresh take on the multiplayer shooter comes out, and things wrap up on August 18th with the return of Lara Croft. Nope, this one isn’t a Tomb Raider game. Instead, it’s Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, a fun mix of exploration and combat.

The Summer of Arcade is generally when Microsoft looks to release a back-to-back string of amazing titles. This year, they’ve upped the ante a bit with a special promo. If you buy any three of the five Summer of Arcade titles listed above by the end of August, you’ll receive 400 Microsoft Points back. If you decide to spring for all five, you’ll get 1200 Microsoft Points. How’s that for putting their money where their mouth is?

Gallery: Summer of Arcade 2010 Xbox Live Arcade lineup


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