The Tomb Raider series, once a beloved franchise, faced a decline in popularity due to its lack of innovation and repetitive gameplay. The 2013 reboot, developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, reimagined the franchise in a modern context and presented a new origin story for protagonist Lara Croft. The reboot’s success led to new gameplay mechanics, such as a crafting system and more focus on exploration and puzzle-solving. The future of the franchise is uncertain, but with a new anime series and the possibility of another game, Tomb Raider remains relevant and beloved among gamers worldwide.
Tomb Raider (Reboot) – A Classic Adventure Game Series Reimagined
The Tomb Raider series has been a beloved franchise among gamers worldwide ever since the release of the first game in 1996. The series has come a long way since then, spanning across nine mainline entries, several spinoffs, comics, and even movies. The series has been a significant inspiration for many new games, but despite its rich history, the franchise faced a decline in popularity during the late 2000s. However, in 2013, a reboot titled ‘Tomb Raider’ was released, which reimagined the classic adventure game series in a modern context.
The Decline of the Tomb Raider Series
The Tomb Raider series, which was once a popular franchise with a massive following, began to decline in the late 2000s. The releases of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (2003) and Tomb Raider: Legend (2006) were not as successful as their predecessors. Despite the positive reviews it received, the series was losing steam.
One reason for the decline in popularity was the lack of innovation in the series. The Tomb Raider games had a set pattern of gameplay mechanics that many gamers found repetitive and dull. The protagonist, Lara Croft, was a stereotypical sex symbol with a flat personality and a one-dimensional character. The franchise was in desperate need of change, and that change came in 2013 with the release of the rebooted game, Tomb Raider.
The Reboot – A Modern-Day Origin Story
The 2013 Tomb Raider game was developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix. It was a modern-day reimagining of the franchise and presented a new origin story for Lara Croft. In this version of the story, Lara Croft was a young and inexperienced archaeologist who got stranded on a mysterious island. The game focused on survival, as Lara had to fight for her life against bandits and supernatural beings, all while uncovering the secrets of the island.
The game deviated from the set pattern of the Tomb Raider series and introduced new gameplay mechanics to make it more exciting and engaging. The game also presented a more realistic Lara Croft, with realistic body proportions and a personality far more nuanced than her previous iterations. The reboot was a massive success, and it renewed the popularity of the franchise among gamers.
A New Formula for the Tomb Raider Series
The Tomb Raider reboot changed the formula of the series and introduced new gameplay mechanics that made it more immersive and engaging. One such mechanic was the crafting system, where Lara could collect resources from the environment to upgrade her weapons and abilities. The game also focused more on exploration and puzzle-solving, making it more in line with classic adventure games.
The reboot’s success led to the sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider, which followed a similar pattern but expanded on the mechanics introduced in the first game. This game introduced weather mechanics, where Lara would have to adapt to the harsh environments of Siberia, and expanded on the crafting system, allowing players to upgrade their weapons in more detail.
The Future of the Tomb Raider Series
The success of the Tomb Raider reboot led to the release of Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018, which concluded the story arc started in the first game. However, the question now is, what is the future of the Tomb Raider series?
It was announced in 2021 that Netflix would be working on an anime series based on the Tomb Raider franchise. While this announcement has made fans excited, there is no news regarding where the game series would go next. With the rebooted series concluding with the third entry, there is an opportunity for developers to introduce a new story arc or reboot the series again.
Conclusion
Tomb Raider has come a long way since its inception in 1996. The franchise faced a decline in popularity during the late 2000s, but the 2013 reboot changed the formula of the series, and it became a massive success. The reboot presented a new origin story for Lara Croft, introducing new gameplay mechanics and updating the character for a modern audience. The future of the franchise is uncertain, but with a new anime series in the works and the possibility of another game, the franchise remains relevant and beloved among gamers worldwide.