Would you like if Tomb Raider's protagonist went back to her original pitch as a South American Latina?

[Deleted member 17388]

Did you know? Tomb Raider's protagonist was first pitched to be a South American woman. Her name was going to be Laura Cruz (Or Lara Cruz, depending on the who's recounting the story), her last name was a pun for cross (Translated as cruz in Spanish), that element playing some part in early sketches of the character.

Personality-wise she was intended to be more militaristic and hardened type. The story would have been that she was hired by some rich guy Willard Stirling, obviously a villain but also revealed later to be a Nephilim, to collect parts of an artifact capable of interdimensional travel.

Ultimately, her name was changed to appeal to the local market as CORE Design, the original developers, were British; the change went alongside her whole backstory, but arguably some of the elements of her Laura Cruz persona were around for longer.

This cut FMV of Tomb Raider (1996) shows the protagonist in a hotel in Perú, with some of the plot elements of early drafts for her adventure.​

So Era, what do you think? Would you be up to see a reboot of Tomb Raider with the original pitch Laura Cruz?
She could be British still - a second-generation British Latina - since that part is important for the character as we know it today...

Or what about a total redefinition for her? Maybe no longer a rich asshole, but still posh and only wanting to play for sports? :D

 

[Merv]

As long as we get away from the direction it's going. 2013 was good. Rise was a little better. Did not like Shadow.

 

[Lightjolly]

Reboot the reboot

 

[Farrac]

Oh, for sure.

That would mean another reboot though. But I don't like the current incarnation of Lara anyway so I'd love it if they just rebooted it with this Lara as the protag and stuck with it.

 

[Deleted member 10193]

I don't care, I'd play it regardless. I recognise representation is important so I am for it in that regard.

 

[HufnPuf]

I still have to beat Shadow, but to my knowledge it sorta ends a trilogy for that Lara Croft.

If they did a soft reboot with a Latin protagonist that would be awesome, I like it when media shakes things up.

 

[killer7]

Did you know? Tomb Raider's protagonist was first pitched to be a South American woman. Her name was going to be Laura Cruz (Or Lara Cruz, depending on the who's recounting the story), her last name was a pun for cross (Translated as cruz in Spanish), that element playing some part in early sketches of the character.

Personality-wise she was intended to be more militaristic and hardened type. The story would have been that she was hired by some rich guy Willard Stirling, obviously a villain but also revealed later to be a Nephilim, to collect parts of an artifact capable of interdimensional travel.

Ultimately, her name was changed to appeal to the local market as CORE Design, the original developers, were British; the change went alongside her whole backstory, but arguably some of the elements of her Laura Cruz persona were around for longer.

This cut FMV of Tomb Raider (1996) shows the protagonist in a hotel in Perú, with some of the plot elements of early drafts for her adventure.​

So Era, what do you think? Would you be up to see a reboot of Tomb Raider with the original pitch Laura Cruz?
She could be British still - a second-generation British Latina - since that part is important for the character as we know it today...

Or what about a total redefinition for her? Maybe no longer a rich asshole, but still posh and only wanting to play for sports? :D

Click to shrink...

I can't believe. I played the first Tomb Raider in 1997 and i never seen this footage.

 

[Deleted member 19533]

I'd play and enjoy the games sure.

As long as they made her a different character I think it'd work just fine in a side series/spinoff. I wouldn't recommend changing Lara though. She's one of the most iconic characters in gaming.

 

[Deleted member 58368]

That'd be cool. The new Tomb Raider games are fun but their stories are poorly-written snoozefests so I have no attachment to current Lara, and as far as I know Shadow is basically a conclusion to her story.

 

[Strangelove_77]

Not with those character designs.

 

[Y2Kev]

I can't believe. I played the first Tomb Raider in 1997 and i never seen this footage.

Click to shrink...

I have never either and I consider myself a MASSIVE fan. But lmao at the popcorn ceiling!

 

[Clive]

I'm all for developers mixing things up if they think it can add something to the series, especially if it's a reboot. If it's a direct sequel then it is a bit weird that Lara Croft all of a sudden is a different character with a different name. Feels like Tomb Raider needs a shakeup even if I liked Shadow myself.

 

[nsilvias]

i want original characters/ips not existing characters/ips in our/minorities skin. give us something we can truly call our own.

 

[DavidDesu]

As a total aside it's crazy to see how far we've come. This gimpy as hell pre rendered cut scene to something like TLOU2 gameplay graphics. What on Earth will games look like in another 26 years!? (I know diminishing returns at this point but it will be cool to see photorealistic graphics in things like VR, that will be the next leaps we will see).

On topic, I'd be super curious to see the alternate reality where this was the character, would she be as big culturally, bigger? I think the posh British thing maybe helped and she sounds like a quite different character here.

 

[killer7]

I have never either and I consider myself a MASSIVE fan. But lmao at the popcorn ceiling!

Click to shrink...

Yep.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

Why not?

They already ruined Lara's personality in the new games so as long as the Cruz gets a good personality then there is nothing to lose by bringing back her original intended character. Not to mention, more representation is welcome.

 

[antennastoheaven]

I'd prefer a new IP with diverse characters but I wouldn't mind if they tried that, I'd give it a shot.

 

[Cosmic Voyager]

As long as we get away from the direction it's going. 2013 was good. Rise was a little better. Did not like Shadow.

Click to shrink...

Personally disagree. First was good and each subsequent entry got exponentially worse

 

[BadWolf]

Wouldn't matter if the story and characters are still shit like in Shadow.

 

[Deleted member 17388]

I can't believe. I played the first Tomb Raider in 1997 and i never seen this footage.

Click to shrink...

I believe it was uncovered by the now-defunct site Planet Lara decades back!
Alongside footage of an early version of Tomb Raider (1996) with Lara (In that case) with her full ponytail (Not in a bun like in the final game), and double aiming, just like it was featured in the original game backcase. (The build also had abysmal FPS, hence the removal of those things I believe)

The upper-left shot isn't possible in the final game, Lara does not have double aiming (Nor encounter Lars so early in the Perú levels), so it was probably taken from one of those early revisions.

Later CORE Design would try to implement that feature back when they were pitching their own Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition pitch for EIDOS now Square-Enix Europe.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

I don't think I'm really down for another reboot, nah. We spent the past decade hearing THIS IS THE MOMENT LARA BECOMES THE TOMB RAIDER like it's a fucking superhero mantle she's supposed to inherit even though every game doesn't end with something like that actually happening, so I'm kinda tired of rehashing the same concept over and over again.

Bringing some of the ideas they had for Laura in mind into a new character would be fine, though.

 

[Merv]

Personally disagree. First was good and each subsequent entry got exponentially worse

Click to shrink...

Maybe better for Rise is the wrong word, but I felt like it struck a better balance for exploration and cinematic story telling. The exploration being a lot stronger than 2013.

Shadow was a slog and the story had me rolling my eyes.

 

[killer7]

I believe it was uncovered by the now-defunct site Planet Lara decades back!
Alongside footage of an early version of Tomb Raider (1996) with Lara (In that case) with her full ponytail (Not in a bun like in the final game), and double aiming, just like it was featured in the original game backcase. (The build also had abysmal FPS, hence the removal of those things I believe)

The upper-left shot isn't possible in the final game, Lara does not have double aiming (Nor encounter Lars so early in the Perú levels), so it was probably taken from one of those early revisions.

Later CORE Design would try to implement that feature back when they were pitching their own Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition pitch for EIDOS now Square-Enix Europe.

Click to shrink...

I found this:

Larson (Original Timeline)

For Larson in other continuities, see Larson disambiguation page. Larson is a character from the Tomb Raider series. He first appeared in the original game as one of the mercenaries hired by Jacqueline Natla to retrieve the Scion from Lara Croft. He returned in Tomb Raider: Chronicles along with...

tombraider.fandom.com

 

[Deleted member 5621]

"Lara Croft is now south american" after she changed appearances like ten times is hardly the south american representation I want, unless they get some absurdly good writers and go ham with the paradox of being a south american and the colonialist power fantasy of raiding tombs in foreign countries.

 

[Deleted member 15240]

Make her a South-American woman who robs Western museums from their ill-gotten treasure and returns them to their original temples and ruins.

 

[Deleted member 17388]

Not with those character designs.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, they would have to hire a more diverse set of developers and designers to offer a more sensible take.
And as HufnPuf said, with all the right elements in place, a shake-up would be enjoyable; when they no matter what will try to bring back the franchise.

 

[Slayven]

A latina researching her hertiage plays a lot better and more interesting then a rich white woman coming in to fuck shit up because she is bored

 

[TimeFire]

There are so little South American protagonists in gaming. Lara Croft becoming one would be awesome for me

 

[TheIdiot]

Yes, but I don't think the writers of the last 3 games would be up to the task honestly.

 

[Deleted member 17388]

A latina researching her hertiage plays a lot better and more interesting then a rich white woman coming in to fuck shit up because she is bored

Click to shrink...

This! : >

Go full exploration mode in those ancient places.

 

[The Shape]

Never knew that. Interesting.

But I really don't care about this franchise anymore. 2013 was good but its sequels were underwhelming.

 

[MaxAugust]

I'd pretty much always rather effort be put into making a new character and giving them a unique personality and focus rather than just changing the ethnicity/gender of a current one. Like make a Tomb Raider game with a Latina as the secondary protagonist with a distinct personality and maybe gameplay. Then follow up with a game just about her. Considering the state of recent Tomb Raider, it'd be cool to pull a franchise refresh with a new characters as the successor to Lara Croft. Basically, Spiderverse it.

 

[cowbanana]

I'm not a fan of drastically changing existing characters, but I'd definitely play a good action adventure starring a Latino woman. They could even do a Tomb Raider spin off with a new character, but I don't see the point in changing Lara.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Of course. Any course correction away from "white person plunders artifacts from other cultures" is welcome.

There is no sanctity, no inherent value in white vg protagonists being white—the value depends entirely on context, and if that context is Indiana Jones-style "it belongs in a museum!" plot setup, then it's not doing any good.

 

[DixieDean82]

In this timeline, I bet people would still not be able to pronounce her name.

 

[Belthazar90]

No, even though I really dislike Lara's personality in the reboot I think being English is important to what makes the character what it is (I really want cold, posh and badass Lara back, gosh).

Maybe a spinoff would be a good idea for Laura Cruz tho, but that character design is worse than original Lara in how unnecessarily sexualized it is.

 

[KamenSenshi]

No, mainly because the character would not get a fair chance by taking over the existing franchise. If shed was given a new one though sure. Actually if they were gonna do it it should have been 2013 as the games and personality are different than traditional TR anyway.

 

[2CL4Mars]

A new Tomb raider should ignore the origins route and just have an already established Lara, like say the new Spider man. Or the original game, in which she had been an explorer for a while? or was she new to it in the original too?

 

[Deleted member 17210]

Back in the '90s, I was annoyed they changed her to begin with. But I don't see the point in changing her established character now. I agree with those saying make a spin off with a different character.

 

[Franco_Tech]

They only changed Her last name She looked latina already.

 

[808s & Villainy]

Only if they call her Lara Cruz, and don't just go with Lara Croft. And if they go back to the gameplay of the older games. And her personality. And the greater emphasis on figuring out platforming puzzles and fighting animals/supernatural stuff and not just mowing down people

 

[SofNascimento]

I'd prefer if they didn't reboot the franchsie again, and keep developing Lara from the three new games. I'd like to see the new Tomb Raider deal with concepts of imperialism and cultural heritage (which is not a term that I like much btw).

I was playing Shadow a while ago and was in the part where you are exploring her family mansion as a child and you go in what is basically a private museum full of artifacts from a multitude of civilizations. There is a persian lioness about which Lara comments someone stole her head. And I thought... 'No Lara, someone stole the entire thing'.

It's a daring subject, and writing is perceived as the weakest point in those games. But it would be worth the attempt.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Nah, just make a new character, no need to change a well established and popular character.

What they should do is go back and focus on exploring, tomb raiding and puzzles, with less combat, like the original games.

Turning Lara into Rambo, killing hundreds of bad guys, was just not Tomb Raider for me.

 

[Het_Nkik]

Get rid of the name name Lara/Laura and sure. Basically make her a new character. Hell, Lara Croft can still exist in the game's world. But yes, a AAA game starring, and I can't stress this part enough, a non-tropey/stereotyped Latina would be great.

I just hate the idea of "here's the same character but they're a different race/ethnicity now." Feels ungenuine and pandering. Do the right thing and make her her own character.

 

[Deleted member 5593]

I'd rather square invest in a new IP.

 

[spartan112g]

I had no problem with the new Laura. My issue was with having to mash the "sense" button every second to find collectibles. It's why I'll never finish Shadow.

 

[ElNerdo]

I'd be down for a Latina Tomb Raider, as long as they don't go back to the oversexualized character design of the original.

 

[nampad]

Just make a new character, it can still be Tomb Raider.

 

[GameAddict411]

Whatever they do with Lara, they need to fucking hire better writers. The trilogy have had shitty story and it really stands out compared to the rest of the games. Everything else is high quality except when there is a cut scene or dialogue.

 

[Deleted member 17388]

Just make a new character, it can still be Tomb Raider.

Click to shrink...

This could work too. A Latinx character, and as people already said in this thread, discovering their roots. It could be cool!

But having Laura Cruz as a precedent, it would be a nice back to the roots :v

They only changed Her last name She looked latina already.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, they keep reworking her origin/background on the fly (Lara's birthday, for example, 14th February, was given by Victor Interactive -Now Marvelous- because that was when the first game's PlayStation debuted in Japan), but her appearance and overall influence, given the intended identity of the character, remained strong until the second entry; I think TRIII is when you can clearly make a distinction.

Tomb Raider I concept art (Left), next to Tomb Raider II concept art (Middle and right) circa 1997​