As one of the most recognizable faces of the gaming world, Lara Croft has been through some serious hell since ’96. Throughout the Tomb Raider series, Croft has traveled the world, fought off impossible enemies, starred in two of her own movies and, most importantly, she’s always looked good while doing it.
Of course, that has something to do with the graphical improvements through the years, maybe a few pixels here and there, but if there’s ever a tomb to be raided, we can count on Croft.
From the original Tomb Raider on the Sega Saturn, PlayStation and PC, Lara Croft has aged beautifully in her 17 years of progression onto the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The original Tomb Raider is a clunky looking game with even sharper controls, whereas the 2013 version presents a smooth and easier to control Lara Croft in a beautifully detailed environment.
It took a few years, but we’ve seen her full transformation into a reasonably proportioned character with actual depth, rather than the practically faceless character we’ve grown up with. Plus, with the advancements of Lara Croft herself, she’s brought to life in a new way. Not only does she look more realistic in a believable environment, she becomes more of a relatable character whose personality is more interesting than simply her looks.
With graphical advancements happening at every corner, we’re far from seeing the end of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider series any time soon. What with the temporarily Xbox One exclusive title, the Rise of the Tomb Raider to be released in 2015, the game still has plenty of room for future improvements.