Videogames: Tomb Raider Anniversary

Tomb Raider Anniversary: blog tasks

Language and Audience

Analyse the game cover for Tomb Raider Anniversary (above).

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

There is guns which emphasise action, the setting in which she is in reminds me of Indiana Jones therefore it makes it obvious that there is a sense of Adventure .

2) How does the pose and costume of the character appeal to primarily male audiences?
Her pose seems to enhance her assets which is obviously to cater the needs of the male audience. The title of the game is in front of her however it does not cover her breasts or her backside.

3) How might the cover be read as empowering for female gamers?

She does not need the man to be there to help her she is strong enough to advertise her game on her own.

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:

Gameplay analysis

1) What does the gameplay for Tomb Raider Anniversary involve?

It involves puzzles, fighting, weapons and many creatures.

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

Intro cut scene, exploration in text, non-diegetic sound, puzzles. 
3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.
She is extremely resourceful and seems to be very good at problem solving, however she is also very strong but has no prominent muscles?

Representations

Read this NME feature on the evolution of the character of Lara Croft. Answer the following questions:

1) Note the statistics in the opening paragraph.

1,100 magazine covers, 58 million videogame units, Tomb Raider movie

2) How does the article describe the cultural change in society and the media since the early 00s?

The 'MeToo' movement gave females a voice and empowered women. They was allowed to speak out to the public without feeling pressured or objectified. This movement definitely brought awareness to women's rights and equality 

4) What did the 2013 re-launch do differently – and how successful was it?

Went for a more realistic look for an adventurer, which allowed for a more realistic representation of a woman. This featured dirt, scars, the complexion of the skin and was overall given more realistic body shape. 

5) How is ‘woke Lara’ defined in the conclusion of the feature?

Following the commercial success of Rey in Star Wars and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, promotion around the upcoming film has focussed relentlessly on the lessons we stand to learn from Lara.

Now read this feature – Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft: feminist or femme fatale? 

1) Why is Lara Croft considered a “polarising figure among gamers”?

This is due to her being seen as someone who is being sold by the developers to the gamers who enjoy playing as the woman as well as seeing her for the visual pleasure. 

2) How did the limitations of game construction in the 1990s help to establish the way female characters were animated?

Due to the difficulties and restrictions technology had at the time, the polygon count was all the developers could focus on when making Lara and having to differentiate her from a man

3) Why were Lara Croft’s physical attributes emphasized in the original games?

This was due to wanting to market Lara with her attributes it seems as she heavily featured on Lucozade bottles and many more companies, this then attributes to the male gaze. 

4) How does Anita Sarkeesian describe Lara Croft?

Sarkeesian said Lara Croft was simply a stereotype for the category of games typically associated with male players. Even the camera angle in the game focuses on her rear end, 

5) Why has Lara Croft’s appearance and characterization changed over time?

Lara's loom changed over the years for two reasons, one that the technology was advanced enough to allow for a woman's features to be shown more easily. 


Industries

1) Why is Lara Croft such an iconic figure in the gaming industry?

She has been around for two decades and has been on every platform available since the PlayStation meaning all types of gamers have been able to play her games, 

2) What products and spin-offs have featured Lara Croft or the Tomb Raider brand?

Lara Croft has appeared in Lara Croft Go a mobile game series based on Square Enix's games, multiple movies based on the games, comics, novels, cartoons, magazines, and most recently Final Fantasy XV a Square Enix game.


3) Why might Lara Croft be considered a postmodern icon?

Postmodern icon as she is an example of a simulacrum (Baudrillard). Models dressing up as Lara Croft at events like Com Icon and for the front cover for The Face magazine causes her fictional character to become part of the real world.

4) Why is Tomb Raider Anniversary a 'case study in conglomerate ownership'?

Because this Tomb Raider franchise grew under the control of many different companies. Core design was bought by Eidos Interactive who published the original game.