There are big plans in store for Lara Croft in 2023. Not only is the mobile rogue-like game Tomb Raider Reloaded slated for release soon, but players can also clean Croft Manor in the PowerWash Simulator DLC and catch their favorite explorer on television screens. Amazon Studios recently announced that a Tomb Raider television series is in active development, with Killing Eve writer and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the helm. Last year, Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics revealed plans to make another installation in the franchise with the help of Amazon Game Studios. Hopefully, the upcoming game will feature more of Lara's archeology skill set than prior installments.
Lara has demonstrated a prolific understanding of ancient ruins and cultures over the hears, proving the merit of her academic background in archeology. Her academic connections fueled her pursuit of the unknown on Yamatai in the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot but have been underutilized throughout the franchise. There are quite a few ways that the new Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider title can utilize Lara's archeology skill set -- from depicting accurate archeological techniques to showing Lara working with a team of fellow archeologists during her next adventure.
Action-Adventure Elements Overshadow Lara Croft's Archeology Background
It's not surprising that Lara Croft's archeological skill set might have taken a back seat, especially when playing earlier games in the franchise. Earlier Tomb Raider titles focused primarily on heavy action-adventure sequences with varying degrees of realism. For instance, Tomb Raider: Anniversary depicts Lara's epic battle with a T. Rex, while Tomb Raider: Underworld involves Lara's manufactured evil twin. While this focus on action-adventure elements isn't inherently problematic, they overshadow Lara's intellectual know-how.
The reason the 2013 Tomb Raider game is at times so harrowing is that during the game's events, Lara Croft is a newly-graduated archeology student who is quickly forced into heroism with whatever means necessary. Unfortunately, one of the enduring tropes of the Tomb Raider franchise is that Lara is sometimes a bit too callous while exploring -- frequently destroying ruins, hacking at ancient structures with her climbing axes, and absconding with rare and powerful artifacts. Given the real-world controversy around destructive exploration and archeological practices, the Tomb Raider franchise should paint Lara as the informed archeologist she is trained to be.
Future Tomb Raider Games Could Use Real Archeological Techniques
It's rumored that the Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider game in development will feature an older and more seasoned Lara Croft. This is a refreshing change from the origin story-centric storyline of the "survivor" trilogy of games. Hopefully, as Lara is depicted as a more experienced combatant, developers can focus on creating realism around exploration. For instance, Lara should avoid "stealing" any more artifacts, moving the franchise away from her overbearing family legacy and closer to preserving ancient history. Another take on the franchise could involve what's hinted at in Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- Lara using her skills and knowledge to benefit the communities that embody that history.
There are also quite a few incredible archeological techniques that Lara Croft could make use of in future games. For example, scientific dating is an archeological technique used to assess the timeline of past events from ancient ruins. During her adventures, Lara could use scientific dating, explore archeological archives, and more. There are also quite a few specializations within archeology that Lara could explore, including zooarcheology and environmental archeology -- studying the bones of animals and ancient environments. With franchises like Uncharted and Assassin's Creed focusing less on realism, a future Tomb Raider game is the perfect arena to change things.