Tomb Raider remake sparks Karen Croft controversy
The upcoming Tomb Raider remastered trilogy is giving Lara Croft an updated look, but has led to complaints that her Call of Duty Operator is Karen Croft,
15th Sep 2023 12:31
Activision | Core Design
Tomb Raider remake sparks Karen Croft controversy
The upcoming Tomb Raider remastered trilogy is giving Lara Croft an updated look, but has led to complaints that her Call of Duty Operator is Karen Croft,
15th Sep 2023 12:31
Activision | Core Design
Ms. Croft is dusting off her dual pistols and is ready to shoot up a storm with another retro rumble. Aspyr has confirmed that Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft is coming in 2024, and with it, we get classic Lara Croft with something of a new-gen revamp.
While the triangle-boobed days of Lara Croft have been left in the past, her polygonal look from 1996's original is a classic. As we wait for news on Lara's next appearance in Crystal Dynamics' game, it's safe to say her Call of Duty Operator has split fandom. It's only more apparent now the OG has been given an upgrade.
If she isn't broke, don't fix her
With Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft (bit of a mouthful) reminding us why we loved Lara Croft in the first place, Twitter is full of complaints about her CoD Operator, alongside pleas for her next game to go for a more classic look. The nickname of Karen Croft took off, with critics calling out her "grumpy" face.
One said, "It's her bitter older sister, Karen Croft," while another added, "And 'Modern Audience' Lara Croft is no fun." A third said, "Unhappy, needs to talk to a manager haha Karen Croft," and a fourth concluded, "Yeah I totally see it. She looks almost broken. Like she’s fighting for her life. Not the games I remember."
It's well-established that Crystal Dynamics' overhaul of Lara for 2013's Tomb Raider was a win, as gamers loved the darker origin story and look. As CD is once again handling her next chapter, we should be in safe hands with what will likely be another redesign for the gaming icon.
What's next for Lara Croft?
An interesting factoid is that Lara Croft was originally conceived as a man, until Core Design animator Toby Gard decided the title should break into the male-dominated genre of action game heroes. Still, combining brains, brawn, and a lead that was easy on the eye made Tomb Raider one of the best-selling games of all time.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered has reminded us of what made the original trilogy so great, and fans are right that this is the most excited they've been about the franchise in a while. We're not sure where things are up to with Crystal Dynamics' game, with whispers that it'll try and unite the convoluted timeline of Tomb Raider games.
At least Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft can keep us fed on Croft content. It's coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG on February 14, 2024. Well, that sounds like a Valentine's Day treat.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
