Finally Playing Tomb Raider Scratched a Gaming Itch I Didn’t Know I Had

by

Lara Croft is a hugely popular and iconic video game character. She first appeared in a game in 1996 on PlayStation and Sega Saturn, and new Tomb Raider games have been released consistently ever since. Beyond the 12 main games and numerous spin-offs, Lara has also been featured in movies and animated series. Because of this, anyone who played video games in the 1990s and early 2000s almost certainly remembers her well.

Like many people, I knew the general story of Lara Croft even though I hadn’t played her games. I encountered the character through theme park rides and probably saw the Angelina Jolie movies. However, I never really considered myself a fan of the games themselves. That’s why I was so surprised when I started playing Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and discovered I actually really enjoyed it – it fulfilled a gaming desire I didn’t even realize I had.

Growing Up as a Gamer Girl in the 90s and Early 2000s Made It Impossible to Miss Lara Croft

I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember! I grew up with classics like Super Mario and Duck Hunt on the SNES, and later moved on to the N64 and PS2. While I played a bit of everything at first, I eventually became a huge fan of Pokémon and role-playing games. My brother had different tastes, though – he was all about games like Halo and Call of Duty.

Growing up, most video game characters were male, so I started actively looking for games featuring women, even just on the cover. I’d browse the game store, picking up anything with a female protagonist. While I enjoyed classics like Pokemon Blue and The Legend of Zelda, I wanted to see characters I could relate to more. This led me to discover some of my favorite games, like Final Fantasy X-2, which first introduced me to that series. Surprisingly, though, I never really got into the Tomb Raider games with Lara Croft.

I don’t remember consciously choosing not to play Tomb Raider, but I definitely remember seeing it – I think I even picked it up to look at it. Even though it starred Lara Croft, a famous female character in gaming, it just didn’t seem like my kind of game. Maybe the graphics felt geared towards a different audience, or maybe it was the gameplay – a lot of puzzles and shooting. I didn’t think I’d enjoy those things. Looking back, I realize I was mistaken.

Halo Taught Me To Avoid FPS Games, But Tomb Raider Showed Me Shooters Can Be Fun, Actually

Growing up, my brother and I spent a lot of time playing video games together. We’d share the controller in Ocarina of Time and team up in Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. However, I had a hard time keeping up when we played Halo. I really wanted to learn, and it was one of the first online multiplayer games I’d ever experienced, so I tried my best to get the hang of it, even though my brother owned the game.

Even though I’ve always had quick reflexes, I discovered they don’t really help with aiming in first-person shooter games. Plus, speaking into a microphone with my voice quickly attracted unwanted attention – it sounded like me from the early 2000s! Avoiding voice chat and constantly losing led me to believe I just couldn’t enjoy these games. However, I was wrong about that.

I recently had the chance to play a Tomb Raider game for the first time when Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition unexpectedly became available on Switch and the new Switch 2 console. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for a review, and I was curious to finally experience Lara Croft’s adventures. I ended up really enjoying the game, even the parts that involved aiming and shooting with a virtual gun.

I’ve discovered I actually enjoy shooter games when I’m playing against computer-controlled enemies, not real people who might criticize my skills. I definitely messed up a lot as Lara Croft, leading to her demise in many battles, but it was surprisingly fun to see the reactions of male characters when my character consistently got headshots and defeated waves of enemies. It was a good feeling, especially since I used to feel embarrassed about being seen as someone who wasn’t good at first-person shooters. The computer opponents didn’t hold my past failures against me, so I could experiment and learn without feeling self-conscious.

I quickly realized I was yelling at the characters in the game, just like my husband does when he plays Warzone and Battlefield RedSec. It turns out, Tomb Raider showed me I don’t actually dislike shooter games—I just prefer to play them solo, especially since I’m still working on improving my reaction time. Even after finishing the game, I’m already looking forward to the next one. While I’m interested in the story, I have to admit I really enjoyed the action—blowing things up and landing headshots was surprisingly fun!

Ever been surprised by a game you ended up enjoying? Tell us about it! Share your experiences in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/review/tomb-raider-definitive-edition-may-be-one-of-the-best-action-adventure-games-on-switch-2/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-30 17:11