Lara Croft Goes Cartoony In Tomb Raider Reloaded

Oh...my...Croft! My fellow tomb raiders, another mobile game based on the legacy of the intelligent and beautiful Lara Croft will be released in 2021 [9] [22] [24], the same year when Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice will be available for the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch outside of PCs and Macs [1] [2]. I remember collecting bronze coins as I swiped my fingertip left and right in Lara Croft: Relic Run back in 2015 [23]. I understand that not all of us are fond of mobile gaming due to experiences with specific clichés and inexcusably greedy microtransaction deals [11], but at least there will still be plenty of hope for another Tomb Raider game for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series that could perhaps start another new trilogy that could lead to the newer Lara steadily evolving into the classic one [38] [39]. Keep your twin pistols handy because we need to analyse the trailer for Tomb Raider Reloaded with plenty of caution while our dear animal crossers stay safe and have fun during the third anniversary of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and its exciting update that allows them to include any anthropomorphic camper in a photograph in AR Mode [14] [17].

Behold! Two twin pistols, which means… [9] [24]

It is great to see the classic Lara Croft back in action once again after the acclaim of Shadow of the Tomb Raider [27]. Unfortunately, I doubt that every tomb raider will let the new art style slide [25]. For a moment, I thought a screenshot of the trailer I saw on Twitter was just some nicely done fanart. But nope. It is official. Personally, the idea of a Tomb Raider game in a more cartoony art style is at least refreshing and I think the art style shown in the trailer is basically the 3D equivalent of the classic Lara’s appearance in Brawlhalla [19]. I at least adore how adorable her face looks. You should see the shots of the wolf, the humongous spider, mighty rock creature and the fierce T-Rex...but in a far more cartoony art style of course [9] [22] [24]. I completely understand that the new direction in art quality for a new mobile game seems quite off-putting, but what matters more is that the game should at least have engaging gameplay and an empowering portrayal of our lady in the plot. And yes, it is best not to make it another endless runner as that has already been done [23].

Old school Lara Croft is back, glitches! I would love Tomb Raider Reloaded to feature the option to change her outfit, just like in many previous instalments [29]. [9] [24]

I quite like the design of the forthcoming app’s logo [9] [20] [22] [24]. The aspect that stands out of the most is the words “tomb” and “raider” being coated in a tint of orange with a tint of yellow, thus resembling a depiction of the sky during sunset as each letter to surrounding by a fairly thick outline to help them stand out and maintain readability. Right below them on the bottom part is the word “reloaded” printed on it in white bold font, adding more individuality to the logo’s overall design. I would say the text is more readable than the logos for the first three logos for the franchise that consisted of rock-like texture from 1996 to 2002 [12]. The shapes behind the title resemble the door of a vault that consists of a cog. At least it is not a cog that tells someone to “f*** off” whilst smoking a cigar [13]. Oddly enough, the overall design of the logo reminds me of a fidget spinner, but I still like it for how its colour palette brings out the vibe of a run-of-the-mill premise of a Tomb Raider game, even though it would be wise to not judge a game by its logo.

The title of the forthcoming mobile game could be a big sign of the gameplay being a rehash of a specific era of the franchise [29]. Perhaps we may get to battle a T-Rex once again [7]. [9] [24]

What kind of interests me about the game’s title is the word “reloaded”. Reloaded? Does that mean the upcoming mobile game will be another remake of the first Tomb Raider game that was released in 1996 [28] [29]? Well, I guess that is the case since the remake of Conker’s Bad Fur Day that consisted of more advanced graphics for the Xbox was titled “Conker: Live and Reloaded” [3] [13]. Since there was already a remake of the first Tomb Raider game titled “Tomb Raider Anniversary” back in 2007 [7] [28], I feel as if it would be more necessary to remastered any of the sequels that were established in the late 1990s. Nonetheless, remaking the first game for a second time would be legitimate for celebrating the franchise’s 25th anniversary in 2021 [29]. A second remake of the first game in a series worked well for Mr. Larry Laffer, right [15] [16] [21]? Besides, the title of his second remake also consisted of the word “reloaded”. It is important for a game’s title to not be potentially misleading, so the term “reloaded” must lead to the upcoming mobile game being a mobile interpretation of any of the games from the classic trilogy, despite how I believe that would be quite an awkward decision.

I find it quite awkward that a remake of a ‘90s console game will be an app for modern mobile devices. Nevertheless, the title of the new Tomb Raider game should not ultimately be misleading as the term “reloaded” in an instalment’s title would be highly likely to mean “remade” in gaming terms [13] [16]. [9] [24]

It seems that my theories on how a spin-off that introduces a deaf archaeologist who communicates with British Sign Language and how a new game introduces Lara on a quest without guns have been proven false [32] [33] [38] [39]. Well, at least for now. In 2021, the time some of our tomb raiders are at least giving Tomb Raider Reloaded a chance [25], plenty of fellow Marvel fans might perhaps enjoy cooking with a certain menacing merc [6]. There will also be the official marketing of the Playdate, a fairly strange contraption with a crank to turn that should hopefully be also available in an edition for left-handed players and a small variety of different colours for more sales after its first season of monochrome games [18] [30] [31]. As much as I would love to listen to an audiobook release of Cooking With Deadpool performed by Ryan Reynolds [4] [5] [36], I would love to cosplay as the younger Lara who became a survivor again once we can all go to gaming conventions again [35]. Here is to a hopefully much safer 2021 that provides a vaccine for defence against coronavirus in order for that and many other opportunities to happen. I never want to live in a year like 2020 again.

“I am so sorry for my off-topic cameo, readers! I hope I can receive some slack since I have been one of Laura’s coping mechanisms throughout 2020 [34]. 2021 will also be my 30th anniversary [37], so she’d better behave herself! I, Wade Wilson, wish the gorgeous tomb raiding chick the best of luck in her upcoming mobile game.” [6]

Mr. Wilson gets some slack. As for Ms. Croft, I wish her the best of luck too! [9] [24]

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