Lara Croft changed. In 2013, we saw her break. By the time we get to Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara, she isn't just surviving anymore; she’s obsessed. It's a weird, uncomfortable transition to watch if you grew up with the dual-pistol-wielding superhero of the late nineties. This version of Lara is messy. She’s grieving. Honestly, she’s probably suffering from some pretty severe PTSD after the Yamatai incident, but instead of going to therapy, she decides to go to Siberia.
It works.
The game isn't just about finding the Divine Source or outrunning Trinity. It's about a woman trying to justify her father’s apparent madness so she doesn't have to face her own. Crystal Dynamics did something risky here. They took a "cool" character and made her desperate. That desperation is exactly why this specific iteration of the character remains the peak of the reboot trilogy.
The Weight of the Croft Name
Lara's motivation in this sequel is deeply personal. You see it in the way she looks at her father’s old tapes. Lord Richard Croft was a laughingstock in the archaeological community, and Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara carries that shame like a physical weight. She isn't just looking for immortality because it's a neat discovery. She needs it to be real because if it isn't, her father died for a lie. That's a heavy burden for a protagonist.
Rhianna Pratchett, who lead the writing for this entry, leaned hard into the "daddy issues" trope, but it feels earned here. We see the flashbacks. We see the cold, empty hallways of Croft Manor. This isn't the posh, untouchable Lara of Legend or Underworld. This is a girl who wears a practical parka and gets dirt under her fingernails. She’s vulnerable.
But she’s also terrifying.
There is a specific moment in the Siberian wilderness where Lara stops being the prey. You’ve probably felt it while playing. You’re crouching in the brush, the snow is blinding, and there’s a Trinity soldier patrolling nearby. You don't just bypass him. You hunt him. This version of Lara Croft has a darkness to her that feels more grounded than the cartoonish violence of the original series. She uses her environment. She crafts explosive arrows out of junk. She’s a survivor who has learned that the best way to survive is to be the most dangerous thing in the woods.
Why the "Survivor" Label Actually Matters
People complain about the "survivor" era. I get it. We miss the snark. But Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara represents a bridge. She’s still scared, but she’s becoming capable. Think about the climbing mechanics. In the first game, she’s slipping and sliding. In Rise, she’s confident with those ice picks. The gameplay mirrors her psychological state.
📖 Related: Steal a Brainrot: How to Get the Secret Brainrot and Why You Keep Missing It
She’s also a linguist. One of the best features of this game is the language proficiency system. Lara doesn't just magically know what a Greek mural says. She has to study. She reads scrolls, examines coins, and looks at icons until her understanding of the language levels up. This makes her feel like an actual archaeologist, not just a tomb raider. It grounds the fantasy elements.
The Evolution of the Gear and the Grit
Let's talk about the gear. It’s practical. The red jacket is iconic for a reason. It looks like something a person would actually wear to the Prophet's Tomb in Syria or the frozen wastes of Kitezh. This attention to detail extends to her animations. If she stands near a fire, she warms her hands. If she gets out of water, she wrings out her hair. These tiny touches make her feel human.
Camilla Luddington’s performance is the glue holding it all together. She brings a breathy, frantic energy to the role that highlights Lara’s obsession. When she discovers the truth about Ana or struggles with Jonah’s safety, the stakes feel real. Jonah, by the way, is the perfect foil for her. He’s the person reminding her that there’s a world outside of ancient ruins and conspiracy theories.
- The environment isn't just a backdrop; it's an adversary.
- Lara's internal monologue reveals a woman who is terrified of being ordinary.
- The combat moves from frantic defense to calculated offense.
The game handles the balance between "archaeologist" and "killing machine" better than Shadow of the Tomb Raider did later. In Shadow, she almost becomes a villain. In Rise, she’s still a hero, albeit a deeply flawed one.
Addressing the "Mary Sue" Criticism
You hear this a lot in certain corners of the internet. The idea that Lara survives things she shouldn't. And yeah, she falls off a lot of cliffs. She gets impaled. She survives explosions that would liquefy a normal human. But this is a video game. If we applied real-world physics to Nathan Drake or Master Chief, they’d be dead in the first five minutes.
The difference is that Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara feels the pain. The sound design is brutal. Every grunt, Every pained gasp. It reminds you that she’s pushing herself past her limits. It’s not that she’s invincible; it’s that she’s too stubborn to die. That grit is her defining characteristic.
Comparing Rise to the 2013 Reboot
The 2013 game was about a girl who didn't want to be there. Rise is about a woman who chose to be there. That's a massive shift in characterization. In the first game, she was reacting. In this one, she is the catalyst. She’s the one chasing Trinity. She’s the one following the trail of the Deathless Ones.
👉 See also: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Unhealthy Competition: Why the Zone's Biggest Threat Isn't a Mutant
This proactive nature is what makes her compelling. She’s making mistakes. Sometimes she’s arrogant. She ignores Jonah’s warnings because she’s so focused on the prize. It’s refreshing to have a female protagonist who is allowed to be selfish and obsessed. She doesn't have to be a perfect role model. She just has to be Lara.
Real-World Archaeology and the Kitezh Legend
The game uses the legend of the Lost City of Kitezh as its foundation. In real Russian folklore, Kitezh is the "Russian Atlantis," a city that allegedly sank into Lake Svetloyar to hide from Mongol invaders. The game takes this myth and weaves it into the Trinity narrative beautifully.
Lara’s approach to this myth is what differentiates her from previous versions. She’s looking for the historical "why." She wants the context. This version of the character feels like she actually respects the cultures she’s digging up, even if she does end up blowing half of them up by accident during a frantic escape sequence.
The detail in the Prophet's Tomb at the start of the game is staggering. The way she brushes dust off a sarcophagus—it’s reverent. Then the bullets start flying, and she has to pivot. That's the core loop of Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara. Beauty followed by chaos.
Mastery of the Bow
If there’s one thing everyone remembers, it’s the bow. It became her signature weapon, replacing the dual pistols (much to the chagrin of old-school fans). But the bow fits this Lara. It’s a tool of the wilderness. It’s silent. It requires skill.
By the end of the game, you aren't just firing arrows. You’re a ghost. You’re using poison clouds, fire, and triple-shot bursts. It feels like a natural progression of her skills. You’ve earned that mastery through dozens of hours of gameplay.
Dealing with Trinity and the Antagonists
Konstantin and Ana are some of the better villains in the series. They aren't just mustache-twirling bad guys. Well, Konstantin is a bit of a zealot, but Ana’s connection to Lara’s family adds a layer of betrayal that makes the conflict personal. Lara isn't just fighting a shadowy organization; she’s fighting her father’s past.
✨ Don't miss: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is Still the Series' Most Controversial Gamble
When she finally confronts the truth about what happened to her father, it’s not a moment of triumph. It’s a moment of clarity. She realizes that Trinity has been pulling strings for a long time, and she’s just one person. But she’s the one person who isn't afraid of them.
Key Takeaways for Long-Time Fans
If you're coming back to the series or playing it for the first time, keep these things in mind about this version of Lara:
- Pay attention to the journals. Much of Lara's best character development happens in the optional audio logs where she reflects on her childhood and her mental state.
- Don't rush the main story. The "Lara" of this game is best experienced when you're exploring the side tombs. That's where her passion for history really shines through.
- Embrace the stealth. While you can play it as a cover shooter, Lara is designed to be an ambush predator. Use the trees. Use the water.
What Modern Games Can Learn
Modern action-adventure games often struggle with protagonist fatigue. We get tired of characters who are always right or always capable. Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara works because she is constantly failing upwards. She gets caught, she gets hurt, and she loses people.
But she keeps going.
That resilience is the "Tomb Raider" spirit. It’s not about the gold or the fame. It’s about the truth. Whether she’s shivering in a Siberian cave or decoding a mural in a sun-drenched tomb, she’s searching for something to make sense of her world.
Actionable Steps for Players
To get the most out of Lara's journey in this specific game, focus on the "Seeker" skill tree early. Increasing her ability to find resources and learn languages faster makes the character feel more "correct" according to the narrative. Also, play the Blood Ties DLC. It’s a combat-free exploration of Croft Manor that provides the essential backstory for why Lara is so driven in the main campaign.
The game holds up incredibly well. Even years later, the character model and the environments are top-tier. It remains the most balanced version of Lara Croft—caught between the girl she was and the legend she is becoming.
Stop treating the game like a linear shooter. Slow down. Look at the artifacts. Listen to the dialogue. This is the version of Lara that humanized an icon, making her more than just a pin-up or a polygon count. She became a person. A weird, obsessed, incredibly dangerous person, but a person nonetheless.
Check your map for the "Ancient Cistern" tomb early on. It’s one of the best examples of how the game blends Lara’s physical skills with her intellectual ones. Solving that puzzle feels like a true "Tomb Raider" moment that bridges the gap between the 90s and today.