Videogames: Lara Croft Go blog tasks and representations

1) Who is Lara Croft and when did she first appear in a video game?

Core Design, a subsidiary of Eidos, created Lara Croft as the lead protagonist of its video game Tomb Raider, which began development in 1993. Lead graphic artist Toby Gard went through about five designs before arriving at the character's final appearance.

2) What classic films influenced the creation of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider games?

The narrative of Tomb Raider was influenced by Indiana Jones and featured the daughter of a Lord (later a famous archaeologist), called Lara Croft on various missions through settings such as jungles, tombs and jungles.

3) How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a video game?

How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a video game? Lara Croft has featured in films and has appeared on magazine covers more times than any supermodel.

4) What devices can you play Lara Croft Go on?

Lara Croft Go is a turn-based puzzle video game in the Tomb Raider series. The player moves Lara Croft as a puzzle piece through a board game while avoiding obstacles and manipulating the environment.

5) What type of game is Lara Croft Go?

Lara Croft Go is a action-adventure game that has many menacing enemies,traps and puzzles.

6) How does Lara Croft Go use narrative (story line) to make the game enjoyable for the audience?

Lara Croft Go explores the ruins of an ancient civilisation in the Amazon Jungle while fighting menacing enemies

7) What iconography can be found in Lara Croft Go? How does this help communicate the genre of the game?

 The iconography and narrative is supposed to be intertextualised with Indiana Jones(archaeology, adventurer, similar outfits).

8) What other characters or enemies feature in the game?

There enemies in the game are snakes, salamanders, spiders and queen of venom.

9) What is the setting for Lara Croft Go? How does this compare to previous Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games?

The setting in Lara Croft Go is in a amazon jungle outside of a ancient civilisation temple deep in the jungle.

10) Read this BBC article on the history of Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. How has the character of Lara Croft evolved over the last 20 years?  

The character Lara Croft evolved by adding more clothes, weapons, gloves, backpack and other things. She was represented a se way now.

Representations

 1) How are women usually represented in videogames?

The female characters in game aare represented sexuality, scantily clad and vision of beauty

2) How does the character of Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media?
Does Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media? Yes (reinforces traditional stereotype): Object of sexual desire. Her body features were particularly exaggerated in early versions of games

3) How does the character of Lara Croft subvert female stereotypes in the media?
No (subverts female stereotype): She is an action hero – traditionally a male stereotype in gaming. She is empowered female heroine – rare in gaming industry at the time.

4) Why do some people believe the videogames industry is sexist and needs to change?
Over the past decade, news media reports have characterized gaming as a male-dominated industry in which women are in the minority and regularly experience harassment and mistreatment. 

5) Do you think Lara Croft is an empowering feminist icon or just another objectified woman designed to appeal to male gamers?