Rhianna Pratchett, lead writer of Tomb Raider (2013) and Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015) is finally saying goodbye to Lara Croft. In a tweet posted by Pratchett, she says that she is “packing up her climbing axe, plus a little venison jerky for the road, and bidding a fond farewell to Lara Croft”. It is time for “new adventures”.
There were a few years between Tomb Raider games before the 2013 reboot happened. When it was finally released, players witnessed a lot more characterization to Lara Croft and a depth to her that had been essentially nonexistent for almost fifteen years. Her flaws were more visible, as were her undeniable strengths and it all made her well-rounded and realistic, a character that players could easily root for during the nearly thirteen hour game. Pratchett succeeded in bringing out a story that was uniquely Lara’s, a backstory befitting of the icon that millions around the world have come to know.
Pratchett continued to explore the depth of Lara’s character and push the excitement of her adventures in Rise of the Tomb Raider. Now a more experienced adventurer and hardened survivor, Lara’s story unfolded even more smoothly than in the reboot, with stakes that were even higher.
Rise of the Tomb Raider then went on to win “Outstanding Achievement in Video Game Writing” at the 2016 Writers Guild of America over other popular titles like Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, Pillars of Eternity, and the heavily-driven narrative game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Not only the did Rise of the Tomb Raider release to overwhelmingly positive reviews, but the ending of the game was open enough where a third installment in the reboot series would not seem far-fetched.
In addition to being bittersweet, Pratchett’s tweet was also humbling. She thanked the Tomb Raider community and fans of the series, as well as the Crystal Dynamics team for “their dedication”. We are looking forward to seeing new projects from Pratchett in the future.
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