10 Video Games Way Weirder Than Advertised

8. Tomb Raider

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Core Design

The original Tomb Raider was largely advertised as an Indiana Jones-esque adventure game with a strong emphasis placed on its now-iconic protagonist, Lara Croft.

Few who played the game on launch could've anticipated the strangeness that was lying in wait. If the appearance of a freaking T-rex in the third level didn't disarm players, then the gradual shift into outright horror territory absolutely did.

Near the end of the game, Lara faces off against a teenager on a skateboard in an area surrounded by lava, battles a giant, legless Atlantean mutant creature, and then final boss Natla just straight-up sprouts wings.

The Indiana Jones franchise has gotten plenty weird itself, but these alternately goofy and horrifying divergences felt like major leaps away from the broader, more straight-laced adventure yarn audiences thought they were buying.

That's not to say that these odd affectations make for a bad outcome overall, but certainly represent a break from the expected - almost as if Eidos knew these aspects might alienate some (namely, parents buying it for their kids).

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.