9 Video Game Controversies We Were ALL Wrong About

9. Lara Croft's More Practical Look

Tomb Raider Lara Croft
Eidos & Crystal Dynamics

A reboot is always going to split the fanbase, and 2013's Tomb Raider was no exception. The game confidently reintroduced Lara into the modern gaming landscape, re-imagining everything from Lara herself to the core gameplay loop. Of course, there was one major point of contention: Lara's new look.

Of course, not everyone out there complained about it for this very reason, but there was a general feeling on the internet that the new Lara just wasn't sexy enough. The cone boobs of old had been swapped out for, you know, actual human proportions, while her adventuring gear was designed for practical raiding of tombs, rather than titillation.

Her more inexperienced personality was also viewed as a step back, but it did make sense for an origin story. Not only was the new look more natural, but Lara's new characterisation also allowed for a more engrossing story. The idea of her being a super cool, super posh, super sexy adventurer who can do no wrong was fine for the older games, but for a modern reinvention it would feel a bit... Old Money.

Like other heroes of the older Playstation age, Lara needed to be more than just sex appeal. Speaking of which...

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.