Tomb Raider: Ranking Every Game Worst To Best
9. Tomb Raider
Although the original is always better than the copy, and in most cases the sequel(s), Tomb Raider's influential industry-changing first iteration of everybody's favourite female archaeologist still is. It's understandably seen a deterioration in terms of graphical fidelity, but nostalgia alone pushes Lara Croft's debut into a respectable ninth slot.
It wasn't solely genre-defining, as much as it was a complete game changed altogether. Suddenly, and despite the groundwork already being laid in the 1980s with Metroid's unexpected reveal in the progenitor Samus - females in gaming were being taken genuinely serious as protagonists, as opposed to being male gaze eye candy.
Not that there weren't a myriad of not so dry dreams being incurred by her appearance - pointy boobs and all - but her appearance as an unofficial mascot for Sony was paired with her affinity for taking down anyone that stood in her way.
Lara Croft in her initial appearance was slick, sexy, resourceful, intelligent and fundamentally cool. She wasn't a damsel in distress that allowed the men around her to supersede her, she was a stone cold badass that wasn't roped into her expeditions she did it for pure fun, and that is why this iteration of the character will always be endeared. Even if her oirignal outing hasn't aged as well as some of her later adventures.