Repackaging Done Right: Tomb Raider 2013

If you haven't noticed, Girls Got Game just launched their website recently. Not to be mistaken for a feminist take on games and the videogame industry, Girls Got Game aims to provide a voice for the traditionally underrepresented half (and yes, it's about fair to say half) of the gamer demographic; a voice that, unlike many others, is worth hearing.

I wish she'd be a commenter on our website.

One of their first articles explores the character of Lara Croft - her whole being and what makes her tick, not as a heroine or even as a female, but simply as a (virtual) human. Pamela was, like many who are familiar with the way Lara has been portrayed by media and fans alike, extremely skeptical about just how fairly this strong female lead would be represented.

Lara Croft serves as an inspiration
to many young women and men alike.

The truth is, Lara Croft is more than just another videogame icon. Even early on during the development of the original Tomb Raider for the first Playstation, at least some of the developers knew what they were getting into and how important it was to take their character so seriously. One of the developers flat out refused to follow Eidos's instruction to put in a code that would allow gamers to play as a nude Lara. Thank Gard.

In the end, she puts the controller down at the game's conclusion with a lot of feels.

I have to say that Tomb Raider 2013 is a must-play for everyone, especially if you’re a girl. It’s one of the most intense gaming experiences on the market, it’s one of the finest takes on an origin story that I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing, and it’s solid proof that developers CAN make a female lead who can kick ass without being just another hot digital body for everyone to fawn over.

Go on and read as she tackles each of these experiences one by one here. And don't worry, there aren't any major spoilers, aside from the game being awesome (which you probably already knew).

And if you'd like to experience what Pamela writes about for yourself, know that for the next 35 hours from the time of this article's publication the entire Tomb Raider collection (including the latest reboot being discussed in Pamela's article) will be heavily discounted by 75% for the Summer Steam Sale.