Through the release of its raw and emotional Tomb Raider reboot – which re-established Lara Croft’s tale by harkening back to her heroic origins story – Crystal Dynamics proved that there’s still a lot of gas left in the long-running action/adventure series’ proverbial tank. This was accomplished through intelligent brainstorming and lots of dedication, both of which led to a spectacular and unforgettable final product, which mixed great gameplay with an incredibly rich narrative experience. Thankfully, gamers noticed and gave praise where it was due, as the game received critical acclaim and topped numerous regional sales charts.
The truth is that few of 2013’s digital and interactive experiences stood out more than Tomb Raider did. All of the game’s (campaign-based) mechanics clicked and worked extremely well, and the strong and unforgiving narrative allowed us to bear witness to the making of a gaming legend. Lara Croft is punched, kicked and knocked down regularly, but she always manages to get up and fight back, delivering a strong-willed heroine for the ages.