We can all agree that 2021 brought us a lot, but we can’t miss that this year marks the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider. And I can say after all this time, we’ve seen Lara Croft grow into this beautiful, intelligent, adventurous heroine, that was a source of inspiration for a whole generation.
The last game of the trilogy Shadow of the Tomb Raider which is set shortly after the events of the game Rise of the Tomb Raider follows Lara as she ventures through the tropical zone of the Americas to the mythical city Paititi, fighting, as always, the evil organization Trinity while trying to stop the Mayan apocalypse.
25 Years of Experience
Lara must travel to different environments and combat enemies with her usual bow and firearms. Like in the previous releases, she can raid challenge tombs to unlock new rewards, complete side missions, and scavenge for resources that can be used to craft useful materials.
Already turning 25 years old, Tomb Raider never ceased to amaze me as a translator. Shadow of the Tomb Raider has an Immersion Mode, which enables players to turn off English voices for the background characters so that characters can speak in their native languages.
Playing the game with this feature was a super pleasant and new way to experience immersion since most games don’t have this option. I could listen to the NPCs talking in their native languages, like Spanish, Quechua, and Yucatec.
Culturalization in Its Core
Shadow of the Tomb Raider introduces you to these pre-Hispanic cultures. Jason Paul Dozios, one of the writers, said they did a vast investigation because they wanted to create this fictional game based on real historical and cultural facts, as well as something that feels 100% real.
The legendary lost Inca city of Paititi and towns such as Kuwag Yaku are cultures depicted as being untouched by modern societies. So when Lara finds this legendary city, you’ll see her wearing basic clothing, like loincloths and skirts. The places she visits have huts and houses made of corrugated iron, wood, and cotton fabrics, and the NPCs living there have weapons like spears and bows.
Historical Accuracy
To the creators’ credit, plenty of Shadow of the Tomb Raider is respectful in its historical accuracy and representation of Mesoamerican societies. But there’s no evidence that the lost and magical city of Paititi in Peru exists. So, they tried to make everything real.
This last game of the trilogy left me talking about it for weeks, and I still can’t recommend it enough. This game established itself as one of my favorite games ever. What about you? Did you let Lara change your world? I can’t wait to see what’s next for Lara!