The June 2026 State of Play showcase gave us a closer look at the upcoming Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which serves as a (second) remake of the original 1996 Tomb Raider. As I watched Lara Croft flip, grapple, and swing her way through the release date trailer, one thought kept resurfacing in my mind: “Lara looks great.” But further investigation is starting to make me wonder if I’m the only person who thinks so.
The State of Play livestream wasn’t the first time players have laid eyes on the new Lara–that happened back in December, when Crystal Dynamics debuted the game’s first trailer at The Game Awards. The response to Lara’s appearance was instant, with players and game critics alike calling out her new appearance as “anti-woke” and “yassified.” One Redditor even described her outfit as “giving sex doll [vibes].” I chalked most of that up to different strokes for different folks, and figured people would adjust to Lara’s new look–which is far tamer than her original 1996 look, but somewhat similar to her look in the 2013 reboot trilogy–over time.
But the response to the new trailer proved me wrong. Players are still referring to Lara’s new look as “yassified” and complaining that her arms aren’t muscular enough. Generally speaking, the main complaints seem to be that she wears eyeliner and has a curvy body. (Though of course, there are those on the other side of the spectrum arguing that her breasts are too small.) Even fictional women can’t win in the court of public opinion, it seems. But all the hubbub over the last six months regarding Lara’s appearance–especially claims that she’s too thin, too thick, or wearing too much makeup–genuinely have me wondering if we’re looking at the same character model here.
What these complaints really seem to boil down to is that Lara is too feminine. She’s wearing eyeliner in the jungle! She has a curvy frame! The horror!
Surely I’m not the only Tomb Raider fan who’s aware that Lara is not only canonically female, but also canonically a femme fatale. Her allure is a vital part of her character. The artists behind her Legacy of Atlantis design honestly could have gone a little harder in terms of making her “look sexy” and still gotten away with it. They didn’t, and I’m glad, because Lara’s sex appeal has always been a part of both her appearance and her personality. But the point remains: Physical attractiveness has always been a weapon in Lara’s arsenal, and trying to strip that out of a remake of the original game is both bizarre and, frankly, offensive.
