Tomb Raider Chronicles - SHADOWS OF TRUTH THOUGHT PROCESS AND ROLE-PLAY

The following is commentary on the thought process behind our coverage of Tomb Raider Shadows of Truth this week, a tabletop RPG being developed by Evil Hat Productions, with additional information on character creation within the role-playing game courtesy of Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics.

The following passage is from the Tomb Raider Shadows of Truth rulebook answering the question 'What, then, is raiding? And how does it mirror colonial practices?' and given to playtesters by Evil Hat Productions, an excerpt from which was posted on the X platform.

"Raiding, as depicted in the original Tomb Raider games and stories, involves going to ancient tombs and historical sites of different civilisations and acquiring artefacts. It operates on the assumption of 'finders keepers' that grants raiders with the means and the drive to claim ownership of artefacts, regardless of whether they have any historical or cultural claim to the treasure."

"Later games released in the franchise have started the work of addressing this by having Lara Croft acknowledge her past mistakes and try to understand and show respect for the cultures and communities she comes into contact with. She has also worked to reform raider culture and raise the awareness of her peers."

"Lara no longer decorates her mantle with mythic artefacts - as a raider she prioritises seeking out the truth. Much of this game is inspired by her humanity, struggle with heroism, and her tenacity. We believe that all three aspects are an important component in creating a game that celebrates history and culture while acknowledging the respect and work required to live in a world wounded by colonialism."

"In this game, we seek to continue in that work alongside Crystal Dynamics by creating a sandbox for you to tell stories that address colonialist themes in play and create your own stories of respect and support for the people and cultures your Seekers encounter."

We understand this to mean Evil Hat is adapting the character of Lara Croft and the premise of raiding to fit their own narrative and this narrative aligns with Crystal Dynamics who, according to Evil Hat, "have started the work of addressing this by having Lara Croft acknowledge her past mistakes" in later games. We covered this with the following commentary in-line with our own understanding that a unified vision for Lara Croft across the mainline series and products outside of the game space had been established by Tomb Raider Franchise Executive Producer Dallas Dickinson.

"British adventurer Lara Croft will transition from being a raider of tombs to a seeker of truth as Evil Hat Productions and Crystal Dynamics seek to redefine the Tomb Raider series in order to escape a history wounded by colonialism, according to an excerpt from the official Tomb Raider Shadows of Truth RPG rulebook." - Tomb Raider Chronicles.

This commentary gained traction online and Evil Hat allegedly responded by stating the section on 'Raiding and Colonialism' in the rulebook had been "mis-attributed as coming from Crystal Dynamics and mis-characterised as a pronouncement about future video game releases." We found this at odds with comments made by Tomb Raider Franchise Executive Producer Dallas Dickinson who had stated that a unified vision for Lara Croft across the mainline series and products outside of the game space had been established.

"Even with work outside of the game, we want to make sure that anything that comes out from now on has those lines at least crossed, that we talk about them, and again this is one of my roles, that when we talk with a partner we say 'alright, how are we presenting Lara, where exactly in Lara's lifetime is this story or piece taking place and let's make sure it is aligned with that unified vision that we've now laid out in our own side,' in story beats and other points that we haven't yet shared with you." - Tomb Raider Franchise Executive Producer Dallas Dickinson.

It is our understanding that Evil Hat Productions' vision for Lara Croft and their redefining of what it means to be a Tomb Raider sees the character transformed - in our own words - "from an unapologetic plunderer of tombs into a righteous seeker of truth, reforming raider culture and raising the awareness of her peers."

Now according to an article on character creation in Tomb Raider Shadows of Truth on the official Tomb Raider website, players can choose any version of Lara Croft (or any other character) appropriate to their campaign and thus Evil Hat's vision for how they perceive Lara Croft is one of many. Ultimately players will decide their own roles and fate in the role-playing game.