November 20th 2024.
Tomb Raider and Uncharted have been in a fierce battle for the hearts of gamers for over a decade. But how did this rivalry come about and what does the future hold for these two iconic series?
It may be hard to believe now, but when Tomb Raider was released in 1996, there was no indication that it would become half of a dynamic duo. The game had a groundbreaking impact on the gaming world with its female protagonist, Lara Croft. She was not only a strong and fearless character, but also had a seductive appeal that captivated players. With her ability to wield guns and perform gymnastic stunts, Lara quickly became a beloved and iconic character.
As the series continued with Tomb Raider 2 and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Lara's fame grew even more. She appeared on the cover of The Face and was featured in The Economist. She even became a part of Tony Blair's "Cool Britannia" movement. The series' success was also tied to the popularity of the original PlayStation, with a console exclusivity deal between Eidos and Sony.
However, as Eidos focused on milking their cash cow and the PlayStation's limitations became an issue, the release of Tomb Raider: Angel Of Darkness in 2003 was a disaster. The game was buggy and the attempt to revamp the formula fell flat. This led to the downfall of original developer Core Design and the series was handed over to Crystal Dynamics. With their first game, Tomb Raider Legend, the series was successfully rebooted with a more realistic tone and a less exaggerated Lara.
Around the same time, a new contender entered the ring – Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Developed by Naughty Dog, best known for their work on Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, the game featured a male protagonist, Nathan Drake. However, it had a familiar feel with its third person action adventure gameplay, gunplay, and puzzles, along with an Indiana Jones-esque theme. This led some to nickname it "Dude Raider".
Despite the similarities, both franchises continued to produce high-quality games, with Tomb Raider: Anniversary and Tomb Raider Underworld going up against Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Each game had its own strengths and fan base, with Uncharted receiving critical acclaim and numerous awards.
As the rivalry raged on, gamers were treated to a decade of great games from both series. With the release of Tomb Raider (2013) and the highly anticipated Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016), it's clear that these two iconic franchises will continue to compete for the affection of gamers for years to come. And in the end, it's the players who come out as the real winners with two amazing action adventure series to enjoy.
The rivalry between Tomb Raider and Uncharted has been going on for over a decade. Both games have been competing for the hearts of gamers, but how did this rivalry begin and what does the future hold for these two series? It's not uncommon for rivalries to take years to develop, and when Tomb Raider was first released in 1996, no one could have predicted its success. It made a huge impact on the gaming community, being the first action-adventure game to feature a female protagonist. And what a protagonist she was! Lara Croft was a strong and seductive character who could wield two guns while performing impressive gymnastic moves.
The release of Tomb Raider 2 in 1997 only solidified Lara's status as a gaming icon. She graced the cover of The Face and even made an appearance in The Economist. She was also used as a symbol of "Cool Britannia" by Tony Blair. The CEO of Eidos Interactive, the original publisher of Tomb Raider, revealed that they only planned to sell 100,000 copies of the first game, but ended up selling 5 million. Eidos wasted no time in capitalizing on their hit, with the release of Tomb Raider 3 in 1998 and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation in 1999. The series was closely tied to the success of the original PlayStation, with Eidos securing an exclusive deal with Sony, making Lara Croft the unofficial mascot of the console.
However, Eidos' eagerness to milk their cash cow and their exclusive deal with Sony almost led to disaster. The original developer of Tomb Raider, Core Design, struggled to adapt to the complexities of developing for the PlayStation 2. This resulted in the disastrous release of Tomb Raider: Angel Of Darkness, which was plagued with bugs and failed to redefine the well-known Tomb Raider formula. Despite the setback, Tomb Raider survived, but Core Design did not. Eidos then handed off development duties to Crystal Dynamics, a San Francisco-based studio, and the result was one of the gaming industry's first successful franchise reboots. The first game in the reboot, Tomb Raider Legend, was released in 2006 and brought a more realistic tone to the series, along with a less exaggerated figure for Lara.
It was at this point that the rivalry between Tomb Raider and Uncharted truly began. In 2007, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was released, published by Sony and developed by Naughty Dog, known for their previous works Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. While Uncharted featured a male protagonist, Nathan Drake, it shared many similarities with Tomb Raider, to the point where some even nicknamed it "Dude Raider". Both games featured third-person action-adventure gameplay, with gunplay, platforming, and puzzle-solving, as well as exotic locations and rock-climbing. However, Uncharted offered a stronger story and more complex characters, and its graphics were more advanced.
Fans of Lara Croft argued that Uncharted lacked the intricate platforming and puzzles that Tomb Raider was known for, and accused it of being a copycat. However, unbiased gamers would argue that having two quality action-adventure franchises, even if they were similar, was better than having just one. And so, for the next decade, the rivalry between the two games continued, with both series releasing a steady stream of great games. In 2007, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, a well-received remake of the original game, went up against Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. This was followed by Tomb Raider Underworld in 2008, the final game in Crystal Dynamics' initial trilogy.
Not to be outdone, Naughty Dog released Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in 2009, which received critical acclaim and numerous awards. Many still consider it to be the best game in the series, solidifying Uncharted as one of Sony's most important franchises. Naughty Dog's storytelling and character work were also recognized, in addition to their impressive gameplay and graphics. The rivalry between Tomb Raider and Uncharted may have started unexpectedly, but over the years it has brought us countless hours of entertainment and some of the best games in the industry.
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