Videogames case study 1: Lara Croft Go blog tasks

Language

1) Who is Lara Croft and when did she first appear in a videogame?
Lara Croft has been massively popular since her debut in 1996, The first game she first appeared on was Tomb Raider.
Lara Croft has been massively popular since her debut in 1996, The first game she first appeared on was Tomb Raider.

2) What classic films influenced the creation of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider games?
Indiana Jones influenced the creation of Lara Croft and the Tomb raider 

3) How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a videogame?
Different features they've added towards the game, (e.g. the settings , characters)

4) What devices can you play Lara Croft Go on?
The devices you can play Lara Croft Go on are Android, iOS, Windows, Windows Phone, PlayStation and Xbox

5) What type of game is Lara Croft Go?
Lara Croft Go is an action-adventure video game

6) How does Lara Croft Go use narrative (storyline)?
by exploring an Ancient Civilisation in the Amazon Jungle while fighting dangerous enemies, dodging different obstacles and traps to uncover the myth of The Queen Venom.

7) What iconography can be found in Lara Croft Go? How does this help communicate the sub-genre of videogame?
The deadly animals inside Lara Croft GO such as spiders and snake connotes that the place is a dangerous place for a human to be, Which means Lara is the protagonist

8) What other characters or enemies feature in the game?
Lord Richard James Croft A British aristocrat dedicated to archeology.

9) What is the setting for Lara Croft Go? How does this compare to previous Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games?
Lara Croft GO is a turn based puzzle adventure set in a long forgotten world, In 1996, Tomb Raider was set in Egypt.

10) Read this BBC article on the history of Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. How has the character of Lara Croft evolved over the last 20 years?  
Starting with the obvious thing which is the visual e.g. HD, The visuals changed a lot throughout the years also with the characters looks as well, Also there has been an increase of people who are starting to play Lara Croft Go! Throughout the years the female protagonist has been made to look stronger which was a movement towards powerful feminism as the director of the National Videogame Foundation and the Game City festival (Iain Simons) said "I think she [Lara Croft] was part of a broader movement towards a new kind of powerful feminism that came about."


Audience

1) Why might an audience enjoy playing Lara Croft Go?
They could be loyal fans that have been playing since Tomb Raider that came out in 1996, Also the game is comes from an  action-adventure genre which will interest gamers that like those storylines.

2) Where and when might an audience play a game like Lara Croft Go? Think about the device it is played on and the times of the day someone might want to play the game.
Whenever they like as the game is not an online multiplayer where they have to compete against other players around the world, This game is a single player mode where they have to complete deadly missions. You can play on your smartphone, tablet etc, so basically the audience can play any time of the day.

3) How did Square Enix design Lara Croft to make it appealing to an audience?
They've added new features onto the game which will attract new players and keep the loyal players for longer. The game's visual has became a lot better and the look on the character Lara Croft.

4) Which of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory might apply to Lara Croft Go?
Diversions

5) Who is the target audience for Lara Croft Go? How does brand loyalty contribute to this target audience?
The target audience is aim towards young teenage and adult gamer, Also adult gamers because they've could have been playing ever since the first Tomb raider came out. 


Representation

1) How are women usually represented in videogames?
Women are usually portrayed as damsels in distress, and need saving from the protagonist

2) How does the character of Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media?
Lara Croft is sexulised so it will attract the male gamers.

3) How does the character of Lara Croft subvert female stereotypes in the media?
Lara croft is a powerful heroic female who is independent and confident

4) Why do some people believe the videogames industry is sexist and needs to change?

Some females may feel violated towards the game as the main character (Lara Croft) who is a female is being sexualised and not shown different towards men, There are violent scenes where female gamers might not like to play, Also men could feel left out as there are no male protagonist.

5) Do you think Lara Croft is an empowering feminist icon or just another objectified woman designed to appeal to male gamers?
I strongly believe that Lara Croft shows an empowering feminist icon, This is because it will show men that female aren't soft and weak. The female protagonist Lara Croft is a good embodiment of women in this world who are not shown in the media as powerful but weak.

Industries

1) What does PEGI stand for?
Pan European Game Information

2) What is PEGI's job?
is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descriptors.


3) Which company created Lara Croft Go?
The company that created Lara Croft Go is Square Enix Montreal

4) What two popular videogame franchises were combined to create Lara Croft Go?
Hitman and Tomb Raider

5) What else is part of the Lara Croft/Tomb Raider franchise? 
Indiana Jones and Hitman