Lara Croft has been raiding tombs before many of you were born, and she’s still going strong to this day. The British video game icon debuted in the 32-bit era, where it was unusual to have a woman as the lead in a game, but instantly became a cultural force to be reckoned with. 54t3b

Aside from the many, many Tomb Raider games there are movies, animated shows, a rollercoaster, escape rooms, comics, and novels. Tomb Raider fans are one of the most ionate, committed, and friendly fanbases around and they eat well when it comes to content. But the foundation of Lara’s multimedia empire will always be the video games.

So, squeeze yourself into some booty shorts, reload your dual pistols, and prepare to push some endangered species towards extinction, as we delve into the ten best Tomb Raider games.

10. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008) 4u3m5o

After the disastrous Angel of Darkness original Tomb Raider developers Core Design were shuffled off the franchise in favor of Crystal Dynamics. They produced some solid but not exceptional titles, with 2008’s Tomb Raider: Underworld seeing Lara on a quest to discover Mjolnir.

It’s a fun adventure with some neat locations and – thankfully – jettisoned some of the quick time events of the previous games. But the combat is generally wonky and the camera system feels like a throwback to a much earlier era of gaming.

9. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010) 1vw6d

Most Tomb Raider games are third-person action adventures, but the franchise isn’t afraid to branch out a little. One of the best experiments was the delectable Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, an isometric co-op focused puzzle game in which Lara teams up with the Mayan warrior Totec.

It’s a fast, fluid, and satisfying experience, especially if you tackle the game with a buddy in local multiplayer. Guardian of Light was followed by The Temple of Osiris in 2014, but the expansion to four players diluted the purity of the two-player puzzling. This can be had for dirt cheap on practically every platform and is well worth an afternoon’s play with a friend.

8. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006) 4l1h4v

Angel of Darkness was such a disappointment it could have killed Tomb Raider for good. The enormously hyped sequel was buggy, frustrating, and felt half-finished (dedicated fans would spend years modifying the game into a broadly enjoyable state). This left 2006’s Tomb Raider: Legend with some big boots to fill.

This slightly reworked and redesigned Lara stepped into them perfectly. The gameplay was a smart evolution of the Core Design formula, the story of hunting down Excalibur was interesting, and the more modern controls were a godsend.

7. Tomb Raider III: The Adventures of Lara Croft (1998) 3k4y3o

Imagine if a new Uncharted or The Last of Us game was released each year for five years? Well, Tomb Raider fans didn’t have to, as from 1996 to 2000 Core Design released a fresh Lara Croft adventure each year. This relentless development would eventually burn the studio out, but not before releasing some stone-cold classics.

Tomb Raider III is one of their best. This entry saw a graphical update involving more complex level geometry and a wider variety of levels (and costumes for Lara). Unfortunately, this also came with a substantial increase in difficulty and, while it plays fine, I don’t think I’d ever beat it without a walkthrough or save-scumming. It’s a classic, but be prepared for pain.

6. Lara Croft GO (2015) 473r3z

This enormously underrated mobile classic came as part of Square Enix Montreal’s short-lived “GO” franchise (both Hitman Go and Deus Ex GO are also). This converts Tomb Raider into a turn-based puzzle game in which Lara must navigate enemy and trap-filled maps. Each element moves when Lara does, creating a series of clockwork worlds for you to leap, blast, and sneak through.

All that, and it looks incredible. This came out of nowhere for me and, thankfully, there’s a Steam port so it won’t be lost to the graveyard of forgotten apps.

5. Tomb Raider (1996) 64l58

Time may have tarnished the first Tomb Raider‘s graphical luster, but it remains an incredible game. I can vividly playing it for the first time in 1996 on PC and being dazzled by Lara’s animation, the acrobatic gunplay, and the incredible ambience within the levels.

Future games would crank up the intensity, but I love the lonely and slightly oppressive first entry with almost no other humans in the levels. Also, there are surprise dinosaurs. Who doesn’t love surprise dinosaurs!?

4. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) s2l48

The final entry in the rebooted Tomb Raider series is the worst one, but it’s still pretty great. Lara believes she’s triggered an ancient Mayan apocalypse and must wreak bloody havoc through countless enemies to stop it. There are more open-world elements to this entry and, as such, it feels a little bloated in comparison to the previous two.

That said, the moment (see above) in which a very very angry Lara rises from a flaming pool with murder on her mind and proceeds to go full Jason Voorhees on the baddies is extremely cool.

3. Tomb Raider II (1997) 1l2h3g

Core Design was riding high when making Tomb Raider II. They polished what worked in the first game and added several fun new elements. That confidence is on display in ambitious levels like the Great Wall, Venice (the dilapidated opera house is a fantastic location), and on into the towering and complex Temple of Xian.

My highlight are the Maria Doria levels, which begin with Lara floating in the inky blackness of the deep sea (with sharks!) and see her exploring an upturned shipwreck on the ocean floor. Tomb Raider arguably still hasn’t equaled that spooky ruinous atmosphere to this day.

2. Tomb Raider (2013) 1c385o

This much-hyped reboot of the franchise set out to make Lara a more psychologically realistic heroine. As the game begins she’s injured and scrabbling to stay alive, with her adventure gradually toughening her up until she’s a terrifying avatar of death. You can argue that the 2013 game is effectively an Uncharted reskin, but it’s a lot of fun and breathed new complexity into Lara.

Plus the bit where she gets a grenade launcher and the enemies freak out is *chef’s kiss*.

1. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015) q2v6y

The highlight of the reboot trilogy and the best game the franchise has to offer. Rise is a graphical delight (the frosty environments look genuinely chilly), the stealth and action gameplay is buttery smooth, and the story is compelling. I also became mildly addicted to the Expeditions mode, in which you can explore various custom scenarios with fun modifiers.

But the best part is the ‘Challenge Tombs’, which present some chewy spatial puzzles. As usual, Lara is happiest poking through an old pile of bones and dodging traps, and she’s at her best here.

Let’s hope it’s not too long before a new game is unveiled and Lara returns on modern hardware. We need Croft back!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is finally in theaters, offering the long-awaited fifth entry in the immortal saga of the eponymous adventuring archaeologist. And yet while there are only five official Indy movies, the cinematic might of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. has cast a long shadow across not just movies, but all forms of media. In short, Indiana Jones made archaeology a cool job for a hero to have.

There are various tomb-raiding characters in films, TV, and games who very much follow in Indy’s footsteps, being larger-than-life swashbuckling sorts who go on globe-trotting adventures. Other fictional archaeologists may be slightly closer to fact or else their profession is just one element of their persona – so much so that you might just forget what they do for a day-job in the first place.

Regardless of what kind of archaeologist they are, all are welcome in this run-down of the finest treasure-seeking, bone-dusting history buffs from across pop culture, be they from sci-fi, supernatural, or superhero-themed media. Let’s get excavating…

10. Elizabeth Shaw 3t2w5k

It’s an impossible task to take over as the new protagonist of the Alien franchise after Sigourney Weaver’s inimitable Ellen Ripley, but while Prometheus didn’t exactly hit the same spot as earlier entries in the series, fans have always taken warmly to Noomi Rapace’s Elizabeth Shaw – who is much more of an intellectual heroine than an action one like Ripley. Although, having said that, we do essentially have her to thank for the existence of Xenomorphs in the first place. Even though Dr. Shaw doesn’t really get the whole “don’t recklessly touch stuff” part of archaeology.

9. Hawkman and Hawkgirl 295ys

While Aldis Hodge’s version was depicted as more of a Bruce Wayne-type than his comic book counterpart, the Smallville take on the character did a better job showcasing his archaeological roots as one season 10 episode saw Lois Lane ing Carter Hall for an expedition in Egypt. While Hawkman is more generally associated with being an archaeologist in DC lore, his eternally reincarnated love interest Hawkgirl occasionally follows him into the profession too, notably in the DC Bombshells universe.

8. Doctor Fate 453y1x

What is it with DC superheroes having archaeology day jobs? On top of the Hawks, Dan Garrett’s Blue Beetle and (sorry to remind you of Suicide Squad) Enchantress, we have Doctor Fate. Much like his Justice Society teammate Carter Hall, Kent Nelson’s status as an archaeologist was mostly glossed over in Black Adam. Nonetheless, Pierce Brosnan did a terrific job as a venerable hero cursed with the power of prophecy, serving as one of the few highlights of Dwayne Johnson’s dud of a DC debut.

7. Doctor Aphra 1g3y3b

Doctor Aphra makes her debut appearance in the Darth Vader comic series. A morally dubious archaeologist, mechanic, and lover of murderous droids, Aphra has a knack for getting into trouble. The weapons collector firmly believes that fear of the unknown — aka literal murder machines — is a waste of time and that those oh-so-dangerous pieces of history should be shared and studied.  More than capable of discovering Luke Skywalker’s true identity and outplaying Darth Vader himself, Aphra is a mighty contender for the best archaeologist in the galaxy.

6. River Song 6s222k

“I’m a time traveler, I point and laugh at archaeologists.” So says David Tennant’s Doctor upon meeting Alex Kingston’s Professor River Song, and yet from this arrogant introduction sprung the most epic and timey-wimey love story in Doctor Who history. Playing out across the Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi era, the complex and tragic romance between the Doctor and River is the stuff of Whoniverse legend, but let’s not overlook River’s importance as her own character. Equally as adept at excavating a tomb of Weeping Angels, toting a gun while facing an alien invasion, or dressing to the nines, River is an archaeologist who points and laughs at time travelers.

5. Benjamin Gates 243s2c

Once again, not technically an archaeologist, Benjamin Gates is one of the more archaeologist-adjacent entries on this list. A treasure hunter and cryptologist, Gates enjoyed a successful career long before he made the bold decision to steal the Declaration of Independence. 

Nic Cage is famous for many things, but among America’s youth his greatest accomplishment is inarguably contained within National Treasure’s heavily-memed Declaration of Independence storyline, and there’s no denying how impressive his work in the 2004 film is. He might come off as a bit more conman than scientist — after all, that’s quite the heist — but through all the misappropriation of treasured American artifacts, he’s still focused on that ever-necessary goal of preserving history.

4. Rick O’Connell and Evie Carnahan 434i59

Sometimes two archaeologists are better than one. Like several of the other entries on this list, neither Rick O’Connel nor Evie Carnahan are technically archaeologists by trade, but their combined skills make for a team of truly epic proportions. Evie’s got the information area covered — thanks to a background in egyptology and a lifelong dream of finding the Book of Amun-Ra — and O’Connell lays out enemies like Indiana Jones on steroids. 

Individually, both Evie and O’Connell likely would have ended up dead or lost in a pitch-dark ancient tomb, but as a team, they are a powerhouse unlike any other. Flawlessly trading quips, and with a female lead that doesn’t sacrifice strength for her femininity, the O’Connell/Carnahan team-up is one for the ages — even if they didn’t manage to “discover” so much as “destroy.”

3. Nathan Drake 2v1b45

He’s not technically an archaeologist, but Uncharted’s Nathan Drake ticks all the right boxes to deserve a spot on this list. Untrained in the specifics of archaeology, like carbon dating and the humdrum process of properly excavating artifacts, Drake still manages to locate and recover some truly impressive antiquities. Known for his witty comebacks, supreme luck in the face of impossible odds, and knack for tracking down elusive finds, Drake may call himself a “treasure hunter,” but he’s up there with the greats of archaeology. Now if he could just sort out how to keep from causing so much mayhem everywhere he goes. 

2. Lara Croft e433v

More than a decade after Indiana Jones made archaeology look much cooler than Howard Carter ever could, Lara Croft proved that it could also be alluring. Sauntering onto the scene in 1996 with the first-ever Tomb Raider game, Lara’s design has changed significantly over the years, but we’ll always those massive, pointy boobs that helped popularize the character.

These days, Lara is treated much more as an actual contender for the title of “best fictional archaeologist,” thanks to numerous modernized reboots. No, we’re not talking about Angelina Jolie’s sensual take on the character (though she did channel the sex appeal of the early games), but rather the clever and capable Lara that debuted in titles like 2013’s Tomb Raider, and even 2006’s Tomb Raider: Legend. This is the take on female archaeology we’ve always wanted from the franchise — adventurous, courageous, and more focused on solving puzzles and uncovering artifacts than with showing skin.

1. Indiana Jones 1i505w

The man, the myth, the legend himself. Indiana Jones made being a swashbuckling archaeologist cool, and all these other copycats are just Dr. Jones wannabes. Don’t get me wrong, we love the likes of O’Connell and Croft in this newsroom, but they’ll never quite match up to what makes Indy, Indy. He’s played to flawless perfection by Harrison Ford, and — over more than 40 years — he’s only suffered a few missteps. Indiana is clever, well-read, and utterly fascinated by the work he does. Sure, he’s punched more Nazis than Captain America, but Jones is an academic at heart. He’s enthralled by the items he hunts, trinkets and testimonies to lost worlds and long-abandoned civilizations, and it’s his heart, ion, and schoolboy eagerness that really makes him the best of the best.

Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god of the Mayans, has catapulted to a new sort of fame in the wake of the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film is the long-awaited debut of Prince Namor aka The Sub-Mariner who serves as the antagonist of the story. During his introduction to Shuri and her Mother, the Queen of Wakanda, Namor says he is also known by his people — the Talokans — as K’ulk’ukan, the feathered serpent.

The Talokans are a water-breathing offshoot of the mesoamerican Mayan people, and Kukulkan is the name of one of their most prominent gods, revered as both a god of war and a messenger of the gods’ intentions. But Wakanda Forever isn’t the first time Kukulkan hasn’t been used (or occasionally co-opted) by a series or franchise to serve as a character.

Below are some of Kukulkan’s major cultural appearances that pre-date Wakanda Forever.

Q: The Winged Serpent 

In 1982, horror director Larry Cohen released Q: The Winged Serpent, a monster movie loosely inspired by the mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec version of the Mayan Kukulcan. The film is a very loose reimagining of the 1946 B-movie The Flying Serpent with some broad strokes that make it more of an American Kaiju movie than anything else. For better or for worse, it has little more than a name that ties it to any actual Mesoamerican legend or myth. And Q is really more of a dragon than a winged serpent anyway.

Star Trek

Surprisingly, Kukulkan has a presence in the Star Trek universe, dating back all the way to the first animated series that followed up the three seasons of the original TV series. In the 1974 Star Trek: The Animated Series‘ “How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth,” the original crew is transported inside an alien craft shaped like a winged serpent. Inside, an entity calling itself Kukulkan — who also takes a winged serpent appearance — demands that the crew worships them as the ancient Maya did centuries ago.

Kukulkan also makes a brief cameo in the third season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. In the episode “Mining the Mind’s Mines,” a psychic landmine manifests the Flying Serpent god as a physical nightmare of one of the crew , which then turns them to stone. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it Easter egg, but it’s definitely a winky shout-out to the very first Star Trek animated program.

Shadows of the Tomb Raider r601r

Kukulkan’s use in popular culture isn’t only reserved for movies and films. The god is one of the primary plot devices of the 2018 installment of the Lara Croft franchise, Shadow of the Tomb Raider. In it, Croft discovers a secret society known as the “Cult of Kukulkan,” that seeks to bring about a “cleansing of the world” through a ritual involving the Dagger of Chak Chel, an Aztec Jaguar Goddess. The dagger can be used to grant its wielder the power of Kukulkan and the strength to stop the cleansing from becoming a permanent solar eclipse. The final boss fight pits Croft against Amaru, who has become the Kukulkan’s avatar.

 X-Men

As always, great turnaround time!!

Kukulkan was actually first mentioned in Marvel Comics in Namora #1 (1948)…

…later being expanded upon in X-Men #25-26 (1966) & Encyclopaedia Mythologica (2009)!https://t.co/8V4x4srf8F pic.twitter.com/pjLA6yB4cH

— Max Marvel (@MaximilanMarvel) October 3, 2022

While it took Namor until Phase 4 to appear in the MCU, the character of Kukulkan has been around in Marvel Comics for much longer. In fact, the first time the character is mentioned is in a story by Namor’s creator, Bill Everett entitled “The Lost City of Yucatan!” first published in 1948 in the “Golden Age” of comics. But it wasn’t a tale involving Namor. It featured his cousin, Namora, and appeared in her self-titled comic.

Nearly 20 years later, the original X-Men team fought Kukulkan in issue #25 of their first comic book series. In this story, Kukulkan was originally an adventurer and relic plunderer named El Tigre who discovered a pair of amulets that gave him the powers of the ancient Mayan god. In the next issue, he’s defeated by the team and is never heard from again, although the god Kukulkan still is part of Marvel’s comic book continuity and part of the Mayan pantheon of gods.

MCU 5a4c68

And finally, Kukulkan actually appeared in the MCU before he became the namesake of Namor for Wakanda Forever. Kind of.

In Thor: Love and Thunder Kukulkan’s Aztec persona, Quetzalcoatl is not only mentioned aloud by the Asgardian Thunder God himself, but he can also actually be seen in an Easter egg appearance as one of the many gods present in Omnipotence City of the gods during Thor’s plea for assistance from the gods. Of course, it isn’t known if he is worshipped in any way by the Talokans.

Aubrey Plaza may have won hearts as the deadpan April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation, but that hasn’t stopped acclaimed director Edgar Wright from envisioning her as the next Lara Croft. 

Plaza revealed the news while on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, sharing that the English filmmaker spotted her looking very similar to Lara in a promo shoot for her crime drama, Emily the Criminal. 

“My friend Edgar Wright actually saw that and texted me and said, ‘Oh my god, you’re the new Lara Croft? You’re the new Tomb Raider?’ That’s the character in ‘Tomb Raider.’ And I was like, ‘No, Edgar. That’s my movie, ‘Emily the Criminal,’ He genuinely thought I was cast as the new ‘Tomb Raider.’ And then I looked it up and they actually are casting this role right now. And I was like, ‘Well there you go. The new Tomb Raider, whatever.'”

Angelina Jolie first brought the English archeologist to the big screen in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel released two years later. Most recently, Alicia Vikander took on the role in 2018, and while a sequel was greenlit, creative differences, as well as Warner Bros. losing the creative rights to the character, ultimately led to its cancellation. 

Plaza seems to be quite neutral concerning becoming the next Lara Croft, however. She does have a couple of projects lined up, with Emily the Criminal scheduled for release on Aug. 12, and the romantic comedy, Spin Me Round on Aug. 19. She is also set to star in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, The Ark and the Aardvark, and the highly anticipated second season of The White Lotus.

Read our review of Emily the Criminal here

The Tomb Raider franchise took a huge hit recently when Alicia Vikander’s second outing as Lara Croft was cast onto the cinematic scrapheap, a decision that felt as though it had been coming for a while based on how long the sequel was lodged firmly in the throes of development hell.

2018’s reboot may have received tepid reactions from critics, but reviews were still better than either of Angelina Jolie’s two stints as the video game icon, while a box office haul just shy of $275 million was a solid return. It’s back to square one with the rights back up for grabs, though, but could Aubrey Plaza be the ideal candidate to step in and raid some tombs?

Edgar Wright seems to thinks so, as the actress revealed during a chat with Jimmy Fallon

“My friend Edgar Wright actually saw that and texted me and said, ‘Oh my god, you’re the new Lara Croft? You’re the new Tomb Raider?’ That’s the character in Tomb Raider. And I was like, ‘No, Edgar. That’s my movie, Emily the Criminal. And he genuinely thought I was cast as the new Tomb Raider. And then I looked it up and they actually are casting this role right now. And I was like, ‘Well there you go. The new Tomb Raider, whatever.’”

Needless to say, it didn’t take long before fans began throwing their weight behind the idea of actually having it happen.

Plaza has covered plenty of bases throughout her career, but headlining a blockbuster action movie hasn’t been one of them, at least not yet. It’d be an unexpected hiring, to be sure, but Tomb Raider fans sound as though they’re not exactly opposed to the concept.

Hayley Atwell will fill the boots of Lara Croft in Netflix’s Tomb Raider anime series, which takes place after Square Enix’s video game reboot trilogy. 

Lara Croft is one of the most iconic characters in gaming and the main protagonist of the long-running series, having appeared in 12 games as well as several other spinoff titles. The character has also appeared multiple times on the big screen, played by Angelina Jolie and, more recently, Alicia Vikander. 

Earlier this year, Netflix Geeked confirmed an anime version of Tomb Raider was in development, and the show would follow Lara Croft after the events of Crystal Dynamics’ trilogy. While this is new territory for the character and series, many are still excited to see the character return. 

Fans received more good news today when Netflix Geeked revealed Hayley Atwell will be taking up the mantle of Lara Croft in the series. Best known for playing Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the actor first appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger and reprised the role in the Agent Carter show and four other Marvel films. 

Atwell also played Carter in a recent What If…? episode, and has previously done other voice-over work. Some fans are disappointed to see Vikander depart from this installment of Tomb Raider, but excited, nonetheless, to see what Atwell brings to the character.

A release date for the show has not been revealed, and it will likely be a while before fans can enjoy this new iteration of Tomb Raider, but they can rest easy knowing another incredible actor is on board.

A good hero can make or break the game in which they are the focal point. For players to take control of a flat or poorly derived character would remove some of the charm from the experience of gaming itself, and so we – as players – should feel truly grateful that there are so many interesting protagonists to take care of. But some of these characters have had their personalities so complexly crafted that they could serve a great purpose as more than just the stereotypical hero role. I mean, who’s to say some of our favourite gaming heroes wouldn’t also make intriguing villains? [zergpaid] Maybe your mind is filling with such ideas already but, in case you’re struggling to consider how your favourite heroes might work on the opposite side of the spectrum, we’ve put together a list of ten characters we think would make great gaming villains. Prepare to see your favourite heroes like you may never have seen them before!

Last week at Gamescom Crystal Dynamics’ global brand director Karl Stewart told Eurogamer that the second half of Tomb Raider will be less bleak and feature a “stronger” Lara Croft than what was shown in the E3 demos and trailers.

“You’ll see a side to Lara that everyone’s been waiting for. As she comes out the other side [of the game’s first section that was shown at E3] she’s stronger for it… It’s not purposefully going out of the way to break her down mentally – she’d never become the person we want her to. Every single twist or turn makes you feel like we’re setting up motivation for her to become the character we want.”

The comments were a response to the controversy surrounding the “attempted rape” scene that was demoed last June at E3, and executive producer Ron Rosenberg’s later “misstatement” that those “challenges” will make players want to “protect” Lara. Stewart added that the studio is attempting to have the player feel the “specific emotion” in a “kill or be killed” situation. To that end, he has assured players that “nothing whatsoever” in the game was altered after the E3 controversy broke out. By the end of the game Stewart promised that we will see Lara become more like the character that fans love, and that she “will be set up for the future”. However, Stewart warned that “she still won’t be like the Lara at the beginning of Tomb Raider 1″ and will retain the qualities that Crystal Dynamics is adding to the character in this reboot. Tomb Raider is set to release on March 5, 2013 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Thanks to GameTrailers, we now know that Crystal Dynamics‘ Tomb Raider reboot will climb onto retail store shelves on March 5, 2013. That date appears at the end of the outlet’s exclusive pre-E3 trailer, which aired just hours ago, giving us something great-looking to look forward to within that predominantly chilly month. Of course, it also clears up the questions that came with the news that Square Enix had delayed the anticipated title into Q1 2013. Featured below, the above-mentioned trailer is heavy on torment. It shows everyone’s favourite digital heroine as she takes abuse while attempting to explore her surroundings. After seeing all of that take place, it’s no wonder she exclaims her hatred for tombs during its run-time.

Square Enix and Sony Ericsson are partnering up to release Lara Croft & The Guardian of Light on the Sony XPeria PLAY. The well-reviewed digital title will be the first in a partnership which will see select Square Enix library titles make it onto the phone “in the coming months.” It was previously added to iOS devices after releasing on XBLA and PSN. We’re not sure which games will be coming in the future, but will keep you updated when we learn more. Press release:

Sony Ericsson is adding to its ever growing ecosystem of over 150 optimised titles for Xperia PLAY with a partnership with world renowned Square Enix®. Revealed today the partnership will bring much loved titles such as “Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light” exclusively to Android on Xperia PLAY in November 2011. More established hits from Square Enix will then follow in the coming months. “With a unique control pad and immersive graphics that enable an enriched gaming experience, Xperia PLAY is bringing a unique and exciting dimension to smartphone gaming,” said Ben Cusack, Head of Mobile for Square Enix Europe. “This is just the start of what we plan to do together, but right now, we are delighted to be able to show off the full potential of our games with this innovative smartphone, bringing them to life as our creators intended.” “Xperia PLAY continues to redefine smartphone gaming. By bringing some of the world’s most popular console games to the Xperia PLAY we’re delivering an unrivalled smartphone gaming experience,” said Tim Harrison, Head of Content & Marketing Strategy for Sony Ericsson. “And this is still really only just the beginning – we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with new games and new experiences optimized for Xperia PLAY, ensuring that consumers have the best gaming possible experience on a smartphone, whatever games they are in to.” Sony Ericsson continues to make Xperia PLAY available to more consumers in more markets around the world. The smartphone has recently gone on sale in the US on the AT&T network and on the 14th September, the company announced that Xperia PLAY will launch in Japan with NTT DOCOMO in October 2011. Check out the Sony Ericsson Product Blog and follow us on Twitter for the information on Xperia PLAY: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products Twitter: @XperiaGames

Crystal Dynamics have aimed to impress with their Tomb Raider reboot. Mentioned a while ago, the game received its first computer-generated trailer just a couple of nights ago on GTTV. Now, the developer is eager to talk about their project, starting with a big reveal at Microsoft’s press conference this morning, including a 6 minute long live demo. Known simply as Tomb Raider, this reboot takes us back to the days of Lara Croft’s early twenties, complete with a youthful character model redesign. Published by Square-Enix, it promises to wow those who have stuck with the series through its recent rough patches, as well as newcomers. With what they showed today, it’s sure to be able to please both camps. Today’s footage shows Lara escaping from a dark, water-infested cavern, using her agility, endurance and wit. Not to mention a trusty torch. It really looks like a survival horror game, with buttom prompts to pick up certain things and the way she moves at times. Though it will most-likely still retain the series’ core action-adventure roots. Regardless, I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Ahead of the E3 bustle and craziness, Square Enix released this beautiful CGI cinematic trailer for the mysterious Tomb Raider reboot. The video is remarkably well done and showcases the new defiant, darker, potentially more serious storytelling that the younger Lara Croft is lost in. With all the incredible games set to make some huge appearances with appropriately huge reveals, make sure you don’t overlook this one at next week’s E3 convention, this may just turn out to be something rather special. Check out stunning the trailer below and feel free to share your comments underneath.