Lara Croft Go CSP blog tasks

 Language

1) When did Lara Croft first appear in a videogame?

She first appeared in 1996 Eidos PlayStation game Tomb Raider

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

The narrative of the Tomb Raider games were mainly influenced by Indiana Jones.

3) How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a videogame?

They have made a movie about it who stared Angelina Jolie. There is lots of merchandise that include things about Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider games. They have also made comic books about it. 

4) What devices can you play Lara Croft Go on?

Tablet, phone, PCs and consoles.

5) What type of game is Lara Croft Go?

It is a puzzle-action-adventure game

6) How does Lara Croft Go use narrative (storyline) to make the game enjoyable for the audience?

The players have to complete many obstacles and have to uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.. It also explores the ruins of an ancient civilization in the Amazon Jungle.

7) What iconography can be found in Lara Croft Go? How does this help communicate the genre of the game? Think about mise-en-scene and setting here.

There are many puzzles such as pulling levers to open a new path. This makes the game a puzzle genre. 

In Lara Croft Go you have to kill spiders and snakes. This makes the game a action genre.

The setting of Lara Croft Go is a rainforest which makes it an adventurous genre. 

The lighting of the game also makes it more adventurous.

8) What other characters or enemies feature in the game?

Spiders, snakes and Queen of Venom

9) What is the setting for Lara Croft Go? How does this compare to previous Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games?

The setting of Lara Croft Go is a rainforest and this is similar to the pervious Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games as they have a very similar setting of a dark rainforest.

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 25 years?

It has evolved from being a female protagonist of a game to becoming one of the most known faces in the world. Lara Croft has now featured in many different brands such as Lucozade. She has also been the cover of most videogame magazines and newspaper magazines.

Representations

1) How are women usually represented in videogames?

Women are usually represented as a secondary character or a sex symbol for males.

2) How does the character of Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media?

Her body features were exaggerated in early games for men.

She is a character designed to be attracted to men.

3) How does the character of Lara Croft subvert female stereotypes in the media?

She is the main protagonist of the games and is very independent and strong. She is also a empowered female heroine.

She is an action hero in the games. 

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

As most male characters are portrayed as powerful, strong, independent while female characters are portrayed as weak, fragile and are sexualised due to their appearance. 

5) Do you think Lara Croft is an empowering feminist icon or just another objectified woman designed to appeal to male gamers?

I think that she is both as she is a empowering feminist icon as she is a independent, strong and confident woman which could influence other women to be more like her. She also did bring lots of females to the videogame industry as when the Tomb raiders games released Eidos suggested that 40% of early players were females. However the game developers expected her to be a objectified woman due to the videogame industry being male dominated. 

Industries

1) What does PEGI stand for?

Pan European Game Information 

2) What is PEGI's job?

To regulate games based on violence and other factors. They also allow consumers to make informed decisions about games.

3) Which company created Lara Croft Go?

Core Design who is owned by Square Enix (Core Design used to be owned by Eidos Interactive).

4) What two popular videogame franchises were combined to create Lara Croft Go?

Hitman Go and the Tomb Raider games.

5) What else is part of the Lara Croft/Tomb Raider franchise?

The different Tomb Raider games and movies 

Audience

1) Why might an audience enjoy playing Lara Croft Go?

As it provides them entertainment and Lara Croft Go is a game to be played in a short amount of time.

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.

Someone who is waiting for a bus may play the game as it is on mobile and very accessible. They also may play it when they are having a little break from something and could be a short form of entertainment.

3) How did Square Enix design Lara Croft to make it appealing to an audience?

They design Lara Croft to be appealing to old fan audiences as they made her acrobatic and powerful like the old games.

They designed Lara Croft to be appealing to female audiences by making her strong independent and confident.

They design Lara Croft to be appealing to male audiences by emphasises certain features about her.

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

Diversion - People can escape reality and enter the mysterious world of the Tomb Raider games and males may be appealed by Lara Croft and her body features. People who found Hitman Go fun may also find Lara Croft Go fun.

Personal identity - Females who want to be strong, independent and confident could get the courage to do so when they see Lara Croft as the protagonist of the game. 

Personal relationships - People may have built a connection with Lara Croft from the other Tomb Raider games.

Surveillance - Players can learn to become more strategic and smarter. 

5) Who is the target audience for Lara Croft Go? How does brand loyalty contribute to this target audience?

The target audience for Lara Croft Go may be people who enjoyed Hitman Go and may be people who enjoyed the old Tomb Raider games. Their target audience also may be young women as they are making Lara an empowered female protagonist who is independent and strong. Those who have brand loyalty to Square Enix when they made Hitman Go may also want to play Lara Croft Go.