Tomb Raider: Modern Archeology with Lara Croft

     I've finished the single player campaign and played a few hours of the multiplayer in the new Tomb raider about a week ago and have a few things to say.  But since it became an unreadable novella length writing, containing both serious and non-serious things, I've decided to break the article up into more manageable segments.  So here's the first-

Modern Archeology with Lara Croft

Oh look, free shit!

     Lara Croft, like her younger video game sibling Nathan Drake, is the progeny of an adventure hero many current middle aged gamers grew up with- Indiana Jones.  Lara follows in those footsteps quite well.  After watching the Indiana Jones films repeatedly over the last few decades, and playing all the Tomb Raiders and Uncharteds, they've been giving some bad impressions of current trends in the field of archeology.

 

     Where's all the adventure in real life?  When I watch the History channel (when they play shows about history, and not the crappy "reality" programming they've been so keen on airing in recent years) I don't imagine that a dig site could be so dangerous.  Nazis, militias and stranded crazies abound in every locale that contains these hidden treasures from the past when our heroes arrive.  Why don't the scientists and doctors on these shows get attacked for the valuables lost by ancient civilizations they've retrieved?  Surely the various enemies looking to get rich or obtain mystical powers are eager to take these items once they've been unearthed.

     Hundreds of treasure hunting goons should be flooding the dig sites in search of magnificent booty.  I mean what good what it be for me to have to go through all the work of excavating something when I can just kill someone and take it after they've done the job so nicely?  I mean Yamatai is swarming with people... except for the tombs.  Why is that?  Is it because they are waiting for me to solve puzzles that have been clearly set up by someone not long ago?  And with all the things that got set up- why did they leave the goodies?  All the giant gold chests were left unopened.  Very suspicious if you ask me.  Not to mention the fact there are extremely valuable historical trinkets and baubles left out around all over the place.

     Where's the cut off?  Exactly when is it ok to desecrate a resting place in order to profit?  Whether it's for money or knowledge, there seems no clear answer.

     After the few tombs I've raided, or more accurately- the graves I've robbed as Lara Croft in the new game, I've come to the conclusion that if it's for educational purposes "tomb raiding" is considered archeology... even to the point of looting the still warm, seconds old corpse of someone I just killed.

     If I was on Yamatai, I would be the guy that sneaks into the tombs and lights all the thousands of candles.  The return of one of my alter egos- Jacob Wicklighter.  I'm not kidding.  Who do you think lit all those candles- the crazy beard guy?!?  Nope.  It was me.