RelexCryo said:
Lara Croft is supposed to be ridiculously strong- a hardcore strength trainer. She has consistently been shown lifting and pulling extremely heavy objects in her games. Please keep in mind, strength training and body building are not the same thing. When a woman strength trains, she develops very, very big breasts. Her pectoral muscles actually push her Breasts outwards and give them support. A woman with average breasts looks like Dolly Parton if she strength trains.
So, in reality, her having small breasts is not realistic. It is absurdly unrealistic. She is unrealistically flat chested. It looks like she has a childlike body just for the sake of having a childlike body. Explain this to me: How is this empowering to women? Women who strength train have giant looking boobs. For what concievable reason do you think making her look like a skinny underage kid is a good thing?
Curious point. Depends on what she does in the new game then does it not? I always found the "pulling giant stone blocks" part of the game to be ridiculous anyway. Who other than one of those Strongman Competition entrants could even conceivably THINK of managing that?! To me, looking at that image, and seeing a bow (ranged weapon) strapped on horizontally and filthy arms and knees, I'm imagining a game where logical defensive evasion (not cowardice) and athletic skills play the key role. Rolling, climbing, evading, and attacking from afar.
Your points about bodybuilders make sense, but a MUCH more fitting model for her character would be parkour. Traceurs do not upper-body strength train and have a leaner physique whilst still maintaining strength.
Just an alternate interpretation. I like the new design.