Emotional Trauma in Video Games: Why I’d Like To See Nathan Drake Cry

In a recent interview with Gamespot’s Alexa Ray Corriea, Tomb Raider series creative director Noah Hughes and Rise of the Tomb Raider game director Brian Horton discussed the narrative scope of the upcoming Tomb Raider sequel, a game that traces the path of Lara Croft as she recovers from the events of the original game, itself a reboot of the classic series.

In the article, they talk about Lara’s emotional state and her determination to face danger and action head-on, a coping mechanism she adopts as she tries to process the life changing events of her previous adventure on Yamatai. The interview is long but a good one, showing the depth of the thought process behind writing Lara Croft and can be read in full over at Gamespot.

I’ve interviewed Noah Hughes before and I’ve always appreciated how clearly the entire creative team behind the Tomb Raider series cares about Lara Croft as a character.  Whereas many action leads come off as one dimensional self-insert fantasies, she has scars that the audience can better relate to. I’d like to see more video games tackle the emotional realities behind the themes and scenarios they portray, as it creates more interesting characters. It’s also a nice balance to the passively absorbed violence in an unchallenged context that most games provide.

But what I’d like to see even more one day is some of this emotionally charged writing in a game with a male action lead. So far this is the second game to deal with Lara Croft’s gritty triumph over trauma and while I don’t think that’s a bad thing, it would be subversive to see (as an example) Uncharted's Nathan Drake in that role instead. It’s a little too “safe” to explore emotional themes with a female avatar. It’s a byproduct of a culture that does not allow men to express fear, trauma, or sadness without their personhood insulted. It’s part of an attitude that associates emotion with femininity, and femininity with inferiority. It would be positive for more tough male characters to express and explore all aspects of the emotional spectrum, breaking some of the power fantasy fueled stereotypes that drive the status quo.

Until then, keep on kicking ass Lara.