This first game in the reboot series became the first Tomb Raider game to receive a Mature rating for ages 17 and over in the United States.
In the version re-released as the 'Definitive Edition', Lara's face was redesigned to resemble Camilla Luddington, the actress who performed her voice and motion capture.
For the first time in Tomb Raider history, Camilla Luddington took on both the voice and the motion capture of Lara Croft.
When Dr. Whitman compares the discovery he and Lara make to finding Atlantis, Lara corrects him by saying that Atlantis is a myth; yet in the original game Atlantis is a real place and the story revolves around it.
Tomb Raider (2013) is the second reboot of the series; the first reboot attempt had been made with Tomb Raider: Legend in 2006.
Because Lara had to be younger in this reboot set in the present day, her official date of birth was set as 14 February 1992, and she is about 21 years old during the game.
The 2018 film Tomb Raider is loosely based on the story of this game.
Lara uses her iconic dual pistols only at the end of the game, in a cutscene-like event against the final enemy.
Collecting all the GPS caches in the game unlocks a secret document stating that an agent from Trinity was sent to Yamatai to find the power, foreshadowing the main enemies in Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
In an interview, Camilla Luddington said she was hired to make Lara Croft a more realistic woman rather than a sex symbol catering to teenage boys' fantasies; yet ironically, during the same period she was appearing nude in pool, jacuzzi and shower scenes on the series Californication, adorning male fantasies.
Rhianna Pratchett, the writer of Tomb Raider 2013 and Rise of the Tomb Raider, stated that she would enjoy writing a game in which Lara had a romantic relationship with Sam, but added that no romantic option for Lara was ever discussed during the games' development; furthermore, the writers of the official comic book Tomb Raider: Inferno wanted Lara to realize she had romantic feelings for Sam and to kiss her subconsciously, but in the end they were told to turn it into a Korrasami-style hug.
Among the strong influences behind the reboot are thought to be 'Batman Begins' and 'Arrow'.
The game's story bears similarities to the past of Oliver Queen, the lead character of the series Arrow; while Queen is stranded on a deserted island and learns to survive and fight, Lara also transforms on the island from a timid young woman into a warrior, and when the series aired on Sky One in the UK, the game took on its sponsorship.
Just as Batman Begins is a dark reimagining, this game is about Lara Croft learning to survive and fight on the island and becoming the warrior, explorer and architect she is destined to be.
After finishing the game, you have the chance to return to the island for 100% completion; however, once you return there is no way to leave the island, and even if you destroy all the enemies you are left completely alone.
It is possible to finish the game without finding all the hidden treasures; after the end credits you are offered the option to return to the island to collect what remains and clear out enemies, but after reaching 100% there is no way off the island.