Game

Tomb Raider II

1997

Platforms: Classic Macintosh, macOS, PC, iOS, PlayStation, AndroidGenres: Action, Shooter, Adventure, Platformer

3Score

Peak Gaming

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Game metadata from RAWG.

Is Tomb Raider II Woke? Quick Answer

Tomb Raider II scores 3/100 on the IsItWoke scale and falls into Peak Gaming.

That is the story-first end of the scale for this game.

The dialogue serves the action and adventure without heavy-handed messaging. Characters are well-developed and integral to the narrative rather than symbolic placeholders.

See the full breakdown below.

Woke profile

How the score is shaped

Eight stored dimensions, each scored from 0 to 20.

Message

Characters

Story

Legacy

Politics

Lead

Tradition

Norms

Column height is the stored score out of 20

Message-first dialogue
1/20
Tokenistic characters
1/20
Ideology over story
1/20
Legacy rewriting
0/20
Modern politics injection
0/20
Protected protagonist pattern
1/20
Anti-traditional framing
0/20
Cultural normalization framing
0/20

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Why it received this score

Based on: Published title analysisConfidence: MediumLast updated: 2026-09-22

Key reasons

The dialogue serves the action and adventure without heavy-handed messaging.
Characters are well-developed and integral to the narrative rather than symbolic placeholders.
The storytelling prioritizes exploration and challenge over ideological framing.

View full breakdown

No significant alterations to legacy elements; the game remains true to its roots.
The protagonist, Lara Croft, faces real dangers and challenges that feel earned.

Score signals

Signal	What was measured	Strength	Impact
Message-first dialogue	How much the dialogue, monologues, or character interactions feel driven by overt messaging, moral lecturing, ideological framing, or making a point instead of serving the story naturally.	1/20	+1
Tokenistic characters	How much characters feel inserted or shaped primarily for symbolic representation, political signaling, or demographic checkbox value rather than narrative depth, organic fit, or strong characterization.	1/20	+1
Ideology over story	How much the overall storytelling prioritizes ideological framing, message delivery, social commentary, or activism-coded narrative choices over pacing, conflict, immersion, and entertainment.	1/20	+1
Protected protagonist pattern	How much the protagonist fits the protected-protagonist pattern (agenda-driven character construction) rather than competence fantasy. Score HIGH only when: competence appears unearned or unexplained; protagonist rarely faces consequences; antagonists exist mainly to demonstrate protagonist superiority; narrative treats protagonist as symbolically superior; plot shields protagonist from vulnerability. Score LOW when: competence is grounded in training, profession, or past experience; protagonist suffers damage or setbacks; real physical danger and survival tension exist (normal action storytelling). Do not penalize competence fantasy.	1/20	+1

AI cultural analysis

A short read on tone, themes, and messaging — not a plot synopsis.

AI read

Tomb Raider II excels as a classic action-adventure game, focusing on gameplay and exploration rather than ideological messaging. The dialogue is functional, supporting the narrative without veering into preachy territory.

Characters, particularly Lara Croft, are crafted with depth and agency, avoiding the pitfalls of tokenism or agenda-driven construction. The game remains grounded in its legacy, delivering a cohesive experience that respects its predecessor while expanding on its mechanics and story.

Lara's journey is filled with genuine challenges, allowing players to feel her competence is earned through skill and perseverance. Overall, the game stands as a testament to engaging storytelling and gameplay, free from modern ideological distractions.