Dubbed the most iconic video game character of all time in a BAFTA poll, Lara Croft clearly has made a mark in the gaming space. Badass. Feisty. Fearless. She’s an icon for a reason. That’s why the 2013 reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise became impossible to overlook. Nominated for several writing awards, the game delivered a gritty origin story. One that shows a Lara Croft far from the confident adventurer many players already know. Crystal Dynamics was able to capture the essence of her early years. Her struggles. Her mistakes. Her journey to find her footing. And the dialogue brings much of this to the surface.
That said, here’s a look at the best quotes from Tomb Raider. Lines that capture Lara’s transformation and the people who help her along the way.
The Story of Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider follows young archaeologist Lara Croft on an expedition. When their mission goes wrong, the crew becomes separated and stranded near a forgotten island. Lara must survive all kinds of dangers and find her lost crewmates.
As expected, the game resembles the classic adventure the franchise is known for. Exploring mysterious islands. Salvaging resources. Fighting hostile enemies. Solving environmental puzzles. Yet this game sets itself apart with its premise. You get a front-row seat to Lara Croft’s “ascent from a young woman to a hardened survivor.” She’s injured, scared, and forced to make decisions she never had to before.
You don’t literally make choices that influence the game’s direction. But it doesn’t undermine the experience, since it already gives you an origin story beyond surviving a shipwreck. As Lara, finding your friends becomes just as important as finding a way off the island. The lines reflects that journey. It centers on resilience, survival, and what it means to keep going despite hardships.
Quotes from Tomb Raider
From Lara Croft’s words to her companions’ exchanges, Tomb Raider offers plenty of quotable moments.
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is the heart of this Tomb Raider reboot. She’s both the central protagonist and playable character. She’s resourceful, curious, and capable. But she’s not yet the seasoned adventurer she eventually becomes. Lara struggles to process what she’s experiencing and sometimes has to push herself to keep going. So when she speaks, her words reflect both her fear and her determination.
- “There’s no point in following other people’s footsteps.”
- “I’d finally set out to make my mark; to find adventure. But instead, adventure found me.”
- “In our darkest moments, when life flashes before us, we find something; Something that keeps us going. Something that pushes us.”
- “I hate tombs.”
- “I don’t think I’m that kind of Croft.”
- “I know about sacrifices.”
- “If I don’t survive, none of us will.”
- “I’ve studied them so much, I can see charts on the back of my eyelids.”
- “The extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are.”
- “I won’t let anyone else die.”
- “The line between our myths and truth is fragile and blurry.”
- “That’s right, run, you bastards! I’m coming for you all!”
Conrad Roth
Conrad Roth is the captain of the Endurance. He’s introduced in Tomb Raider (2013) as an experienced sailor and treasure hunter. Understanding the risk of their expedition, he can be blunt and rough, but he puts his crew’s safety first. He also provides Lara with important emotional support.
- “No, we’ve got our own people to worry about.”
- “Sometimes you’ve got to make sacrifices, Lara. You can’t save everyone.”
- “Sacrifice is a choice you make. Loss is a choice made for you.”
- “Hey, you got it. Nice work.”
- “You can do it, Lara. After all, you’re a Croft.”
- “You’ve got great instincts, girl. You just have to trust them.”
- “Don’t be sorry, Lara. Just make it count.”
- “For better or worse… He would have been so proud of you, Lara.”
Samantha Nishimura
Samantha Nishimura is Lara’s best friend in the game. She serves as the expedition’s documentary director. Compared to Lara’s reserved personality, Samantha is more outgoing, bubbly, and sociable.
- “Here’s the soon to be famous, Lara Croft, in her native habitat. She’s on the search for the lost Kingdom of Yamatai, home to the fabulous Himiko. Legendary Ruler, and ancestor of yours truly.”
- “A tale? I hope I never hear Himiko’s name again.”
- “I trust you, Roth trusts you. You got this.”
- “You saved me. I knew you would.”
- “I won’t leave without you.”
The Rest of the Characters in Tomb Raider
- “I refuse to bet my reputation on your hunch!” – Dr. James Whitman
- “It seems that anybody close to you has a pretty low survival rate.” – Joslyn Reyes
- “There are no heroes here, only survivors!” – Mathias
- “Ship, Dr. Whitman. It’s a ship. Don’t need a PhD to know that.” – Angus Grimaldi
Lighter moments in Tomb Raider
- “Come on guy, she is just one girl!”
- “Late shift at the Nine Bells. Wolf’s got nothing on a broken bottle.”
- “That one girl is kicking our arses!”
- “You ran up and showed it to me dressed in your penguin pajamas.”
Tomb Raider shows that a more personal origin story can help restart an already successful franchise. The small, honest, and sometimes funny quotes make the game’s memorable lines worth revisiting. And these moments worked extremely well, helping kick start the popular Survivor trilogy.
