Lara faces Batman-style revamp, exec hints

Tomb Raider star Lara Croft is facing a rethink after disappointing US sales of her latest outing, Tomb Raider: Underworld, the Times of London reports.

As Eidos CFO Robert Brent told the Times: "We need to look at everything, as we develop the next game. Look at how Batman changed successfully, from the rather sad character of the Michael Keaton era to the noir style of The Dark Knight."

Despite healthy reviews, Tomb Raider: Underworld sold about half a million fewer copies than expected following its November 2008 release, prompting a recent round of layoffs at its San Francisco-based developer Crystal Dynamics.

ALISON CARROL AS LARA CROFT

All the same, Croft, currently "played" by British gymnast Alison Carroll, remains one of gaming's best-known icons thanks to a hit 2001 movie, which starred Angelina Jolie as the notoriously buxom archaeologist. Perhaps that's not enough to guarantee sales any more, although we'd be more inclined to lay the blame at the deluge of outstanding games that hit shelves at the same time as Underworld.

Previous: Guitar Hero III becomes top-grossing game ever
Next: Family pet revived after being killed by Wii remote

MORE ON YAHOO! GAMES:

DOWNLOAD WESTWARD 3 GAME OF THE YEAR 2008