The women who brought Lara Croft to life

In the '90s, Croft's face was everywhere. Arguably the most iconic gaming character to come out of the decade, Croft frequently appeared in magazines and on television commercials, "modeling" for clients ranging from credit card companies to soft drinks. She became a figure bigger than gaming, pushing into the mainstream. Within the games industry, her impact was crucial: Croft, portrayed as tall and athletic and often adorned in revealing outfits, helped establish female protagonists in the medium and the action-adventure genre as a whole. These days, her presence can be felt in the likes of "Horizon Zero Dawn's" Aloy and Ellie from "The Last of Us" -- even if Croft herself has stepped out of the zeitgeist, to a degree.