Greenpeace’s Lara Croft clone defends the Arctic in socially aware mobile game

The globe-trotting Lara Croft is scheduled to embark on her next adventure in early 2013, but it looks like she’s made an unexpected trip to the Arctic.

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Actually, she seems to have a convincing new doppelgänger named Diana G., the star of Greenpeace’s mobile game, Arctic Defender for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. The brunette (pictured above), whose hair is tied back in a ponytail (Lara’s usual style nowadays), wears clothing and gear suited to the harsh climate and stands firmly before a Greenpeace flag — an exact carbon cut-out of Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, minus the affiliation.

The game is free to download and tasks players with saving the Arctic from corporations that seek to exploit it. Players aid endangered species and add miles (or “Arctic Meters”) to their global score as they run. They can also sign a petition and learn how they can help protect the environment. The website mentions that the title is coming to Google Play as well.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen “clones” in the App Store. Just last month, Apple banned a game called Angry Elections 2012 from its store for slinging President Barack Obama and other recognizable Democrats and Republicans instead of Rovio’s signature Angry Birds. Also in August, Apple began more actively rejecting copycat apps in danger of violating companies’ trademarks.

Square Enix has no comment at this time. We’ve reached out to Greenpeace and will update this post when we hear more.