Gone are the times when women in video games existed only for the male gaze. Recently, we’ve had more and more games with female characters that received the same treatment and character construction as male characters had since, well, ever. Even Lara Croft was completely remade to be more than the sexy adventurer depicted earlier in the franchise, thank God! In celebration, we made a list of the female characters we admire the most in video games.
- Zelda – The Legend of Zelda series
-
There are multiple games of “The Legend Of Zelda”, the original was released in 1986 and the franchise continues to expand. Throughout the series, several Links and Zeldas appear in the games. Princess Zelda, also known as Princess of Hyrule, or just Zelda, is normally a child, but has been portrayed as a teenager or young adult in a couple of games. She’s always been shown as being kind and benevolent, even though every incarnation is a little different from each other.
Most incarnations of this character are gifted with innate psychic or magical potencies, in the games, they are able to cast spells, create or destroy barriers, and shoot bows, besides having telepathy and precognition abilities. Zelda is a member of the Royal Family of Hyrule, which means she probably got these mystical powers thanks to a power that is inherited through generations in this family, the Light Force.
- Commander Shepard – Mass Effect
-
In Mass Effect, Bioware’s RPG science fiction trilogy, you can play as either male or female Shepard, but it’s indisputable among fans that Female Shepard (or Fem!Shep) is the most iconic character. Part of the reason why Fem!Shep is so great is definitely voice actor Jennifer Hale’s amazing work as the character. But also, apart from being able to change Shepard’s physical appearance, you can also choose her origin story, skills and personality. So, basically, you can make YOUR Shepard.
In the game, humanity has explored space and came into contact with several other alien species, who had a central government at the Citadel, a space station that was constructed by an ancient and now extinct alien race, the Protheans. Commander Shepard is tasked with the mission of saving the galaxy from the Reapers, a highly advanced race of machines. It’s Shepard’s resilience that inspires her crew and unites the entire galaxy against this common threat. We accompany her throughout three games, participate in every hard choice, loss and happy moments. It’s impossible not to get extremely attached to her.
- Chloe – Life is Strange
-
“Life Is Strange” is a game about Max Caulfield and Chloe Price trying to figure out what happened with someone that disappeared mysteriously, while finding themselves exposed to the dark side of Arcadia Bay. Chloe was Max’s best friend before the latter moved from Oregon to Seattle, and they rekindle their friendship throughout the game.
Chloe had to deal with a lot of loss and abandonment from an early age, because of her father’s death, Max’s move, and the mysterious disappearance of Rachel, who became Chloe’s best friend after Max left. Therefore, she’s prone to having angry outbursts, trust issues and being insecure, but she’s also very protective, loyal, and brave.
- Clementine – Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead
-
Clementine started out as co-protagonist alongside Lee Everett in the game’s season one. She was eight years old when the zombie plague spread and was separated from her parents, but ended up meeting Lee, who taught her how to survive and became her father figure. She becomes the protagonist in the game’s subsequent seasons.
Clem is kind, resourceful and very intelligent. She’s initially shown as pretty much defenseless (she is a child, afterall), but as time goes by we see her becoming more and more independent. She’s constantly trying to maintain her humanity and to hold on to everything Lee taught her when she was younger. We are all very glad Telltale decided to continue telling this character’s story, letting her grow and evolve. It’s interesting to have a child’s innocent perspective in a mad world such as the one depicted in The Walking Dead.
- Aloy – Horizon Zero Dawn
-
Aloy is the protagonist, and the only playable character, on Horizon Zero Dawn, an open-world action role-playing video game. In this game, the main objective is to control the character and use her abilities, such as speed, cunning and agility, to stay alive, combat mechanical forces, and explore the world.
She was abandoned as a baby and when the High Matriarchs found her, they placed the newborn in the care of Rost, an outcast, just like Aloy. After being mocked for being a “no-mother” by another Nora child, she demanded to know why she was an outcast. Rost told her to run in the Proving, Nora’s coming-of-age ritual, by completing it, she would be accepted into the tribe, and by winning, she would be able to ask the High Matriarchs about her mom. Aloy has always been very curious, since she was a child, what usually got her into all sorts of trouble. But she’s also extremely determined, an important trait since her goal in life was to win the Proving.
- Kassandra – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
-
Kassandra is one of the protagonists of the latest Assassin’s Creed game, you can choose playing as her or her brother Alexios. The Eagle Bearer, as she is known in the Greek World, is an exiled spartan mercenary and granddaughter of King Leonidas. You can play her as either a greedy mercenary who only wants drachmae (greek currency) or as a true hero from greek myth. Either way, Kassandra is a badass. And she makes great puns. Trust us, you will not regret if you pick her as the Eagle Bearer.
Her journey begins when she crosses paths with the Cult of Cosmos, a secret society made of very influential people all over Greece who are manipulating the outcome of the Peloponnesian War to seize power for themselves. When she finds out their plans for Greece and what they’re willing to do to achieve their goals, she vows to destroy them and bring her family back together.