Happy International Women's Day! Let's celebrate by talking about some of gaming's best ladies.

[SolVanderlyn]

Despite my misgivings towards Activision Blizzard as a whole, I have to give credit to the Overwatch team for the awesome women they've brought to the table. This is especially true for Tracer, Sombra, Brigitte, & Ana.

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They look like futuristic Sailor Moon characters when you line them up like this, lol.

 

[Emmaginary]

Senua

 

[Evilisk]

Gotta give props to the ladies of Touhou. All... 180 of them now (according to the Wiki). I specifically want to shout out Reimu and Marisa, for being the heroines of their own series for 20+ years running, and for being really well-developed as protagonists. Not to say the other characters don't have depth though... here's a really good write-up that makes a case for the other, less developed characters. It's a bit long, though it's a great read (it also makes the argument for the series being more women-positive than people usually give it credit for)

 

[Don Fluffles]

>Ctrl+F
>"Puyo Puyo" and "Arle" not found

Heresy!

After getting into the series last year, Arle Nadja from Puyo Puyo has quickly become a favorite. She's as iconic in Japan as Samus is over here.

A ridiculously powerful sorceror.

Funny as (Puyo) hell:

And a total badass since KINDERGARTEN:

 

[Lulu]

Jillian the goat RE protag.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Mae Borowski from NitW
Aloy from HZD
Sadie from RDR2
Alysia from Plague Tale

I feel these were good portrayals of women who weren't just damsels in distress and weren't sexualized, like, at all. Aloy especially - some people are coming on to her during the course of the game, but she always shoots them down in a fairly gentle way.

 

[Betelgeuse]

I never thought Aloy got her due credit as an excellent character. Strong, cunning, empathetic. Awesome character, and I eagerly await her return in Horizon 2.

 

[DaciaJC]

You forgot the best one, Meve from the Thronebreaker.

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Ah, there we go. Queen Meve is severely underappreciated.

 

[Teepo671]

This one works doubly as it features numerous numerous women who are my favorite protagonists in gaming as well as being drawn by Kinu Nishimura, a woman who was my favorite artist to work for Capcom.

 

[Jamesac68]

Got to play this last week at PAX East and it's now high on my anticipated games list. Love the character design, too.

 

[Hasan Ali Almaci]

All hail Rieko Kodama and her creation Alis



It is a classic revenge story yes but this is 1988 and she is set out to avenge the death of her brother but it becomes so much more.

 

[Chrno]

<3freya. best girl.

 

[Don Fluffles]

Gotta give props to the ladies of Touhou. All... 180 of them now (according to the Wiki). I specifically want to shout out Reimu and Marisa, for being the heroines of their own series for 20+ years running now, and for being really well-developed. Not to say the other characters don't have depth though, here's a really good write-up that makes a case for the other, less developed characters. It's a bit long, though it's a good writeup that also makes a case for the Touhou series in general being more women-positive than expected.

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Seconding Touhou Project!
Terra from FFVI is still one of my favs.

 

[newmoneytrash]

Don't forget one of the best lady protagonist of this generation, Kassandra from Assassin's Creed Odyssey

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queen

 

[Tochtli79]

Top JRPG women protagonists:

Yuna is a determined, kind, selfless person willing to endure hardships and personal sacrifice to make the world a better place. She always puts others before herself and will go out of her way to spread joy even while privately struggling with her own problems.

Lyn's story is short, being the prologue to FE7, but powerful. It's about her struggling to figure out who she wants to be as a woman of mixed ethnicity and cultural heritage in a racist and sexist society. I love her journey and hope it's expanded one day.

Hiding in a spoiler since she's from a recent game.

Spoiler

Edelgard is either a hero, a villain, or both, depending on who you ask. I love the fact she's willing to get her hands dirty for what she sees as the greater good. Her goals are admirable, her story is tragic, and her methods are debatable. This all adds up to a fascinating and complex character.

 

[Morrigan]

I will never stop shilling Billie Lurk, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

Liked Athena from Borderlands too

 

[Echo]

Ctrl+F "Stingray"

Nada.

Ctrl+F "Terra"

1 result, well better than nothing.


... Crtl+F "Zero"

Nada.

I'd like to include A2 from Automata as well, another one from Mr. Taro, but understanding A2 fully requires a lot of supplemental materials outside the game including a Stage play which I'm not sure has been presented or translated for Western audience.

 

[sweetmini]

Laura Bow the dagger of amon ra (that cover... childhood memories of the forever) and TLOK:The Hand of Fate are among my personal favourites games :)

So
Zanthia and Laura !
Zanthia is clumsy and goofy, fun and like me
Laura is bright, romantic and adventurous, never mean but clever to get information

 

[Nimmermehr]

Zoë Castillo from Dreamfall The Last Journey / Chapters

 

[silva1991]

Some of myy favorite ladies are already mentioned

Shoutout to Chie(Persona 4), Hikari(Persona 3)