8M is Women’s Day and in video games they play an increasingly important and relevant role as protagonists of stories
If we look at the past, in the 90s and even before, female characters in video games were relegated to inert characters without a main role. Samus Aran was revealed as a female at the end of the original Metroid, shocking many, just as part of the appeal of 1996’s Tomb Raider was to have a female lead with a rather polygonal design for the era.
But how are they perceived today? In recent years, female protagonists have increasingly appeared in titles of all kinds and have marked the new great sagas of the video game industry with their personality and charisma..
They take command and lead the story
Sometimes, the developers want to tell a story with a female lead in order to address themes and conversations that don’t work or fit with a male characterbut then they make all the plot and character traits fit together like the pieces of a wonderful puzzle that is the adventure and story of a video game.
think about Horizon Zero Dawnfor example, and its illustrious sequel Forbidden Horizon West. Its main character, Aloy, starts out as an outcast for some mysterious reason, but that changes when players join her on a journey to solve the threat posed by the most aggressive machines populating her post-apocalyptic world. We’re not going to get into spoilers, but hear us out on this: the story is great and Aloy has become an iconic character both on PlayStation and in the gaming world.
Another noteworthy example is the prophesied, where a young woman from New York finds herself transported to the magical world of Athia. It might seem like your typical fantasy story, and in a way, but Frey Holland is a protagonist who seems to be enjoying her new situation, despite wearing a talking bracelet, where she gains superpowers that help her to navigate the world and overcome all challenges and rivals.
With a completely different tone and style, we have the series A plague tale, which currently has two titles, and centers the action around the young Amicia de Rune, a girl who must protect her little brother from mundane and mystical threats. Amicia is just a teenager and far from an action heroine, so caution and caution should be exercised at all times. On the other hand, the relationship with his brother, explored throughout the two adventures, is believable, complex and often quite controversial. The classic story of a sibling relationship, but set in a less than ideal world.
The choice is yours
While the default heroines are great, the game sometimes lets players choose gender. The dialogues generally stay the same, but there’s usually something about the acting or the writing that can tip the scales in favor of the female character and deliver an experience and story with a unique and ideal perspective.
Perhaps the most iconic example is Commander Shepard of Mass Effect. Shep is excellent in both versions and a video game icon thanks to a fantastic performance by voice actress Jennifer Hale. While the lines suit both male and female Shepards perfectly, Hale renders all dialogue believable, surpassing the performance of her male counterpart. What else do you need to enjoy a series about defending the galaxy against Lovecraftian beings?
The situation is somewhat different in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Firaxis’ turn-based superhero simulator, where the female Hunter choice seems to fit the story and dialogues much better than the male alternative. The sorcery-based plot and character relationships work best with Hunter as the daughter of the game’s main antagonist, not his son. Luckily, whichever you choose, the 80s comic book glam-rock feel available as a hairstyle option looks good on both of you.
It’s time to change
Of course, the characters and games we mentioned are just a few examples. Teen drama from life is strangethrough the interesting dual role of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey y Valhallaeven the unseen main character of Unpacking He went through very bad times. The number of female protagonists continues to grow in video games, and there doesn’t seem to be a change in the trend.
All of these games, featuring women, and many more can be found in our special G2A catalog to commemorate all those heroines who have played in our video game nights.