This is an odd topic for a gaming thread and an even odder subject for the gaming media.
Superhyperactiveman said:
I tend not to enjoy most video games with female protagonists... Okay, that's not true. I've never played a video game with a female protagonist that I enjoyed in my entire life.
A case could be made that female video games are notorious for being unlikeable, either for being helpless damsel in distress cardboard cutouts or for being complete and utter bitches, but I feel like even if a game had a strong female protagonist, then as much as I would be happy for the step forward for equality I would still hate it.
You claim to not have played any games that feature prominent female protagonists but argue that you wouldn't want to otherwise to to poor representation. Then,. how would you know that playing a female would deter you from the game. Admittedly, game narrative have kept close to classical conservative notions of women, featuring them as objects of desire for the player to either obsess over or rescue from.
Few games feature strong female roles, let alone strong female leads but to never have even tried shows an inability to acknowledge their existence. This opposition to female leads illustrates that games still has a long way and difficult way to go before games feature strong female leads. Money talks loud and it says that people fear looking feminine, as we see with the over masculine bodies of most FPS titles.
Superhyperactiveman said:
So, the recent release of Bayonetta has had me thinking about something.
For me, it's important to be drawn into the story and become immersed into it, to really picture myself in the place of the protagonist. Female protagonists in games never seem to call out to me. The gender gap is too great for me to cross and immerse myself into the character. I can't relate as well and just gravitate towards games with male protagonists.
This is the odd bit I mentioned earlier. You claim that placing the player in the role of a female will cause some sort of unexplained de-identification with the protagonist. But what about games that feature a surly squirrel (Conker), a hyperactive marsupial (Crash Bandicoot), and whatever Ratchet is from Ratchet and Clank. Or, what about a Jedi, an Italian plumber, or a Fairy Boy with a sword?
The thing is gender isn't the only thing that goes into identifying with the protagonist. Race, species, culture, and other interconnected social issues combine into identity so it can't that being a girl make it hard for you to get into the story. While it is true that the women in game s are portrayed as vapid and shallow, solely focusing on gender simplifies the process of identification.
Unless most gamers are stoic commanders out to save the depths of space from sentient space ships, most video game protagonists have little resemblance to the person who plays. Take any game protagonist and, without going into story elements, find how these individuals compare to yourself. For example, how close are you to, say, Marcus Fenix. While he is a man, he comes from a military background that consists of fighting Sapient Bugs monsters from another world. Who can identify with that?
If you notice, most lasting protagonists are either everyday joe/janes or silent protagonists. These individuals allow players to sympathize with them as they are seen as underdogs (Gordon Freeman, a nerd, must battle legions of aliens and Combine soldiers. You are positioned to challenge these, imparting yourself into Gordan and his desires.) In some cases, you can even empathize with them (the end of Half Life 2: Ep. 2)
Identification doesn't mar game play, mostly. I can still be the master chief even though he is basically shallow and awkward. A game must stand on its mechanics. Most Games lack narrative but are great: Captain Forever, Tetris, Pong, Space War, Luminous, etc. While it's ideal that game and narrative go hand and hand, a game must still be a game, not a book or a movie. If gender got in the way of game play, that's one thing but otherwise, You can play Metroid prime and not even feel that you are in the mind of Samus, a strong female who was raised by space chickens. Her presence never gets in the way of identification of game play.
I admit, I shared this opinion once awhile back. gender is an issue that has plagued people for centuries. Are you a Man or Woman? What does it mean to be a Man/Woman? You aren't a bastard for asking about this tense issue. But will you keep your opinion of female protags after this thread has gone out? What issue do you have playing as a women really? If you can, try some games with good game mechanics and strong female leads. Portal and Metroid prime are a good start. See what bothers you about it and find out why. Play a woman in a fighting game. What bothers you most, being a fighter or being a woman?
Sometimes, its good to remember that games allow players to experience things they wouldn't normally get the chance to, like flying a jet pack, ramping off a a highway to avoid the fuzz, or making love to a blue alien. These experiences also reveal a little about ourselves, like yelling NOOOOOOO! after incinerating your companion cube. *sniff* It still hurts...
