The Beauties of Video Games.

[GrimBon]

Howdy Escapists. Been lurking around here for a while and now I've decided to sign up to this wonderful site. So without further ado.

Wimminz.

I'm sure there's been plenty of topics much like this one, but notice my choice of wording. 'Beautiful' as opposed to 'hot' or 'sexy'. There is obviously a big difference. Now this is just me but I associate the latter with busty, curvy, buxom and most of all: dull.

Games are very much guilty of this stereotype, the thought that big boobs = hawtness is completely asinine. Of course other mediums suffer from this too.
Everywhere I see is ass, boobs, ass, ass, boobsboobboobsboobsBOOBIES.

But what about the games that got it right? The ones which managed to get the characters femininity across without her breasts blocking the screen? The women who may not have been blessed by the Goddess of mammaries. The women which have an air of sophistication about them, who can hold her own in a fight. Women who are interesting, intelligent and... beautiful. Whether it be in personality or looks.

Whelp, one of my choices would be the lovely Shanoa from Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.

Spoiler

http://faqsmedia.ign.com/faqs/image/article/953/953934/stars_shanoa.jpg

Long ebony hair contrasting with her pale skin, an expression of no-nonsense. Her outfit is elaborate yet looks combat ready.

Something about her just resonates efficiency and finesse. She utters a determined (and badass imo) sentence before you enter Dracula's Castle (not to mention a Simon's Quest reference). And when the music starts up you can't help but fist-pump.

Spoiler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI-ApDT6JKs
It kicks off 50 seconds in.

(I'll stop gushing now ._.)

So Escapists, any female character(s) which particularly stood out to you? An in-depth description would be nice :3

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Obligatory Alyx Vance.

I also always liked Franziska Von Karma from the Ace Attorney series.

 

[archvile93]

Is it just me, or does she kind of look like FEAR's psycho dead *****, Alma?

OT: I'm sure everybody's going to say this so I might as well get it out of the way now, Alyx Vance.

Edit: yup, I thought so.

 

[grimsprice]

I felt Tali was tailor made by a man with EXACTLY the same physical tastes as me.

I know this because every other female character ever created has some aspects about her that i would tweek to be perfect. Tali, not so much.

 

[Sacman]

Spoiler

http://faqsmedia.ign.com/faqs/image/article/953/953934/stars_shanoa.jpg

oh yeah Shanoa is one of my favorite female characters...
I'm such a sucker for tattoos and that long dark hair and... I'll be back in a second...<.<

 

[Misterkillsall]

Resident Evil gave us some of the most beautiful women of gaming but one stands apart...

Jill Valentine.

Look her up, I still don't know how to post pictures.

 

[Vrex360]

I've said this quite a few times but here it is again:

Ashley from Mass Effect. True she does still suffer from the unfortunate effects of the Uncanny Valley at points when the camera and lighting goes horribly off, but for the most part when she's on, she's on.
Thing is she has a much more, practical beauty about her. You might not see her wear an elegant dress or let her hair down or put on jewlery or anything like that. And yet, despite being in military armor and standard uniform almost the whole thing, with her hair done up in a bun and not wearing makeup, at the right moments she just looks good without needing all those.

Part of that for me at least, came from her personality. I liked her jokey, sometimes flirty attitude when talking to a male Shepard combined with a toughened stance and awkwardness. And this personality reflected onto her looks, which meant that in the scenes where her face goes wrong she still makes a few good jokes so I still find her appealing.
True, she does have an abraisive side to her. A few prejudices and angry attitude problems but still I find the flaws help strengthen and make the character more interesting as a whole. She's not perfect by any means but she has a few good qualities to her and for me at least, those are the ones that shone through.

Plus, as I've said before, she has the capacity to move past those flaws.

All things considered I'd take her over most of the other women in Mass Effect any day. Not presented as a sex symbol, or an idealized version of a nerd's dream girl but was still ultimatley appealing to me for both reasons.

Also my actual first pick for this would be Cortana from Halo but of course given that she's a hologramatic projection of a perfect, naked, female form I suspect she would be considered a 'sex symbol' and not merely 'beautiful'. So I'm going to stick with Ash.

 

[Skorpyo]

Ah a newcomer approaches!

I welcome you (and your fine writing style) to the Escapist.

Stay out of the basement.

OT: Grimsdottir, from the Splinter Cell series.

They even go so far as to cut down ANY possible sexual overtones via communications between Sam and Grim.

 

[Lullabye]

Jenny from "The Darkness"
I will never forget her. Ever.

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

I've said this quite a few times but here it is again:

Ashley from Mass Effect. True she does still suffer from the unfortunate effects of the Uncanny Valley at points when the camera and lighting goes horribly off, but for the most part when she's on, she's on.
Thing is she has a much more, practical beauty about her. You might not see her wear an elegant dress or let her hair down or put on jewlery or anything like that. And yet, despite being in military armor and standard uniform almost the whole thing, with her hair done up in a bun and not wearing makeup, at the right moments she just looks good without needing all those.

Part of that for me at least, came from her personality. I liked her jokey, sometimes flirty attitude when talking to a male Shepard combined with a toughened stance and awkwardness. And this personality reflected onto her looks, which meant that in the scenes where her face goes wrong she still makes a few good jokes so I still find her appealing.
True, she does have an abraisive side to her. A few prejudices and angry attitude problems but still I find the flaws help strengthen and make the character more interesting as a whole. She's not perfect by any means but she has a few good qualities to her and for me at least, those are the ones that shone through.

Plus, as I've said before, she has the capacity to move past those flaws.

All things considered I'd take her over most of the other women in Mass Effect any day. Not presented as a sex symbol, or an idealized version of a nerd's dream girl but was still ultimatley appealing to me for both reasons.

Also my actual first pick for this would be Cortana from Halo but of course given that she's a hologramatic projection of a perfect, naked, female form I suspect she would be considered a 'sex symbol' and not merely 'beautiful'. So I'm going to stick with Ash.

I couldn't have said it better myself. You, my friend need an internet hi-5. You are the only other person that has ever said anything nice about Ashley. Also, that picture has been my background for the past 6 months.

 

[THEMILKMAN]

Aya from Parasite Eve
and
Naomi from Metal Gear Solid

 

[GrimBon]

Ah a newcomer approaches!

I welcome you (and your fine writing style) to the Escapist.

Stay out of the basement.

OT: Grimsdottir, from the Splinter Cell series.

They even go so far as to cut down ANY possible sexual overtones via communications between Sam and Grim.

I thank you kind sir

I've always liked Grimsdottir's name... And I LOVE the fact there's no pointless sex talk. Maturity is lovely isn't it?


On another note, Alyx was a given... I was hoping to see some more obscure characters.

 

[IncredibleMeltingMan]

I felt Tali was tailor made by a man with EXACTLY the same physical tastes as me.

I know this because every other female character ever created has some aspects about her that i would tweek to be perfect. Tali, not so much.

Exactly. Also Midna in her human(ish) form from the end of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Elena Fisher, Uncharted.

I could come up with something more original, but let's just say, she's pretty.

And she is a reporter. And she can shoot.

Awesome.

 

[oplinger]

BAM! *makes loud noises*

Fina.

I win yeah?

Spoiler

 

[thenamelessloser]

I've said this quite a few times but here it is again:

Ashley from Mass Effect. True she does still suffer from the unfortunate effects of the Uncanny Valley at points when the camera and lighting goes horribly off, but for the most part when she's on, she's on.
Thing is she has a much more, practical beauty about her. You might not see her wear an elegant dress or let her hair down or put on jewlery or anything like that. And yet, despite being in military armor and standard uniform almost the whole thing, with her hair done up in a bun and not wearing makeup, at the right moments she just looks good without needing all those.

Part of that for me at least, came from her personality. I liked her jokey, sometimes flirty attitude when talking to a male Shepard combined with a toughened stance and awkwardness. And this personality reflected onto her looks, which meant that in the scenes where her face goes wrong she still makes a few good jokes so I still find her appealing.
True, she does have an abraisive side to her. A few prejudices and angry attitude problems but still I find the flaws help strengthen and make the character more interesting as a whole. She's not perfect by any means but she has a few good qualities to her and for me at least, those are the ones that shone through.

Plus, as I've said before, she has the capacity to move past those flaws.

All things considered I'd take her over most of the other women in Mass Effect any day. Not presented as a sex symbol, or an idealized version of a nerd's dream girl but was still ultimatley appealing to me for both reasons.

Also my actual first pick for this would be Cortana from Halo but of course given that she's a hologramatic projection of a perfect, naked, female form I suspect she would be considered a 'sex symbol' and not merely 'beautiful'. So I'm going to stick with Ash.

I couldn't have said it better myself. You, my friend need an internet hi-5. You are the only other person that has ever said anything nice about Ashley. Also, that picture has been my background for the past 6 months.

Um, she is kind of nerdy as well since she recites poetry.... A pretty tomboy who is into poetry is pretty sexy, even with the whole xenophobic shit. I didn't mind her xenophobic shit that much because it bothers me less when one is prejudice against extraterrestrial aliens, it is different than being prejudice against others of your own species. How does one really know with he short amount of time the aliens are around in ME that they are that similar or different to humanity? Considering a different evolutionary history on other planets I'm not sure I would trust them completely at first either personally. And she does criticize those who are extremely xenophobic for being too anti alien as well.

 

[oplinger]

I've said this quite a few times but here it is again:

Ashley from Mass Effect. True she does still suffer from the unfortunate effects of the Uncanny Valley at points when the camera and lighting goes horribly off, but for the most part when she's on, she's on.
Thing is she has a much more, practical beauty about her. You might not see her wear an elegant dress or let her hair down or put on jewlery or anything like that. And yet, despite being in military armor and standard uniform almost the whole thing, with her hair done up in a bun and not wearing makeup, at the right moments she just looks good without needing all those.

Part of that for me at least, came from her personality. I liked her jokey, sometimes flirty attitude when talking to a male Shepard combined with a toughened stance and awkwardness. And this personality reflected onto her looks, which meant that in the scenes where her face goes wrong she still makes a few good jokes so I still find her appealing.
True, she does have an abraisive side to her. A few prejudices and angry attitude problems but still I find the flaws help strengthen and make the character more interesting as a whole. She's not perfect by any means but she has a few good qualities to her and for me at least, those are the ones that shone through.

Plus, as I've said before, she has the capacity to move past those flaws.

All things considered I'd take her over most of the other women in Mass Effect any day. Not presented as a sex symbol, or an idealized version of a nerd's dream girl but was still ultimatley appealing to me for both reasons.

Also my actual first pick for this would be Cortana from Halo but of course given that she's a hologramatic projection of a perfect, naked, female form I suspect she would be considered a 'sex symbol' and not merely 'beautiful'. So I'm going to stick with Ash.

I couldn't have said it better myself. You, my friend need an internet hi-5. You are the only other person that has ever said anything nice about Ashley. Also, that picture has been my background for the past 6 months.

Hang on, you have a creepy cross-eyed chick as your background for six months? ..Those eyes really killed her image to me...look at them...they're all...off.

 

[MrGalactus]

Ever play The Darkness? Jenny wins this thread. The game gets you so attached. I can't go on without revealing spoilers.