Well, this was funny. Reading the first post, I have to assume they are being ignorant and patronizing. Why, when they are trying to claim this incarnation is sexist? I'd damn near say projection, but I think it is just misunderstanding.
The theme of the game seems to be that of someone starting weak, going through hell, and emerging stronger as a result. This is a common thematic device in storytelling is gender neutral to all extent and purpose. When up in a game, it is not an idea of a male player "protecting and guiding" a female character, it is a player (gender whatever), playing and directing the character (again, gender whatever) as they go through the story that explains how the character changed and became stronger. And it is important to remember that this is a story, a telling of how her character changed and grew from a dramatic experience. The player is not protecting and guiding a weaker gender. They are playing a game with a weaker protagonist. The fact the thread starter seems so hung up on the gender in this comes off as patronizing. Why can't a woman change and go through hell? I hear other posters mentioning this as exploitative (I will agree the depictions of brutality and torture are), yet they seem hung up on it like it is a gender unique aspect. It is exploitative regardless of gender and it feels like concentrating on it like it is an issue of sexism presents the idea they are defending her because of her gender. It isn't the issue, it is the gender the issue affects.
Now there are aspects worth mentioning that could be sexist in nature. The wording used on the character interaction. The use of rape. The changing of the character design. The personality prior to the events. These are all understandable aspects to raise concern, but none of them are as bad as they seem in this effect.
The first, and I would say most obvious, is the wording of the developers on the game. Now granted I have heard similar descriptions about playing the sims (that you guide, direct, protect from themselves, etc.), I will agree it sounds a little sexist. Who knows, maybe they look at it that way. I do not think it is reflected by the entirety of the team or is the intent of the game itself though. That seems a large leap.
The use of rape? Bad taste, and while a predominately female issue (though not always), this seems to pull back more in it being exploitative in general and not merely about female. They want grisly dark and shocking. Torture and rape. It honestly seems done solely for that purpose rather then some underlying sexism. Are the saw films sexist for similarly being exploitative and using female characters? If you say they also use male characters, perhaps we will see men being tortured and the like in the game too.
Character change? Well, she looks more human now and less fantasy. That should be a plus. And her personality is toned down quite a bit, understandable difference when using the theme they are, where the character changes. Personality and attitude tend to be something that changes the most during that sort of journey. And since we already know the end result (the attitude people refer to), you got to work backwards to find a change. And obvious change, and one reflected in male protagonists who follow the same theme, is to be unconfident, scared, lack resolve. Hey, look at what they picked for the game...
Honestly, I look at this and see a lot of fuss over stupid shit, so much so to the point I think it is detrimental to the ideal of equality among genders. People whine that she is weaker, yet ignore that is a genderless theme trope. They complain about it exploiting her, yet ignore that exploitation would apply in many ways the same way regardless of gender, carrying it on when rape is thrown in, ignoring the habit of using it exploitative i storytelling and instead seeing it as more sexist in nature. They see the role the player takes as one with a gender even when no such gender is truly there (gals and guys alike can play, after all), and they are instead attributing characteristics the player, while guiding the character, will take on to a male identity, an ironic bit of falling for what is claimed of the game itself.
Bottom line is this. I think most people raising this much of a stink are reading too far into things and judging things through their own lens, even long before the game itself is released to be judged on it's own merit. Honestly, I'd wait til it is done and sent out before whining, else you start to resemble fools like a certain asshole lawyer who tried to condemn "Bully" because of the history of the game's developer and a lot of preconceived notions.
