Women in video games: which ones do it right?
- Thread starter Rawle Lucas
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Hooooo... there are SO many *deep breath* :
- Jade (B G&E)
- Alyx Vance (obviously)
- Trip (Enslaved)
- Tannenbaum (Bioshock)
- Most of the women in Fallout 3 (Sarah Lyons for example)
- Lamb in Bioshock 2, both Eleanor and her Mother
- Faith (Mirror's Egde)
- Kate Archer (No-one Lives Forever)
and Jayne Wilde (Second Sight)to name a few.
There are plenty of examples of "real" women in videogames. It's just there are more examples of "fake" ones. But just the fact that some games gets it right sometimes I think is reason enough to not care when games like "Extreme Volleyball" comes up. As long as we still get "Alyxes" I think at least I can handle a few "Ivys" (Soul Calibur).
- Jade (B G&E)
- Alyx Vance (obviously)
- Trip (Enslaved)
- Tannenbaum (Bioshock)
- Most of the women in Fallout 3 (Sarah Lyons for example)
- Lamb in Bioshock 2, both Eleanor and her Mother
- Faith (Mirror's Egde)
- Kate Archer (No-one Lives Forever)
and Jayne Wilde (Second Sight)to name a few.
There are plenty of examples of "real" women in videogames. It's just there are more examples of "fake" ones. But just the fact that some games gets it right sometimes I think is reason enough to not care when games like "Extreme Volleyball" comes up. As long as we still get "Alyxes" I think at least I can handle a few "Ivys" (Soul Calibur).
To be honest, I haven't played most of the games mentioned in this thread.
However, judging from the responses, I'd say that you all have done a good job detailing what female portrayals are better than the norm.
However, judging from the responses, I'd say that you all have done a good job detailing what female portrayals are better than the norm.
Most of the women (at least the ones with names) from Planescape: Torment. Deionarra, Ravel, Annah, and Fall-From-Grace all manage to have impressively deep personalities. Grace's personality is particularly impressive with her being a succubus and all.
Baldur's Gate also had some decent women with personalities, such as Jaheria, Viconia, and Imoen.
And how about a little known game called Septerra Core? The main character, Maya, while not the deepest, is a lot more than just cheeseake. Okay, there was the one section where she goes undercover as a slave girl to defeat one of the antagonists, but that section was so brief I barely remember it.
Baldur's Gate also had some decent women with personalities, such as Jaheria, Viconia, and Imoen.
And how about a little known game called Septerra Core? The main character, Maya, while not the deepest, is a lot more than just cheeseake. Okay, there was the one section where she goes undercover as a slave girl to defeat one of the antagonists, but that section was so brief I barely remember it.
Alyx Vance... really? I mean... REALLY? She's a FPS door robot, a terrible shot and WILL. NOT. SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP.
Of all the games I've ever played, I'm inclined to say Rose from Legend of Dragoon was "done right". As was Aerie from Baldur's Gate 2, FemShep from both Mass Effect games (and likely the third as well), Terra (Tina) and to a slightly lesser degree Celes from Final Fantasy VI. Also, any Battle Sister from the Adepta Sororitas can never be confused for a bimbo sex doll by anyone. EVER.
Of all the games I've ever played, I'm inclined to say Rose from Legend of Dragoon was "done right". As was Aerie from Baldur's Gate 2, FemShep from both Mass Effect games (and likely the third as well), Terra (Tina) and to a slightly lesser degree Celes from Final Fantasy VI. Also, any Battle Sister from the Adepta Sororitas can never be confused for a bimbo sex doll by anyone. EVER.
*The Mass Effect series generally doesn't care about the gender of the characters
*Metroid Fusion (the only Metroid I've played) likewise doesn't give a shit that Samus is female - as Yahtzee said, "she's a woman, just deal with it"
* I'm surprised the Halo series hasn't been brought up - Miranda Keyes, Halsey, Dare, Kat and potentially Noble Six etc.
*Metroid Fusion (the only Metroid I've played) likewise doesn't give a shit that Samus is female - as Yahtzee said, "she's a woman, just deal with it"
* I'm surprised the Halo series hasn't been brought up - Miranda Keyes, Halsey, Dare, Kat and potentially Noble Six etc.
Zoey from Left 4 Dead. Funny, feminine yet tough, and actually has chemistry with the other characters. They really feel like a team, instead of just four random wankers stuck together in the same safehouse.
I would choose Rochelle from Left 4 Dead 2, but her banshee scream is still ringing in my ears.
I would choose Rochelle from Left 4 Dead 2, but her banshee scream is still ringing in my ears.
this is an excellent question.Rawle Lucas said:
but lots of people are saying good female game characters
like Alyx Vance. but isn't she the only female in Half Life 2?
I say Dragon Age handled female characters the best
but first I'm going to exclude Leliana because she's unlikeable, Morriagn because she's well rounded she's half naked. and Wynne because they made her a grandmotherly voice of reason character, but still managed to turn her into a sex fiend.
so after excluding all the female characters what am I talking about?
look at all the NPC's in that game
they're not all powerful or strong but a lot of them are
like in Ostagar, the army is almost half women
or Isabella in the Pearl, yeah she want's to have sex with you and almost everyone else in your party but she wants to do it for her not you.
or Annora who everyone respects as the real ruler of Fereldon over the king
and there are just as many poor examples but that's the thing about Dragon Age the female characters cover the entire emotional spectrum. not a lot of games pull that off
Mass Effect also but they loose 10000000 points for including Miranda (the worst character in the history of anything) and they loose 8 more points for there not being any female Turians or Salarians. please tell me I'm not the only person bothered by that.
all the way through Reach I thought Noble 6 was a far better character than Master Chief even though she only has like 7 linesOhJohnNo said:
I think It was the voice acting
she says "What's the good news?" with some emotion.
and you forgot Cortana she's one of the best female characters in Gaming.
Didn't want to mention her because a) She was (in-universe) based off Halsey, who I mentioned and b) it would be met with waves of people going "OMG BUT SHE IZ NEKKID, SHE CAN'T BE A GUD CHARACTER!!!!1!"Mikeyfell said:
I like them when they fulfil the role they're intended for, e.g. Peach as "You get this, you win", helpful sidekick a la bioware RPGs, or simply the fetish-fuel, latex-bondagewear donning Dominatrix from Hell (somehow Bayonetta comes to mind, dunno why), because, seriously, we need those, if just as a contrast to the "good" characterisations 
Alyx Vance.
Nothing sexual, just an major NPC that's been well characterized.
or Sarah Lyons from Fallout 3, showing an opposite to common female roles in games.
Nothing sexual, just an major NPC that's been well characterized.
or Sarah Lyons from Fallout 3, showing an opposite to common female roles in games.
Alyx vance. She was tough, but not too tough or trying so hard to be a badass like Kat in Reach. And not eyecandy like other games out there.
