Who are your favorite female game characters and why?

[ZedClampet]

(I feel like we may have discussed this at some point, but it didn't show up in the "Is this already being discussed" section, so here we go....)

This would be a lot better if we had female posters. Maybe we do and they are just incognito to avoid you falling in love with them and making things uncomfortable. Don't know. But who are some of your favorite female game characters and why?

I've actually got quite a few. I'm going to mention some of my absolute favorites in another post I'm getting ready to make, so for this post I'm going to go with Lea Nichols of Experience 112 and Fran Bow from the game, well, Fran Bow.

With Lea Nichols, it's hard to say that she was a well-written character because she really doesn't say much. For anyone unfamiliar with the game, you are using security cameras to help her navigate through a facility. Seeing as how her survival was entirely in my hands, I became incredibly attached to her and felt great guilt during the times when I led her astray.

Fran Bow was a child suffering from mental illness after witnessing the murder of her parents. Despite her problems, she had a gargantuan inner strength and a tireless determination to cope and survive.

 

[January's Ghost]

Lea Nichols of Experience 112

I never got to finish that. I got stuck not knowing how to get where it wanted me to go and I eventually gave up. It was a great game from what I remember, and the multiple game windows was a refreshing take on the point and click adventure. Maybe I'll try to finish it again.

Myself I would, off the top of my head before doing some deep digging on characters over decades of gaming, would say Morrigan from Dragon Age.

Such a well rounded character with strengths and vulnerabilities. She is confident and powerful, but manages to acknowledge her vulnerable and feminine sides without being overly gushy or sentimental about it. If you romance her she doesn't fall head over heels gaga for you, but is surprised at the feelings she has but doesn't dismiss them. She also doesn't let you push her around. She grows as a character in her story arch and even though many of her walls are broken through her wit and fierceness stay as sharp as ever.

 

[Pifanjr]

Morrigan was the first person that came to mind for me as well. However, Tali from Mass Effect is probably my favourite female character. She's smart, capable and incredibly driven. She's also quite young when you first meet her and I was only around 16 when I played the first game, so she was more relatable to me.

Jade from Beyond Good & Evil is pretty cool as well. She takes care of orphaned children, is an investigative journalist who joins a resistance group and is a great fighter.

 

[ZedClampet]

I never got to finish that. I got stuck not knowing how to get where it wanted me to go and I eventually gave up. It was a great game from what I remember, and the multiple game windows was a refreshing take on the point and click adventure. Maybe I'll try to finish it again.

Myself I would, off the top of my head before doing some deep digging on characters over decades of gaming, would say Morrigan from Dragon Age.

Such a well rounded character with strengths and vulnerabilities. She is confident and powerful, but manages to acknowledge her vulnerable and feminine sides without being overly gushy or sentimental about it. If you romance her she doesn't fall head over heels gaga for you, but is surprised at the feelings she has but doesn't dismiss them. She also doesn't let you push her around. She grows as a character in her story arch and even though many of her walls are broken through her wit and fierceness stay as sharp as ever.

and @Pifanjr I romanced Morrigan, but then something happened, and I got mad and I dumped her and finished the game in a romance with the bard. This and Miranda in Mass Effect may be my only bioware romances, although I may have romanced the green girl from Andromeda. Can't remember.

I spent the entire games of Emily is Away and the sequel trying to break up with Emily, but they wouldn't let me. I'm not a fan of game romances.

 

[isleepinabed]

I'd never heard of Experience 112 before but it reminded me that Mïcroids had a lot of games with female protagonists, the Syberia and Still Life series among them (not that I'd consider both characters especially relevant).

That being said, one of my favourite games, Heaven's Vault, also has a female lead character, though I also wouldn't call her an absolute favourite. I'd just say she happens to be female and that's it, although some issues of independence, friendship and life goals are part of the story and her personality.

You know, I think the character from Norco (had to look up the name, Kay) was pretty great, in terms of how who she was, and the fact she was a woman mattered to the story.
I think it probably couldn't be told the same way at all if the character was a man.

 

[ZedClampet]

I'd never heard of Experience 112 before but it reminded me that Mïcroids had a lot of games with female protagonists, the Syberia and Still Life series among them (not that I'd consider both characters especially relevant).

That being said, one of my favourite games, Heaven's Vault, also has a female lead character, though I also wouldn't call her an absolute favourite. I'd just say she happens to be female and that's it, although some issues of independence, friendship and life goals are part of the story and her personality.

You know, I think the character from Norco (had to look up the name, Kay) was pretty great, in terms of how who she was, and the fact she was a woman mattered to the story.
I think it probably couldn't be told the same way at all if the character was a man.

This reminded me that I really liked the female characters in The Cat Lady, which is my all-time favorite point & click game. I liked them so much that I refused to play the sequel because they weren't in it. But I loved the mother-daughter type relationship they developed, and the older woman (the cat lady) had great inner strength and bravery, but I can't explain why because of spoilers just in case someone reads this and wants to try it out.

 

[Pifanjr]

While not as fleshed out of characters, I am also fond of Lydia (the housecarl) and Adrianne Avenicci, the blacksmith near the gates of Whiterun in Skyrim (though I had to look up her name). They were always dependable, with Lydia being my follower in almost every game where I used one and Adrianne being my first stop whenever it was time to sell my loot.

The last time I played I did mod out Lydia's response when you ask her to carry some of your stuff. I didn't need a sarcastic "I'm sworn to carry your burdens" every time.

 

[January's Ghost]

The last time I played I did mod out Lydia's response when you ask her to carry some of your stuff. I didn't need a sarcastic "I'm sworn to carry your burdens" every time.

Yeah, well try unloading your traumas on her. She won't even touch those burdens.

"Girl, I'm the dragonborn! Do you have any idea how much of a burden that is? Why don't you carry that for me, huh?"

 

[isleepinabed]

I started my replay of Stars Die and, curiously enough, there's a great trio of female characters, including the main character (and there are only 5 characters total).

While the male characters are cowardly, resistant to change and averse to initiative, the female characters are highly intelligent, ambitious and driven.

As they say: touché...
Or rather, ouch! Spot on, saw right through me

 

[Frindis]

Sophia Hapgood from Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Tough, intelligent, and funny woman who can put Indiana Jones in place while also kicking evil Germans' buts.

 

[Zloth]

Oh jeesh, so many types of favorites...

• Jesse in Control. Good, interesting character in a great environment.
• Tiny Tina in Borderlands - crazy and funny! (And brought back lots of Hey Ash, Whachya Playing? memories)
• Lara Croft (old game version) - didn't take any gruff, smart, and (eventually) fun to look at as well.
• Female Boss in Saints Row 3. Not as smart as Lara and not remotely as moral. Laura Bailey is a damn good voice actor, too. (Honorable mention to Kinzie for the brainy/kinky mix and to Shaundi in SR4 with the whole two-people thing.)
• Mantis in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was fun and mysterious.

 

[Colif]

Notices its not only PC games:

Zelda: As she starred in her series and never actually had to do a lot.

Joanna Dark: Perfect Dark, come on now... why is it if I search for it now the wiki article that shows is the Game boy version.

Samas Aran: What characters sex was didn't matter entire game... in fact, you only would find out if you beat game under a certain time. I only found out years later, via internet.

I can't think of any for PC. I haven't played any that stand out. That I can think of anyway.

 

[Pifanjr]

Oh jeesh, so many types of favorites...

• Mantis in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was fun and mysterious.

Talking about Marvel, I liked Magik in Marvel: Midnight Suns as well, both in personality as in gameplay (throwing enemies through portals is so satisfying).

 

[January's Ghost]

I'm going to add Grace Nakimura from the Gabriel Knight series. Starts off as a part time employee of Gabriel to full time schattenjäger research assistant. She's artsy educated and sassy but compassionate. She comes into her own in GK2 but at the end of GK3 she realizes she's outgrown Gabriel and goes off on her own (sadly just before Gabriel discovers he's outgrown himself). I really felt if GK4 got to come around the next time we see Grace she would be equals, if not superior to, Gabriel.

 

[neogunhero]

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil.

Not only is Jade strong and resilient, she is a fighter for the people. As a photo journalist, she exposes the truth of government corruption, and promotes peace and wellbeing for her people. She is smart, witty, and can kick ass like none other. She has lots of gadgets that sets her apart from being some gun wielding bird brain. She was one of the first video game characters, female or not, that felt very real to me, and made me realize that video game characters didn’t always need to be some one-dimensional boring protagonist.

 

[Frindis]

@January's Ghost What can you tell me about voodoo?

 

[McStabStab]

• Mona from Max Payne 2
  • I love her cold demeanor. She was a perfect counterpart to Max and in the drab, noire setting of the game and with grim backstories for both of them, seeing them thaw each other out was cinema... plus she lived in an abandoned funhouse which is one of the best levels in game.
• Fragile and Mama from Death Stranding
  • Kojima writes memorable characters, and these two ladies are no exception. With strong performances from Léa Seydoux and Margaret Qualley we find out more about the weird world that we're traversing through and learn more about the pain it causes as well as the things and people we have connections to.

 

[mjs warlord]

My favourite female is Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn

 

[Slasken]

It has to be Aloy from the Horizon series. Or maybe Triss from the Witcher series. Both games have well written characters.

 

[mjs warlord]

It has to be Aloy from the Horizon series. Or maybe Triss from the Witcher series. Both games have well written characters.

In dragons age inquisition somebody turned up near the end that i had forgotten was in the previous one ..... i think it was somebody's mother

 

[January's Ghost]

In dragons age inquisition somebody turned up near the end that i had forgotten was in the previous one ..... i think it was somebody's mother

That would be Flemeth, Morrigan's "mother".

 

[JCgames]

Fem shep, Jennifer hale's VA was one of the best I've ever heard.

Cloe from life is strange, more than just cute blue hair. Just play it!

The wizard from dungeons of nahuelbuek, her translating of the ogre is just the best.

Lillian's, dragon age, tell me a story about red cliff Lil.

Aria, baldurs gate ii, make sure you are male and do a slow romance with Hierdalis in the group. Her story is heartbreaking, but the love triangle is worth the ride.