Video games are dominated by male characters; however, times have changed, and new releases bring more and more female protagonists. For example, Forspoken follows the story of Frey. To celebrate her arrival, we present our list of the top 10 female video game protagonists.
This is a list of the best and most popular protagonists. Hence, female characters who played supporting roles or were one of many selectable heroes are not included. That’s why there’s no Sarah Kerrigan (Starcraft), Zelda (The Legend of Zelda), Sylvanas Windrunner (Warcraft), Ciri (The Witcher), or Sonya Blada (Mortal Kombat). So who has made it to our top 10 list? Let’s see.
Rayne (BloodRayne)
The eponymous character of the BloodRayne series is a dhampir, the daughter of a human mother and a vampire father. She has superhuman strength, agility, and speed, as well as the ability to slaughter any foe with her iconic dual swords. The first BloodRayne game premiered in 2022 and was followed by BloodRayne 2 two years later. As of now, the latest video game featuring Rayne is 2009’s BloodRayne: Betrayal, which, unlike the previous releases, was a 2D side-scrolling platformer, not an action-adventure game. It’s also worth mentioning that Rayne was also the protagonist of three movies directed by the infamous Uwe Boll. Unfortunately, it is not a piece of cinema we would recommend watching.
Kassandra (Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey)
Starting your journey in AC Odyssey, you can choose between two characters: Alexios and Kassandra; however, only the latter is canonical. She is a fierce warrior and a member of the Eagle Bearer bloodline. She has been trained by her mentor, Markos, and has also become an expert in ancient Greek martial arts. Her skills include swordsmanship, archery, and using staff as weapons. Like her brother Alexios, Kassandra wields the Spear of Leonidas to fight off her enemies. Her story starts in 431 BCE. She embarks on a journey through ancient Greece to discover the truth about her past. She eventually becomes embroiled in the events of the Peloponnesian War, fighting alongside famous figures such as Perikles and Kleon.
Chloe Price (Life is Strange: Before the Storm)
Chloe, voiced by Ashly Burch, debuted in the first Life is Strange game. Despite being only a supporting character, she displayed much more personality and was far more interesting than the protagonist, Max Caulfield. No wonder a prequel about her was developed. Life is Strange: Before the Storm, like its predecessor, focuses on choice-based gameplay and presents players with tough moral decisions. The game lets us play as Chloe and learn more about her past. We also witness her transition into the blue-haired Chloe with tattoos we met in the first game.
Ellie (The Last of Us II)
Similarly to Chloe, Ellie debuted as a non-player character who later became the protagonist. She was introduced in the first The Last of Us game as a young girl who journeys across the post-apocalyptic United States with Joel. However, in The Last of Us II, she has grown into a 19-year-old woman and is now playable. This time around, we follow her on her revenge mission. Reviewers praised the game for its deep storytelling and immersive gameplay, further solidifying Ellie’s status as one of the best video game characters of all time. It’s also worth mentioning that Ellie was portrayed by Ashley Johnson in the games and by Bella Ramsey in the television show.
Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)
She is the main character in Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel Horizon Forbidden West. Those are post-apocalyptic action roleplaying games set in a world dominated by robotic creatures. Aloy has been an outcast since birth and is determined to discover the truth about her origins. In Horizon Zero Dawn, she embarks on a journey to save the world from an impending threat and discover her own power. Her popularity is proven by the number of cosplayers who appear at every convention wearing an Aloy costume. Interestingly, she’s another character on our list, voiced by Ashly Burch.
Samus Aran (Metroid)
She’s one of the earliest female protagonists in video games. Players could learn her gender at the very end of the original Metroid released in 1986. The fact that they had been playing as a woman was shocking for many. Since then, Samus has become an iconic figure in gaming and continues to appear in many games, including Metroid II: Return of Samus and other sequels. She’s a brave intergalactic bounty hunter who uses her superhuman strength and technological skills to fight off evil aliens.
2B (Nier: Automata)
YoRHa No. 2 Type B, or 2B for short, is the main protagonist of the NieR: Automata game. She’s an android created by humans to fight against aliens and mechanical enemies in a post-apocalyptic world. Though she has been programmed for combat, 2B also possesses human emotions and feelings that set her apart from other robotic characters in games. She is also agile and swift, able to wield both swords and firearms simultaneously in battle. 2B has a very original look. She wears a long black dress, gloves, boots, and an iconic eye mask. No wonder she has quickly become one of cosplayers’ favorite video game characters.
Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)
Jill Valentine is another legendary character in the video game world. She is one of the two playable characters in the first Resident Evil. As a member of the famous S.T.A.R.S., Jill is an elite agent who will do anything to stop the outbreak of zombies and other monsters in Raccoon City. She is brave, intelligent, resourceful, and highly skilled with weapons, such as handguns, shotguns, and grenades. Jill returned as the main protagonist in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and has appeared as a non-playable character in other games in the series, including Resident Evil 5. A refurbished version of Jill is featured in remakes of Resident Evil and Resident Evil 3.
Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
Bayonetta is the main character and title protagonist of the Bayonetta video game series. She is a witch who uses magic, weapons, and special moves to battle angels and demons threatening her world. In addition to her combat skills, Bayonetta possesses superhuman strength and agility. Her style of dress also adds to her unique look – she wears a black leather bodysuit and sports four guns, including two on her feet. The last game starring Bayonetta is Bayonetta 3, released on October 28, 2022. Its successor is already on its way as Nintendo plans to release the series’s prequel, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, on March 17, 2023.
Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
She is the iconic female video game protagonist and star of the Tomb Raider series. Lara Croft debuted in 1997 and has become one of the most popular video game characters. She uses her skills as an archaeologist and adventurer to explore ancient tombs and stop evil villains from finding powerful artifacts. Lara’s athleticism and agility make her a capable opponent in any situation. Her wits help her solve puzzles and find her way through dangerous terrain. Lara is a role model for female gamers, showing them that it’s possible for women to be just as badass as male characters.
Moreover, today Lara’s fame extends far beyond the world of video games. She has appeared in three Tomb Raider movies and countless marketing campaigns. As a result, even non-gamers won’t confuse Croft’s costume with anything else.
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