The gaming world is all familiar with the iconic Lara Croft (Tomb Raider Series), Aloy (Horizon: Zero Dawn),and Ellie (The Last of Us),but what about the unsung heroines of action, fantasy, and adventure? As calls louden forwider female inclusivityand developers seek to facilitate it, it’s worth remembering some of gaming’s previously established fictional female pioneers, many of whom brought more than mere representation to their respective worlds and stories.
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Ranging from medieval sorceresses to futuristic corpo-topplers, these roles make up some of themost underrated female protagonists in gaming.
Player-created or optional gender-selected characters, such as V fromCyberpunk 2077and The Dragonborn fromSkyrim, will not be considered.
8Kate Walker
Born and raised in New York, but destined for the legendary island of Syberia, Kate Walker is strong and independent. Leaving behind her conventional and well-paying job in search of mysterious and ancient artifacts is certainly breaking the mold, however, Kate’s self-assured and confident personality ensures that she is not a mere passenger to her story.
From chasing after trains to being enslaved in a salt mine, Kate endures many challenges and tribulations throughout her story. However, her sharp wit and respect for the archaic serve to rise Kate above her surroundings as a welcome protagonist.
7Robin Ayou
Anyone who sets foot on Planet 4546B voluntarily deserves high praise, and that is precisely what Robin Ayou, the protagonist ofSubnautica: Below Zero, does.Teeming with leviathans and alien sea life, in addition to being largely frozen over, the planet does not represent a glamorous or inviting prospect for human beings.
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Nonetheless, Robin goes in search of answers about her missing sister, undeterred by the dreadful fate of the passengers in The Aurora fromSubanautica. Her pioneering spirit, resilience, and adaptability should earn her a place in the annals of sci-fi gaming exploration and discovery.
6Miu Hinasaki
Born of a spirit ritual into the ghostly world ofFatal Frame, Miu is entwined in a harrowing story to uncover the fate ofher parents and her ancestry. Haunted by menacing apparitions and armed only with the Camera Obsurca, Miu establishes herself as a brave and courageous protagonist with a deep investment in thelore of the series.
Miu’s delicate appearance can be deceptive, for she is equally cunning and attentive as many other protagonists in the series. Although Yuri may be the fan favorite, for obvious reasons, Miu is a noteworthy heroine and fully earns recognition as one of the series' star characters.
5Emily Kaldwin
The child of an Empress and an assassin, Emily is a contrasting mix of elegance and brutality, flair and efficiency, thoughtfulness and anger. Her powers are equal to, if not cooler than her father’s,which players experienced in the prequelDishonored. Equally as adept and efficient in her craft, the challenges faced by Emily perhaps exceed those of the prequel, but her unique abilities such as “far reach” and “domino” give her the potential to be even more creative.
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When many think ofDishonored, they usually think of the blade-wielding, hood-bearing Corvo, but they should not forget his badass female offspring, the rightful Empress: Emily Kaldwin.
4Faith
Merely existing in the City of Glass seems hard enough, but being able to thrive under a totalitarian regime, complete with high-tech surveillance and military-grade police patrols, is worthy of recognition. In a world where information is weaponized,Faith takes on the establishmentas the city’s most talented “runner,” and her parkour and martial arts skills stand in a class of their own.
The grounding realism ofMirror’s Edgeand its sequelMirror’s Edge: Catalyst’s running mechanics really emphasize the physical strength and agility of Faith’s nimble frame. Donning her signature red shoes and her ‘eye of Horus’ tattoo, Faith is aworthy face for a unique franchise.
3Cate Archer
If there was ever a game thatdeserved a remaster, it’sNo One Lives Forever.Carried in large part by its female protagonist Catherine “Cate” Archer, this style spy FPS is fondly remembered by all who played it following its PC/Playstation 2 release back in the year 2000. Codenamed “The Fox,” Archer is a delicate balance of light-hearted humor and lethal precision.
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Single-handedly taking on the villainous criminal organization H.A.R.M., Cate is handy with weapons from sniper rifles to samurai katanas, and her exploits range from snowmobile chases to parachute jumps.
Cate is voiced by the exquisite Kit Harris,who also voicedHalo’sCortana.
2Amicia De Rune
Tasked with rescuing her diseased younger brother in a time of both war and plague, Amicia is equal parts fearless and endearing, ruthless and empathetic. The pin-point accuracy with which she whips her slingshot is enough to kill a man in one hit, something Amicia has to reluctantly get used to.
Charlotte McBurney’s incredible French accent, as well as her passion and authenticity really elevate Amicia into the ranks of all-time great video game characters. Therelease of the second game,Plague Tale: Requiem,offered fans another chance to appreciate and celebrate this incredible young lady and her daring exploits in medieval France.
1Kara
In 2013, five years prior to the release ofDetroit: Become Human, Quantic Dream released a short animated film titled “Kara”, which featured a robot girl experiencing consciousness and emotion for the first time. Kara would later become one of the central protagonists in the game. More empathetic than some humans in the dismal, dystopian future city of dilapidated Detroit, Kara stands out as a sensitive, intelligent being with a parental instinct.
Her creative and cunning approachto escaping city-wide pursuit, all the while caring for the neglected child, Alice, makes for a truly memorable experience to play through. Valorie Curry’s performance perfectly captures Kara’s coming to consciousness; from an obedient, reserved, and servile machine to a liberated, expansive, and free-thinking personality.
