Women have long been overlooked in technological niches, especially the videogame sector. These video games with female leads have come together to prove that women can not only kick ass off screen with a remote, but onscreen as well.
1. Horizon Zero Dawn
Aloy is perhaps the most well-constructed videogame heroine of all time. She is clever, charming, and resourceful – and best of all, she needs no man.
This flawless character matches the excellence of the game, with no fetishism, male-oriented character, or showy costume design. The machine world into which she is placed perfectly pits her skills against the elements to bring us one of the best video games with a female lead character of all time.
2. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade is one of many video games with a female lead that truly breaks boundaries. In addition to focusing on a character with a pair of ovaries, the bulk of the story focuses on Senua’s battles with her mental health.
The story follows a woman exhibiting traits of psychosis, as Senua battles against her demons. The voices in her head and the creatures of her mind come together to bring her reality crashing down, defying her logic and physical senses as she fights her way…to Hel(heim).
3. Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is famous for being a video game with a female lead, but historically she has been disproportionately designed and clothed for the male eye. However, the newest incarnation of the world’s famous tomb raider is better dressed for the job.
Not only that, but Lara Croft is fleshed out as an actionable, playable character with whom the audience can connect emotionally. Players will feel her struggle as she takes risks, makes judgment calls, and learns from her mistakes.
4. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
In this famous franchise, there are startling few video games with a female lead, which makes Odyssey stand out from the rest. Not only can you play a female lead, but they can be part of the LGBTQ community as well.
Odyssey gives the choice between Kassandra and Alexios, though Kassandra is the more popular. She is a strong choice for design and capabilities, and truly kicks ass as a videogame character.
5. The Walking Dead
Although she’s not key until the second season from the Telltale series, Clementine is a strong, capable female lead. She is also the reason Robert Kirkman brought his development crew out of foreclosure to finish the game.
Once Lee passes away in the first season, it’s up to Clementine to continue her journey and further humanity’s cause. It was the outcry for closure to her character arc that temporarily brought Telltale back from the brink.
Video games with female leads are becoming more popular in our culture, and these games have more than proved to their makers that the world is ready – nay, hungry – for more. Women can be intelligent, complex, emotionally investing, and most of all, absolutely bad ass. These famous female leads are just the tip of the iceberg.
