Five Best Female Video Games Protagonists

© Guerrilla Games, Gunfire Games, Irrational Games, Ninja Theory, & Crystal Dynamics

In the gaming world, few female heroines can be played with an in-depth back story that would give you post-game depression after finishing the title. I played these awesome characters, and I will not include games wherein you can choose which hero to start with but games that were made for them specifically.

Here is the list of the 5 best female protagonists in my opinion. (Spolier Alert)

5. Senua - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

© Ninja Theory

Senua is not your typical female heroine. Unlike her counterparts, she is suffering from psychosis throughout the game while facing difficult scenarios to rescue the soul of a dead lover from the goddess Hela. The story is set during the Viking age and is heavily inspired by Norse Mythology which I am so into.

The gameplay is surprisingly not boring given they included a hack and slash type of combat, and you must solve some environmental puzzle to proceed to the next instance. There are also clues about her backstory along the way, but they are not revealed in order, so you must connect the dots after finishing.

When I was playing the game, I had to turn on my lights and use my speakers because I am so freaked out with the voices Senua was hearing more than the hallucinations. They encouraged players to use headphones and I am sure some would say “you failed to experience it the way it should be” but I just cannot. I doubt I would even manage to finish it with headphones on.

I recommend this game if you wanted to dive into the mindset of someone who is suffering from mental issues and you will realize that they are also like us, just having these thoughts wherein they could not control or stop.

4. Aloy - Horizon Zero Dawn

© Guerilla Games

Aloy reminds me so much of Merida from the Brave movie. They are both skilled huntresses and with striking red hair to match. The difference is that Aloy was born and raised in a harsh post-apocalyptic world in which robotic machines roam wildly.

Her character development is top-notch given she was considered an outcast from birth along with Rost whom she considers as her parent. She had to train and prove herself to win the Proving, fight strong enemies, discover her past and stop the ones who wanted the world to end.

I enjoyed playing from Aloy’s perspective and you can freely explore the vast map while admiring the scenic surroundings. As a huntress, you have a different set of skills you can learn depending on the play style you are going for. You can also choose which dialogue she will use to interact with various NPCs.

The entirety of the game inspired me to do my best despite knowing some people do not have faith that I can become successful by doing my passion. I played it via Playstation 4 since my brother owns a copy and I do not have to purchase it through Steam (sorry Gaben).

3. Fury - Darksiders III

© Gunfire Games

Fury is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and her task is to hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins by the order of the Charred Council that maintains balance and order in the universe. She is the Rider of the Black Horse known as Rampage which eventually got killed by an angel sword. I feel sad because they have shown the horse and Fury treasures it so much but never actually had a chance to ride it like a true Horsemen in the game.

I had fun playing as Fury since she is such a badass, more like my spirit animal. She fights head-on and I love her blade whip so much I always practice the combos while engaging lower enemies before boss fights. Once I acquired the Flame Hollow which is her first elemental, I seldom revert to vanilla Fury since she looks majestic in her powered-up look.

Like the previous Darksiders titles, you will solve puzzles to unlock specific areas to proceed and there is also an option to upgrade weapons and enhancements by visiting the Maker blacksmith who resides in the tree at Haven, which is Ulthane, also known as the Black Hammer. Honestly, I am quite impatient whenever I upgrade or enhance since Ulthane takes a while to face you every single time.

I love the game, the boss fights and above all, Fury emits major alpha vibes due to her confidence. I am empowered whenever I play as her. The feeling of i-can-conquer-everything. No wonder I always play Darksiders III whenever I feel down.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Before proceeding to my top 2, let me give an appreciation to these awesome female protagonists even they did not make it to my top 5. The reason for exclusion is that their fate differs depending on your choices and for me, I wanted to stick to a written character for a singular outcome than a choices-matter ending.

Max Caulfield - Life Is Strange

© Square Enix

Max’s character describes the creative part of me, the nerdy and geeky side wherein other people might find weird. I like how passionate she is about photography and her braveness to uncover the truth to save everyone she cares about.

I can relate to what she was feeling throughout the game, the guilt of leaving Chloe behind after her best friend’s father passed resulting in them losing touch. Happened to me and my best friend when I had to transfer to a different high school. If you have love and care for someone, once you talk things out then both of you will realize that the friendship never faded.

The ending I chose was hard and whenever I play this type of game, I always put myself in the protagonist’s shoes if I will do that for real or not. I decided to save Arcadia Bay and let Nathan shoot Chloe in the bathroom because I cannot imagine sacrificing a lot of people for just one person even if she is dear to me. Also, her death is imminent and in my opinion, Max was given the power to reconcile with Chloe so she will not beat herself up for the rest of her life regarding the guilt and move forward.

Jodie Holmes - Beyond Two Souls

© Quantic Dream

So, for Jodie, I chose the path wherein she is caring and selfless. She has a companion who seems attached to her named Aiden which later revealed as her deceased twin brother who was stillborn. Because of Aiden, she gained clairvoyance which caused her trouble living normally, and ended up living in a laboratory before joining the CIA. I remember during the birthday party scene; your choice will greatly affect how she will look in high school. Either a goth-looking teenager or the typical one, I chose to be nice as usual.

I had to replay the dinner scene with Clayton because me being romantic, I wanted them to have a thing so if Jodie let Aiden kill the guys back at the bar when she sneaked out of the lab then it will affect her romantic choices greatly. I enjoyed the CIA training, missions, and the time she encountered this young boy, but she ended up killing the father. This is a turning point since the CIA used her and she decided to be a fugitive. Afterward, she met Stan and the other homeless folks, the people at the Ranch, going back to the CIA and reuniting with Clayton and her trainers, eventually stopping the growing Infraworld dimension and Nathan’s evil plan.

My ending for Jodie is unpopular since you will see the percentage of choices whenever a chapter is finished. I was not able to save Paul and I kinda regret it since the pressure of finishing the ritual made me forget about him, so he was with Aiden and among others who Jodie lost. I decided for Jodie to live and eventually chose Jay since I like him more than Clayton and going for baby Zoey is kinda boring. I felt relieved when in the end Aiden is still with Jodie. I felt that she overcame hardships even against all odds which will make her always remarkable to me.

Kara - Detroit: Become Human

© Quantic Dream

If you are unfamiliar with the game, the setting is futuristic Detroit wherein humans employ humanoid androids to help them with their daily activities and cause despair for some people due to unemployment and some deviant androids starting to behave in a manner that they have a soul. Kara is an AX400 type, and you will even encounter androids like her in the streets. The first scene about her will show she has no memories given that Todd sent her for repair and her memory was reset. She is a housemaid and takes care of Alice.

I love how she has these motherly instincts and during the scene where Todd started to hurt Alice, I decided to let her become deviant and disobey Todd’s order. I let Kara shoot Todd and escape with Alice away from the house since during my blind play through I do not want him to cause more trouble for them in the future.

If you are wondering, I did all the hard-to-swallow choices like stealing for Kara and Alice’s survival during the Fugitives chapter and decided to stay in the Motel. Kara managed to escape Connor and Hank after the night at the hotel eventually going to Zlatko’s, then Luther became their companion. They met Rose, a human who sympathizes with androids. She provided them refuge and the police scene was nerve-wracking but at least I managed to get them out of there and the next stop is Jericho, the safe haven for deviant androids led by Markus.

Felt bad for Kara since she found out Alice is also an android when she was looking for her and approached a similar-looking child realizing the truth. I decided for Kara to be understanding and they survived Jericho’s assault but what a letdown when they were escaping to the border, I got Luther killed and they ended up dead in the recall camp. I did not want to redo my choices since it is the first time, but I liked Kara and she will do everything for Alice just like any mother to a child.

2. Elizabeth - BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode 2

© Irrational Games

Oh my! How am I gonna start? Elizabeth will always have a special place in my heart and when Burial at Sea Episode 2 was released, I was so hyped to find out I would be able to play as her. She is Anna Dewwit or Booker DeWitt’s daughter, the protagonist of BioShock Infinite and Burial at Sea Episode 1. She is also the A.D. scar of Booker; everything makes sense if you played the series.

During the events of BioShock Infinite, Elizabeth was guarded by the Songbird which acted like a keeper and her only companion as she grows up. She has the power to manipulate Tears, a rip in dimensional space and time that reveals an alternate universe. Booker’s mission was to rescue Elizabeth from the hands of Zachary Hale Comstock or the False Shepherd.

I will skip the stories from Infinite and Episode 1 so moving forward to Episode 2, Elizabeth was dreaming, and I got goosebumps because she was in Paris, the place she wanted to go since Infinite. I like the thematic feel since it still resembles the ambiance from Infinite, minus the steampunk and the floating city of Columbia. She encountered a girl, and it appears to be Sally and she felt guilty about leaving her to die from Episode 1. To make things right due to guilt, she decided to return to Rapture even it will cost her quantum powers.

BioShock’s story is what you called mind blowing given the progression of the timeline, multiverse, and how Elizabeth controls Tears due to her physical body existing in two separate realities at once, which was spread out across dimensional space.

I am sad with the ending since Elizabeth ended up sacrificing herself even there are other options. She holds the power to do anything yet she chooses to lose it all. She knows what will happen if she goes back to Rapture for one possible good outcome. BioShock Series plot revolves around the multiverse so if you choose wisely during BioShock 1, the Little Sisters will live a normal life because Jack will rescue them out of Rapture. So how about the other realities that Jack chooses differently? For me, her sacrifice is in vain.

Anyway, I still admire my girl Elizabeth since she managed to survive and chose for herself in the end. I guess it is enough for her to know that somewhere in another dimension, Little Sisters can grow up freely without being exploited. Bittersweet and I shed tears, she will always be memorable for me, and I even paid homage by keeping my Steam avatar as herself.

1. Lara Croft - Tomb Raider Series: Tomb Raider 2013, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Hail to the queen! I am sure some of you are not even surprised that Lara’s at the top of my list. She is an icon and even portrayed in several movies. I always admire her character since she does everything on her own and plays a big role behind the scenes without normal people realizing the sacrifices she had to make for the world’s safety at the hands of Trinity.

I will talk about her character development based on the recent reboot which I all finished. During the first release, Lara sailed for the first time with her best friend Sam, Roth who is like a father figure to her, and the rest of Endurance’s crew to find Yamatai. Their ship was struck by a storm and Lara got separated. She managed to escape the cave of a crazy person and proceeded to locate her friends. The island is kinda like the Bermuda triangle but located at the east and no one can escape. So, survivors who got stuck eventually discovered the legend of Himiko and found a way to escape by finding her a new vessel. Lara defeated a lot of enemies along the way and stopped Himiko’s ritual. She only managed to get out with Sam, Jonah, and Reyes and the rest of the crew died fighting on the island.

For the entirety of the game, I was deeply immersed. The scenery and the ruined Japanese-inspired architecture, plus remnants from WWII. I felt that I was inside the game and the combat style is intense, adding a variety of enemies (Oni fight is my favorite) but for me, Lara suddenly becomes a murderer given that it was just her first expedition. Well, the first release is more like the awakening of Lara, so yeah, a fighter is born.

Moving forward to the next, Rise of the Tomb Raider surrounds mostly Siberia where Lara search for another legendary city name Kitezh. At the start of the game, it is noticeable how the experience back at Yamatai affected Lara greatly and Ana, her late father’s colleague warned her that his obsession drove him insane.

Despite the warnings, Lara followed her curiosity and set for an expedition search wherein Jonah accompanied her. They got separated by an avalanche and Lara eventually located a Trinity based that seeks the same thing. As the story progress, Ana appeared to be the sister of Konstantin and they want to locate the Deathless Prophet and the Divine Source. When Lara was captured, she met Jacob which turned out to be the Deathless Prophet. Eventually, she reached Kitezh and fought alongside the remnants to drive out Trinity forces. Lara successfully defeated her enemies and Jacob died when she shattered the Divine Source. Ana was sniped down, and Lara returned to the village where the remnants would rebuild it.

I enjoyed the second installment since Lara explored not just Siberia and it does not just revolve around an island unlike the first one. The same type of gameplay, tomb puzzle, and crafting items. Fighting the Deathless Ones and the heavily armored Trinities were tough, so I end up playing stealthily. Loving the snowy terrains and above all the winter outfits! I highly recommend as well the DLC Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch since the story is a great addition to the main.

If you love Mayan or Aztec civilizations, I am sure you will enjoy Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Lara embarks on South America to stop Trinity and encountered a relic which is the Key of Chak Chel. To prevent it from falling to Trinity, she pulled it from its resting place but doing so started the Mayan apocalypse. Lara traveled to multiple locations with the help of Jonah. Lara encountered Etzli and later his mother Queen Unuratu.

Upon arrival at Paititi, she found out that Pedro Dominguez is Amaru, born Paititian and a prince. Lara had to blend in with the inhabitants and infiltrate the Cult of Kukulkan to gain intel about the Silver Box of Ix Chel and get it before Dominguez. Lara faced a lot of adversaries and eventually, Queen Unuratu died which led to Etzli’s coronation. During the decisive battle, Lara fought alongside the Yaaxil and Crimson Fire to stop Dominguez. Dominguez was defeated and Lara had a chance to live another life where her parents are still alive, but she chose not to. Crimson Fire removed the power from Lara and the world is now safe from another possible threat.

It took me quite a while to finish the game since I always tend to finish other quests before the final chapter. This release has the longest side missions for me to be completed and I think the second one’s main storyline is longer compared to Shadow’s. I am scared whenever I enter tombs because of the Yaaxil yet super fulfilling whenever I unlocked skills. Speaking of Dominguez, my gosh that boss fight is not easy, and at least killing members of Cult of Kukulkan provided me loots for crafting. Also, super happy for Jonah since he met Abby, and they both like each other. They also introduced new gears which added more spice to rock climbing as well as some herbals that aid in combat.

Playing as Lara for years is enjoyable, and I still replay the games whenever I could. I have seen her growth from seeking answers to her questions and fighting her inner demons while not straying away from humanity even she had multiple chances to change her past. She is truly inspiring and makes me feel adventurous to discover places that have a great impact on our history.

There are still games out there with great heroines that I have not played yet so there is a high possibility that I make another list in the future. Any recommendations? Also, which one is your favorite?