Best video games with female lead characters; here's the list

Best video games with female lead characters

Returnal | Selene Vassos

Control | Jesse Faden

A Plague Tale Series | Amicia de Rune

Alan Wake 2 | Saga Anderson

Oxenfree Series | Riley And Alex

Night In The Woods | Mae Borowski

Final Fantasy 6 | Terra And Celes

Portal 2 | Chell

The Walking Dead | Clementine

Assassin's Creed Syndicate | Evie Frye

Resident Evil 3 | Jill Valentine

Half-Life: Alyx | Alyx Vance

Bright Memory | Sheila

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst | Faith Connors

Silent Hill 3 | Heather Mason

Resident Evil 2 | Claire Redfield

Assassin's Creed Odyssey | Kassandra

The Last Of Us Part 2 | Ellie Williams

Tales Of Berseria | Velvet Crowe

Tomb Raider | Lara Croft

Celeste | Madeline

Super Metroid | Samus Aran

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Chloe Frazer

Bayonetta | Bayonetta

Alien: Isolation | Amanda Ripley

Child Of Light | Aurora

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice | Senua

Horizon: Zero Dawn | Aloy

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It's undeniable that women in video games were once overlooked or portrayed poorly, but fortunately, the landscape is changing. Developers and publishers now recognize that women play games, deserve well-written narratives, and games with female protagonists can be successful.Games with female protagonists are becoming more prevalent as developers shift away from traditional male characters.Indie games , in particular, excel at creating complex and flawed female characters. Explore this list of exceptional games featuring compelling female protagonists, sourced from The Gamer website.When considering standout roguelike games, titles like Hades, Dead Cells, and Slay the Spire often come to mind. However, Returnal by PlayStation and Housemarque stands out by offering excellent female representation with its protagonist, astronaut Selene Vassos (voiced by Jane Perry from Hitman). Selene navigates a planet trapped in a time loop, uncovering dual mysteries.Following a signal called 'The White Shadow' at the start of each loop, Selene encounters strange occurrences, including an unfamiliar house that appears amidst the alien landscape. Atropos, the planet, is teeming with hostile alien swarms and challenging bosses, creating a bullet-hell-like experience as Selene seeks answers.In prior Remedy games, the studio often featured tough male protagonists, but this changed with the 2019 release of Control. The game introduced Jesse Faden, a bold and courageous character who rises to become Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, wielding gravity-defying powers.Playing as Jesse, you'll have an exhilarating experience using her unique weapon and upgrades to battle the paranatural entities known as the Hiss, which have overrun the FBC. Jesse is also driven by the quest to uncover answers about her brother Dylan. The game stars Courtney Hope, who also portrayed Beth Wilder in Quantum Break, and shares connections with the Alan Wake universe.Amicia de Rune and Amanda Ripley both excel in keeping their composure in stealth horror gameplay, but Amicia faces daunting challenges like massive rat swarms and Inquisitor soldiers while protecting her brother Hugo throughout the game.Both "A Plague Tale: Innocence" and its sequel "A Plague Tale: Requiem" offer stunning and intense mediaeval adventures in a rat-infested world, showcasing exceptional graphics and set pieces for a Double-A title. The emotionally gripping story rivals games like "The Last of Us," with performances by Amicia and Hugo that could earn Oscars.Although titled "Alan Wake," Remedy's official sequel to the 2010 horror game shifts focus to Saga Anderson's pivotal role in aiding Alan's escape from the Dark Place. Saga serves as a central narrative figure alongside Alan and his wife Alice. As a playable FBI agent investigating Bright Falls and Alan's disappearance, Saga unravels mysteries while saving her daughter and reconstructing her own life.The gameplay alternates between Saga and Alan across separate "Return" and "Initiation" chapters, mirroring the manuscript structure. With twists and revelations tying together, Alan Wake 2's intense horror atmosphere, inspired by Silent Hill, challenges Saga beyond her agency expectations.Oxenfree may appear to be a charming game with puzzles, branching dialogue, and unique watercolour art, but it delves deeply into relatable life issues with its two female protagonists. The first game features teenager Alex, while the sequel, Lost Signals, introduces the older and more experienced Riley.This series excels in portraying well-written female characters. Alex grapples with grief, friendship, and the search for meaning, while Riley navigates career doubts and future parenting concerns. Even Olivia, the antagonist in the second game, evokes empathy with her motives.In Night in the Woods, the protagonist is Mae Borowski, a college dropout in her 20s who returns to her hometown of Possum Springs after grappling with mental health issues. Despite the cast being anthropomorphic animals, the game delves into important themes with sensitivity.Fans connect with Mae because her struggles are genuine and relatable, driving the plot as she reconnects with her hometown and discovers its changes since she left.The Final Fantasy series has introduced us to many excellent female party members over the years, but it's rare to see one take on a starring role. However, in games like the Final Fantasy 13 trilogy and the Yuffie DLC for Final Fantasy 7 Remake, we see exceptions to this. Among these, Final Fantasy 6 stands out as one of the series' best entries, featuring not one, but two female leads.Terra's struggle with her lineage and past reveals her mental strength, while her physical prowess is evident from the start of the game. Similarly, Celes' resilience on the island with Cid demonstrates her mental toughness and ability to overcome depression, ultimately reuniting the party and leading to Kefka's defeat.Valve doesn't release new games frequently since the advent of Steam, but when they do, they are typically exceptional. The original Portal game was a brilliantly crafted physics-based adventure that captured gamers' imaginations, and its sequel surpassed expectations. Beyond the enjoyable gameplay and puzzles, the games excel in the captivating relationship between protagonist Chell and the psychotic AI system, GLaDOS.Despite being a silent protagonist, Chell is far from a shallow character. Enduring GLaDOS's insults and a seemingly hopeless situation, she persists in her testing, hoping to secure her freedom. This perseverance leads to a thrilling and fast-paced climax.Clementine doesn't take centre stage in the Telltale series until the second season, but she's often regarded as the highlight of the games. After Telltale closed, Robert Kirkman assembled a team to complete the game, ensuring fans could see Clementine's story through to its conclusion.In the first season, Clementine is looked after by Lee, and when he passes away, she embarks on her own journey and begins caring for another young child, similar to how Lee cared for her.Assassin's Creed Syndicate features two protagonists, Evie and Jacob Frye, with Evie being the older twin sister. As a British assassin in the Victorian era, Evie gained popularity quickly and remains one of the series' most beloved characters. Despite not having the entire game focused on her, Evie has many memorable moments and scenes in Syndicate that enhance the gameplay experience.Following the success of the Resident Evil 2 remake, a remake of Resident Evil 3 features Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira. Jill, a beloved character in the series, faces the intelligent bio weapon Nemesis after being attacked in her apartment. The game revolves around Jill's escape from Raccoon City while evading Nemesis's relentless pursuit. Some reviewers have likened Resident Evil 3's remake to Resident Evil 2's quality.Half-Life: Alyx is a VR instalment in the Half-Life series, focusing on Alyx Vance's quest to aid the resistance against the Combine. Positioned between the first and second Half-Life games, Alyx teams up with her father, Dr. Eli Vance, and other allies to combat this formidable enemy.Bright Memory is a thrilling first-person shooter and hack-and-slash game featuring Sheila, a protagonist working for the Science Research Organization. Her mission is to thwart a military organisation's efforts to revive the dead. Set in the visually stunning "Land of Sky," inhabited by ancient beings, the game garnered exceptional reviews upon release.Faith Connors is the main character in the Mirror's Edge video game series, featuring in both the original game and its reboot, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst. She is a "Runner," tasked with delivering essential items to resistance groups evading government control. Faith possesses extraordinary abilities and plays a central role in the games' intricate storylines.Silent Hill is a cherished survival horror series known for its unsettling imagery. Silent Hill 3 serves as a direct sequel to the first game, following Heather Mason, daughter of the original protagonist, Harry Mason. As Heather searches for her father, she encounters a world that twists into a darker and more sinister reality, where the line between truth and illusion blurs.Resident Evil 2 was highly acclaimed upon release, winning multiple Game of the Year awards due to its exceptional quality. The game features two protagonists, Leon S. Kennedy and the iconic Claire Redfield. Claire is celebrated as a beloved and formidable character in the Resident Evil series, and in this game, players assist her in escaping Raccoon City during a viral outbreak.Assassin's Creed Odyssey offers players the choice to play as Kassandra, a highly favoured protagonist in the series. Many players prefer Kassandra over Alexios due to her strong character design and voice acting. The game also introduces romance options and allows players to portray their character as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, adding to its inclusive features.In the sequel to The Last of Us, the focus shifts from Joel's journey to Ellie's struggle in a brutal world. Alongside Ellie, players also step into the shoes of the main antagonist, Abby.While some events and characters in the game were controversial, Abby's perspective offered a unique lens to the story, challenging players to reconsider their views on Joel and Ellie. This shift in perspective adds depth and complexity to the narrative, prompting a reevaluation of familiar characters and events.Tales of Berseria, the first game in the Tales series to feature a female protagonist, stands out as one of the best entries in years. The game follows Velvet Crowe, who witnesses her quiet village devastated by daemons due to an event known as Daemonblight.Velvet's transformation into a daemon-eating creature sets her apart as an unconventional female JRPG character. She embodies the role typically associated with male characters—a fierce, revenge-driven monster slayer.The original Tomb Raider games featured a tough female protagonist, but she was often depicted in skimpy attire and with exaggerated proportions. The modern Lara Croft is a more realistically portrayed and suitably dressed character. She transcends the archetype of a "strong female protagonist" to become a fully developed character with flaws, growth, and humanity. Despite some narrative dissonance where Lara exhibits emotional reactions to certain situations but then engages in intense combat shortly after, Lara's character development remains compelling and well-crafted.Celeste is a game that delves into themes of anxiety, personal growth, and existential challenges. It features outstanding platforming mechanics and a compelling female protagonist named Madeline (not Celeste, which is the mountain). Madeline's ascent up the mountain mirrors the hero's journey, with moments of growth, setbacks, and transformation along the way. She embarks on this journey for her own sense of accomplishment and pride. As the player, you guide her toward her goal.The iconic reveal in the original Metroid, where we learned Samus Aran is a woman, remains a memorable moment. This space bounty hunter fights pirates and navigates hostile terrain with remarkable skill. While Samus isn't deeply developed in terms of writing or dialogue, she shines through her actions. Across different games, Samus explores diverse planets, facing unique dangers and uncovering mysteries. With her intellect and physical prowess, Samus fulfils her missions, providing an enjoyable experience for players. Additionally, her suit and ship designs remain iconic and timeless in gaming history.The Uncharted series follows Nathan Drake and his close bond with Victor Sullivan. Across the mainline games, Drake teams up with Sully to tackle numerous challenges. The introduction of Lost Legacy was a welcome addition, offering players the chance to play as Chloe, a fan-favourite supporting character. Paired with Nadine, a South African mercenary leader, Chloe embarks on her own Uncharted adventure, showcasing witty banter and teamwork with two strong female leads, providing a refreshing experience.Bayonetta exudes toughness and confidence, unafraid to confront any challenge, even defying deities. She faces danger head-on, turning combat into a thrilling and stylish spectacle. Bayonetta's posh English accent and librarian glasses add an intriguing contrast to her fierce actions. The game's focus on both style and substance creates a balanced and enjoyable action experience.Ellen Ripley is a beloved cinematic icon known for her bravery in sci-fi and horror films. In Alien: Isolation, you step into the shoes of Ripley's daughter, Amanda, facing peril on the Sevastopol space station. Amanda uses her intelligence to outsmart deadly pursuers, including the xenomorph, while crafting weapons and navigating her environment to survive. She embodies her mother's courage and resourcefulness.Child of Light features Aurora, a young girl navigating a fantasy world as she copes with grief and depression. This beautifully designed game immerses players in a fairy tale setting, where Aurora's journey is a metaphor for overcoming inner darkness. Aurora's strength, both physical and mental, allows her to triumph over challenges, including her own struggles with depression. Child of Light is a delightful and accessible game suitable for all ages.Senua, the protagonist of Hellblade, is a remarkable female lead grappling with her own mental struggles. As she battles illusions, demons, and sensory distortions, her journey into Helheim unfolds as a deeply compelling exploration of inner turmoil and resilience. Senua's story presents a complex portrayal of a woman fighting against her inner demons, offering profound insights into mental health and survival.Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn stands out as one of the most celebrated female protagonists in gaming. She embodies strength, intelligence, charm, and resourcefulness in a beautifully crafted post-apocalyptic world filled with unique challenges and encounters. Aloy's character is a refreshing example of a powerful woman without being stereotyped or overly sexualized, making her an exemplary video game protagonist.