The 50 Greatest Female Characters in Video Game History

[robwright]

TwitchGuru looks back through the history of video and PC games to find the heroines, femmes fatales and damsels in distress that have captured the hearts of gamers. Here's a list of the greatest female video game characters of all time.

 

[tool_462]

Wish they would have ranked them...

Anyone with time on their hands can compile a list of (seemingly) 50 random video game females.

 

[captainlooney]

Hm... I would have put Bastilla from KOTOR and Kreia from KOTOR 2 on there they were both very influential female characters in that game who had very unique complex personalities that aren't found in many RPGs.

I also liked Lenneth from Valkyrie Profile and Silmeria/Alicia from Valkyrie Profile 2.

And how could Ayane from DOA not be on there!!!! Tina makes the list?!!! No way!! Everyone loves a cute, prissy, stuck up Kunoichi. And while you're at it, put Roll from Mega Man (Rock Man) on there lol.

 

[guruofchem]

Nice job overall, though I have a suggestion for Mona Sax - try Rena Sofer, recently seen in "24" and "Heroes", though I remember her from the TV show "Ed" a few years back. She is practically a dead ringer for Mona...

 

[enewmen]

What about that creepy girl in F.E.A.R. ? Maybe that was on the list, but missed the top-50.

 

[Nil]

I loved that SODAN was on the list. The system shock games were great.

 

[enewmen]

I liked SODAN also.
Strange though, NONE of the Grand Theft Auto girls are listed - not even Catalina. -> One of the women I wish I could kill.
Also missed was Valerie Cortez in FarCry. The list was mostly head-strong ladies.
I agree with most of the list though.

 

[robwright]

Some interesting feedback.

Wish they would have ranked them...

Well, maybe we'll do that when we get up to 100 entries on list. As for me, my personal top five are probably:
1) Alyx Vance
2) April Ryan
3) Zoe Castillo
4) Sarah Kerrigan
5) Chun-Li

Ada Wong, Jill Valentine, Carla Valenti, Cate Archer and Zelda are my runners up.

What about that creepy girl in F.E.A.R. ? Maybe that was on the list, but missed the top-50.

Alma is an interesting suggestion. She didn't really do much in the original F.E.A.R. and her back story was a bit thin. However, I'm playing Extraction Point and there's more stuff about her so there's some potential there.

I would have put Bastilla from KOTOR and Kreia from KOTOR 2 on there they were both very influential female characters in that game who had very unique complex personalities that aren't found in many RPGs.

Good nominations. I'd go with Bastilla over Kreia personally. I also flirted with putting Mara Jade on the list from Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith.

I also liked Lenneth from Valkyrie Profile and Silmeria/Alicia from Valkyrie Profile 2.

And how could Ayane from DOA not be on there!!!! Tina makes the list?!!! No way!! Everyone loves a cute, prissy, stuck up Kunoichi.

Never played the Valkyrie Profile games, but I'll check them out. As for DOA, we ran into a problem with games like DOA, FF, Soul Calibur, etc. We couldn't put every single female character from those series on the lists, so we have to pick and choose, which was really tough.

Strange though, NONE of the Grand Theft Auto girls are listed - not even Catalina. -> One of the women I wish I could kill.
Also missed was Valerie Cortez in FarCry. The list was mostly head-strong ladies.
I agree with most of the list though.

The GTA girls all kind of blend together for me. They're generic characters with the same look and feel. Ditto for Scarface. However, Valerie is an excellent nomination. Totally forgot about her....

 

[VBDude]

Very good list, guys. (It is just Rob and Aaron, right?) Great calls on actors for Meryl, Zoe, Ada Wong, Cate Archer, and Elexis Sinclair. Really, great calls.

Three things needed improvement: 1) too many girls, like you're trying to please everyone; 2) too many series/game repeats (22/50!); and 3) only one Bioware game. If you included all the girls from a series/game as a single item your list would be smaller, simpler, less boring, and then you'd have room for more Bioware girls.

Oh, and I'm not excited about Elisha Cuthbert with yellow eyes...

"He had yellow eyes!" [/Ralphie, A Christmas Story]

 

[omega244]

How about Tanya from Red Alert. I know she is a real person but I think she adds a lot to the game. Kari Wuhrer. *drools*

 

[fattony]

pretty good list, but i agree, it's quite extensive, should be cut down

i completely agree with having Alma from FEAR in there, she's awesome

Mona Sax definately belongs there, no questions

i can't believe no one put Diana from the hitman series! definately her...all mysterious and all...

I also woulda put Aida from Unreal II in there...here's a link for most of those who can't remember her: http://pcmedia.ign.com/media/news/image/u2001.jpg

i would also put in those rocket launcher chix from quake 2, not a very friendly face tho, the chix in the recent NFS games maybe?

 

[captainlooney]

I was under the impression that the female characters didn't have to have sex appeal to be on the list. I like Kreia from KOTOR 2 just because she's one of the few Starwars characters who acknowledged the fallacies of both extremities of light and dark. It seems in most of the Starwars universe you see alot of biased views from Dark Jedi being totally dark and rejecting the light and Jedi totally rejecting the darkside and follow the light. Kreia (despite revealing herself as a former Sith Lord at the end) at least kept it real whenever you tried to go either extreme and told you of the consequences of your actions be it good or bad. Having experienced both light and dark she was able to guide and mentor the protagonist through his journeys. She's probably my favorite fictional character in the Starwars universe just for that.

As for Valkyrie Profile, it's just more of a personal preference, I love all the Tri-Ace games because they tend to have pretty involving stories with characters who have alot of feel to them.

Interesting point on the DOA girls though, there's just too many, especially if you played DOAXBV2. :lol:

 

[Flakes]

if i had to put them in order, i think i would of put Aeris and Tifa at the top...

alot of the entires looked just like sex objects to me, i think you should of based it more off the actualt character than there looks.

reason for aeris and tifa at top for me is, anyone that has played FF7 will probably agree its so hard not to get emotionally attached to the main characters they are deem enthralling and you care allot about what happens to them throughout the game(you tell me you didnt cry when aeris died )

P.S

you had it right at the begining with ppl like peach, and princess zelda, characters that have some sort of connection.....but comeon putting streetfigther and DOA girls in there thats just purely based off looks...

 

[imperialdemon]

You have forgotten Elaine Marley-Threepwood (hottie especially in 4) from Monkey Island series, and sure 10 of these aren't because they are pretty pixel chicks but more because the game was good.Not to forget also the voodoo lady without her monkey island wouldn't exist

 

[UmeNNis]

DID NOBODY NOTICE THAT THE AUTHOR REFERENCED PRINCESS PEACH/TOADSTOOL AS BEING INTRODUCED IN SUPER MARIO BROS. 2?!?!

WTF, last time I checked, she was thoroughly introduced in Super Mario Bros. , the ORIGINAL!

OOPS???

 

[dezonio2]

yeah, Bastilla is definitely missing, I even had a crush on her
I felt like the list was little forced as game titles i've never heard before were in the top 50 while some major ones were missed.


Lets make our own chart, and while at it put Lara Croft on top.... any more suggestions?

 

[VBDude]

did nobody notice your caps-lock was on?!?! :roll:

In their defense, it was the first game in which she was a playable character, even if she was in the first one. In her initial appearance, she was only a couple pixels that spoke but a bubble of dialog. Not exactly the stuff of character greatness.

But seriously, no one cares what the article says. We only skimmed the list and occasionally checked the wrap-ups.

Besides, if you're going to pick on someone, it should be this guy:

you had it right at the begining with ppl like peach, and the one from zelda

@ captainlooney: Please edit your post with a giant SPOILER warning. I haven't completed the game yet, thank you very much.

 

[mitch074]

I'm not sure citing so many Final Fantasy females was right - however I must agree with the FF7 ones, due not only to the fact that they are probably the only Square characters to appear in more than one Final Fantasy opus - if only because FF7 is the only FF to have gotten a prequel, a sequel, and a movie.

It is too bad though that you don't mention the running gag about Tifa though, who redefines 'gainax' in several in-games video and a few items such as the 'reinforced bra' you can find in her room...

 

[Flakes]

did nobody notice your caps-lock was on?!?! :roll:

In their defense, it was the first game in which she was a playable character, even if she was in the first one. In her initial appearance, she was only a couple pixels that spoke but a bubble of dialog. Not exactly the stuff of character greatness.

But seriously, no one cares what the article says. We only skimmed the list and occasionally checked the wrap-ups.

Besides, if you're going to pick on someone, it should be this guy:

you had it right at the begining with ppl like peach, and the one from zelda

@ captainlooney: Please edit your post with a giant SPOILER warning. I haven't completed the game yet, thank you very much.

lol i changed my post, i had a blank moment writing that.

 

[Nulldev]

Yes, we need more
Aribeth de Tylmarande
on the list

 

[AlexanderUK]

No mention of Firiona Vie, the elf that's been the face of Everquest for almost 10 years now...

 

[fuzzietech]

I would agree I also would have wanted to see Valerie from FarCry in there. She is the more or less helpful agent that gets our hero on his feet to complete his mission.

Im not too versed in the Final Fantasy universe, so I might get a smacking here for this but: The main character Aki in the movie FF: Spirits Within might have a spot here. She is the first CG animated feature film character from a game with the same name, although I do not know if she has been in the actual game.

Two characters that had an immense impact on me during a game was the two supporting females Larramee and Arcia in Granstream Saga for Playstation. Granted the game itself lacked something as a whole, but its the two ladies that lead you through the game that you really play for. [SPOILER WARNING] You play because you know you will eventually get the girl, and alas, after defeating the last boss you are left with the choice of who you want to spend the rest of your life with.[END SPOILER]

And then ofcourse, you forgot to mention Miss Pacman, which none other than Rosie O'Donell would make a great interpretation of. *glob glob*

 

[danjal]

time to spill my geekyness, but Jaheira husband didn't die till Baldurs gate 2

 

[heffeque]

I can't believe that Dungeon Keeper's "Mistresses of Darkness" aren't in that list!!!!



Sign the Dungeon Keeper 3 petition!
http://www.petitiononline.com/dngnkpr3/petition.html

For those who don't know the game... they don't know what they've missed out on :-D Start with Dungeon Keeper 1 and enjoy. The game is hilarious and chaotic! Dungeon Keeper RULES! Hehehe.

 

[astrobeagle]

Wow...can't believe you didn't include Karen S'jet from Homeworld!

"...mothership..."