I have always loved spending hours in my favourite virtual worlds. But, being a girl gamer, there is something about stepping into the shoes of a female character that makes the experience feel a little more personal. I can’t exactly explain why this feeling exists, but it does. And I am sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.
There is also another side to this which isn’t talked about enough. It is how for years, women in games were often treated as eye candy, side characters or damsels waiting to be rescued. Even some of the most iconic female protagonists (Lara Croft) were heavily sexualised, with their appearance sometimes receiving more attention than their personality. But thankfully, gaming has now given us female characters who are far more than that. They are now warriors, survivors, detectives, villains, leaders or simply flawed human beings trying to make sense of what is happening around them.
Some of these characters have stayed with us because of their strength, others because of their vulnerability, and a few because they made us see everything differently. So without any wait, here are 10 female gaming characters who are simply unforgettable.
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As mentioned already, the initial Tomb Raider games heavily sexualised Croft. Yet, her aura remains unchallenged. For me, Tomb Raider: Underworld was the first-ever game I picked up on my PlayStation 2 back in 2008. And I will never forget being awestruck by my character, especially in the cutscenes.
There was something about Croft, effortlessly pulling off impossible jumps, escaping dangerous situations like a pro and somehow still managing to look like a million bucks. At the time, I did not think too deeply about how she was portrayed (I was just a child). But now, as I look back, I can’t help but think how she had much more to her beyond just being, well, cool.
The more recent Tomb Raider games (2013 Tomb Raider reboot for instance) have given us a more vulnerable and grounded Croft, letting us see her struggle, make mistakes and gradually become the survivor we know her to be. She is still capable of some extraordinary things, but she also feels much more human. For most of us, Croft was never just a character we played. She was the first female character we ever saw ourselves in.
Perhaps that is why we have yet another Lara Croft game coming up soon (Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis).
Our mysterious Lady in Red! Ada Wong isn’t just a character, she honestly is a whole vibe. She never tells you what she is thinking, is somehow always at the right place at the right time and walks with an air of confidence that is almost impossible to ignore. Be it helping Leon, working towards her own mysterious agenda or simply disappearing when things get too complicated, Ada is always one step ahead in all Resident Evil games that she has appeared in.
Moreover, she never really feels like a character who exists solely to support someone else’s story and always has her priorities straight. She is intelligent, capable and incredibly resourceful, and she does not need anyone to save her. In a franchise filled with terrifying monsters and biological disasters, Ada somehow manages to remain one of the most unpredictable people in the room.
And well, that red dress, grappling hook, sassy one-liners and unmistakable confidence have made her an icon in their own right.
When Claire enters Raccoon City in Resident Evil 2, she is simply looking for her brother Chris. She isn’t a trained ‘zombie slayer’ or even a soldier. Yet, she soon finds herself in a situation that would make most people give up. But, she chooses to keep moving forward. To say that her character goes through a major change would be an understatement. She shows the kind of growth that will simply leave you awestruck.
Another reason to admire her is the compassion that she shows, especially when it comes to Sherry. Do remember that the world of RE is all about survival, and people tend to prioritise themselves over anything else. But that isn’t Claire. She is not just fighting zombies and monsters, but is also trying to protect someone who is just as vulnerable as she is.
In a nutshell, Claire is not a heroine just because she is fearless. She is someone to look up to because she doesn’t give up despite being absolutely terrified. And that takes much more than just courage.
Evie Frye isn’t the first-ever Assassin’s Creed female protagonist, but she certainly is one of the most memorable ones. She was introduced at a time when the franchise had already given us plenty of memorable male protagonists. And her presence in Syndicate just changed everything. Her co-protagonist and brother -Jacob- is loud, impulsive and constantly looking for his next fight. But Evie is more calculated. She thinks before she acts and prefers stealth and strategy over simply charging into a crowd.
That contrast between the twins is what made the game so enjoyable to play. She did not have to compete with Jacob by becoming a female version of him. Instead, she had her own personality, strengths and way of approaching the world. Her interest in the Pieces of Eden also gave her a more serious connection to the traditional Assassin’s Creed storyline.
And what I remember most about Evie is how composed she always seemed. Even when London descended into chaos, she carried herself with a confidence that made it clear she knew exactly what she was doing. Maybe this is why even today when I pick up AC Syndicate, I prefer to play as Evie.
Senua is perhaps one of the most emotionally complex characters on this list. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice does not simply ask us to control her. It asks us to experience the world through her perspective, and that makes her journey deeply unsettling at times.
Senua travels into a world that is already frightening, but what makes it even more disturbing is the way her own mind affects what she sees and hears. The voices surrounding her can be terrifying, yet they are also part of her reality. The game never treats her as someone who simply needs to be “fixed”. Instead, it asks us to understand her. When I played the game with my headphones on, there were moments when I had to pause because it all got way too overwhelming.
And this is why Senua seems so powerful. She is not someone who defeats every obstacle without breaking down. She is vulnerable, frightened and grieving, yet she keeps moving forward. Her strength comes from continuing the journey even when she does not know where it will take her.
Nadine Ross was the antagonist in Uncharted 4. But even then, she took the spotlight by being unapologetically herself. And in The Lost Legacy, we got to experience an up and close look at her. Along with Nadine, the game also featured Chloe Frazer as the second protagonist and since these two couldn’t be more different, their constant bickering makes the game much more fun.
Nadine is disciplined, practical and far less interested in treasure hunting theatrics than Chloe. She is also someone who has already experienced failure, having lost control of Shoreline before the events of The Lost Legacy. That vulnerability makes her more than just the tough mercenary we first meet.
The game also does not suddenly make Nadine a completely different person (just like it should not have). She is still intimidating, blunt and more than capable of handling herself. But spending time with Chloe allows us to see her softer side as well.
Aloy is the perfect representation of how much the portrayal of female protagonists has changed over the years. She is incredibly powerful, not at all sexualised, emotionally guarded without being cold and heroic without being perfect. And when I played Horizon Zero Dawn for the first time, this character really did leave a strong impression on my mind.
From the moment we meet her as a young outcast, there is a sense that she does not quite belong in the world around her. And instead of accepting that, she spends her life fighting for herself and others. She is curious, stubborn, intelligent and deeply independent.
She also does not blindly accept the traditions of the Nora (her tribe in the game) or the explanations given to her and decides to challenge things. That strength is admirable, and much needed.
When you talk about Assassin’s Creed games, Kassandra is the first standalone female protagonist in the series. And the Spartan warrior makes the open world feel like it belongs to her. You can also play as her brother in the game but I naturally picked Kassandra.
The character’s personality makes the entire experience memorable. She can be funny, sarcastic, compassionate and even ruthless depending on the choices you make. Another thing that keeps her interesting is how she walks into almost every situation with the attitude that she will figure it out somehow, even when the odds are completely against her.
Stepping away from the larger Assassin’s Creed core experience, her relationship with her family gives the story an emotional core, while her interactions with the many strange characters she encounters make her journey feel personal.
Kassandra is also a reminder that female characters do not always have to be written as serious or stoic to be strong. She can joke, flirt, get angry, make mistakes and still be the most capable people in the room.
Ellie, in The Last of Us Part 1, is just a kid trying to understand a world that has taken almost everything from her. We see her confused, throwing tantrums, and find a father-like figure in Joel.
And in The Last of Us Part II, she is shown as a grown up, but with scars.
The game introduces us to the stronger Ellie, and also forces us to sit with her anger, grief and later on, obsession with revenge. Her actions aren’t always justified, but that’s also what makes her absolutely unforgettable. During one of the most intense and memorable scenes of the game, Ellie isn’t really featured on the screen. But like me, all players can’t help but think of her reaction. That is the beauty of this character.
Apart from being messy, making terrible decisions, hurting people and even struggling to let go of the past, Ellie is also someone who loves deeply, is compassionate, and cares about the people around her.
So, in my opinion, Ellie as a character is written with a lot of depth. She is not there to be a heroine, but to fight for what she believes in. And that is what defines her.
With Ghost of Yotei, Atsu had some big shoes to fill. The game’s predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, was one of the most beloved PlayStation games of its generation. So ofcourse, when the next game was announced -that too with a female protagonist – comparisons were obvious.
And when I finished playing the game, all I could think of was how Atsu never felt like a replacement for Jin Sakai. And that is the sign of a strong character.
Sixteen years after the Yōtei Six destroyed her family, Atsu sets out on a journey of revenge across Ezo. She is a wandering warrior, but her story is not simply about revenge, it is about confronting the people and memories that have shaped her life.
There is also a sense of loneliness that follows Atsu’s journey. She has spent years carrying the weight of what happened to her, and that gives her journey a very different emotional tone from Jin’s.
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