First let me go over a couple of honorable mentions:
GLaDOS: I really considered putting her on, but even stretching it GLaDOS would be more of an antagonist than a heroine, and not even really an anti-heroine. So I'll bench her until I arrive at a proper list.
Clementine: From the Walking Dead series, Clementine grew through the seasons from an innocent child to one that could protect herself. I still don't feel as close to her as I do these other ten, but she is very respectable, being able to take down both zombies and adults... To be fair I think the only reason she's not on this list is because of my own troubles with the Walking Dead game, which I won't dwell on.
Now onto my actual list.
MY TOP: 10 Favorite Video Game Heroines
10: Faith Conners from Mirror's Edge
I put her so low on this list because she's basically getting a reboot in the near future and I know there's a chance her personality will be changed. Technically that's going to be her canonical character after it comes out so for now I'm talking about Faith from the first game.
Faith's sheer strength and speed is astounding. She leaps over rooftops and takes down blues, 'cops', with little effort on her part to disarm them. Not only that, but Faith fears little, and is willing to get involved in uncovering a large conspiracy to save her framed sister, Kate. She is undeniably loyal. Nothing shakes her faith in her own abilities.
Between her incredible feats of strength and her firm morals, I can have the utmost faith in Faith.
9: Princess Garnet from Final Fantasy 9
In my opinion, Garnet is a princess done right. She's not merely a damsel in distress, but a growing and fluctuating character who goes from needing help to becoming a strong summoner and white mage over the course of the game. Not only that, but taking over as Queen of her kingdom, a feat that most princess characters, like Peach for one, don't ever tend to do. Then she prepares to protect her kingdom.
That being said, Garnet can be naive and too trusting, relying on her mother until the point that the Queen is actually willing to kill her, but does eventually learn and starts to become more cautious. What's great about Garnet is not that she's a perfect character, she's certainly not, but that she's able to learn and grow.
8: Rouge the Bat from Sonic the Hedgehog
Out of all of the female characters in the Sonic line up, which would be quite a long line including the current roster, Rouge is the one whose always stuck with me. While she is primarily a thief, she also works as a GUN agent and does her job relatively well, using her mix of stealth and acrobatics. Rouge is also a skilled fighter and has been able to hold herself against Knuckles, using her strong legs and wings to get a clear advantage.
This is a clear contrast with most of the other female characters, like Cream, whose frequently a damsel and distress, and Amy... Whose also usually a damsel in distress. Rouge wasn't made just to be saved and stands quite well when fighting for what she needs, or wants.
Confident, clever, and not afraid to stand up against anything coming after her as long as there's a big enough jewel waiting for her if she succeeds; Rouge is a strong and independent heroine (when she wants to be).
7: Shantae from Shantae
Shantae's spunk is only outdone by her magical skills as a genie. She can belly dance to transform, whip her hair to take down enemies, and keeps her home safe from any outside threats. What makes Shantae even more impressive is that for a period of time she did lose her magical abilities and was still able to make due with a variety of found weapons belonging to Risky Boots, her enemy who she was stuck in a truce with.
Perhaps she is a little unexperienced, Shantae is still relatively young compared to some of the other females on this list, but she still throws herself in head first and pulls out pretty well. You don't want this girl shaking her fist at you, but you will certainly want her protecting your town.
6: Samus from Metroid
Before anyone asks, Samus is lower on the list because I know she's on a ton of other lists. Still, what Samus accomplished, becoming one of the first female characters to take storm over the others, is quite a feat in and of itself... There's not really anything I can say other than that. Everything's already been said hundreds of times about Samus.
5: Marina from Mischief Makers
Marina is basically an intergalactic maid who takes care of an accident prone professor, but on a more descriptive note she is much more. She's strong, determined, and has a moral compass that always points towards good. Marina's sheer strength and ability to 'shake' things are quite impressive. She works with her cyborg body like a pro and fights creatures double her size.
Not to mention she does truly care for her professor who, in an ironic twist, gets kidnapped so much that it could rival some damsels in distress. She is willing to drop everything and throw herself fully into danger to save him. Her selflessness is certainly remarkable and her reward at the end is to become human, which depending on your inputted age will be either a girl or a woman.
Plus, Marina's one of the only girls I've seen knock around a guy when he gets too handsy.
4: Kazooie from Banjo-Kazooie
Kazooie's got a sharp beak and isn't afraid to use it in more ways than one. Even though Banjo's 'sidekick', her use is shown through exactly how many of Banjo's attacks rely fully on Kazooie. In fact, it seems relatively possible that Kazooie could have done most of the quest on her own. But Banjo and her make a better team and balance each other out well.
Does that affect how good of a character she is? Not at all. She can hold her own fine. It's good to have a friend like Banjo too, as Kazooie's sharp tongue doesn't make her many friends. Then again, she doesn't need to be popular to be happy; she just needs a proper adventure and some baddies to beat. Or maybe a witch head to bat around in a friendly game.
3: Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite
There's no surprise why Elizabeth is here. She is on many top female characters lists, but I think it's worth putting her on it again. Elizabeth is certainly intelligent and, in the beginning of the game, is much more naive than towards the end of the game when she firms up. Through the course of the game she endears hardships and harsh realizations, becoming stronger along the way.
Not to mention her ability to open reality tears; literally tearing reality apart with her hands. This, as well, starts to become more powerful over the game until the point at the end of the game where she can see every reality, or all of the 'doors'. In a way she becomes omnipotent.
...However, I have a small bit of a confession. Personally I like Elizabeth's personality before all of the corruption sinks in; when she is smiles and wonder about her new world. That's the tragedy about her character; there's no going back to that girl she was before when she left the tower. She will always be tainted by what she saw and now sees her world for what it is. The look of someone's dreams shattered.
Elizabeth is both the cage and the bird, flying free and returning trapped again, over and over... On another note, I may be the only person who likes the cage cameo better.
2: Midna from Legend of Zelda
Midna is a perfect example of a side character done right. In a single game the Twilight Princess took storm as one of the first characters, apart from the main three (Link, Zelda, Ganondorf) to really take the stage and make it her own. Midna starts out with her own goals in mind, making an almost one-sided deal to help Link if he helps her, not thinking much of the world of light.
Yet as the story progresses, as she gets closer to Link, she starts to realize her selfish behavior and even reveals how she's been usurped from her throne. Zelda's sacrifice confirms her decision and she rises to stop Zant and Ganondorf by Link's side. Not only does this give Midna fleshed out character development not usually found in a Legend of Zelda game.
Her power alone is obvious early on and only grows with the fused shadow. From a simply sphere of energy that can shatter chains, to killing one of the main antagonists by impaling him with her hair, and finally becoming a larger, more powerful form to break into the barrier surrounding Hyrule Castle. Everything Midna does feels strong while feeling like she could always do more, even when severely injured by Zant midway through the game.
Even though her character was watered down in Hyrule Warriors, to make way for the excessive attention on Lana and a weird focus on shoving Link and Zelda together as a couple, she still pulls out a cool moment when she sucker punches the villain with her hair. Regardless of being a lesser character, Midna still manages to stand out, and that shows something amazing for her.
1: Alice from American Mcgee's Alice and Madness Returns
For years I admired Alice Liddell. She was one of the first female characters who I looked at and could honestly say that she was badass. After losing her parents and sister in a fire, Alice went insane and somehow survived years in a mental hospital before snapping alert inside of Wonderland to take her mind back. Of course there's hiccups along the way, deaths and tears, but Alice still keeps going and pushes herself further, saving herself. Then, after leaving the asylum, must save her mind again from a new threat that may be something there all along.
Alice is strong willed, snarky, and sharp-witted, not to mention especially skilled with a Vorpal Blade. She has a slew of other weapons as well from both games; the Croquet Mallet, the Pepper Grinder, and many more. Normal monsters and baddies don't make her bat an eye, not second guessing herself until stuck in an actual bind, and even then she still manages to push through.
Eventually she rises to claim her Wonderland and becomes at ease with both worlds, for the moment, and finally free of her Survivor's Guilt for being the only one who survived the fire that killed her family. Finally she manages to move on.
Alice is not damaged; she's gone through hell and back but still pulls through with her mind intact enough to know what she needs to do. Whether in the gloomy city of London or the seemingly bright world of Wonderland, she rights herself and continues to fight on. It is quite an impressive feat and while balancing on the edge of insanity at any moment, she continues to survive.
There was no way I couldn't put Alice at the top of my list. She is an impressive heroine who manages to smite the one villain who gave her a run for her money; herself. As of the last appearance of Alice, seeming in the Otherland shorts, Alice is still moving on with her head high and nothing standing in her way.
Thank you for reading! Please click a few ads and stay close by for my 'Top 10 video game Heroines I can't stand'. Title may change.
No comments:
Post a Comment