One important element that can make a game successful is through its main protagonist. A great plot can only work if the journey is seen through the eyes of an interesting character. That’s why developers try to introduce a strong-willed character with all the characteristics of a hero. Although most protagonists are men, some developers who are brave enough to take the risk introduce female characters as the game’s main lead.
Here are some of the best PC games with female protagonists.
Tomb Raider (Lara Croft)
Tomb Raider was one of the first few games to ever hit fame, thanks to its fearless female protagonist which we all came to love. Lara Croft is an English archaeologist and adventurer who travels around the world, searching for lost artifacts and infiltrating dangerous ruins and tombs. The game was so popular it spawned its own movie series which starred Angelina Jolie in 2001. The movie is having a reboot and will star Alicia Vikander.
The game is one of the best-selling video game franchises and has sold more than 58 million copies worldwide. And one can’t deny the fact that its main protagonist is one of the underlying reason why it has become a success.
Mirror’s Edge (Faith Connors)
Mirror’s Edge is a 2008 first person adventure-action game by EA Dice, which was rebooted in 2016 and was released as Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst. The game is set in a quasi-dystopian universe wherein a network known as runners delivers messages and relevant documents while evading the keen eyes of the authoritarian government. Faith Connors, the main character, happens to be one of the runners who is eager to prove the innocence of her sister Kate Connors, who has been framed for murdering the Pope.
The gameplay is greatly inspired by parkour and requires players to guide Faith by negotiating obstacles using movement.
Mass Effect (Commander Shepard)
Mass Effect is an action-RPG game that was developed by Bioware. It revolves around the story of Commander Shepard, who has a mission to save the galaxy from a race of powerful mechanical creatures known as Reapers. The game allows its player to choose the gender of the main character Commander Shepard. Customization also includes appearance, skills, and pre-service history, which can cause an impact to the story.
Choosing Commander Shepard can be one of the amazing things to do in the game. Besides that, the character’s voice actress Jennifer Hale did an excellent job in putting life into the character.
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation (Aveline de Grandpré)
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation introduces the franchise trademark open world gameplay. It also happens to be one of the few games in the series that introduces a female playable character. It is the first game in the Assasins Creed series that introduces a female character as the main protagonist. It is set between 1765 and 1777 and focuses on the story of Aveline de Grandpré, an African-French Assassin who lives in New Orleans.
Although it received mixed reviews from the critics, Liberation was greatly praised for introducing a female protagonist.
ReCore (Joule)
ReCore is an action-adventure platform video game from Armature Studio. It first garnered attention due to its cinematic trailer that shows an unnamed female character in what seems to be a dystopian world. Its story follows the journey of Joule Adams, a volunteer from the utopian colony of Far Eden, who wakes centuries in cryo-sleep only to find out that nothing has gone according to the plan. With the help of her three robot machines, she ventures on an adventure to know the secrets behind the failed mission.
The game was released in 2016 for Microsoft Windows PCs and gaming laptops as well as XBox One. It also features a semi-open world environment for players to explore and discover.