Although most games still feature predominantly male protagonists, the role-playing genre is one of the few genres that has had a relatively large amount of amazing female protagonists since the 90s. Besides horror franchises like resident Evil or visual novel series like As a lawyer, RPGs typically have some of the most impactful and memorable female characters in video games.
Since many classic RPG titles and series, such as Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem, feature many remarkable women, it is difficult to cite just a few examples. But, there are characters that stand out among the rest.
ten Amaterasu – Okami
Considered one of the best games ever made, Okami is an action-adventure game with a beautiful sumi-e inspired art style centered on Japanese mythology and folklore. Set in historical Japan, the game follows the sun goddess Amaterasu, who takes on the animal form of a white wolf, as she saves the world from demons using the power of the celestial brush.
Besides being a powerful goddess, Amaterasu is a great protagonist as she is both kind and firm. Although she is always ready to help others, she is not afraid to show her own opinions and emotions. For example, Amaterasu falls asleep during boring conversations and shows her displeasure when characters say or do things she doesn’t like.
9 Koudelka Iasant – Koudelka
Created by Hiroki Kikuta, who previously worked as a composer for the mana series, Koudelka is a survival horror RPG and the first installment of the shadow hearts series. Set in 1898 Aberystwyth, Wales, the main protagonist, a young psychic Roma woman named Koudelka Iasant, travels to Nemeton Monastery after being guided there by a spirit. While trying to uncover the dark secrets of the place, she teams up with an adventurer, Edward Plunkett, and a bishop, James O’Flaherty.
Due to her psychic powers, Koudelka was banished from her Roma village as a child and spent most of her life barely surviving on her own. These difficulties have caused her to have a cynical outlook, which manifests early in the game when she immediately pulls out a knife when she first meets Edward or when she suspects that the monastery guards have poisoned their food. . Despite this, Koudelka always tries to help those around her and she is a wonderful mother for her future son.
8 Maya Amano – Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Since Megami Tensei subseries Personage became mainstream after the release of Persona 3, many new fans don’t know much about the previous one Personage securities. For example, many people may not know that Personas 2 consisted of two main titles. The first half of the story, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, had a high school student named Tatsuya Suou as the silent protagonist.
But, in the second half, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, one of the party members, a young woman named Maya Amano, becomes the silent protagonist and Tatsuya Suou becomes the party member instead. Because of this, the player already has a clear understanding of Maya’s character even though she is now speechless. During both titles, she is a strong and kind person who always tries to think positively and be supportive of others.
7 Miriam – Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
With Konami largely exiting the gaming industry in favor of pachinko machines, there’s unlikely to be a new Castlevania payment soon. Fortunately, the old Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi left Konami to create his own spiritual successor known as bloodied series. Released in 2019 as the second installment of this new franchise, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night follows a young woman named Miriam who must stop an army of demons.
Although Miriam had a difficult childhood, she has an unwavering sense of justice and always chooses to use her Shardbinder powers to help others. She’s never afraid to run into dangerous situations, and she’s smart enough to notice small details and fend off her enemies’ misguided arguments.
6 Red – Transistor
Created by indie studio Supergiant Games, which has also created other critically acclaimed titles such as Hades, Pyre, and Stronghold, Transistor is an action RPG that follows a young woman named Red as she travels through the city of Cloudbank and battles against a robotic force known as the Process using a glowing sword called the Transistor. After a group called Camerata attempts to assassinate Red but kills her lover instead, Red loses her voice and goes on a journey to find out why she was targeted.
Early in the game, Red demonstrates his determination and strength by deciding to confront the Camerata instead of fleeing the city. Throughout the story, she is able to beat several tough opponents and she always keeps pushing forward despite the struggles and difficulties she faces.
5 Princess Eirika – Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Often considered one of the best games in the set fire emblem franchise, the 2004 tactical JRPG Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones was released as the third and final fire emblem installment on the Game Boy Advance. The game follows two twins, Princess Eirika and Prince Ephraim, as they attempt to stop the Grado Empire from invading other nations and destroying the Sacred Stones.
Unlike her more brash and impulsive brother, Eirika dislikes violence and has a much more balanced head. Although she wants everything to be resolved peacefully, she adapts to the circumstances and successfully leads her troops, but she is always on the lookout for opportunities to be merciful and forgiving.
4 Aya Brea – Parasite Eve
Created as a sequel to the sci-fi horror novel of the same name, parasitic eve is a 1998 PS1 action horror JRPG that spawned two sequels. The original game is set around Christmas and follows the main heroine, an NYPD rookie named Aya Brea, as she tries to stop a woman named Eve who plans to end the human race by reawakening the mitochondria in their body. .
Due to her special mitochondrial abilities, Aya feels alienated from others and fears becoming a monster. Despite this, she always tries to do the right thing and help others. Although she is quite calm and tries to remain professional at all times, she can also be stubborn and sarcastic when the situation calls for it.
3 Zero – Drakengard 3
Released in 2013 for the PS3, Drakengard 3 is the last game of the Drakengard series and a prequel to the original Drakegard, which led to the spin-off series Deny. The game follows a woman named Zero and her dragon partner Mikhail as they attempt to kill her five sisters across several different timelines.
Initially, Zero appears to have a haughty, impatient, violent, and apathetic personality. But, as the player learns more about her, it slowly becomes apparent that she cares about her comrades and that her negative traits largely stem from her history, guilt, and self-deprecation. .
2 Emily Kaldwin – Dishonored 2
Set 15 years after the first iconic game, 2016’s action-adventure game Dishonored 2 follows former Empress Emily Kaldwin or her father Corvo Attano as they attempt to reclaim the throne from the witch Delilah Copperspoon. Although Corvo was the protagonist of the first game, Emily is the canon protagonist of this sequel.
After her tumultuous youth, Emily is now a strong and ambitious woman fighting for justice. With her wide range of skills and keen intelligence, she is able to defeat most enemies with ease, but she can be impulsive. While she still mourns the loss of her mother, she has decided to continue living and working for a bright future.
1 Terra Branford – Final Fantasy VI
Set in a steampunk setting instead of a medieval fantasy setting, the 1994 SNES JRPG Final Fantasy VI was a major turning point for the series. The game follows 14 permanent playable characters as they attempt to stop the evil Empire from rediscovering magic and ruining the world.
At the start, the player meets the first main character, a young woman named Terra Branford. Due to her strange magical powers, she was enslaved by the empire until the revolutionary organization, the Returners, managed to strip her of her “slave crown”. During the game, she learns to accept her abilities and gains the courage to protect others.
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