Summary

• Female characters in action games are becoming more diverse, less objectified, and more developed over time.
• These characters are chosen for their diverse backgrounds, strengths, and compelling character development.
• Some notable female characters in action games include Aloy, Elizabeth, Ellie, Lara Croft, and Jill Valentine.

Action games are often renowned for epic combat and fun gameplay, but part of what makes them so great is the characters. Over the years, these characters, especially the protagonists, have been men. However, slowly but surely, more female characters have gained the spotlight over the last two to three de꧟cades.

There are certainly not enough of them, especially representation for queer or women of color, but it’s clear 📖the female characters are getting more diversified, less objectified, and more developed as the years go on. From iconic protagonists to underrated side characters, these are 10 of the best female characters in action games.

This select💙ion was chosen for their diverse backgrounds, strengt🥀hs, and compelling character development.

10 Aloyꦬ - Horizon 🍬

Aloy is a character who's quite literally carrying the world's weight on her shoulders. In Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy is exiled from her tribe as an infant and raised on the outskirts of the village. There, she learns how to fight, hunt, and be resourceful.

Because of every🌺thing she knows and her significance to the plot, Aloy easily becomes the hero of both Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, selflessly throwing herself against impossible odds to save the planet and all its inhabitants, whether friend or𝕴 foe.

9 Angrboða - God Of War: Ragnarok 🔥

It's easy for God of War: Ragnarok to have a more serious tone, so it's great that characters like Angrboða provide an escape from the central conflict and into another realm. Though her realm has its own slew of unique problems, it's mostly a whimsical land that Angrboða explores with her magical animal friends.

Angrboða 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:develops an important relationship wi🌄th Atreus, as she reveals her unique ability to see the future. All her prophecies are unchanging, which ♓is something she grapples with﷽ throughout the plot.

8 Elizabeth - BioShock Infinite ✱

You’re first introduced to Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite. Though Booker Dewitt is the only playable character in the game, Elizabeth is clearly the main character. First seeming like a damsel in d🐽istress, lo💯cked in her tower, Elizabeth proves to be the most powerful character in the whole series.

Elizabeth can create "tears" in reality, which are openings to other dimensions. 🔴With this power, she can conjure virtually anything you need in battle. She may begin as naive, but she quickly becomes wise beyond her years.

7 🌠 Senua - Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Senua, from Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, is a character burdened by grief, searching for her deceased partner in Helheim, the realm of the dead in Norse mythology. Senua is a complex character struggling 🍸with visual and auditory hallu🙈cinations.

In our world today, we’d recognize this as a symptom of psychosis, but in Senua’s world, she believes it to be a curse that she names the “Darkness.” It's debatable whether this representation of mental illness is destigmatized, but the depth it offers makes her more compelling than most characters.

6 Nadine Ross - Unchar🃏ted: Lost Lega༺cy

Though Nadine Ross only appears in two games, her presence in both stories is unforgettable. Originally a villain, Nadine168澳洲幸运5开奖网: makes her fiꩲrst appearance in Uncharted 4. You're introduced to her when she attacks Nathan Drake, throwing him around like a ragdoll, all while dressed up in black-tie attire.

Nadine gets a redemption arc in Uncharted: Lost Legacy as one of the two playable characters alongside Chloe Frazier. The game delves deeper into Nadine's background and history, offering greater character development than what she receives in the previous game.

5 ♚ Ellie - The Last Of Us

As one of the main protagonists of The Last of Us series, Ellie is iconic for various reasons. Originally under the guidance of Joel, a cold smuggler turned father figure, Ellie is highly trained on how to f𒉰ight, hunt, heal, and handle weaponry throughout the game.

In the first game, she’s a scrappy 14-year-old girl with a fun vocabulary, but in the second game, she’s almost unrecognizable. After years of living in this post-apocalyptic landscape, Ellie has loved and lost too many times to count. Her experiences harden her into a relentless, unforgi💮✤ving force.

4 Kitana - Mortal Kombat🎐🧜

First appearing in Mortal Kombat II, Kitana is one of the best fight💫ers in ജthe Mortal Kombat series. Kitana fightsജ with two steel fans, which often cause𓂃 the most brutal fatalities and epic combos.

Kitana originally believed herself to be the daughter of Shao Kahn, one of the game's primary antagonists. She eventually discovers her true identity as the princess of Edenia, recognizing that she was merely a pawn in Shao Kahn's schemes. Once she realizes this, she quickly becomes a legendary protagonist, allying herself with heroes.

3 ꦓ 💎 Samus Aran - Metroid

Samus Aran is one of Nintendo’s most powerful charact🌠ers. She first appeared in the original Metroid in 1986. Equipped in her heavy Power Suit, players were surprised to discover Samus’ gender by the end of the game, as many assumed she was a man.

The intergalactic bounty hunter works༺ with the Galactic Federation to protect the vulnerable from all types of alien threats. Her Power Suit givꦰes her incredible abi📖lities that make her unbeatable in combat. Outside of her Power Suit, she continues to have impeccable agility and prowess.

2 Jill Valentine - Resident Evil ✃

Out of all the characters to grace the Resident Evil franchise, Jill Valentine is easil🌃y one of the most impressive. As a military veteran, she’s a prime recruit for the Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S) of the Raccoon Police Department.

Jill hasn’t just survived her encounters with foes; she’s annihilated them. As a playable character in many 🐲Resident Evil games, she always perseveres, whether it’s against infected people, a pack of zombie dogs, or massive, monstrous bosses like Nemesis.

1 Lara Croft - Tomb Raider 🥃

Lara Croft is one of the most iconic characters in the history of video games, regardless of genre. The archaeologist first appears in 1996 in Tomb Raider, the first installment in the series. Following its success, the Tomb Raider series evolved into a franchise, leaving Lara Croft with more than 12 games꧒ under her belt and more to come.

Because she's been around for so long, Lara has changed in appearance and personality over the years, but she’s consistently brilliant and formidable in every game she stars in. She can be equipped with dual pistols, a bow, or pry axes and be just as skilled and intimidating.