Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 21

Thread: What makes a good Heroine?

  1. #1
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Nowhere and Everywhere
    Posts
    19,544
    Articles
    60
    Blog Entries
    27
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Relm What makes a good Heroine?

    We've been seeing a rise in female leads in gaming lately, but what are your thoughts on female leads? Who are some of the best ones and which ones do you feel give women a bad name?

  2. #2

    Default

    Strong physically AND mentally. If she can just wield two guns and shoot a zombie but that's it, then she's not really all that great IMO.

  3. #3
    Huh? Flower?! What the hell?! Administrator Psychotic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Posts
    53,267
    Articles
    71

    Default

    Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite is probably my favourite. She starts out as the damsel in distress, a trope that you'd think should be avoided at all costs when making a good heroine, but becomes so much more after going a real transformative journey. I think it also helps that she has so much more life and spark and depth to her than the protagonist, a standard generic brown haired stubbled man.

    Also from a gameplay perspective she is the perfect escort mission - she does not need your help whatsoever and her AI is brilliantly intuitive in knowing when you're in a critical moment and desperately need more ammo she'll throw it right in your face. Her own powers are majestic too.

  4. #4
    Yes homo Mr. Carnelian's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Hampshire, England
    Posts
    2,177

    Default

    They've got to have at least a little bit of character and/or depth to be a great heroine, I'd say. Not saying they have to be a multi-layered onion of emotion and backstory, but like Maybee says, if they're just a gun/sword/whatever wielding badass and that's it, I may well lose interest in them.

    I'll come back in a bit when I've thought of some good examples.

  5. #5
    Radical Dreamer Fynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Tower of the Swallow
    Posts
    18,929
    Articles
    57
    Blog Entries
    16

    FFXIV Character

    Fynnek Zoryasch (Twintania)
    Contributions
    • Former Editor
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    Needs to be a person first. Plain and simple. Dunno if she counts since she’s a silent protagonist in the game she actually does lead, but Maya Amano is still one of my favorite gaming heroines. She is central to the plot, her personality is so lovable and positive, and yet she has flaws and vulnerabilities that really have nothing to do with being a woman or being victimized. Same goes for Aqua from Kingdom Hearts - she the smartest person in the group, spending most of her story fixing what the others messed up, but there’s no sexist message behind it.

    Basically, I think I like female heroes for the same reasons I like male heroes and, in general, I think that if you can switch the gender and it still works, you’re doing something good with your character. Heck, despite how polarizing she is, I think even Lightning is a good heroine if only because I have no problem imagining her as a man as it would really not impact the story at all. And I don’t mean heroines shouldn’t be feminine - all of my three examples are very overtly feminine without going too stereotypical or oversexualizing them.

  6. #6
    Jinx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    15,749
    Articles
    4
    Blog Entries
    3
    Contributions
    • Hosted the Ciddies

    Default

    She needs to be able to be vulnerable and fall in love. For some reason writers like to go hard left with "strong" female leads and not give her a love interest. Which is actually incredibly insulting. I know so many amazing women who are married and moms, or just looking for love. It doesn't take away their strength. Being open is one of the strongest things you can do.
    Quote Originally Posted by Fynn View Post
    Jinx you are absolutely smurfing insane. Never change.

  7. #7
    Radical Dreamer Fynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Tower of the Swallow
    Posts
    18,929
    Articles
    57
    Blog Entries
    16

    FFXIV Character

    Fynnek Zoryasch (Twintania)
    Contributions
    • Former Editor
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    I think the reason is that for so many years being in love and being the love interest was pretty much all a woman could do in video games - and that’s if she’s not a simple damsel or McGuffin. This trend is probably just a reaction to that - a pull in the other direction that will subside later before things even out more

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jinx View Post
    She needs to be able to be vulnerable and fall in love. For some reason writers like to go hard left with "strong" female leads and not give her a love interest. Which is actually incredibly insulting. I know so many amazing women who are married and moms, or just looking for love. It doesn't take away their strength. Being open is one of the strongest things you can do.
    I tried to rep this post twice.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fynn View Post
    I think the reason is that for so many years being in love and being the love interest was pretty much all a woman could do in video games - and that’s if she’s not a simple damsel or McGuffin. This trend is probably just a reaction to that - a pull in the other direction that will subside later before things even out more
    Ehhhhhh but look at Princess Peach. Even to this day, we don't know how strong towards her feelings are towards Mario. It's more like an "award" for the male character-hero and the player for completing the game. You defeat the villain, you save the girl, you get her kiss or hug or "even better" a relationship with her. Credits roll. Nerd from 1987 grabs his skateboard and goes home feeling accomplished.
    Last edited by maybee; 07-26-2018 at 08:37 PM.

  9. #9
    Trial by Wombat Bubba's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Shmocation
    Posts
    10,370
    Articles
    2
    Blog Entries
    2
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by maybee View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Jinx View Post
    She needs to be able to be vulnerable and fall in love. For some reason writers like to go hard left with "strong" female leads and not give her a love interest. Which is actually incredibly insulting. I know so many amazing women who are married and moms, or just looking for love. It doesn't take away their strength. Being open is one of the strongest things you can do.
    I tried to rep this post twice.
    I’ve got your back.

    Absolutely. Vulnerability is a trait often overlooked in a strong, female lead. It can be one of their biggest strengths given the situation. When I think of brilliantly realised female characters I think of Ellen Ripley in Alien or Ellie from The Last of Us. Sometimes the emotion of a situation can lead to the voice breaking or even tears. But dammit this is a strength and one that writers should attribute to male leads too.

    I agree with Jinx though that writers shouldn’t be afraid of the love interest. I adored Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn but I think a love interest would have added another dimension. I get that the writers wanted her to be non-sexualised (and it worked) but that doesn’t mean you should avoid romance/connections altogether.

    Edit: I really liked how Jyn and Cassian’s relationship was done in Rogue One as a good example.

  10. #10
    The Pondering Panda Leigh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    463

    FFXIV Character

    Kai Windflower (Sargatanas)

    Default

    I've been out of the video game loop for a while. Are they still writing 'strong' female characters basically like tesosterone filled dudes sans penis?

  11. #11

    Default

    Aloy had vulnerability and practical armor. Cant speak on the new Lara Croft. 2B was surprisingly good, and stands out despite her sexualized outfit. I feel like Transistor, Gravity Rush, and of course good ol' Ellie were done pretty well. Most of the bad female leads are stylized Hyperdimension or Senran Kagura schlock from my perspective. There's not a lot of female leads still, but they're not all bad. Last testosterone one I'm aware of was Bullet - something. Female Duke Nukem which I'm surprised they thought would even sell in today's environment

  12. #12
    Gobbledygook! Recognized Member Christmas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Pious Moose's HQ
    Posts
    13,393
    Blog Entries
    6
    Contributions
    • Hosted the Ciddies

    Default

    Boobies and single.

  13. #13
    Would sniff your fingers to be polite
    Nameleon.
    Quindiana Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    These mountains are made of rainbows.
    Posts
    20,870
    Blog Entries
    6
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    Big throbbing knobs.

  14. #14

    Default

    Hadn't realized I killed the thread with that comment 4 years ago. Go me. And how the hell did I make a comment about quality female leads and not mention Jade. One of my all-time favorite video game females from Beyond Good and Evil



  15. #15

    Default

    I don't know. I guess primarily terra in ffvi was more independent and written in a more unique way. It's hard to say in this medium what would be a good heroine because it's too limited as it currently stands.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •