Published on 1st March 2023 by Jimmy Bennett
International Women's Day is just around the corner, so we’ve taken the opportunity to ask GAME customers about their favourite and best female game characters.
Gaming has a rich history, full to the brim with memorable characters from all walks of life. Women in gaming make up a huge part of this and have given us some of the most iconic characters in the medium. From older classics such as the Resident Evil Franchise to newer titles like The Last of Us, there’s a wealth of powerful female video game characters that have captured our imagination.
We put out a poll to our GAME customers to hear their votes for their favourite female video game characters. With an amazing over 800 responses, we have managed to collate together your votes for your favourite female video game characters.
9. Jane Shepard (Mass Effect Series), Chun-Li (Street Fighter Series) and Elena Fisher (Uncharted Series) - 14%
In a 3-way joint 9th place spot, we have three Iconic characters from the world of gaming.
Jane Shepard, the female protagonist the player can select for Mass Effect, steered us through Bioware’s amazing action RPG series. Moulded by the player's decisions but still maintaining a forceful personality of her own, Jane Shepard was a protagonist who was instantly in control of any situation, no matter how desperate it seemed.
One of the oldest video game characters on the list, Chun-Li burst onto the scene in Street Fighter 2 in 1991. Known for her fighting prowess, over 30 years later she has maintained her legacy as a key character in the world of fighting games. She is a standout female Street Fighter character that continues to capture our imagination.
Every bit as badass and cool under fire as Nathan Drake himself, Elena Fisher proves to be his equal in every regard. A tough-as-nails journalist, always ready with a smart quip and a way out of sticky situations, Elena proves she has what it takes to handle herself in every situation the Uncharted series throws her way.
8. Princess Zelda (Zelda Series), Cortana (Halo Series) - 15%
The character from which the series gets its name, Princess Zelda is a force for good, dedicated to protecting her kingdom and its inhabitants. Depending on the Legend of Zelda game, she is either the heir to or the ruler of Hyrule, facing off against any threats which oppose her kingdom. Her benevolence is unmatched, making her a female video game character we can all respect.
Unique as she’s the only A.I. On this list, Cortana is an essential part of the Halo series and a stalwart companion of Master Chief. There’s no doubt that humanity would have never been able to defeat the Covenant and the Flood without the amazing capabilities Cortana possessed, giving humanity the edge they needed over their overwhelming enemies.
7. Yennefer of Vengerberg (The Witcher Series) - 18%
As iconic to the Witcher series as Geralt himself, Yennefer of Vengerberg has quite a journey on her path to becoming a master sorceress. Born as a hunchback, Yennefer suffered a rough childhood with a father who loathed her before training to become a sorceress. Here, she quickly earned a name for herself and grew a reputation as one of the most powerful magic wielders in the known world.
Infinitely resourceful and always prepared for the obstacles ahead, Yennefer is a key figure in the world of the Witcher. She is Geralt's one true love and a surrogate mother figure to Ciri who she protects with all her ability. In a world full of chaos, Yennefer is a beacon of order who provides hope and strength to those around her.
6. Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy Series) - 20%
While a shy and reserved figure in the world of Final Fantasy 7, Tifa Lockhart is the glue that holds the team together in the fight against Sephiroth. A voice of reason amongst enthusiastic but bull-headed teammates, Tifa Lockhart keeps the team grounded, finding the thread of reason amongst the chaos.
Despite being a shy and reserved character outsode of battle, as soon as you enter combat Tifa Lockhart, this female Final Fantasy character engages with a ferocious fighting style. She can more than hold her own in combat with an array of powerful abilities that could be the difference between life and death.
5. Ciri (The Witcher Series) - 21%
Our second character from the Witcher series to appear on this list, Ciri is the focal point of the Witcher series and has permeated her way into wider pop culture. An heir to a kingdom, she is one of the most powerful beings in the world, with enough destructive potential to tear it apart. With a mix of powerful magical abilities and Witcher training, she is a lethal weapon.
Despite her destructive potential, Ciri becomes a force for good, defeating the titular Wild Hunt and saving the world. As her reward, she gets to settle down alongside Yennefer and Geralt and become a true family.
If you haven’t already, make sure you check out The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition for next-gen consoles.
4. Jill Valentine (Resident Evil Series) - 22%
Resident Evil is well known for its host of strong female characters, none of which are more memorable than Jill Valentine. First appearing in 1996 in the first Resident Evil game, Jill Valentine was one of two playable characters. Remaining incredibly composed as the madness unfolded around her, she soon proved herself immensely capable.
A member of the elite S.T.A.R.S unit, Jill is a weapons expert and skilled combatant. She has no problem fighting her way through hordes of zombies throughout the Resident Evil series, honing her skills as a fighter. Her intelligence keeps her a step ahead of danger throughout her struggle for survival, helping her earn her place as one of the best female video game characters.
3. Ellie Williams (The Last of Us Series) - 29%
The key to humanity’s survival and an ever-resourceful survivor, Ellie Williams has cemented her reputation as one of gaming’s greatest female characters in such a short amount of time. Players instantly fell in love with her when playing The Last of Us Part 1, endeared by her winning mix of intelligence, sense of humour and foul mouth responses.
Throughout the two games, Ellie goes on an arduous journey with her stalwart companion Joel. Together, they form a deep bond as they travel across the desolate USA, facing no end of challenges. Ellie is a powerfully strong character that makes us laugh and cry alongside her.
2. Aloy (Horizon Series) - 33%
Taking a sizable chunk of the vote and securing her place in the podium spots, Aloy is the breakout character from PlayStation's Horizon games. Facing off against impossibly sized machines, Aloy goes against her people’s traditions and uses technology in her fight against the machines.
Her skill is unparalleled when it comes to taking down the machines that stalk the land. However, what makes Aloy more relatable is her struggle when she interacts with others having had a rough first 18 years. Her tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds marks her out as a truly strong female video game character.
1. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider series) - 51%
Taking the victory with a huge percentage of the vote and one of gaming’s definitive characters, in the top spot we have Lara Croft. Master explorer and adventure, Lara burst onto screens all the way back in 1996 with the first Tomb Raider game. Decades on, she continues to be an established icon of not only gaming but pop culture in general.
She’s gone through a number of variations over the years, but Lara’s character always remains an impressively tough, intelligent and likeable character. Raised in aristocracy but rejecting this life in favour of adventure and action, Lara has honed her skills to become a world-renowned archaeologist and the titular Tomb Raider.
She has earnt her place as an iconic female game character, proving time after time the resourcefulness, wit and humour that make her a pop culture phenomenon.
