f you’re a fan of video games and a feminist, it’s been a rough few weeks. With a deluge of abusive threats and harassment directed at high-profile women in the gaming community, the rise of #GamerGate, and the reflexive refusal by some gamers to cede that, yeah, maybe sexism in games is an issue, it’s easy to feel like the whole gaming landscape is a wasteland for female opinions, stories, and characters. But you can take heart in this, at least — there are a handful of awesome, feminist women protagonists in video games, and they deserve your attention too.
Of course, none of this dissolves any of the feminist critiques of video game tropes in the gaming community. Anita Sarkeesian’s Tropes vs. Women in Video Games series on Feminist Frequency is probably the best call-out of these persistent stereotypes. All the same, even in a relative fever swamp of lazy, stereotypical female roles, there are some diamonds in the rough. Looking for examples? You’re in luck! Here are four female video game heroes, women that can kick ass and save the day with their own guile, intelligence, and strength, thank you very much.
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