Video games have long ceased to be an entertainment exclusively for teenagers. It is now a fascinating attraction for people of all ages. But as in many industries, like activities on a safe gambling site to bet on sports or car racing, men are considered a target audience. So, there are more virtual heroes than heroines. And this despite the fact that there are over 40% of women gamers in the world.
In recent years, the situation has slowly started to change. For example, Red Dead Redemption 2 by Rockstar Games has undergone serious changes in relation to the gender issue. Women in the world of RDR 2 are living people. Some rob banks and massacre enemies, others raise children and worry about love relationships, and still others organize the first rallies for equal rights. There’s even a telling moment in the game: the protagonist goes to a women’s march where activists demand to be allowed to vote, and keeps an eye on things. And the good news is that this example is not the only one. Here are the games with women in the title role.
Life is Strange
Life is Strange came out in 2015. And this is good for one simple reason – now it has no problem to go on almost any device. The game is about a teenage girl who suddenly has the ability to control time and change not only the past but also the future. To tell or to keep silent in a conversation with the principal about the school bully? Comfort or ignore a depressed classmate? And even – to water the potted plant or not? Every choice you make is important. And every one will lead to a certain ending.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
The action of A Plague Tale: Innocence takes place in Medieval France. War, the Inquisition, and plague are rampant, signaling the harsh realities that 15-year-old Amisia, the daughter of a nobleman who has lost both her family and her status, must confront. In the adventure game, the protagonist must not only survive on her own, but also help her five-year-old brother in this difficult matter. Together they escape hordes of carnivorous rats, a deadly disease, and mysterious pursuers.
At first, the sister and brother are helped only by running away, but then Amisia gets a sling, from which she was once taught to shoot, and creates projectiles with which she manages to fight off the rodents and the soldiers of the Inquisition, albeit briefly. At first, the main character is the stereotypical damsel in distress. However, it quickly becomes clear that one should not wait for a savior, and it is better to become one yourself. An interesting story, dark atmosphere and touching relationship between brother and sister are the things you may love about this game.
Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human tells a story about a future in which there are robots that help people in various ways. They clean the house and even catch the criminals. However, this doesn’t make the problems any smaller. Resources on the planet are close to depletion, due to widespread robotization unemployment is growing rapidly, and then androids begin to experience emotions. And mankind, understandably, is not happy about it.
There are three main characters in the game – Marcus, Connor and Kara. They are robots that had some kind of software failure. So, they have feelings and their own will, just like humans. The player can control each of the characters in turn, learning their stories. Kara is an android who was bought to clean the house and keep an eye on the baby, but at a certain point, she realizes she is capable of more for the sake of saving a loved one. A brave and bright protagonist who defies the stereotype that a woman’s place is in the kitchen.
Gone Home
The paradox of Gone Home is that even though we don’t see any women in the game, this game is about them. The main character, as the narrator, returns to her family home in Oregon after studying abroad, but she doesn’t find any of her relatives there. And since everything takes place in 1995, the only thing left to do is to wander around the mansion looking for clues, examining literally every inch of it. Personal diaries, postcards, audio tapes, and even game cartridges have a lot to tell.
At first glance, the game may seem like a horror. Thunder rumbles, late evening, a huge house and missing tenants without a trace. But do not be fooled. In fact, Gone Home is a well-written and not at all scary story about father-child relationships, problems in marriage, finding yourself and your identity, and love.