Best well written/designed sexy video game characters

[Erttheking]

Something that bugs me about when some game developers make sexy characters in an attempt to appeal to heterosexual males like me is that it comes off as a bit flat sometimes. I'm not saying I've got anything against massive hoo-has, that couldn't be further from the truth, but I prefer them to be on an actual human being. When they've got comically thin proportions that makes me feel like I could break their bones by breathing on them too hard, or stupid outfits that don't match up with the tone the rest of the game set, or have shallow one dimensional wish fulfillment personalities where they make suggestive posses, flirt and do nothing else, I'll still find their body attractive, but the rest of me can't help but notice how insubstantial the character is and how sometimes it's almost like porn. Except porn would be a heck of a lot more direct and more convenient and actually does what you want it to do. And really, it's just annoying.

Yet in the last decade I've been seeing a string of sexy characters done well. Bayonetta is the most obvious one, no need to go into detail about her, that topic has been beaten to death and half. Another example I would have to throw out there is Morrigan from Dragon Age Origins. She does something with being sexy that I find rather interesting. She wears revealing clothing, yet the design of it makes it feel like it wasn't intentionally designed to just show off her boobs as much as possible, it feels more natural than that, which makes it feel more real. It looks like it was cobbled together out of whatever she could find, which considering that she's supposed to have spent her entire life living in an isolated hut with her adoptive mother, makes sense. There's also the bonus fact that she has a personality (One that can fray on the nerves at times [Morrigan disapproves anyone?], but still a three dimensional one) that makes her a character and not just something there to look pretty.

You got any examples to share?

 

[Ishal]

My snarky side wants to say...

> Well written characters
> Videogames

Pick one

But... sure, I'll play.

"Sexy" is going to be a bit subjective here, as there are several things that can be viewed as sexy.

1) Visas Marr from KOTOR II. She's a Miraluka, and sole survivor of an attack on her planet. She was forced into servitude of a Sith Lord, and, arguably, an eldritch abomination. She finds you, tries to kill you, you stop her. She joins your party. What I find sexy about Visas isn't her appearance. She wears robes + a veil that obscures her eyes and head. You can tell she likely has a shapely appearance, but it's her voice that really sells it as sexy. Kelly Hu gives a great performance. Sadly an underrated character in that game with great characters.

2) The Skull Girls. Not really comparable to someone like Morrigan, since it's not an RPG game. Yes, it's fan service-y. But there is a "Story" there, something I didn't know before. I don't play fighting games, so I never really considered the possibility. But it seems like these girls are fleshed out and given personalities. Or, perhaps it's better to call them Personas. I gather that in those types of games, it helps to give your fighters charisma and attitude.

I watched the story of Eliza, and damn...

Spoiler

She's cold. Given the art style and cast, I see a lot of fan art and cosplay of the characters. While being sexy is a big part, I don't think it's the whole picture. I think there wouldn't be as much love for the game if the characters didn't have motivations, personas, and just plain information to go along with them. I'd put them in the same category as Bayonetta, I guess.

3) I liked the character Fall From Grace in Planescape: Torment. She was written as a subversion of the succubus trope seen in so many RPG's at the time. The writer was tired of it, so he wrote a character who was different from the stereotype. Gentle, kind, well-spoken. Also fun fact, probably one of the first voice Jennifer Hale did in games.

 

[Fappy]

As much as people like to shit on the game around here I actually think Tifa Lockhart belongs on this list. Even though she was supposed to be relegated to the sorta-maybe girlfriend role for Cloud she ends up being so much more than that in the story of FFVII. She's brave, spunky and probably the most compassionate character in the entire game. One of the scenes that sticks out the most in my mind is when she basically drops everything to take care of a crippled/vegetable Cloud.

 

[Fox12]

Tifa wins the thread. We can all go home now. She's probably one of my favorite characters of all time. Of course, that's largely due to her personality and the strength of the writing. Personally, I think her outfit was a little too sexual, and needed to be toned down a little bit. Who the heck does martial arts in a tight leather mini-skirt?

Any male or female character from Persona 4. Visually, the characters are incredibly well designed, and maintain a simple but appealing style that also says something about their personalities. Seriously, the artist could be a fashion designer if he wanted. Look at this:

Spoiler

My snarky side wants to say...

> Well written characters
> Videogames

Pick one

I don't really get this sentiment, but I hear it often. I find the average video game produced nowadays to be far better then the average film, comic, or, ugh, television show. Sure, COD and Halo are pretty bad, but I'd sooner sit through those then what ever madness Michael Bay has decided to throw up on screen.

 

[Ishal]

I find the average video game produced nowadays to be far better then the average film, comic, or, ugh, television show.

And why is that? Because of the writing by itself? Or because of the writing that supplements the gameplay?

I agree with you about movies, and not just Bay movies, but Film in general. That was a snarky comment. But it is kind of how I feel. I've moved away from stories in games, and storytelling in games. I don't think they're suited for it. Not like other mediums are.

But I'm not going to get into that here. Though it is something I enjoy talking about. PM me if you want to continue this, I just don't want to derail the thread

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I mean you could really just pick any of the romance options from Mass Effect and call it done. But I'll give you my favorites.

Spoiler

Samara

Spoiler

Jack

Spoiler

And my favorite, Tali.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Tifa wins the thread. We can all go home now.

I'm pretty sure you meant to say Alyx Vance.

 

[go-10]

Tifa wins the thread. We can all go home now. She's probably one of my favorite characters of all time. Of course, that's largely due to her personality and the strength of the writing. Personally, I think her outfit was a little too sexual, and needed to be toned down a little bit. Who the heck does martial arts in a tight leather mini-skirt?

her skirt was a bit weird although the rest of her outfit made some sort of sense, she basically wore a sports bra and suspenders to keep the skirt in place, I guess she just didn't care about who saw her undies given that she mostly grew up around boys there's a large possibility that she's a bit tomboyish and doesn't think about that stuff. Still I wouldn't consider her character as sexy since her personality is more on the nice/big sister side.

I guess "well written sexy" characters for me would be:

Jessica (Dragon Quest VIII)
Myuria (Star ocean 4)
Sniper Wolf (Metal Gear Solid)

 

[Fappy]

-Snip-

-Snip-

I've always felt her skirt was a bit weird too. Would have made more sense to wear yoga pants or shorts or something.

 

[Spider RedNight]

Sexy...? Unnhhh I don't know, I don't really think anyone's sexy. Lemme rack my brain to see if I can find anyone that fits that profile that isn't a Troy Baker character (because I think his VOICE is sexy which makes me like his characters).

I don't find him "sexy" per se, but I think Handsome Jack (again) is... well, incredibly handsome and VERY well-written. Something about his outfit and charisma and the heterochromia oh god.

However, I've never seen a sexier or more well-written character than this stallion right here.

 

[Reasonable Atheist]

Oh man, tali wins it for sure I want to infect her with all my microbes

 

[inmunitas]

Something that bugs me about when some game developers make sexy characters in an attempt to appeal to heterosexual males like me is that it comes off as a bit flat sometimes.

Probably because they're not.

 

[Lupine]

Rikku from FFX. Not only do we start off with Rikku getting the akward "camera gaze" treatment twice. We also have her X-2 design. She was totally meant to be "sexy" but the most awesome thing about Rikku is that she is just a decent person with understandable motivations and a totally logical world view. Rikku doesn't like Yevon, those guys are totally jerks that discriminate against and brand her people as second class citizens for not following their theological dogma. They are also the idiots whom want to sacrifice her cousin for a momentary respite instead of actually finding out what the problem is and fixing it. So yeah, those guys are kinda jerks (lampshaded and ready for more intense scrutiny as the story progresses to certain points later in the story).

The Al Bhed in general and Rikku in particular bring a bit of secular thinking into what was already going to be a hard edged criticism/satire of organized religion but it was done in such a fashion that while heavy handed at times still becomes interesting and engaging. By meeting her and her people we get a feel for why they feel the way that they do about how much science could help their world and its people and just how frustrated they are basically being Jor-El shouting in the wind about their ideas or maybe Cassandra shouting at the Greeks.

Beyond all of that, Rikku while maybe seen as a bit of a whiner is probably the most realistic character in the game. Despite her being a bit of an "action girl" trope she isn't a bloody action hero. Things get to her and she is afraid and rightfully so of some of the craziness that comes along. And thunder, because her brother totally hit her with lightning as a kid...lol. She's brave though and totally willing to put her life on the line for her family and later as she gains them her friends. She's like a female Han Solo, not so sure about all the crazy space wizards, but totally down to help out a friend.

 

[Someone Depressing]

Skullgirls, all the way. I couldn't get into the fanservice because

A) One of the characters is a 16 year old
B) One of them is heavily scarred and is at least 75% rusted metal, which forms her spine which is also a helicopter blade omg no
C) One of them is like the above except she maims herself. Needless to say, unless you're into gore, decidedly unsexy
D) Lovecraft's wet dreams were Lovecraft's and Lovecraft's only because only Lovecraft could have them and for good Lovecraftian reason

And yet all of the characters have fleshed out and well-written personalities, which is pretty much the game's main selling point: good characters. And also it's really pretty. And massive, gravity-breaking hoo-haa-itis.

Also Xian Mei from Dead Island. The "sexy" part is little forced and disturbing, though it's probably intentional. I didn't find her connective because I'm not a Chinese super spy who forgoes panties during zombie apocalypses (seriously, wtf?) but she was just the most natural choice out of the four characters. Also I like cutlery [http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs6/i/2005/030/4/8/ID_by_Duplica_by_saladfingers.jpg], she fights with cutlery. Perfect.

Shin Megami Tensei has got their own truck-full of attractive yet well written characters. Pretty much every character Soejima has ever designed (gotta love dat retro animoo) but that's pretty much a given for Japanese media.

Would come up with more manservice examples aside from SMT but I'm lazy.

 

[DJjaffacake]

I like Miranda from Mass Effect because she's not a well written character who happens to be sexy, she's a well written character whose sexiness is part of her character; she was genetically engineered by her "father" to be attractive, which she resents because it makes her feel like none of her achievments are her own, but she still plays to that strength in order to get ahead. A few discussions with Jack also make me suspect that Miranda dresses the way she does at least in part as a way to symbolically regain control over her own body.

Having said all that, I do still tend to switch to her armour whenever I take her on missions.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

I'm seeing a lot of characters in this thread that makes me question whether or not people know what good writing is.

I'm just gonna chalk it up to people wearing their rose-colored glasses today.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I liked VV from Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, because she was forced to adopt a "Sexy" persona, but remains a nice, if damaged person underneath.

 

[Nismu]

I would add Annah from planescape: Torment.

 

[Fappy]

I'm seeing a lot of characters in this thread that makes me question whether or not people know what good writing is.

I'm just gonna chalk it up to people wearing their rose-colored glasses today.

We're talking about good writing in games specifically here. If we were to narrow the scope to games and characters with writing comparable to that of renowned films and books we wouldn't really have many options to pick from.

 

[Gengisgame]

Something that bugs me about when some game developers make sexy characters in an attempt to appeal to heterosexual males like me is that it comes off as a bit flat sometimes.

That's not actually the reason, you answered the reason within your post, we have only recently been able to attempt to have decent characters and even then people have crazy standards for video game characters when the the large majority of film and TV characters are shit. People's complaints about a lack of characterization in characters that maybe have 5 minutes of screentime, not all writers can put in Quentin Tarintino effort or may simply not have the ability so they use shortcuts to get a reaction and being sultry and sexy is a clear personality trait, new Lara is an incredibly bland none character once you remove her haughty and naughty personality yet people see this as a good thing.

On the OP's request any character voiced by Claudia Black, hiring her almost feels like cheating, that voice oozes character, intelligence and sex appeal.

Arguably the most popular DA character

Never played gears but feels like a safe bet