What gritty game centers around a vicious morally gray female protagonist?

[Pogilrup]

I can't think of such a game off the top of my head.

First off the game has to be dark/gritty in tone and/or setting. Second the story revolves a female protagonist who in the course of the game spills lots of blood and isn't the type to taunt and wisecrack.

There are many games that meet some of these requirements but not all of them. Games like God of War, Darksiders, and The Darkness fulfill the gritty requirement but obviously don't feature a female protagonist.

Mortal Kombat has that gritty tone and has female characters whom one will play in the course of the campaign. But one would switch back and forth between several characters over the course of the story.

Now Bayonetta does center around a single character who fights off many foes, but the tone of the game is generally quite upbeat and optimistic. The character of Bayonetta is also that of a suave wisecracking character as oppose to a silent and brooding character.

Basically, I'm not just looking for a game with a female protagonist who fights many enemies. I'm look for a game that has a female protagonist who brutally slaughters her foes (and possibly civilians) without uttering a word (exceptions being battle screams).

 

[Kopikatsu]

Drakengard 3 sounds right up your alley. Zero slaughters her enemies so thoroughly that she gets coated in their blood, which in turn makes her stronger. She runs around killing her sisters so that she can steal their male sex slaves to add to her personal harem. Or something.

It's a game I've been meaning to play (Loved Drakengard 1 and 2) but I keep forgetting to get around to it.

Onechanbara might also fall under that category, but I think the protagonists in that game might quip. I forget.

 

[Pogilrup]

Of course the setting can range anywhere from the realistic to the fantastic, but it has to have an air of cynicism to it.

 

[VanQ]

Tomb Raider 2013.

The tone is quite dark and gritty and Lara carves a bloody path through hundreds of men and some wildlife. She also blows up some tombs along the way which is pretty morally questionable if you believe in the sanctity of the dead.

 

[joest01]

Drakengard 3 sounds right up your alley. Zero slaughters her enemies so thoroughly that she gets coated in their blood, which in turn makes her stronger. She runs around killing her sisters so that she can steal their male sex slaves to add to her personal harem. Or something.

It's a game I've been meaning to play (Loved Drakengard 1 and 2) but I keep forgetting to get around to it.

They need to drop the price on this baby. Much as I love me some Drakenguard, there is no way I pay 60 stones for it. (edit: for a digital copy. if I run into a physical one I might even be tempted)

That said, if the game at all resembles Nier in tone and atmosphere I think your recommendation is spot on. (Well, I guess there's a wisecracking flying book involved but a little bit of comic relief must be allowed)

 

[aozgolo]

Perhaps the "Deception" Series of games best fits what you describe, they are dark in tone and often involve lots of clever and merciless carnage... the only caveat being whether or not they 'deserved it'

 

[LemonFish]

- The Cat Lady
- Alien Isolation?
- Transistor?
- Eternal Darkness
- Metroid series
- Silent Hill 4
- Alice: Madness Returns?
- Castlevania Order of Ecclesia
- Remember Me?

Edit: That should be Silent Hill 3

 

[veloper]

Tomb Raider 2013.

The tone is quite dark and gritty and Lara carves a bloody path through hundreds of men and some wildlife. She also blows up some tombs along the way which is pretty morally questionable if you believe in the sanctity of the dead.

The old Lara was way more psycho. Some levels were basicly: break in and entry, kill the guards and steal the thing.

Viscious? check
Morally gray? DARK grey, but we still root for her

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

Yeah, early Tomb Raider is all I can think about as well. Often killing exotic animals as well as human rivals not only for artifacts and wealth but also just for the personal thrill of it. I guess the greyness comes from the fact that the people she's fighting against wish to obtain the artifacts for evil purposes, and so it turns into an Indiana Jones-esque race against time to get it first.

But still, absolutely no mercy for potentially endangered animals. Hell, given by her reactions, I'm pretty sure Lara actually enjoys killing things. So yeah.

I've only played the first four Tomb Raiders however. Whether she's the same after those, or in the reboot, I wouldn't know.

 

[LemonFish]

- Silent Hill 4

You probably mean Silent Hill 3.

You're right. My mistake.

 

[lacktheknack]

Yeah, early Tomb Raider is all I can think about as well. Often killing exotic animals as well as human rivals not only for artifacts and wealth but also just for the personal thrill of it. I guess the greyness comes from the fact that the people she's fighting against wish to obtain the artifacts for evil purposes, and so it turns into an Indiana Jones-esque race against time to get it first.

But still, absolutely no mercy for potentially endangered animals. Hell, given by her reactions, I'm pretty sure Lara actually enjoys killing things. So yeah.

I've only played the first four Tomb Raiders however. Whether she's the same after those, or in the reboot, I wouldn't know.

She gets worse.

I actually tried a "sanity pacifist run" of Angel of Darkness (ie. refusing to kill people because the entire reason the story is going is because you're wanted for murder), but it's impossible. You have to mow your way through a bunch of security guards at the Louvre, botanists in a biodome, and mental patients because reasons. Totally innocent of murder, people.

And in Tomb Raider Legend... the body count rises to frankly hilarious levels. But we're still rooting for her! Somehow.

"YOU MURDERED MY MEN!"

"I just streamlined your payroll."

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

snip

Ha. Angel of Darkness. I've heard many terrible things about that game, slaughtering innocent people least of all. It's one I'll be sure to avoid at all costs. I've heard Legend was really good though. I have interest in playing it at some point, though by what you said it would seem like there's hoards of human enemies to fight through? Combat was never the series' best element (nor should it be), so that'd be rather poor form if that's the case.

 

[ckretmsage]

Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout NV.

I almost always play as a woman when I have the choice, unless it doesn't fit with my mental concept of the game.

 

[lacktheknack]

snip

Ha. Angel of Darkness. I've heard many terrible things about that game, slaughtering innocent people least of all. It's one I'll be sure to avoid at all costs. I've heard Legend was really good though. I have interest in playing it at some point, though by what you said it would seem like there's hoards of human enemies to fight through? Combat was never the series' best element (nor should it be), so that'd be rather poor form if that's the case.

Legend was really good, although it's also the most combat-heavy of the series. >__> It's about 2/3 exploration/navigation and 1/3 fighting, although Crystal Dynamics improved on the combat over the Core Design games... a lot.

<spoiler=Quick and dirty totally subjective ranking of the Tomb Raider games, if you're interested>

-Tomb Raider III
-Tomb Raider Anniversary
-Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation
-Tomb Raider Legend
-Tomb Raider 2013
-Tomb Raider
-Tomb Raider II
-Tomb Raider Underworld
-Tomb Raider V: Chronicles
-Genital herpes
-Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness

 

[ninja666]

I think Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction and its sequel, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames fit the bill. There's a choice of 2 male and 1 female protagonists, who are all about the money. They aren't afraid to exploit the trust of their contractors, betray them, or even change side of the conflict out of the blue if it means more profit for them. Hardly gritty, though, but rather more slapstick-y comedic.

 

[DarksideFlame]

Yeah, early Tomb Raider is all I can think about as well. Often killing exotic animals as well as human rivals not only for artifacts and wealth but also just for the personal thrill of it. I guess the greyness comes from the fact that the people she's fighting against wish to obtain the artifacts for evil purposes, and so it turns into an Indiana Jones-esque race against time to get it first.

But still, absolutely no mercy for potentially endangered animals. Hell, given by her reactions, I'm pretty sure Lara actually enjoys killing things. So yeah.

I've only played the first four Tomb Raiders however. Whether she's the same after those, or in the reboot, I wouldn't know.

She gets worse.

I actually tried a "sanity pacifist run" of Angel of Darkness (ie. refusing to kill people because the entire reason the story is going is because you're wanted for murder), but it's impossible. You have to mow your way through a bunch of security guards at the Louvre, botanists in a biodome, and mental patients because reasons. Totally innocent of murder, people.

And in Tomb Raider Legend... the body count rises to frankly hilarious levels. But we're still rooting for her! Somehow.

"YOU MURDERED MY MEN!"

"I just streamlined your payroll."

I haven't played much of the older Tomb Raider games (The games that were before Legend). But the impression I get is that we root for Lara is that the antagonists tend to be evil to a ridiculous degree.

Most of the enemies in Legend are mercenaries, who've been ordered to shoot on sight, the first merc you encounter in the game you hear whining because he has got the order but there isn't anyone around to shoot. Although it's been awhile since I played the games I can't remember any situation where it wasn't a kill or be killed scenario.

Gotta root for the person you dislike the least I guess. I am curious to see how they address this in the Tomb Raider Reboot 2.