Who's your favorite female protagonist?

[The Almighty Aardvark]

If we discount personality, I'm a big fan of Red from Transistor.

Otherwise, two that I liked particularly are Morrigan from Dragon Age and Eiger from Shadowrun: Dragonfall. Both are characters who start off thinking that you're pretty shit, and characters that don't warm up to you simply by being super nice to them. In fact, both will throw it back in your face if you just try to say everything to appease them.

If one had to go at the top I'd probably go with Eiger. I like tough female characters, and she definitely fits the bill. I think she's better written too. Seriously, Harebrained Schemes is better at the Bioware Friendship Formula than Bioware is.

 

[Major_Tom]

Heather from my favourite Silent Hill.

Spoiler: Shut your stinking mouth, *****!

 

[Raggedstar]

So...no Bayonetta yet?

Spoiler

Seriously, yes, she is my favourite female character. She may not be the most realistic or modest female character in gaming, but she is an interesting case of a hypersexualized character that, in context, works (at least I'm in the group that thinks so). Considering the kind of fanservice tripe we tend to see, Bayonetta does bring more to the table than just "boobs/bum" and actually functions as a character. I also love her design, her personality, how she plays, and to top it off, summoning demons with her hair! Aw yeah!

 

[Cold Shiny]

Samus


All others pale in comparison.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

The woman from streets of rage. She had A rating for jumping and speed, outclassing the other two PCs.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Seconding Yunie! Only the original version though, discounting what the sequel did to her.

For someone who hasn't been mentioned yet, probably Virginia Maxwell of Wild Arms 3. As I've said, you must have some kind of fire in you when three male drifters, all of them older and more experienced at surviving in the wasteland, are eventually willing to accept you as leader even when you feel inadequate to the task:

Spoiler: My shield is strong. I will take my chances here and now. Bring on the fight, I will find a way to win, somehow! No tomorrow, no regrets. I will risk it all for this brand new day!

 

[someguy1231]

First of all, I don't think games with character creators should count for this. That means no Femshep, no female Dragonborn, etc. We should only include default, pre-set female protagonists.

That having been said, my choices:

-Bayonetta
-Most of the women of Dead or Alive
-Yuna in FFX-2
-Nariko in Heavenly Sword

 

[Something Amyss]

You know, it's still the boss (from saints row 2-4). It kind of shouldn't count, but how can you not love a custom PC with character development.

You know who's better than the Boss?

Kinzie.

Fucking Kinzie is awesome.

So even if Saints Row's Boss doesn't count (the OP was worded weirdly), I think the SR franchise still takes it.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

FemShep and Jade are definitely up there.

Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw and Nariko from Heavenly Sword haven't been mentioned yet.

Since lots of people are listing characters that aren't the main protagonists, I'll list The Boss from MGS3 and Farah & Elika from Prince of Persia.

So...no Bayonetta yet?

Spoiler

Seriously, yes, she is my favourite female character. She may not be the most realistic or modest female character in gaming, but she is an interesting case of a hypersexualized character that, in context, works (at least I'm in the group that thinks so). Considering the kind of fanservice tripe we tend to see, Bayonetta does bring more to the table than just "boobs/bum" and actually functions as a character. I also love her design, her personality, how she plays, and to top it off, summoning demons with her hair! Aw yeah!

Bayonetta is my #1 too. I really dug the shit out of the game and it's my favorite game of last-gen and it really was my first spectacle fighter I really ever played. I loved the cheesy B-movie vibe the game has and Bayonetta is totally an actual character.

The woman from streets of rage. She had A rating for jumping and speed, outclassing the other two PCs.

Lol. Then, you have to include Princess Peach from Mario 2, she could fucking glide!!! Who didn't play as Peach?

People tend to like attractive female characters ...
People usually enjoy seeing sexy female characters who can wreck everything ...

Me? .. . I like female protagonists that have a lot on their shoulders, but can manage while having plenty of character.
One whom isn't appealing because of their sex nor appeal, but how they stand out personally from the norm.
A certain protagonist that feels very human rather than a sex symbol, or aka ... eye candy for the male audience.

In all fairness, there's very very very few video game female protagonists that aren't hot.

 

[Ambient_Malice]

Original Joanna Dark.

Ada Wong? I dunno, seems obligatory.

 

[Malbourne]

Jade from Beyond Good & Evil.
Man, is there anything she can't do? Sneaking around and infiltrating ze enemy base, punching up big armoured bastards and aliens with her staff, drive around in a heavily armed vehicle and lay waste to everything in sight... and her determination to rescue all those kidnapped orphans *giggles*!

A true hero and paragon to us all!

And she knows a good photo op when she sees one.

OT: I'm, uh, choosing Ammy. I admire the work ethic of goddesses that get things done. She also has the interests of the common people at the front of her mind like any good deity should. When she's not too busy digging for loot.

Spoiler: Amaterasu

 

[tacotrainwreck]

Bayonetta. There's nothing I like more than attitude and tons of hair.

 

[gact]

Your mom OOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo. wait that doesnt sound like an insult.

real answer

Spoiler: nya

 

[Tsun Tzu]

The entire cast of Senran Kagura, but specifically Hikage (3rd from Left), Homura (5th from Left), Mirai (2nd from Left), Ikaruga (4rd from Right), and Katsuragi (3rd from Right).

[small]Not just for the Life and Hometown either. I genuinely enjoy the characters. Each is a certified badass. Each has agency for days. Each is pretty likeable.[/small]

Clementine - The Walking Dead

Fiona - Tales from the Borderlands

Samus - Metroid (The original badass.)

Zero - Drakengard

MK, Skullgirls, and other Fighting Game Females (Mileena's just glorious.)

Lots of JRPG characters.

Annnnd damn near every one of my created female characters from WoW to Hellgate to Fallout, etc. etc.

I'm likely forgetting several, but this is off the top of my head.

 

[FPLOON]

I'm going to go with Nep-Nep aka Neptune...
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120415175157/hyperdimensionneptunia/images/f/ff/Tzao5.jpg
She just like you and me... except she's the CPU of Planetune...

Spoiler: Full-body shot!

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/neptunia/images/7/77/Adult_Neptune.png/revision/latest?cb=20141119171556

And could transform into a sexy, badass goddess name...

Spoiler: Purple Heart!

http://www.schoolclipart.biz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/broken-purple-heart-png-neptune---hyperdimension-neptunia-wiki-pictures.png

Then again, she is part of a personification of Sega in general, so there's that...

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'm afraid I don't have an answer, which means I'm either a sexist or there just haven't been any games yet that in my opinion star good female characters... which may still mean I'm just being sexist.

I have tons of female characters in games that I like, unfortunately none are the protagonist/playable character.

- The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3: Not a playable character.
- Chloe Fraser from Uncharted 2: Not a playable character.
- Caroline Becker from Wolfenstein: The New Order: Not a playable character.
- Tetra from Wind Waker: Not a playable character.

And while Clementine from Walking Dead was playable in Season 2, I just really didn't care much for that whole season in general. Amaterasu from Okami is adressed as a female, but that's the same as calling a a wooden stump 'she' -There's no discernible personality there at all. Plus, she pees with her leg up and only males do that. And Femshep from Mass Effect is just a palette swap.

Maybe (and that's a big maybe) Claire Redfield from Resident Evil. I would never call any of the characters from Resident Evil good, but Claire seems the most down-to-earth out of the bunch and I always liked that. She's also probably the only female Resi character that hasn't had an overtly default sexy look.

 

[Mister K]

I have 2 favourite ladies. In order of apperance:

Yuna from Final Fantasy X

Spoiler

OK, first of, the first thing that you see when you look at her is her looks. Many (if not most) female protagonists wear rather sexy clothing (leotards, hotpants, chainmail bikinies and so on). Yuna, however, is dressed beatifully. She wears long skirt, short shirt those sleeve thingies and rather practical boots. She looks pretty, she looks feminine, you will not be ashamed to show up at your mothers house with her.

But appearance can only take you so far. What I also like is her development. She starts off as a naive, right out of training summoner, who spent most of her life in a small village on a small island. She is shy, meek, polite and kind. Yet she is determined to bring people Calm. She knows the price she must pay, yet there is no fear in her heart.
Later, with the help of Tidus, other protag of the game, she decides to defy the 1000 years old teaching in order to try and bring Eternal Calm, meaning eternal peace. In this little bird rests the heart of a lioness.

Bayonetta

Spoiler

If I may say so, she is a complete opposite of Yuna. Her main motive is Sex appeal. Yet, semi-quoting Woolie, "She isn't sexy because YOU like it, she is sexy because SHE likes it". She enjoys her sexuality and she does not care what you think.

Furthermore, she is a total badass. It will take far too long to tell about everything, I'll just say that Dante from Devil May Cry looks like an ordinary guy compared to her.

Also, I just love how cocky and fun-loving she is.

 

[Wilco86]

So...no Bayonetta yet?

Spoiler

Seriously, yes, she is my favourite female character. She may not be the most realistic or modest female character in gaming, but she is an interesting case of a hypersexualized character that, in context, works (at least I'm in the group that thinks so). Considering the kind of fanservice tripe we tend to see, Bayonetta does bring more to the table than just "boobs/bum" and actually functions as a character. I also love her design, her personality, how she plays, and to top it off, summoning demons with her hair! Aw yeah!

Bayonetta is a magnificent character, but I actually still prefer to play as Jeanne. (And the first game's Epilogue is my favorite chapter in the whole series.)

Damn Bayonetta 2 for almost totally tossing Jeanne aside.

 

[SmallHatLogan]

Most of the good ones have been mentioned. Samus, Boss from Saints Row (my favourite is Russian accented Boss from SR3), Clementine from The Walking Dead, Femshep.

One that springs to mind is Maya Amano from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. That is kind of a cheat though. I loved her in Persona 2: Innocent Sin where she was not the protagonist, but then in Eternal Punishment she became the (almost) silent protagonist and lost most of her personality.

I also really liked playing as Elizabeth in Bioshock: Infinite - Burial at Sea.

 

[Aesir23]

In terms of established characters, I would have to say Faith Connors from Mirror's Edge and Ellie from the Last of Us. Both of them are more than capable of holding their own and the fact that Ellie is just a young girl as well makes that all the more admirable for me.

With player created characters I'm going to say FemShep gets the top spot and the fact that Jennifer Hale did such an excellent job as FemShep makes it even better.