Happy International Women’s Day: Top 5 Badass Women in Gaming
Today is International Women’s Day so what else could we do for a Top 5 than the Top 5 Badass Women in Gaming. This is in no real order and each franchise will be limited to one entry, but let us celebrate who we think are some of the most Hardcore, Kickass, Badass, Beat-Your-Head-In Ladies in the wonderful world of Gaming.
Tali’Zorah nar Rayya – Mass Effect
There is certainly an argument to be made that Female Commander Shephard should be taking this place on the list. The Quarian nomad tech genius, expresses her gratitude to Commander Shephard after being saved in a botched meeting with the Shadow Broker explaining how her race are commonly treated as second hand citizens. Throughout the series, Tali faces equal physical forces, same as Shephard, but comes into a significant amount of racial qualms all growing as a member of the team to the point where you can make her a love interest to Shephard and she eventually makes the Normandy her home as Tali’Zorah vas Normandy.
Ellie – The Last of Us
When it comes to strong young women who are mentally matured far beyond their actual age, nobody can outpace Ellie. Essentially being the possible cure to the outbreak, almost all of the few remaining bastions of civilization are out to get her. Accompanied by Joel, the protective father figure, torn between doing what is right for humanity and doing what is right for his now surrogate daughter, the two grow an unbreakable bond with each other. Throughout the apocalyptic adventure, Ellie proves undoubtedly that she can be caring, sympathetic, zealous, and hold her own in the world that is practically set up against her.
Lara Croft – Tomb Raider
This one is kind of a given. Not only is Lara Croft one of the most notable and noticeable female characters, she is just one of the most notable and noticeable characters in all of gaming. The one woman wrecking crew, more often than not, goes off on solo adventures to…well…raid tombs, hunt treasure and outgun any bad guy, dinosaur, and mythical creature in her war path. There is a reason why Tomb Raider has been rebooted and revived time and time again when it comes to both the movies and the games.
Anya Stroud – Gears of War
In a franchise bursting at the seams with machismo and over sized meatheads, Anya Stroud shines through as the female gear whose ready to kill grubs and look damn good doing it. Anya is clearly not afraid to strap on some COG armor, rev up a lancer and rack up a kill count on par with the rest of the crew.
Samus Aran – Metroid
How could we create a list of the Top 5 Badass Women in Gaming without acknowledging the woman who created one of the greatest plot twits in all of videogame history. After hours of grueling dungeon crawling throughout Metroid, you battle your way through a near endless onslaught of enemies, solze puzzle after puzzle, dethrone boss ater boss to finally reveal at the end of the game, the badass bounty hunter you have been playing as the whole time is a woman. This was almost revolutionary at the time of Metroid’s release and the earthquake it created left and aftershock that has helped for main female protagonists to become much more prevalent. Modern day gaming has a lot to thank Samus for. Let us know down in the comments your Top 5 Badass Women in Gaming.
