It only takes a few seconds to realise how sexist the games industry is towards women. Perhaps the reason there is a distinct lack of strong female leads in games is because they all K’od long ago, as their amour was basically metal lingerie.
When I was younger, inspirational female characters were few and far between. I loved Coco from Crash Bandicoot, but she only ever appeared in a couple levels. Female characters from fighting game Tekken, another game birthed in the 90s and in our childhoods, also failed to carry much depth. But when looking at the painfully slow transition of females in games, perhaps there is hope on the horizon.
Lara Croft is an example of how far the depiction of women in games has come. For me, she is a perfect reflection of exactly what the western world is like at any given time, helping break the glass ceiling for women. In the 90s, her debut as a no nonsense treasure hunter conveyed strong headed independence, going against the stereotypical role as a damsel in distress. Her most recent role as a vulnerable yet persevering young woman shows the developing maturity of video games, as they attempts to tackle the serious issue of sexism. Tomb Raider and The Last of Us both address the issue of sexual assault, giving many gamers a reality check by showing them the hardships many women have to face. It’s not just Lara who reflects the journey of feminism: Female Commander Shepard from Mass Effect plays no differently from Male Shepard, Faith from Mirrors Edge is a damned fast runner ‘despite her boobs’ and I’d take Chloe from Uncharted in a jewellery heist over Nate any day.
But sadly, any female character that is not depicted in an unnecessarily feminine and over sexualised manner is an achievement for womankind, as it still happens so frequently. Screenshots fromFinal Fantasy XV show a female Cid in short-shorts and a skimpy crop top, and try to find an MMO that doesn’t have at least one character with their boobs, tum or bum out. Quite quickly, this brings us all back to the overarching issue of how females in pretty much all aspects of the gaming community are treated. We have come on leaps and bounds, although it may not seem like it in the greater context of things, but that one step in the right direction is vitally important. The growing amount of strong female leads in great games will hopefully create a snowball effect and mean good news for women and gamers everywhere.
Lauren Emina-Bougaard