10 Best Video Games With Female Leads (2024)

For many years, playing video games was predominantly considered a hobby for men. This hasn't been the case for many years, as the gap between male and female gamers has closed considerably. That said, the industry hasn't 100% succeeded in removing the stigma. Many games still favor male protagonists, but plenty of female-led video games stand among the best of the best.

Female protagonists have grown in popularity, especially over the last decade, but some of the most recognizable and successful gaming franchises date back to the earliest days of gaming. These games are incredible, from the plot to the gameplay to the main protagonist. Most gamers can pick up any of these and enjoy them.

10 Resident Evil 2 Introduces Claire Redfield

Resident Evil 2 (1998) & Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)

Resident Evil 2 is the second major installment in the Resident Evil franchise, and it introduces fan-favorite protagonists Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Modern gamers might be more familiar with the incredible Resident Evil 2 remake that came out in 2019. Not only did RE2 become one of the most successful RE video games ever, but it also kick-started Capcom's Resident Evil remake trend.

RE2 has two playable campaigns — one where the player controls Leon and one where the player controls Claire. Both campaigns are about the same length. Their narratives overlap, as Claire and Leon sometimes meet up, but each tells its own story. Claire battles through the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City, fighting for survival. She even manages to save Sherry Birkin along the way.

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

The original Resident Evil raised the bar very high for horror action video games when it was launched. Yet, the series spawned by the game is back once again with a Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Horror

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:92/100 Critics Recommend:97%

Franchise

Resident Evil

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

January 25, 2019

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence

How Long To Beat

9 Hours

X|S Enhanced

Yes

File Size Xbox Series

23 GB (January 2024)

Metascore

91

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

9 Senua is a One-of-a-Kind Protagonist

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (2017)

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an action-adventure and dark fantasy video game based on Norse mythology. Players play as Senua, a Pict warrior who sets out on a quest to confront Hela, the Goddess of Death, in Helheim. Senua's main goal is to save her lover from Helheim, but the true symbolism of the game goes much deeper than that.

Senua has psychosis, but she doesn't understand the condition's nature, so she believes the psychosis is the result of a curse. While Senua battles monsters and inhuman creatures to make her way to Helheim, she's also dealing with a strange entity, voices only she can hear, and much more. The game consulted real people living with psychosis, industry professionals, and neuroscientists to accurately depict what living with mental illness is like. Due to the accurate simulation, this game can be difficult to get through for some players, but it is an incredible masterpiece from start to finish.

8 Uncharted Shifted Focus from Nathan Drake to Chloe & Nadine

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (2017)

Uncharted is a popular action-adventure franchise that follows fan-favorite protagonist, Nathan Drake. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is probably the biggest stand-out of the Nathan-led games and even had a 2022 film adaptation starring Tom Holland as Nathan. As popular as Nathan is, one of the best Uncharted games is the final installment in the series, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

In The Lost Legacy, players control Chloe Frazer, a character who first appeared in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009). Chloe teams up with Nadine Ross, a character from Uncharted 4. Together, the two action heroines hunt down an artifact called the Tusk of Ganesh before it falls into the wrong hands. Their quest takes them to the Western Ghats in India, but they soon find themselves locked in a race against time. Together, Chloe and Nadine battle against a warlord who threatens India's safety.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Action-Adventure

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:85/100 Critics Recommend:91%

Franchise

Uncharted

Platform(s)

PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , PC

Released

August 22, 2017

Developer(s)

Naughty Dog

Publisher(s)

Sony

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

How Long To Beat

7 Hours

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)

17 Hours

7 Bayonetta is a Gaming Legend

Bayonetta (2009)

When it comes to female video game protagonists, Bayonetta is a total standout. While the Bayonetta franchise may not have as many games as some other franchises on this list, it's hard to talk about iconic female-led games without bringing up this iconic leading lady. Bayonetta is a witch who wields dual pistols and utilizes her incredible magic hair in combat to perform transformations, attacks, and many other marvels like summoning demons. She even has heels that double as firearms, making her a deadly weapon from head to toe, literally.

Bayonetta doesn't shy away from controversial content. Bayonetta is sexy, beautiful, and provocative, which is exactly how she likes it. She embraces every part of her femininity and sexuality without compromising her strength or power over those around her. In the original game, Bayonetta wakes up after a 500-year-long sleep with no memory of what happened to her. She sets off in search of her memories and a powerful pair of artifacts called the Eyes of the World to restore the balance between light and darkness.

Bayonetta

Bayonetta takes place in Vigrid, a fictional city in Europe. The game stars the eponymous character, a witch who is capable of shapeshifting and using various firearms. She possesses magical attacks and she can use her hair to summon demons to dispatch her foes.

Action

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:85/100 Critics Recommend:92%

Franchise

Bayonetta

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS3 , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Switch , Wii U , PC

Released

October 29, 2009

Developer(s)

Platinum Games

Publisher(s)

Sega

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes

6 Amanda Ripley Is An Amazing Successor to Alien's Ellen Ripley

Alien: Isolation (2014)

Ellen Ripley is one of the most famous and highly regarded final girls in cinema history. As the main protagonist of Alien (1979), Ellen was the only survivor of the original xenomorph attack. Her popularity hasn't died down, even after 45 years. There have been many video games based on the Alien franchise, but Alien: Isolation is one of the best.

Isolation follows Ellen's daughter, Amanda Ripley, as she searches for her missing mother. Her search leads her to the Sevastopol space station, where Ellen went missing. The space station is in rough shape thanks to an alien infestation. This game captures the magic of the original Alien film, where Ellen has to rely on stealth and outsmarting the perfect predator to survive. Amanda's venture on the Sevastopol space station allows players to experience this tense and terrifying atmosphere for themselves.

Alien: Isolation

In Alien: Isolation, Amanda Ripley travels with her crew to try to recover the Nostramo's flight recording, but they find something more horrifying instead.

Survival Horror

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:81/100 Critics Recommend:76%

Franchise

Alien

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS3 , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Switch , PC , Android , iOS

Released

October 7, 2014

Developer(s)

Creative Assembly

Publisher(s)

Sega

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence

How Long To Beat

19 Hours

See Also

Melhores Jogos de Ação para Quem Gosta de God of War

Metascore

83

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)

34 Hours

5 Heather Returns to Silent Hill to Avenge Her Father

Silent Hill 3 (2003)

Most of the Silent Hill games are independent of one another. They're connected by the location and/or the power of Silent Hill, not by the characters and narratives. One of the few exceptions to this rule is Silent Hill 3, which is a direct sequel to the original Silent Hill (1999). In the original, players control Harry Mason as he searches the mysterious town for his missing daughter. In Silent Hill 3, players play as Heather, Harry's teenage daughter.

After a woman named Claudia murders Heather's father, Heather follows her back to Silent Hill to get revenge for her father's death. On her journey, Heather learns about her disturbing history with Silent Hill. Heather is a reincarnation of Harry's adopted daughter, Cheryl, and a tortured girl with psychic abilities, Alessa. Due to her origins, Claudia believes Heather can birth a god, and she will stop at nothing to achieve this.

Silent Hill 3

Heather Mason finds herself drawn into the nightmarish world of Silent Hill, uncovering dark secrets about her past and a cult with sinister plans. Armed with only her wits and a few weapons, Heather must navigate through terrifying environments, face grotesque monsters, and uncover the truth behind her origins.

Survival Horror

Systems

Franchise

Silent Hill

Platform(s)

PC , PS2 , PS3 , Xbox 360

Released

August 6, 2003

Developer(s)

Konami

Publisher(s)

Konami

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence

How Long To Beat

6 Hours

4 Aloy is a Well-Rounded & Complex Protagonist

Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)

Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West (2022), are two incredible action-adventure games where players control Aloy, a lovable and relatable character. Aloy is like the underdog that everyone loves to root for, but she proves quickly enough that she's not to be underestimated. Aloy is clever, light on her feet, a skilled hunter, and strong. She has everything a great video game hero needs and more.

In Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy is an outcast who has been living an outcast life since she was born. Aloy eventually participates in a competition called the Proving, which will allow her to rejoin the Nora tribe. Her quest to win sets her on a path much larger than anything she could ever imagine. After cultists attack the Nora and kill her mentor, Aloy follows them beyond the reaches of Nora territory, into lands she's unfamiliar with. The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is overrun by massive monster-like machines that players can battle and hack, making for a post-apocalyptic setting filled with unique enemies.

Horizon Zero Dawn

ESRB

Teen

Platforms

PlayStation 4

Publishers

Sony Computer Entertainment

3 Samus Aran Paved the Way for Female-led Games

The Metroid Franchise

The Metroid franchise dates back to 1986. While many of the older entries feature simplistic elements from platform and side-scroller games, Metroid is considered by many to be a groundbreaking franchise. Super Metroid (1994), for example, is a pioneer in the industry. Many professionals and fans call it a masterpiece and consider it to be one of the best video games ever made. Overall, the Metroid franchise set standards and broke molds that many other franchises tried to live up to.

Metroid is so popular that it's still ongoing. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is slated for a 2025 release. At the heart of the Metroid universe is Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter who often goes toe-to-toe with the space pirates who killed her mother and the Metroid creatures that give the franchise its name. In the original game, players mistook Samus for a male protagonist, but if the player could beat it in under five hours, Samus revealed herself at the end. Without Samus, many other female protagonists might never have seen the light of day.

Metroid

Metroid follows intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran as she infiltrates the space pirate base on the planet Zebes. Tasked with retrieving the stolen Metroid organisms, she battles through alien environments and powerful enemies, uncovering the secrets of her past. Utilizing her advanced Power Suit, Samus must thwart the pirates' plans and secure the galaxy's safety.

Platformer

Franchise

Metroid

Platform(s)

Nintendo Entertainment System

Released

August 6, 1986

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

ESRB

E for Everyone: Mild Fantasy Violence

2 Ellie & Abby are Two Sides of the Same Coin

The Last of Us Part II (2020)

The Last of Us Part II took a big risk when it killed Joel, the main protagonist from the original game, within the first two hours of gameplay. This decision created quite a controversy, especially where Abby's character (the woman who killed Joel) was concerned. Despite the fandom's divided reaction to Joel's shocking death, the game still managed to win the Game Awards' Game of the Year in 2020. The Last of Us Part II is one of the most decorated video games ever made thanks to its strong narrative, LGBTQIA representation, and stellar gameplay.

Part II focuses on Ellie hunting down Abby after Joel's death, seeking revenge for the loss of her adopted father. Abby killed Joel for the same reason. Joel killed her father. Executing Joel doesn't bring Abby peace, and she is supposed to be a warning to Ellie that going down the path of revenge won't fix anything. Violence only creates more violence. Players control both Ellie and Abby throughout the game, and they are forced to do truly horrible things, displaying how even the best people can become monsters in the right circ*mstances.

The Last Of Us Part II Remastered

Five years after the events of The Last of Us, Ellie embarks on another journey through a post-apocalyptic America on a mission of vengeance against a mysterious militia.

Action-Adventure

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:89/100 Critics Recommend:89%

Franchise

The Last of Us

Platform(s)

PS5

Released

January 19, 2024

Developer(s)

Naughty Dog

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

Metascore

90

PS Plus Availability

N/A

1 Lara Croft is One of the Most Celebrated Video Game Protagonists Ever

The Tomb Raider Franchise

One of the first characters that likely comes to mind when thinking of female video game protagonists is Lara Croft. Lara is the main protagonist of the Tomb Raider franchise, which first debuted in 1996. The original Tomb Raider was ahead of its time, not just for portraying a strong female lead, but for its immersive gameplay and 3D graphics. Many successful video games have Tomb Raider's advancement to thank for their success. The BAFTA also named Lara the most iconic video game character of all time.

Over the last three decades, Lara's popularity has only grown. She stars in multiple film adaptations, a dozen main video games, comic books, countless collaborations and crossovers, and so much more. Recently, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (2024) was released to stellar reviews. The Survivor trilogy (2013–2018) also revitalized the franchise, giving Lara a new and modern foundation to build upon. A Netflix animated original series will air later this year and Amazon has green-lit a live-action Tomb Raider series as well.

Tomb Raider

Franchise that follows Lara Croft, a fictional archeologist, while she travels around the world in epic quests for ancient artifacts.

Created by

Core Design

First Film

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Latest Film

Tomb Raider

Upcoming TV Shows

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft

Video Game(s)

Lara Croft Go , Lara Croft: Relic Run , Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris , Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light , Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Starring Lara Croft