Gaming has never been all about men, and the number of tough women protagonists and antagonists over the years is proof of that.
From the legendary Chun Li of “Street Fighter” to the latest Lara Croft from “Tomb Raider,” women are an integral part of gaming. These women can beautiful as well as ruthless.
Here are the top five women in gaming who have redefined the entire industry:
Faith Connors from “Mirror’s Edge”: A runner fighting her way through a city where information is heavily monitored by the authorities is a pretty big deal, especially when your mission is transporting sensitive and important data and everyone is trying to kill you.
Faith is working against the totalitarian government. Her parents were active in protest movements and campaigned to save the city from falling to the oppressive regime. Later, her mother was killed during a riot when a peaceful protest went wrong. Faith goes on her journey to reap revenge and attempt to save the city.
Faith Connors is one tough cookie.
Sarah Kerrigan from “StarCraft”: The original “Queen of Blades,” Sarah, sports a wild look and swagger.
Kerrigan has been part of the franchise for some time as a Terran psychic who also happens to be an espionage agent and assassin. She gets taken hostage by the insectoid Zerg and infested, turning her into a half human half Zerg hybrid completely under the control of the Zerg Overmind.
The rest of the story? Well, she becomes one of the Zerg's most dominant agents, replaces the Overmind during the Brood Wars, and gains control of the Zerg to impose her authority over the galaxy, Impressive, to say the least.
Juliet Starling from “Lollipop Chainsaw”: What’s hotter than an eighteen-year old cheerleader/zombie hunter setting out to decapitate hordes of undead with her chainsaw?
She’s a descendant from a long line of Zombie Hunters, sworn to destroy the Undead, and she does her job with style.
Lara Croft from “Tomb Raider (2013)”: There have been a lot of different versions of Lara over the years, but none come even close to the young and ruthless archaeology graduate who sets out on an adventure on an island run by a malicious cult.
My heartiest thanks go out to Crystal Dynamics for opting to completely reboot of the series and showing Lara’s origins, rather than producing another sequel.
Chun-Li from “Street Fighter”: Chun-Li was introduced in “Street Fighter 2.” However, that hasn’t stopped her from being one of the most dynamic female characters of the gaming industry.
She is the first lady of fighting games and has maintained her that status through all the games iterations.
Let us never speak of the 1994 live-action film “Street Fighter.”