As March and Women’s History Month get into full swing, there are a lot of games with female protagonists to try out. Here are 6 of our favorites.
Spiritfarer – Stella
From ThunderLotus studios, Spiritfarer is a moving adventure game. Play as Stella and run your ferry of souls to the afterlife, meeting new spirits and learning their stories along the way. Similar to Stardew Valley, upgrade your ship, farm and mine in this cozy game with a story behind it.
Spiritfarer is available for PC, Xbox and PlayStation.
The Gunk – Rani
A new release from the end of 2021, The Gunk is a vibrant adventure game. Rani, your protagonist, originally sought wealth. Now, uncover the mystery of the society you’ve stumbled upon, clear away the Gunk and free the planet’s natural wonders. With excellent voice acting and a stellar soundtrack, The Gunk is cozy and relaxing to play.
This game is available for Xbox.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Kena
One of the most popular indie games of the decade, Kena: Bridge of Spirits has beautiful graphics, a compelling story and adorable creatures. The titular protagonist, Kena, is a young spirit guide, using her abilities to help trapped spirits move on and uncover the secrets of her world. Explore the rich environment, enjoy some fast-paced combat and learn all about Kena’s backstory in this lauded indie game available across platforms.
Beyond: Two Souls – Jodie
This 2013 indie game mixes a compelling story with a thriller twist. You play as Jodie, born connected to a paranormal entity, as she navigates challenges and choices that she faces. Beyond: Two Souls features a star-studded cast of Eliot Page and Willem DaFoe – both characters who you can play as.
While there are no plans for a sequel, according to developers, Beyond released on PC in addition to the original PlayStation in 2019.
Life Is Strange: True Colors – Alex
Play as Alex, the protagonist with supernatural empathy, in Life is Strange: True Colors. Following the death of her brother, you must learn to use her temperamental powers to divulge the town’s secrets while changing the lives of its residents.
The Life is Strange series has multiple games, some of which offer more female protagonists and new powers to discover.
Horizon Zero Dawn – Aloy
Navigate a world where humans are no longer the dominant species – machines are. Play as Aloy as you fight these mechanical monsters, find answers about your troubled past and see more of the apocalyptic wilderness. There are many different Machines and tribes to encounter in this game and even more beautiful places to visit.
On top of listening to Aloy’s dialogue for comedic reasons, it also offers insight into the game. According to tips from Guerrilla Games, Aloy will move her head or let you know through dialogue if you’ve been spotted or are missing something.
Horizon Zero Dawn has a female protagonist (Aloy) who has recently received a lot of attention – both from her fans and gamers who are ‘irritated’ by her face.The game’s sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, released February 18, 2022. Both games are available on PlayStation.
Anna is a senior at NYU studying Journalism. Her work has been featured in GreenWorldAlliance and the Borgen Project, and she hopes to pursue games journalism into the future.In her free time, she loves playing Left 4 Dead with her 60-year-old father, tearing it up in Just Dance, and unnecessarily reorganizing her decks in Back 4 Blood.
