GG Girls’ short list of Bechdel approved games
GG Girls spoke earlier about the Bechdel test, and how we might consider games using it. Here are some games GG Girls found that seem to stick to its guidelines!
- Fable 2 — characters Hammer and Theresa (both main characters) speak about revenge for Hammer and how they can work together for the future of the remaining Heroes.
2. Tomb Raider (2013) — most Tomb Raider games pass the Bechdel test (including Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Underworld and Tomb Raider: Legacy), but GG Girls is mentioning this one as there is much interaction between Lara, Sam, Reyes and Himiko — all female characters that play a large part of what the game is about. Their interactions are immersive, extended and focus on friendship and survival.
GG Girls reviewed Tomb Raider (2013) here.
3. Batman: Arkham City — While there has been critiscism of these characters as being over-sexualised, this game still passes the test. This game revolves around Batman and his usual troubles with the omnipresent Joker, there is a cute little scene where Catwoman needs Poison Ivy’s help to break into a vault — much to the distrust of Ivy.
This is one of very few scenes in this game that passes the test, but is a sweet little something amongst the eternal moping of Mr. Misery (Batman)himself.
4. Animal Crossing series — GG Girls is not including games in this list where the player chooses to pick a male or female character, because that defeats the purpose of the test, does it not?
Regardless, Animal Crossing is one of those sweet li’l wholesome games where everyone gets along, no one is sexualised, and the whole thing is about the purity of friendship.
In the traditional sense, Animal Crossing might not pass the test, as it is not a particularly story driven game. But with characters like the sisters Pelly and Phyllis bickering in the post office or the neighbourhood gals (Bella, Monique, and so on — there’s over 200 female characters!) wandering around and chatting to each other as they meet outside, GG Girls thinks that the Animal Crossing series is worthy of passing the test, and is worthy of your attention.
5. Bioshock 2 — Again players wander back into the abyss, to be tortured by the surrounds of Rapture. The game does not have many female characters (or not identifiable ones at least), but there are two supporting females who definitely pass the Bechdel test.
They are Sofia and Eleanor Lamb, the primary antagonist and brainwashed Littler Sister mother-daughter combination who started this whole mess. Possibly the most notable interaction these two have together…
Is that Eleanor gets to choose if her own mother dies at the end or not. I’d say that passes, wouldn’t you?
6. Alice: Madness Returns — As GG Girls’ final Bechdel choice, We’re going to go with the sequel to the original American McGee’s Alice. The main character (Alice) is female, although most of the others seem to be male (The Mad Hatter, The White Rabbit, Dr. Bumby/The Dollmaker etc.). However, in chapter 4, Alice meets up with The Queen of Hearts, the ruler of the now-twisted Wonderland. They speak of Alice’s return, and how she may restore Wonderland to its former glory.
Thank you for reading, and if you have any games that you think might work for this test, send ’em in!
