By Anita Sarkeesian and Carolyn Petit
Illustration by Hyesu Lee
More often than not, women in games are sexual objects, damsels in distress, or disposable murder victims whose deaths provide motivation for brooding male heroes. Games that present women as fully developed humans, or that communicate feminist values through a focus on cooperation or compassion, are all too rare. Here are five that thrilled us, moved us, or just made us feel like there is a place for us in the world of video games.
Beyond Good & Evil (2003)
Early on, Jade, the game’s young protagonist, is battling a destructive alien force and finds herself trapped. Uncle Pey’j, her sidekick and friend, throws her a staff and says, “Free yourself, Jade, I’ll create a diversion,” which enables her to break free. This scene, and the game as a whole, challenges the perception of women as helpless victims and men as heroic saviors and instead gives us a glimpse into the potential for video games to encourage mutual aid and cooperation.
