The video game industry is saturated with macho heroes, burly protagonists, and an assortment of characters large and small. Of the titles that have left their mark on the gaming market, most have featured male characters as the leading role. As we approach the halfway point of 2012, I’m happy to see more female representation in the gaming world with virtual women who are strong, tough, and purposeful. With this list, we want to honor the female video game characters with substance and those who wear more than a string bikini.
RPGs are often huge, sprawling endeavours. With limited playtime, we have to choose wisely, so here's the best western RPGs available today.
"I started playing games yesterday" the List... Meh!
How about a few RPGs that deserve some love instead?
1 - Alpha Protocol - Now on GOG
2 - else Heart.Break()
3 - Shadowrun Trilogy
4 - Wasteland 2
5 - UnderRail
6 - Tyranny
7 - Torment: Tides of Numenera
And for a bonus game that flew under the radar:
8 - Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Not only glorious jank, but the idea that the story can completely change depending on what you do, or say, or side with, makes it one of the most forward thinking games ever. The amount of story permutation is the equivalent of a Hitman level but in Story Form. And it wasn't just that the story changed, no, it was that you met completely new characters, or missed them, depending on your choices. Made Mass Effect feel static in comparison.
Alpha Protocol was absolutely glorious, indeed. And it was, and still is, more Next Gen than most anything out there these days. In this regard at least.
Pity.
Other nominees include games like SimCity & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
There are some good nominees in this list that are deserving to be inducted also, but I feel Metroid has had the most impact on the industry out of all of these. Look how Metroid influenced the evolution of the Castlevania games, and the "Metroidvania" subgenre of games have become a prevailing force in gaming today. Especially now, Metroidvanias are bigger than ever.
I can very much see Resident Evil being added later too, bc it really did popularize and define the survival horror genre. I would say that one is next in line.
Agreed. When I got my NES back then, I of course had Super Mario Bros. But I also got Double Dribble, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Rad Racer, Zelda and Metroid. Loved playing all of them over and over. But Metroid was so deep and the music was so other worldly, that that game has stuck with me to this day decades later.
Sure other awesome games came along like Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, etc. But Metroid really hit that sci-fi fix. And the twist of finding out who was in the suit was one of those great moments in gaming history talking with other friends in the neighborhood that had the console that rushed to the end to find out for themselves.
Definitely deserves hall of fame like many other picks. Should have been inducted a long time ago.
If any Metroid game should get the honor it should be Super Metroid , it's perfection in my eyes . 30 years later and I still feel it's the most epic shit ever .
Yea, I agree that Super Metroid REALLY raised the bar on atmosphere and exploration, still in my Top 10 or 20 games of all time. The original Metroid did set a good framework, but Super Metroid perfected it in its first sequel. Since it's the only one up for vote, I'd still vote for the original Metroid bc it did establish a very good concept of gaming in a more primitive gaming era. But, you're absolutely right.
The GBA remake deserves it or Super Metroid, the original was a very sloppy and rushed game programmed in 3 months and it shows.
If you've never played the remake, it's absolutely a must play, fixes basically every flaw in the game. Check out ExoParadigmGamer's comparison video.
While FFVII ranks highly, there's more to the series than one game. Here's Chit Hot's picks for the seven best Final Fantasy characters.
Not only a good top ten list - but a top ten list all on one page!
Finally! A game site that treats me like a gamer and not a revenue source!
Thank you!
Junko Zane.