Should more RPGs have female leads?

Sim Kid · #1

There have been a few RPGs in which the primary protagonist has been female, or in which you're given the option to play as a woman. Do you think there should be some more females in an RPG?

Personally, I say yes. I mostly say this to help break down trends, and because it would be interesting to put the player in control of a woman, especially if she's an interesting character and isn't a Colette Brunel. Heck just having an androgenous(sp) heroine would fit if you have to have someone looking girlier/manlier than the other (wo)men characters.

I am nobody · #2

I prefer non-linear games that let you have at least some control over the main character (KotoR, Fable, etc), so I'm against having a forced lead of either gender.

Still, I agree that the constant male leads are getting bland.

ZeldaGirl · #3

Heck yes!

#4

I want more RPG leads to actually be a Pile of Ooze. It'll be something morbidly obese people can connect to.

heh · #5

i want more rpgs to have interesting leads first

X-3 · #6

I would like to see a character that is a monkey with a gun for a tail.

Female leads are good too.

The Willful Wanderer · #7

QUALIFICATION.

I would say yes, with a qualifier-

More female leads who aren't just eye candy.

In fact, I'd like to see more leads who don't fit the standard character patterns- you know, someone with a halberd or maybe a lead female mage, or even a lead who's (gasp) not in their teens! (OHMIGOD)

Yeah. I'm a rebel.

ZeldaGirl · #8

^That's a good point.

Calamity Panfan · #9

Well, most JRPG leads could pass for either one.

Sim Kid · #10

I am nobody wrote:I prefer non-linear games that let you have at least some control over the main character (KotoR, Fable, etc), so I'm against having a forced lead of either gender.

Still, I agree that the constant male leads are getting bland.

well anything. *Shrugs* KOTOR actually has canonical genders but who pays attention outside of star wars nerds?

Wicked Witch of the Crest · #11

As long as the characters is freakin' interesting, I don't care about gender. Although being a golem leader, or heck, a mimic would be fun.

Some Dragon Quest related games has you start out with a slime, which could count for a pile of ooze. Another one has you as a literal slime.

Sim Kid · #12

AT least interesting if not a sockpuppet like in non-linear games or some games like Persona.

Valigarmander · #13

But, yeah, RPGs could always use more diverse leads than the typical big burly guy with a bazillion weapons or the effeminate man-boy with his belts and zippers.

Crazyswordsman · #14

In before Jay.

Wait....don't most of the recent Final Fantasies HAVE female leads?

[serious]I definitely think there should be more female leads, although they should be less damesl-in-distressy or slutty and more, you know, tough. -CSM

Ace Mercury · #15

You know how the female party members are always weaker and better at spellcasting than the guys? I was thinking of designing an RPG where there is at least a strong female party member and one guy who's the healer, to see how that would go over. I never got around to it, though. =/

#16

Tales of Destiny 2 (JP) was the greatest violation of gender roles.

All three female characters in the party are mainly spell casters (Except Nanaly, I guess). Reala was soooooo stereotypical. The weak girl that could only cast spells and used wands and staffs. BORING. Nanaly was an archer, meh. Harold, freaking Sage. Again, spells.

And guess what the male characters are? Kyle's the stereotypical swordsman leader, Judas is the mysterious better swordsman, and Loni's just the axe wielding maniac.

Which sucks massivly because Tales of Destiny at least had some interesting characters (Mary's a freaking beast, and there's a freaking Bard.).

ZeldaGirl · #17

Ace Mercury wrote:You know how the female party members are always weaker and better at spellcasting than the guys? I was thinking of designing an RPG where there is at least a strong female party member and one guy who's the healer, to see how that would go over. I never got around to it, though. =/

That would be very interesting; something I was thinking about myself (not in terms of me actually creating it, but wondering "could that ever happen...would people do it?"). I think it'd be totally cool, though.

One of the reasons I liked FFXII and Tactics so much was that not only were they flexible in terms of jobs and classes between genders, but there are a lot of kick ass females in there (Ashe and Fran, Agrias and Meliadoul).

#18

Ok, I'll put my actual two cents.

I'm not gonna lie and say I hate the eye candy. No, I loves the eye candy. There is just so much eye candy, that the archetype becomes tiresome.

I remember a game called "Magna Carta where all the Women were like Mai Shirunai, and it was ridiculous. You can probably look it up if you don't believe me.

I would love to see a Female Monk teaming up with a Male Mage and they go decieve other villigers like they're con artists. It would be different. I kind of like different.

Ninja Edit:

From Magna Carta. Just so you don't really have to go look for it.

Auron · #19

ZeldaGirl wrote:One of the reasons I liked FFXII and Tactics so much was that not only were they flexible in terms of jobs and classes between genders, but there are a lot of kick ass females in there (Ashe and Fran, Agrias and Meliadoul).

I feel the need to point out the Fire Emblem series and Valkyria Chronicles as two other games that have the right idea. In fact, in Path of Radiance, your main healer is a guy and one of your best knights is a woman. And anyone who doesn't think Lyn isn't a kickass character is out of their mind.

ZeldaGirl · #20

^I've never played FE, so I didn't know/couldn't comment.

But, from what I've heard [strike]from SML[/strike] Lyn is, indeed, kickass.