Misunderstood Women
Female video game characters have carried some of the most memorable stories in the medium, but we all know what happens when women either take the spotlight or even exist in some spaces: they’re going to get ridiculed. Well, we’re ending all that! These 20 characters didn’t deserve the level of hate they received, and we’re here to break down why.
1. Aloy From Horizon
Aloy became one of PlayStation’s most recognizable modern heroes, yet some players still got offended because she looked like a believable person rather than a pinup model. Complaints about her face, hair, and personality said more about the audience than the character herself—though we’re not sure they see it that way.
Michael Ocampo from United States on Wikimedia
2. Abigail Marston From Red Dead Redemption
Sorry, we don’t accept any hate toward Abigail Marston here, folks. She got written off by some players as nagging, but let’s see you try and live with RDR2 John Marston. You don’t have to agree with every word she says, but it’s time we acknowledged that she was a woman trying to keep her family together despite falling for a deadbeat. (Thankfully, he eventually got his stuff together.)
Clastr Cloud Gaming on Unsplash
3. Abby Anderson From The Last Of Us Part II
Abby Anderson became a lightning rod when The Last of Us Part II asked players to sit with grief. A lot of the hatred toward her ignored a major part of her story: that revenge turns everyone into someone uglier than they wanted to be. We’re not saying she’s a good person, or that she’s even redeemable, but people overlooked a huge part of what made her an interesting villain.
4. Ashley Graham From Resident Evil 4
Ashley Graham was mocked for years because players had to protect her in Resident Evil 4, but you might want to cut her a little slack. She’s a kidnapped civilian trapped in a village full of infected cultists! We know she’s annoying, but the hate she received was way too unwarranted.
5. Mary Jane Watson From Marvel’s Spider-Man
Mary Jane Watson got a lot of criticism, mainly because her stealth sections slowed down the action we all craved. Okay, yes, that’s a fair preference, but the character herself was treated like she committed some major crime. MJ’s investigative work gave the story a grounded perspective, and we salute her.
Jason E. (Eras Photography) on Wikimedia
6. Lara Croft From Tomb Raider
Lara Croft has been loved for decades, but not for the reasons you’d think. At first, a lot of dudes just tried to button mash her clothes off—and then the 2013 reboot hit. She was more vulnerable, had a totally different outfit, and was less exaggerated…and some guys really didn’t like that.
RyC - Behind The Lens from San Francisco, United States of America on Wikimedia
7. Samus Aran From Metroid
Samus Aran is one of gaming’s original female icons, and that’s still not enough for some people. The backlash focused less on Metroid’s storytelling issues and more on the idea that Samus shouldn’t show emotion at all. Sorry, what? A woman can be powerful, traumatized, and complicated.
Jaime Chapoy (jrchapoy) on Wikimedia
8. Ellie From The Last Of Us
Ellie was beloved in the first The Last of Us, which you think would’ve protected her when the second instalment’s trailer came out. But nope! She was heavily criticized when Part II let her become violent, angry, and morally messy. Don’t even get us started on the uproar over her sexuality.
9. Kassandra From Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Kassandra should’ve been an easy win: she’s charismatic, capable, and one of the strongest protagonists Assassin’s Creed has had in years. And yet, some players rejected her simply because they didn’t want a woman as the canon lead. Well, too bad! She’s one of the best the franchise has ever had!
Tim Bartel from Cologne, Germany on Wikimedia
10. Nadine Ross From Uncharted 4
When Nadine Ross came on the scene, she upset a lot of dudes, all because she could beat Nathan Drake and Sam Drake in a fight. Apparently, that broke some invisible rule. Her confidence made her a strong antagonist, and the anger around her victories always felt wildly overblown.
Tim Bartel from Cologne, Germany on Wikimedia
11. Freya From God Of War
Here we have it, everyone: another incredible character people hated for nothing. We hate to break it to you, but Freya’s anger is completely understandable. It’s that very anger that contributed to her story; her grief, fury, and eventual growth make her one of the strongest characters in the rebooted saga.
12. Sadie Adler From Red Dead Redemption 2
What do you know, the traumatized, grieving widow is a little reckless sometimes. Hilariously, Sadie drew criticism from players who claimed she was too aggressive or too perfect. We guess women can’t win! Look, she’s wounded, not flawless, and that’s exactly why she fits so well in the franchise.
13. Chloe Price From Life Is Strange
Chloe Price is a lot of things: abrasive, impulsive, and unfair. However, that’s the whole point of the game. Some players treated her flaws as proof that she was unbearable, while ignoring how grief and fear shaped nearly everything she does. You’re not supposed to approve of every decision she makes, and dismissing her misses the emotional core of the game.
14. Kait Diaz From Gears 5
You know what’s funny? When Kait Diaz took center stage in Gears 5, some fans reacted as if the series had betrayed them. We still don’t get it. Her connection to the Locust gave the franchise a personal angle that made the conflict more immediate than another round of muscle-bound soldiers.
15. Ada Wong From Resident Evil
We guess not everyone loves a cool antihero. Ada Wong has almost always been accused of being manipulative, which is technically true but also part of what makes her interesting. She’s a morally gray, opportunistic spy who helps Leon (and misleads him), and the hate just ignores that male characters get praised for the same self-serving behavior.
16. Yennefer From The Witcher
Yennefer of Vengerberg has everything you could want in a character! She’s sharp, she’s demanding, and she’s well-written…which made her a target for guys who wanted someone softer. We all know that her attitude can be harsh, but reducing her to “mean” ignores literally everything else about her.
17. Bayonetta From Bayonetta
Alright, we’re not saying that Bayonetta didn’t have flaws. However, in the midst of it all, people also forgot that she controls the joke, owns the spectacle, and fights with instantly recognizable confidence. Sometimes, you just need to take the good with the bad.
Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan on Wikimedia
18. Princess Peach From Super Mario
Despite being an icon, Princess Peach has been dismissed for decades! Oh, she needs to be rescued again. So? Blame Bowser! Never forget that Nintendo proved she can lead an adventure without losing her sweetness. Hating Peach for being cheerful and feminine also feels especially weird when those traits are part of what makes her stand out.
19. Miranda Lawson From Mass Effect
Miranda was immediately criticized for her appearance and attitude, despite Mass Effect 2 making it clear that both are tied to her complicated upbringing. Let’s not forget that she was genetically engineered to be exceptional, then spent her life trying to escape. Her confidence hides all kinds of insecurity and guilt, but that just wasn’t enough for some people.
Victoria Romanova a.k.a. Milligan Vick on Wikimedia
20. Cortana From Halo
Cortana was beloved when she served as Master Chief’s trusted companion, but that all ended once Halo gave her more agency and darker choices. You can criticize the direction of the story without pretending the character never had depth before that point. Like it or not, Cortana brought wit and emotional weight to a series that could’ve easily been all armor and gunfire.
