Women in Gaming

After reading Anne Krueger's article that is featured in Gamasutra, I began to think on the role women play in games. Sure, there's the half naked cheerleader that mows down zombies with a chainsaw

Lollipop Chainsaw

 and the option of making the player's character female, but it's easy to see there's sex appeal. Yes, the vast majority of gamers are male. However, as games become more and more unisex, there has been a rise in stronger roles of women in games. This week, I focused on women characters in games. my first place to look was Mass Effect. It amazed me after multiple times playing the games how many romances are available. Though a female Shepard can have relationships with male and some female characters, I have not played as a female very much due to the cross over feature of Mass Effect and my male Shepard being my most powerful and memory consuming character. In each game, there are more romance options available. In the first one, there are two. In the second, there are three. However, the third introduces up to seven possible female romance options. What fascinates me about this (due to the cross over feature) is the strength and independence each of them have. If Shepard romances someone in the first game, someone different in the second, by the third he will have to resolve this. He will be confronted by each romanced person and will be offered a choice to either stay with them or move on. What is truly interesting is how even though all say they love Shepard, they do not turn into the whiny, depressed teenager that goes months moaning how they will never love again *cough* Twilight *cough*. They still kick ass, realizing the Reapers are a threat that can not be ignored. It amazes me, as few games show this, there is still that strength that shows, making strides in an industry that has been male dominated for far too long.