March - National Women’s History Month: Let's Celebrate The Wimminz

Written By: Tyler

            Every month I’m picking something that the month commemorates and I’m doing a little list in celebration/honour of that. This month I’ll be praising women and some of my favourite video game characters of all time. Unlike black people (check last month), women aren’t underrepresented and though a lot are over-sexualized, there are still a lot of strong, well-written girl characters. It's National Women's History Month so let's take a look at some of the women who have made games what they are.

                I picked fifteen because it’s a nice number for this kind of thing. So let’s do this thing.

Samus Aran From Metroid

                It’s impossible not to start this list off with probably the greatest female video game character of all time – Samus Aran. What’s funny about her is that back in the Dark Ages, you wouldn’t know she’s a girl until you die due to the fact she is wearing a beastly Power Suit. Back then it was a huge deal, like, “whoa, I’m playing as a hot chick?” Yes, we thought that. Don’t let any older gamer tell you otherwise.

                Samus doesn’t really emote very often, except for in the ill-fated Metroid: Other M (which I actually loved), but she does talk when briefing the gamers on what she has done in her career as an Intergalactic Bounty Hunter. Mostly she’s a strong and silent type, and she’s one of the most classic Bounty Hunters in all of fiction.

The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3

                I mentioned her in January (National Mentor Month), but she is such a powerful, influential character that she needs to be included again. When she’s on screen she’s shown as strong yet feminine, smart and exceptionally talented. She is important, loyal and brave. She has a tremendous impact on Big Boss (Naked Snake in this game), who is arguably the most important character in the entire series considering even Solid Snake is just a clone of him. Without Big Boss, there is no Snake, without The Boss, there is no Big Boss.

Princess Toadstool/Peach from Mario Games

                Princess Toadstool isn’t really a great example of a powerful female video game character. She falls strictly in the “damsel in distress” archetype, but it’s hard to deny that she’s an iconic character considering she’s a big piece of probably the most famous video game series of all time – Super Mario.

Joanna Dark from Perfect Dark

                Joanna Dark had the unfortunate problem of being in the Rare shooter that came after the legendary Goldeneye 64 so she had to compete with Bond. No, she’s not James Bond, but she’s also not the type of girl that would become infatuated with Bond… in fact, it’s more likely that she’d kick his ass. Perfect Dark is one of the best shooters of all time, and Joanna Dark is the main character of it.

Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw

                I love Lollipop Chainsaw. I think it’s an underrated and fun game. I don’t think Juliet is a well-written character that redefines the role of the female in games. She’s a ditsy cheerleader who wears her boyfriend’s head on her belt. But don’t get it twisted… as sexy and as ditsy as she is, she’s a tough, ass-kicking woman. Women can complain but I’m a man and it’s hard not to be into Juliet.

Aeris Gainsborough from Final Fantasy 7

                Aeris is one of the first people you see in Final Fantasy 7. She isn’t in the whole game because, y’know spoilers, she dies (bet you didn’t know that). Her death is felt throughout the rest of the game and she’s probably the most important character in the game. It’s a shame she dies though because she’s a classic healer and her final limit break is the shit.

Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7

                Tifa is also awesome. Final Fantasy 7 has two great female characters, and they both love Cloud. Tifa is my favourite to play as and she’s one of my core members in my team. She is a caring, loyal woman with… big bazookas. But of course that’s not all there is to a woman. Heh.

Celes from Final Fantasy 3/6

                Celes is one of my favourite Final Fantasy characters ever. She is the one who gets the honour of getting equipped with the Genji Glove. When you see her she’s in a bad way, and my buddy and I have made the argument that she was raped, but nothing stops her and she shows just how tough she is throughout the rest of the game. She might even be the most developed because when the shit hits the fan and Kefka destroys the world, who do you play as first in the World of Ruin? That’s right – Celes.

Terra from Final Fantasy 3/6

                I think Celes becomes the main character, ultimately, but Terra starts the game and has an interesting, conflict filled character arc herself. I mean, she’s an Esper. That’s pretty awesome in itself and that’s reason enough that she’s a memorable female video game character.

Chun-Li from Street Fighter

                Chun-Li is the most iconic female character in arguably the most legendary fighting game series. Yes, she’s a little over-sexualized like a lot of girls, but she has a great move set and she kicks serious ass. You don’t really go to a fighting game, generally, for characters who are extremely developed anyway.

Aya Brea from Parasite Eve

                The definition of a real woman. She’s sexy, dedicated, conquers her fears and kicks ass. She is on a date, the room catches on fire, everyone is screaming and burning to death and she pulls out her gun and goes and challenges Parasite Eve. From then on, you are treated to what I think is the greatest RPG of all time, and it’s all told through the eyes of probably my all-time favourite female video game character.

Lara Croft from Tomb Raider

                I’m not really a Tomb Raider guy, but I couldn’t make this list without putting Lara on it. This is probably the only case of me doing that. It’s Lara Croft – love her or hate her, people know her… and her tits. It sounds shallow but that’s the reality. It’s hard to deny that she was basically a sex icon for guys who are into video games a little too much, but lately she has been rebranded as a more complex character.

Zelda from Legend of Zelda

                Actually, I’m not a Zelda guy either so there are two choices on here that I’m putting in just because of how big they are in the industry. I mean, it’s Zelda, although the circumstances are a little strange. For years people thought Link was Zelda. Some people still do. But regardless, her name is in the title and Link only gets that privilege in a few games.

Ellie from The Last of Us

                Though she’s more of a one-off character, it’s hard to argue her importance in The Last of Us. She is the person who makes Joel human again, she is the central focal point for the entire game. She is the reason you are making tough choices. The Last of Us doesn’t have a deep plot and it’s a tale that’s been told a lot, but the growth of Joel and Ellie is something special within video games.

Elizabeth from Bioshock: Infinite

                Elizabeth has an Ellie thing going on, though it’s a different situation. She isn’t technically the main character, but a lot that goes on is because of her. You are trying to save her after all, but she’s not a damsel in distress really. I mean, she kind of is, but there’s more to her than that and as the game goes on you see that.

Disagree, agree? Let me know in the comments below who you would put in this list. Or message me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime. Thanks for reading and keep coming back to this blog because I actually write other articles too! I know!

Top Ten Tuesday -- Top 10 Playable Final Fantasy Characters From "The Greatest Generation" (FF6 through FF9)

Written by: Justin

Yooooooo! It's my first contribution to "On The Gamely", son!

Just to self-promote, here's who I am: I'm Justin, BridgewatersFinest on YouTube, BlockBuster_Guy on Twitter, and I run the world-famous "Resident Movie-(Love)er" blog -- yet another blog to which Tyler, your beloved blogmaster, contributes to.

Tyler has been up my butt for months about writing for On The Gamely (and up my butt for years prior, dating back to our carefree youth... but I digress), so I finally took the opportunity presented to me to toss out a top ten list -- which both Tyler and I will tell you, are one of our favorite things to do.

I also love RPG's. More specifically, I love Final Fantasy. And as a lover of Final Fantasy, it pains me somewhat to see what Final Fantasy has become versus what it USED to be. God, that makes me sound/feel old. To me, Final Fantasy has been subject to multiple generations -- the early years, up to entry 5, where it found its legs; these past few years and entries have arguably been the post-grad years, where it struggles to keep its identity in an ever-changing world; but the era in which I choose to address are those rebellious late-teenage-to-early-twenties years, the "Attitude Era" of Final Fantasy (for all you wrestling fans out there), which encompass Final Fantasy VI (1994) through Final Fantasy IX (2000). I prefer to dub this generation, "The Greatest Generation", in which I feel you find the best games, the best stories, and the best characters the series has to offer.

It is with this timeline in mind that I present to you...

JUSTIN'S TOP TEN (PLAYABLE) FINAL FANTASY CHARACTERS FROM “THE GREATEST GENERATION”

Let's start by first acknowledging three characters that did not quite make the list: FF8's Quistis Trepe, FF9's Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, and FF7's Nanaki. All characters that I love, but not quite enough to put them on the list. Aight, let's get started!

#10 ::: Seifer Almsay (FF8) – Seifer is a classmate & rival of Squall Leonhart, and later on in the game, a multi-meeting boss character. Short-tempered and attention-seeking, Seifer’s storyline is that of “being second-best” to Squall (in multiple ways), eventually becoming brainwashed as Edea/Ultimicia’s “knight”. Seifer plays almost identically to Squall, wielding a similar gunblade. Where I think Seifer sets himself apart from Squall (and every other playable in FF8) is the passion he displays in his character and story. Like Vegeta in “DragonBall Z”, he always considers himself the elite, willing to go anywhere and do anything to prove it, and his interesting point of view (that being, Squall and the others being the evil villains, and himself being the hero) pushes him past the rest of the game’s cast.

#9 ::: Aerith Gainsborough (FF7) – Everybody knows Aerith’s story: a flower merchant in Midgar, later revealed to be the last surviving Ancient (Cetra) and the supposed key to the discovery of “The Promised Land”, has a chance meeting with Cloud and forces him to be her “bodyguard” as protection against Shinra and the Turks. She plays as a support character, specializing in healing and buffing rather than offense. Aerith has arguably the most memorable death in video game history, and the mystery surrounding her character, her relationship with Cloud, and her own personal journey of self-discovery make her a fan favorite. Ultimately, she ends up directly playing a key role in Gaia’s fate, but in my opinion, she lacks the in-game longevity and playability to be considered the game’s best character.

#8 ::: Vincent Valentine (FF7) – Vincent is the only optional character to make the list. A former Turk member, he seeks vengeance on Professor Hojo for the genetic experimentation that was forced upon him and the love of his life. Vincent’s playability is hindered by a functionally-frustrating Limit Break, transforming him into various creatures due to the Jenova cells in his body. While the creatures can be helpful, they can also hamper the team during crucial battles. Much of Vincent’s story is shrouded in mystery in the game itself, but is fleshed out in subsequent games, and the story of love, loss, guilt, agelessness and revenge is some of the best storytelling Final Fantasy has to offer, overcoming the functional shortcomings of the character.

#7 ::: Celes Chere (FF6) – Celes is a former Empire general, genetically infused with magic to become a Magitek Knight, and is rescued by Locke after she is imprisoned for protesting the water poisoning at Doma. Celes is a popular Genji Glove choice with me, giving her the ability to dual-wield weapons in addition to her strong magic abilities. Aside from a personal theory about whether Celes was raped during her incarceration (hint: we believe she was), where she becomes most interesting is in the game’s second half, the World of Ruin. She is the first playable character after the party is separated, is constantly being pulled in two directions between party loyalty and her past with the Empire, and her attempt to save Cid’s life and subsequent suicide attempt make for compelling storytelling.

#6 ::: Terra Branford (FF6) – Terra is the daughter of a human and an Esper, enslaved by the Empire and exploited for her inherent magical abilities. She is the first character to be introduced in the game, and is liberated from the Empire by rebels in Narshe.  Terra’s story is integral to the game’s first half, as she helps facilitate the Returners’ alliance with the Espers to decimate the Empire. What I love about Terra’s story is how it transforms from a fairly-straightforward revenge mantra after learning of her past, to the more noble quest of making the world safe for children during the World of Ruin. Terra is constantly cited as a critical and fan favorite.

#5 ::: Sabin Figaro (FF6) – Sabin is a rogue warrior, the younger brother of the king of Figaro, Edgar. Sabin wins a rigged coin toss against his brother for the right to refuse their father’s throne, and instead seeks the man thought to be the killer of his trainer, Duncan. While his story may not be of the same quality as some other characters, his high abilities land him highly on the list. Sabin is another popular Genji Glove choice for me, due to his physical attack power, but Sabin is an all-around beast and that’s why I really like him. He is always on my team whenever available, and boasts the versatility to be either your top warrior or top magic user.

#4 ::: Vivi Ornitier (FF9) – Vivi is a black mage, who meets Zidane in Alexandria upon travelling there to take in a performance of “I Want To Be Your Canary”, joining Zidane to save Princess Garnet from being trapped in the Evil Forest. As he grows more comfortable with his magical abilities, he learns the dark truth behind his origins, and the true purpose of the Black Mages. Vivi is one of the most sympathetic characters in Final Fantasy’s storied history. His story and character have immense depth, while bringing to the table a child-like demeanor that has endeared him to fans for years. Vivi’s story is a wonderful story of redemption and of rising above the pain of the past to find a higher purpose, and Vivi’s very existence as a black mage is a wonderful compliment to the throwback nature of the game itself.

#3 ::: Tifa Lockhart (FF7) – Tifa is the owner of the 7^th Heaven bar in the Sector 7 slums in Midgar, and is a primary member of the eco-terrorist resistance group AVALANCHE. A childhood friend of Cloud’s from Nibelheim, they reunite when AVALANCHE recruits Cloud to assist in the attacks on several Shinra Mako reactors, eventually accompanying him in his desperate search for Sephiroth. Tifa can be described as a female version of Sabin, fighting primarily with her fists, having been trained in martial arts by Zangan in her hometown. In my opinion, Tifa is not only the greatest female Final Fantasy character, she ranks among the greatest female video game characters period, both in terms of playability within the game and of storyline. She struggles with her clear and present affections for Cloud and her duty to him as a friend, while at the same time acting as a mother figure to Barrett’s daughter Marlene, and an emotional and structural support for the AVALANCHE group in the wake of Sector 7’s destruction, and the death of Aerith. She displays strength, caring, beauty and determination, and represents everything that a Final Fantasy character should be.

#2 ::: Shadow (FF6) – Shadow is a mysterious assassin and mercenary-for-hire, who bounces back and forth between his allegiances during the first half of the game. Shadow is always accompanied by Interceptor, his attack dog. He attacks from a distance, and does damage by any means necessary, often throwing unused inventory weapons at enemies for big damage. Shadow has arguably the most interesting story in FF6. You never know when or where he might show up (often just when you’ve forgotten about him), and your skill level as a player literally decides whether Shadow lives into the World of Ruin, or dies on the Floating Continent. You only ever learn about him by USING him in the game, and only then through dream sequences, learning about his past as a train robber, his inability to grant his partner’s death wish, his fathering of Relm in Thamasa, living with the guilt of his past and ultimately allowing himself to die in Kefka’s tower at the game’s end. Based on story and player experience, Shadow is the perfect character.

#1 ::: Cloud Strife (FF7) – Cloud begins his story as a mercenary and an EX-Soldier First Class, who joins the AVALANCHE group to counteract Shinra’s use of Mako energy. His primary motivation, however, soon becomes his rivalry with former comrade Sephiroth, being drawn to find him, to gain revenge for the destruction of his hometown, and to learn more about the moments in his past that he either cannot remember, or which differ from the accounts of Tifa and others. Despite the possibility of FF6’s Shadow being an objectively “better” character, Cloud has an iconic status that sits him atop this list. Ignoring for a moment that he is arguably the best character in the game from a playability standpoint, Cloud’s story is highly-charged and emotional. Cloud’s is a story of a man so confident in his own abilities and history, being fractured and broken apart through a series of lies, false memories, and personal tragedies. In the end, Cloud survives on nothing but personal strength and the love of those closest to him, accepting and overcoming his past and standing up to a foe who claims himself a God. FF7 is admittedly my favorite game of all-time, so this ranking is subject to claims of bias; however, I genuinely feel as though Cloud is the greatest character in the history of the franchise.