Although most games still primarily feature male protagonists, the Role-playing game genre is one of the few genres that has had a relatively large amount of incredible female protagonists since the '90s. Besides horror franchises like Resident Evil or visual novel series like Ace Attorney, RPGs usually have some of the most impactful and memorable female characters in video games.
Since plenty of classic RPG titles and series, such as Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem, feature many remarkable women, it's difficult to pick only a few examples. But, there are some characters that stand out among the rest.
Amaterasu - Ōkami
Considered to be one of the best games ever made, Ōkami is an action-adventure game with a gorgeous sumi-e inspired art-style that centers around Japanese mythology and folklore. Taking place in historical Japan, the game follows the sun goddess Amaterasu, who takes on the animal form of a white wolf, as she saves the world from demons using the power of the Celestial Brush.
Besides being a powerful goddess, Amaterasu is a great protagonist because she is simultaneously both kind and firm. While she is always willing to help others, she is not afraid to show her own opinions and emotions. For example, Amaterasu falls asleep during boring conversations and shows her displeasure when characters say or do things that she doesn't like.
Koudelka Iasant - Koudelka
Created by Hiroki Kikuta, who had previously worked as a composer for the Mana series, Koudelka is a survival horror RPG and the first installment of the Shadow Hearts series. Taking place during 1898 in Aberystwyth, Wales, the main protagonist, a young psychic Romani woman named Koudelka Iasant, travels to Nemeton Monastery after being guided there by a spirit. While trying to uncover the dark secrets of the place, she teams up with an adventurer, Edward Plunkett, and a bishop, James O'Flaherty.
Because of her psychic powers, Koudelka was banished from her Romani village as a young child and spent most of her life barely surviving on her own. These hardships have caused her to have a cynical outlook, which is shown early on in the game when she immediately pulls out a knife when she first meets Edward or when she suspects that the monastery's caretakers have poisoned their food. Despite this, Koudelka is always trying to help those around her, and she is a great mother to her future son.
Maya Amano - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Since the Megami Tensei sub-series Persona became mainstream after the release of Persona 3, many newer titles. For example, many people may not know that Persona 2 consisted of two mainline titles. The first half of the story, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, had a high school boy named Tatsuya Suou as the silent protagonist.
But, in the second half, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, one of the party , a young woman named Maya Amano, becomes the silent protagonist and Tatsuya Suou becomes the party member instead. Because of this, the player already has a clear understanding of Maya's character even though she is now voiceless. During both titles, she is a strong and kind person who is always trying to think positively and others.
Miriam - Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
With Konami largely leaving the video game industry behind in favor of pachinko machines, it's unlikely that there will be a new Castlevania installment anytime soon. Luckily, former Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi left Konami to create his own spiritual successor known as the Bloodstained series. Released in 2019 as the second installment in this new franchise, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night follows a young woman named Miriam who must stop an army of demons.
Although Miriam had a rough childhood, she has an unwavering sense of justice and always chooses to use her Shardbinder powers to help others. She's never afraid to run into dangerous situations, and she is intelligent enough to notice little details and push back against the flawed arguments of her foes.
Red - Transistor
Created by the indie studio Supergiant Games, who also created other critically acclaimed titles such as Hades, Pyre, and Bastion, Transistor is an action RPG that follows a young woman named Red as she travels through Cloudbank city and fights against a robotic force known as the Process using a glowing sword called the Transistor. After a group called the Camerata tries to assassinate Red but instead kills her lover, Red loses her voice and goes on a journey to find out why she was targeted.
From the beginning of the game, Red demonstrates her determination and strength by deciding to confront the Camerata instead of escaping the city. Throughout the story, she is able to beat multiple difficult adversaries, and she always keeps moving forward despite the struggles and hardships she faces.
Princess Eirika - Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Often considered one of the best games in the entire Fire Emblem franchise, the 2004 tactical JRPG Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was released as the third and final Fire Emblem installment on the Game Boy Advance. The game follows two twins, Princess Eirika and Prince Ephraim, as they try to stop the Grado Empire from invading the other nations and destroying the Sacred Stones.
In contrast to her more brash and impulsive brother, Eirika doesn't like violence and has a much more leveled head. Although she wishes everything could be solved peacefully, she adapts to the circumstances and successfully leads her troops, but she is always looking for opportunities to be merciful and to forgive.
Aya Brea - Parasite Eve
Created as a sequel to the science fiction horror novel of the same name, Parasite Eve is a 1998 PS1 action horror JRPG that spawned two sequels. The original game takes place around Christmas time and follows the main heroine, a rookie NYPD officer named Aya Brea, as she tries to stop a woman named Eve who plans to end the human race by awakening the mitochondria in their bodies.
Because of her special mitochondrial abilities, Aya feels alienated from others and worries about becoming a monster. Despite this, she always tries to the right thing and help other people. Although she is fairly quiet and tries to remain professional at all times, she can also be stubborn and sarcastic when the situation calls for it.
Zero - Drakengard 3
Released in 2013 for the PS3, Drakengard 3 is the final game in the Drakengard series and a prequel to the original Drakengard, which led to the spin-off series Nier. The game follows a woman named Zero and her partner dragon Mikhail as they try to kill her five sisters across several different timelines.
Initially, Zero appears to have a haughty, impatient, violent, and apathetic personality. But, as the player learns more about her, it slowly becomes apparent that she does care about her comrades and her negative traits largely come from her history, guilt, and self-depreciation.
Emily Kaldwin - Dishonored 2
Taking place 15 years after the iconic first game, the 2016 action-adventure game Dishonored 2 follows either former Empress Emily Kaldwin or her father Corvo Attano as they try to reclaim the throne from the witch Delilah Copperspoon. Although Corvo was the protagonist of the first game, Emily is the canon protagonist of this sequel.
After her tumultuous youth, Emily is now a strong and ambitious woman who fights for justice. With her wide range of skills and keen intellect, she is able to overcome most foes with ease, but she can be impulsive. While she still mourns the loss of her mother, she has resolved to keep living and working towards a bright future.
Terra Branford - Final Fantasy VI
Taking place in a steampunk-esque setting instead of medieval fantasy setting, the 1994 SNES JRPG Final Fantasy VI was a significant turning point for the series. The game follows 14 permanent playable characters as they try to stop the evil Empire from rediscovering magic and ruining the world.
At the beginning, the player meets the first main character, a young woman named Terra Branford. Because of her strange magical powers, she was enslaved by the empire until the revolutionary organization, the Returners, managed to get her "slave crown" off. During the game, she learns to accept her abilities and gains the courage to protect others.