Video game heroines are less abundant throughout the gaming industry than their male counterparts, but they may be more impactful. If there's one thing the industry has no shortage of, it's strong female leads. Female characters have unruly capabilities that give them shock appeal.
We've seen many video game heroines throughout the years, but some stand out because of their adeptness in combat and overcoming obstacles. You've already heard of them, and now, it's time to rank them. This is our ranking of the 10 most badass heroines in video games.
10 Chloe Price (Life Is Strange)
She may not wield guns (okay, maybe she did at one time), yet Chloe Price is your everyday badass. Those who play the Life Is Strange games can relate to the character of Chloe, which makes her even more relevant to this list.
Chloe is an angsty teenager who has a troubled relationship with her step-father, among other issues. She is bisexual, boasts a 1.7 GPA, has tattoos, and has a drug abuse problem. As a secondary character in Life is Strange and the main character of Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, she is a rebel without a cause.
9 Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)
Appearing in games such as Resident Evil and Resident Evil 3, Jill Valentine serves as the protagonist of more than one game in the series. As someone who doesn't have an issue defeating an onslaught of zombies, she displays heroinism that surpasses most other video game characters. With the help of Chris Redfield, Jill makes zombie-slaying look easy. Together, she and Chris fight the corrupt Umbrella Corporation. She's one of the most likable and popular video game heroines ever created.
8 Samus Aran (Metroid)
Under all that armor, many believe her to be a man. People who cared to play the games she stems from know Samus Aran is a female.
Daughter of Rodney Aran, she is a human being who received genetic enhancements, giving her extraordinary fighting capabilities. First appearing in 1986's Metroid, her moveset has since expanded, but her story remains the same. She accomplishes feats that an ordinary person could not. With her Zero Suit, Samus Aran uses abilities such as the Morph Ball, melee combat, and point-blank shot.
7 Clementine (The Walking Dead)
With all these hardcore heroines on this list, one might wonder how a young girl could measure up? Time and time again, Clementine displays capabilities that surpass that of an average person. She defeats the countless zombies that exist in The Walking Dead. Not only is Clementine strong for her age, but she also has a great deal of maturity. She is wise beyond her years, and her friends wouldn't have made it far if it weren't for her support.
6 Heather Mason (Silent Hill)
Whether you saw her appear in Silent Hill: Revelation or played as her in Silent Hill 3, Heather Mason shows her tough exterior on more than one occasion. Silent Hill 3 is one of the most admired games in that series because of its gripping story and formidable protagonist.
We can't forget the time that Heather killed a partially-formed god, then for good measure, kicked it a few more times as its corpse laid on the floor. Heather Mason shows her angry side, which contributes to the notion that she is a badass heroine.
5 Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
She is one of the lesser-known video game heroines on this list, but she is by no means any less hardcore. Bayonetta is the titular character in the Bayonetta video game series and is also known by aliases such as Famed Witch, Umbra Witch, and Cereza.
Bayonetta is depicted as a beautiful woman with a curvy figure and a skin-tight suit. Comparable to Dante from Devil May Cry, the games she appears in necessitate combos. Bayonetta wields weapons such as handguns and shotguns to defeat demonic opponents.
4 Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)
One of the newest video game heroines to join the ranks is Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. She comes from a post-apocalyptic time when human beings have been devolved into their primal state. Robots that resemble animals occupy her land, but Aloy proves to be adept at survival.
Voiced by Ashly Burch, Aloy is one of the few females who can combat these machines. For the previously mentioned reasons, Aloy is considered one of the most badass heroines in existence.
3 Chloe Frazer (Uncharted)
In contrast to other characters on this list, we can believe most of Chloe Frazer's courageous acts. Chloe works with Nathan Drake, the main character of the Uncharted series, but we've seen Chloe in a standalone DLC titled Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. That was one of the lengthiest DLCs ever created, and it gives us insight into the character of Chloe Frazer. Lost Legacy reveals that she's a badass heroine not to be underestimated.
2 Ellie (The Last Of Us)
Right away, we see parallels between the character of Clementine from The Walking Dead and Ellie. Both post-apocalyptic survivors go through harrowing moments that define them as characters. With that said, Ellie proves to be more capable than Clementine, who relies on others for much of The Walking Dead.
When Joel was impaled by a steel rod, Ellie saved his life by scavenging for medicine and food. We are eagerly waiting to see how the character of Ellie develops in The Last of Us Part II. Will she maintain her team with Joel, or will she be more independent?
1 Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
Undoubtedly, the most recognizable heroine in video games is Lara Croft, the Tomb Raider herself. She overcomes obstacles such as puzzles, which allow her to progress through the game. Her variety of weapons, including a bow and guns, is a reason why she is badass. Her weapon prowess, combined with survival intellect, makes her the most capable heroine in video games. Scaling cliffsides, we see that Lara Croft is not your average heroine. Her character has changed throughout the Tomb Raider series, but the fact remains that she is a badass!