Are there any video games where the MAIN CHARACTER is a "slutty" woman?

[Vitruviansquid]

I've been thinking about the breadth of representation in video games lately... but I don't think there are actually any mainstream, Triple A games where the main character is a "slutty" woman? While it might interest some of you to think about the ramifications of whether they exist or not, I'm just trying to think of a game that fits the above, withholding judgment or any exploration of the deeper consequences for... whatever.

"Main character" means the character in question must be the entity that the player sees him/herself as while playing.

The "main character" must also be have a personality defined by the game rather than by the player. For example, Cloud Strife would be a "main character", but not someone's self-created Skyrim character.

The "main character" can't also be one of a number of possible main characters or share main characterhood with a large selection of other characters. For example, Ryu in Streetfighter is one of many characters a player can represent him/herself as, so is disqualified.

As to the word "slutty," I mean a character who is interested in sex, but not love. Or alternately, one that treats sex casually. The Bard from "The Bard's Tale" reboot is a good example of this, as is Larry Laffer of "Leisure Suit Larry," and even Geralt of "The Witcher." Obviously, none of them are female.

Characters who are dressed provocatively, but do not have the above "slutty" personality also do not count.

So, does a game where the main character is a "slutty" woman exist?

[BeerMug Paladin]

Zero from Drakengard 3 might count for this.

[tensai_oni]

Does Bayonetta count?

[Domochevsky]

Hm... Dating Sims where you can play as a female character? The entire goal of those games is usually to romance and get laid. Dunno how much of a "character" they typically are, though.

[Starbuck_II]

Duke Nukem. He cares about the woman not for love I'm sure.

[tensai_oni]

Hm... Dating Sims where you can play as a female character? The entire goal of those games is usually to romance and get laid. Dunno how much of a "character" they typically are, though.

No. OP asks for female characters who approach sex with a casual attitude (though he is perhaps not using the most fortunate words for it). Dating sims are all about finding ~true love~ and the main character usually has personality that is easy for the target audience to project into - for female oriented games that usually means a more innocent "pure" girl.


Duke Nukem. He cares about the woman not for love I'm sure.

Last time I checked Duke was a guy. Unless there's something he really didn't wish to tell me.

[Ebon_Drake]

FemShep in Mass Effect? It depends how you play them, but she can be exactly as slutty as ManShep.


Last time I checked Duke was a guy. Unless there's something he really didn't wish to tell me.

Well, there is that Duke Nukem sort-of-spinoff game Bombshell. I've no idea what her actual personality is like though, I've not played it since the game looked terrible even after they toned down her design.

[Zevox]

Does Bayonetta count?
Depends on how explicit the OP wants the attitude to be. Bayonetta has no problem using innuendo in her dialogue and moving in a sensual manner, sure, but she never indicates an interest in actually having sex with anyone. It's more like she acts sexual for the fun of it, but it's not clear what her attitude on the actual act of sex is because it just doesn't come up.

[Vitruviansquid]

I was just reflecting that, for how much video games get criticized about their portrayals of women, I couldn't think of any where the main character is a lustful woman.

Female main characters tend to be perfectly serious or gung ho or whatever else their main personality trait is, they just happen to be mysteriously under-dressed. And I, for one, think it would be fairly interesting to have a game that demands the player insert him/herself into the role of a "slutty" woman as the main character. There doesn't need to be any actual sex, nudity, or even any scenes actually meant to be titillating. It just seems like a strangely unexplored space.

But Bayonetta works.

[Grinner]

The only thing that comes to mind is BloodRayne, in which the main character, Rayne, adopts positions which can be sexual in nature and makes crooning noises, all while slowly draining men (I don't recall ever seeing a drainable female NPC) of their lifeblood.

She also drops a bunch of sexual one-liners, though she doesn't seem at all interested in sex.

[Blackhawk748]

Well, there is that Duke Nukem sort-of-spinoff game Bombshell. I've no idea what her actual personality is like though, I've not played it since the game looked terrible even after they toned down her design.

Well i gotta check that out now, cuz a game about a badass woman with a bionic arm and a super revolver sounds fun.

I was gonna recommend Lollipop chainsaw, but she just dresses that way and they use sexuality in there for almost anime-esque humor.

[Mx.Silver]

I was just reflecting that, for how much video games get criticized about their portrayals of women, I couldn't think of any where the main character is a lustful woman.

Female main characters tend to be perfectly serious or gung ho or whatever else their main personality trait is, they just happen to be mysteriously under-dressed. And I, for one, think it would be fairly interesting to have a game that demands the player insert him/herself into the role of a "slutty" woman as the main character. There doesn't need to be any actual sex, nudity, or even any scenes actually meant to be titillating. It just seems like a strangely unexplored space.

But Bayonetta works.

While I can't recall any links off-hand, I do remember reading a few articles that touched on something related to this. Specifically that there's a belief in higher budget game development and publishing that a sexually assertive/active/aggressive player character is off-putting to male players; that male players get uncomfortable playing as a female character who is being actively romantic/sexual.
Similar to how there's an idea on the publishing/investor side that games with female leads don't sell. As in, it's not particularly well-supported but still persistent enough amongst investors that they get uneasy about it. Which may explain the dearth in examples.


Yeah, it's a massively unexplored space, especially in bigger budget mainstream games. So are sex, sexuality and romance, to be honest - relationship issues in general being an area games have a few struggles with for various reasons. Throw in that sexual promiscuity still carries disproportionate stigma for women and by extension is seen as a negative trait for characters and I don't think you're going to see much covering of this territory outside of the indie side of things, I'm afraid. Even then, I can't think of any examples there off the top of my head either.

[tensai_oni]

I was just reflecting that, for how much video games get criticized about their portrayals of women, I couldn't think of any where the main character is a lustful woman.

This is part of why video games get criticized about their portrayals of women. See post above.

Also Bombshell is an infamously bad game.

[Blackhawk748]

While I can't recall any links off-hand, I do remember reading a few articles that touched on something related to this. Specifically that there's a belief in higher budget game development and publishing that a sexually assertive/active/aggressive player character is off-putting to male players; that male players get uncomfortable playing as a female character who is being actively romantic/sexual.
Similar to how there's an idea on the publishing/investor side that games with female leads don't sell. As in, it's not particularly well-supported but still persistent enough amongst investors that they get uneasy about it. Which may explain the dearth in examples.

Which is dumb, as Tomb Raider has proven that the gaming community has no problem with strong female leads. While she isn't sexually "aggressive" she is very much an assertive and aggressive in every other respect.

Personally speaking i wouldnt have an issue with this if it made sense in the plot. Basically take Generic Action Movie and genderswap the protagonists. So female James Bond. You know what, that could be all kinds of freaking awesome, especially in a espionage/stealth game.

[The Glyphstone]

Which is dumb, as Tomb Raider has proven that the gaming community has no problem with strong female leads. While she isn't sexually "aggressive" she is very much an assertive and aggressive in every other respect.

Personally speaking i wouldnt have an issue with this if it made sense in the plot. Basically take Generic Action Movie and genderswap the protagonists. So female James Bond. You know what, that could be all kinds of freaking awesome, especially in a espionage/stealth game.

Isn't that called No One Lives Forever? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Operative:_No_One_Lives_Forever) Dated game, but they did make it and it was apparently very well received.

[Mx.Silver]

Which is dumb, as Tomb Raider has proven that the gaming community has no problem with strong female leads. While she isn't sexually "aggressive" she is very much an assertive and aggressive in every other respect.


It is dumb, but then that's the problem with stereotypical gender ideas - that they're dumb doesn't stop them being held. The idea that female protagonists don't sell, for instance, is also reportedly a problem in Hollywood cinema despite that medium having no shortage of counter-examples.


Personally speaking i wouldnt have an issue with this if it made sense in the plot. Basically take Generic Action Movie and genderswap the protagonists. So female James Bond. You know what, that could be all kinds of freaking awesome, especially in a espionage/stealth game.

As Glyphstone's noted, No One Lives Forever did something like that back at the turn of millennium. Can't think of much else in the intervening decade-and-a-half though.

[Blackhawk748]

Isn't that called No One Lives Forever? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Operative:_No_One_Lives_Forever) Dated game, but they did make it and it was apparently very well received.

Oooh, Monolith, i'm already intrigued, gonna have to look in to this.


It is dumb, but then that's the problem with stereotypical gender ideas - that they're dumb doesn't stop them being held. The idea that female protagonists don't sell, for instance, is also reportedly a problem in Hollywood cinema despite that medium having no shortage of counter-examples.

And its the main reason why we still dont have a Wonder Woman movie!! Though apparently we will be getting a Captain Marvel, who is currently a woman, so thats something.

[Cikomyr]

Lolipop Chainsaw?

[Blackhawk748]

Lolipop Chainsaw?

The game where you play as an adorably ditzy Cheerleader who is trained in the art of Zombie Slaying with a giant chainsaw.

http://gamesided.com/files/2014/03/lollipop-chainsaw.jpg

Heres what the game looks like in action, and it is glorious.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QW_B9Xh4YpY/T-QSoYxu6xI/AAAAAAAAI_A/kKDIXXXwE3A/s1600/LollipopChainsaw_08.gif

[Zevox]

Personally speaking i wouldnt have an issue with this if it made sense in the plot. Basically take Generic Action Movie and genderswap the protagonists. So female James Bond. You know what, that could be all kinds of freaking awesome, especially in a espionage/stealth game.

Isn't that called No One Lives Forever? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Operative:_No_One_Lives_Forever) Dated game, but they did make it and it was apparently very well received.
Never heard of No One Lives Forever, but "female James Bond game" is basically exactly what the N64 classic Perfect Dark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_Dark) is. Although Joanna Dark was never sexualized in any way in that game that I can recall.

[Rodin]

I'll go ahead and second No One Lives Forever as one of the best female protagonists I've seen in a game. The gameplay is dated, for sure, but I think it'd probably still hold up as a fun game to play. It's certainly worth it for the humor at any rate, particularly the conversations between the minions. It is kind of sad that a 16 year old game is the gold standard.

For games overall, I think a big part of the problem is that the industry is still very male-dominated. Most of the writers are men, so most of the time it's a male protagonist and when we do get a female protagonist she's written to be indistinguishable from a man. It doesn't help that action games tend to favor the same type of character such that even the men are interchangeable.

It leaves us with a very tight criteria to even have the opportunity for a woman like the OP describes. It has to be a female character (rare), in a game with romance options (even rarer), and a game that allows for casual romantic hookups with named characters (super-duper-ultra-rare), AND that game must not have a gender toggle so the female character and the male character have the exact same lines (vanishingly rare).

[Vitruviansquid]

There need not be romance options, or sexual gameplay. It could really be as simple as the female version of The Bard from that unpopular "The Bard's Tale" reboot. It's basically an action game, but he says things about wanting to get laid every once in a while. And he doesn't get laid.

That's all it needs to be. Just a game where the main character was "slutty" and female.

[OracleofWuffing]

On a similar notion of Lollipop Chainsaw, the Oneechanbara series is a about a girl that prances around in a bikini killing zombies. Thing is, I don't think it has anything to do about her sexuality, she just hulks out on zombie blood.

And on that note, P.N. 03, but again, nothing about sex and just being eye candy.

[Jon D]

I doubt there are going to many examples, and certainly won't be any going forward for quite a while.

A sexually promiscuous female protagonist like a gender flipped Duke Nukem? Heh, the developers of that game would get crucified.

[DomaDoma]

I doubt there are going to many examples, and certainly won't be any going forward for quite a while.

A sexually promiscuous female protagonist like a gender flipped Duke Nukem? Heh, the developers of that game would get crucified.

Y'know, the only Duke Nukem game I ever played was a platformer. I didn't even know he had a sex life in later installments.

So - though by all means ask me about my thoughts on what Elder Scrolls VI will reveal about the Ayleids - clearly I'm no authority on video games as a whole. But that said, a female protagonist who has a lot of meaningless sex will be regarded as a victory for women's rights by absolutely no one. Probably the players will be mostly male, at that.

[endoperez]

I can only think of one (in-development) game that might fit this description.

Ladykiller in a bind
"An erotic visual novel by the creators of Analogue: A Hate Story about social manipulation, crossdressing, and girls tying up other girls." It also goes by the name of "My Twin Brother Made Me Crossdress As Him And Now I Have To Deal With A Geeky Stalker And A Domme Beauty Who Want Me In A Bind!".

The protagonist, "The Beast", is described as such:

http://www.ladykillerinabind.com/stats/beast.png

Additionally, here are some games where the focus of the game is on the main character's sexuality, such as:

Cibele
"Cibele is a game based on a true story about love, sex, and the internet. You play as a 19 year old girl who has become close with a young man she met in an online game. Her relationship with him heats up, becoming more and more intimate with each phone call and private chat."

.error404
The developer put it this way: "If you’re into sexy-scary domineering computer brains like Shodan, this might be the Twine porn for you!"
It's a text game where you "pleasure" an AI by writing commands, causing the AI to glitch up.



I doubt there are going to many examples, and certainly won't be any going forward for quite a while.

A sexually promiscuous female protagonist like a gender flipped Duke Nukem? Heh, the developers of that game would get crucified.

If it looked like Lollipop Chainsaw, which has a sexy woman in a sexy outfit and ugly men (zombies are hardly erotic), then yes. There'd be a lot of people quipping about sexualization of female characters and so on.

If it was a game about a woman's sexuality, or a game where the woman's sexuality was part of the game's writing, it might actually go over well. Not among everyone, of course; just like Bayonetta divided opinions, so would this hypothetical game. If you want a feminist viewpoint comparing Bayonetta's implied and exhibited sexuality to .error404's more abstract but at the same time more explicit sexuality, I recommend reading Katherine Cross's article Bayonetta and .error404: Two Concepts of Nudity. I won't link to it because it includes descriptions of lovemaking and of an AI having an orgasmic crash.

Also, I'm just going to point out that Tumblr is both a gathering point for people who crucify people or companies or products for various slights, real or imagined, AND full of smut artists. There's significant overlap between those two groups. It's possible to do erotic products without insulting a huge number of people. Just look at all the literature aimed at adult women, "steamy" doesn't even start to describe half of it.

[Grinner]

Also, I'm just going to point out that Tumblr is both a gathering point for people who crucify people or companies or products for various slights, real or imagined, AND full of smut artists. There's significant overlap between those two groups. It's possible to do erotic products without insulting a huge number of people. Just look at all the literature aimed at adult women, "steamy" doesn't even start to describe half of it.

Possibly, but I've gotten the impression of Tumblr being a bit of a wildcard.

[Giggling Ghast]

It's unlikely there are going to be any examples, though it's not solely due to the disparity between male and female protagonists. Sex and videogames just don't intersect as much as you think.

[Vitruviansquid]

Hell...

Are there even that any games with female main characters we're *not* supposed to like?

[Zevox]

Hell...

Are there even that any games with female main characters we're *not* supposed to like?
I don't think there's many games where you're not supposed to like the main character, no matter what their gender is. The first part of Tales of the Abyss is the only example that comes to mind even for one with a male main character like that, and the whole point there is that he gets better.

[endoperez]

I don't think there's many games where you're not supposed to like the main character, no matter what their gender is. The first part of Tales of the Abyss is the only example that comes to mind even for one with a male main character like that, and the whole point there is that he gets better.

Yes, exactly this. I've recently played a bit of Diablo 3. I had to abandon an otherwise fun character because the voice actor was too arrogant. I was getting frustrated, angry, even HATEFUL towards my character for the way his lines were delivered.

It'd take a very specific game to make an unlikeable main character work.

[DomaDoma]

I understand that Kratos was supposed to lose the audience's affection as the game progressed (the name would support this), but then subsequent entries in the God of War series pretty much lost track of that? But as I say, I don't really know many video games.

[Zevox]

I understand that Kratos was supposed to lose the audience's affection as the game progressed (the name would support this), but then subsequent entries in the God of War series pretty much lost track of that? But as I say, I don't really know many video games.
Eh, I found Kratos a pretty unlikable main character throughout his entire series, personally, but was never sure if that was intentional or not.

[Vitruviansquid]

I don't think there's many games where you're not supposed to like the main character, no matter what their gender is. The first part of Tales of the Abyss is the only example that comes to mind even for one with a male main character like that, and the whole point there is that he gets better.

I can think of an awful lot.

Bioshock: Infinite
The Bard's Tale reboot
Duke Nukem Forever
Hotline Miami
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
God of War
Tropico 2 (I guess any of the Tropicos, but 2's the one I played most of)

[Hiro Protagonest]

Duke Nukem Forever
Hotline Miami

Uh... not sure if these two count. First because DNF is bad. Second because the character in Hotline Miami doesn't really make their own decisions (except for when you play as biker guy).

And to compare to Tropico, she's not the "protagonist", but the antagonist of Jagged Alliance 2 is a despot queen (and it's not the typical fantasy "queens are evil" trope).

[Zevox]

I can think of an awful lot.

Bioshock: Infinite
The Bard's Tale reboot
Duke Nukem Forever
Hotline Miami
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
God of War
Tropico 2 (I guess any of the Tropicos, but 2's the one I played most of)
The only one of those I've played is God of War, and as mentioned I wasn't sure whether Kratos not being likable was intentional or not. I always got the vague impression they were trying to make you sympathize with him, I just thought he was too horrible for it to work.

[Vitruviansquid]

Okay, so without trying to spoil anything...

Bioshock: Infinite - You play a violent, murderous ******* who chronically makes poor/monstrous decisions leading up to the game.

The Bard's Tale reboot - You play a "hero" who is anything but heroic. He is cowardly, ignoble, sleazy, just about everyone makes fun of him.

Duke Nukem Forever - It is a satire of a type of character that was socially acceptable, even full-blown enjoyable in the 90's, who we all kind of realized was kind of a douchey tool.

Hotline Miami - You play a murderous crazy dude. You might argue because he's crazy that he's not responsible for the murder... but come on, do you *like* him? Do you want to hang out with him? Do you want to be him?

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - You play a guy who is tailored made to be an uncool whiny teenage protagonist, and he's even a total bait and switch from the hero everyone expected you to be, who is a cool, older, badass.

God of War - talked about it

Tropico 2 - You play a pirate dictator. That is your role in the game. That is awful. Though I will take that there is no main character since you can choose from one of a view personality traits or be one of a few pre-made pirate dictators.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I suppose I can count Hippolyta, from a flash game of the same name.

The Amazons raided Athens. They lost. Hippolyta was taken as a slave by the Greeks. She breaks her chains and carves a bloody warpath to get back to the Eastern Steppes.

[Vaz]

Yes, exactly this. I've recently played a bit of Diablo 3. I had to abandon an otherwise fun character because the voice actor was too arrogant. I was getting frustrated, angry, even HATEFUL towards my character for the way his lines were delivered.

It'd take a very specific game to make an unlikeable main character work.

There's a story to D3 past "all loot all the time"? That said, having just started a Female Wizard, I know where you're coming from. Having come from a modest Crusader (both male and female), to have her "ability" rubbed so directly in my face, whereas the Crusader Nephalem seems almost apologetic to be so powerful, but also accepting at the same time. Plus, the male voice is just so calming, but then again, he voiced Gideon in CoD Advanced Warfare (best part of that shower of effluence, to be fair), and played Samson in Dragon Age; Inquisition. Quality VA.

[endoperez]

There's a story to D3 past "all loot all the time"? That said, having just started a Female Wizard, I know where you're coming from. Having come from a modest Crusader (both male and female), to have her "ability" rubbed so directly in my face, whereas the Crusader Nephalem seems almost apologetic to be so powerful, but also accepting at the same time. Plus, the male voice is just so calming, but then again, he voiced Gideon in CoD Advanced Warfare (best part of that shower of effluence, to be fair), and played Samson in Dragon Age; Inquisition. Quality VA.

The story was bland, but I'm thinking of the lines you hear in-game, not cut scenes
The narrative, not story, if you are aware of the distinction.

Male Wizard is much worse than Female Wizard, IMO. Also, the fact that female wizard's voice actress also voiced Azula in the Last Airbender makes it more tolerable.

[Comet]

Fallout 2 tries really, really hard to give you this if you play a female character with a high score in charisma. So many gangsters and sleazeballs you can sleep with and subsequently kill or manipulate.

Edit: Just saw your requirement for not having a player-determined personality. Eh, Fallout still kind of sort of fits since they don't give you that much range to work with. I'd still count it.

[Psyren]

There's a story to D3 past "all loot all the time"? That said, having just started a Female Wizard, I know where you're coming from. Having come from a modest Crusader (both male and female), to have her "ability" rubbed so directly in my face, whereas the Crusader Nephalem seems almost apologetic to be so powerful, but also accepting at the same time. Plus, the male voice is just so calming, but then again, he voiced Gideon in CoD Advanced Warfare (best part of that shower of effluence, to be fair), and played Samson in Dragon Age; Inquisition. Quality VA.

MaleSader also played Fenris in DA2.



As to the word "slutty," I mean a character who is interested in sex, but not love. Or alternately, one that treats sex casually. The Bard from "The Bard's Tale" reboot is a good example of this, as is Larry Laffer of "Leisure Suit Larry," and even Geralt of "The Witcher." Obviously, none of them are female.

Characters who are dressed provocatively, but do not have the above "slutty" personality also do not count.

So, does a game where the main character is a "slutty" woman exist?

Hmm... sex but not love...

Ada Wong from Resident Evil is not above being seductive to get ahead, and IIRC has no interest in romantic entanglements, but I think they keep it subtle enough that she doesn't really fall into this.

I don't think you're going to find anything more overt than flirting tbh.

[Kaptin Keen]

Any number of games approach a (highly variable) degree of sexual promiscuity. The Witcher games are an example, if one with a decidedly male protagonist. But a lot of RPG's allow you to play female leads, and also have a lot of options for various degrees of promiscuity. So ... Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Vampire, the Masquerade: Bloodlines, and so on are potential examples. Sunless Sea might count?

Of course, Mass Effect and Dragon Age call it 'romance options'. But that's nonsense, since I persue all of them, then save before finalizing, and load to see all the potential outcomes. And regardless, persuing 'romance' with 3, 4 or 5 different people at the same time is still slutty. Regardless of gender, btw.

[Psyren]

I think OP was ruling out "mutable protagonist" WRPGs. Though to support the point made above, Shepard (any gender) has a reputation among the fanbase for getting around the Normandy more than scale itch despite in-universe probably only pursuing one or two squadmates at most.

[Giggling Ghast]

I don't think there's many games where you're not supposed to like the main character, no matter what their gender is.

The most triumphant example I can think of is Spec Ops: The Line.

You are not the hero. There are no heroes in this story, and if there was, it sure as hell would not be you. You, Capt. Walker, are a delusional glory hog who makes a bad situation even worse.

[Fax Celestis]

Sometimes the character you play isn't the story's main character, so...how do you handle that part here?

[Psyren]

The most triumphant example I can think of is Spec Ops: The Line,

Spoilers, man

[Giggling Ghast]

Spoilers, man

It came out four years ago. At this point, the only reason people are playing Spec Ops: The Line is because someone told them that it's a grim deconstruction of the typical FPS experience.

[Psyren]

It came out four years ago. At this point, the only reason people are playing Spec Ops: The Line is because someone told them that it's a grim deconstruction of the typical FPS experience.

It's a cult hit - those typically get popular/exposure long after release, so measuring from the release date isn't meaningful. Especially given that the plot twist/deconstruction is the biggest aspect of this game.

[Giggling Ghast]

Oh, very well. The first line stays because I can't make my point otherwise, but the rest goes in a spoiler.

[Brother Oni]

Sex and videogames just don't intersect as much as you think.

There's a rather large catalog of Japanese games that would disagree on you on this, and it even sneaks into western AAA level games, although since the infamous Hot Coffee mini game for GTA, much of it is the 'fade to black' or off-screen implied style of scene.

[The Glyphstone]

There's a rather large catalog of Japanese games that would disagree on you on this, and it even sneaks into western AAA level games, although since the infamous Hot Coffee mini game for GTA, much of it is the 'fade to black' or off-screen implied style of scene.

I kinda assumed H-games were implicitly left out of his statement under the 'as much as you think bit'.

[Brother Oni]

I kinda assumed H-games were implicitly left out of his statement under the 'as much as you think bit'.

I'm sorry, I'm having problem parsing your comment with Candle Jack's.

I read his statement generally to mean that sex wasn't as integral to videogames as Vitruviansquid appeared to have thought, which I disagree with.

Taking the definition of 'sex' to be 'sex appeal of typically scantily-clad, attractive women in poses designed to accentuate their lithe figures', that's pretty much everywhere.

Taking the definition of 'sex' to be 'nothing left to the imagination furry piston cycle close ups', then I would agree that H-games are pretty much the only extant examples.

If we take a definition of 'sex' to be somewhere between the two (ie the videogame version of softcore pornography), then after the aforementioned GTA scandal, western games (The Witcher franchise, Mass Effect franchise, GTA, among others mentioned) are on the less revealing end of that scale (I guess the equivalent of TV movie erotica).

That said, I generally agree that the original question of a promiscuous main female protagonist is very rare indeed - I can only think of a handful of H 'games' that have this (and those ones are more like interactive movies) and they're the genre most likely to fit the criteria. I concede that my knowledge of H-games isn't that detailed, so there may be something there that fits the criteria, but it's going to be a niche title in an already specialist market.

[Lethologica]

I was just reflecting that, for how much video games get criticized about their portrayals of women, I couldn't think of any where the main character is a lustful woman.
Such criticism is usually about objectification, which disregards the character's desires and motives. Not that object-level consideration is inherently wrong, but that's why the lack of lustful female protagonists wouldn't be a point against the criticism you're reflecting on. See also:


Female main characters tend to be perfectly serious or gung ho or whatever else their main personality trait is, they just happen to be mysteriously under-dressed.
I.e., their clothing was informed by object-level consideration, rather than subject-level consideration.

[wumpus]

Isn't that called No One Lives Forever? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Operative:_No_One_Lives_Forever) Dated game, but they did make it and it was apparently very well received.

Great game, but not at all slutty (what a surprise). There was some serious lampshading of Bond-ish dialog used to identify spies. No idea if the game would be compatible on a modern computer, but for GOG prices it would be a steal (it appears on GOG's wishlist). Avoid the third in the series (Agent JACK), although I didn't actually play it.

[Cikomyr]

Its simple, really. Cultural norm is that there is nothing heroic about a promiscuous female, while the opposite is true about a man.

A woman who sleeps around should be ashamed. Therefore, its not behavior you want to promote or even hint at in an heroic character.

Not saying i like it. Saying i actually think its unfair and ridiculous. But that the way it is

[The Glyphstone]

Great game, but not at all slutty (what a surprise). There was some serious lampshading of Bond-ish dialog used to identify spies. No idea if the game would be compatible on a modern computer, but for GOG prices it would be a steal (it appears on GOG's wishlist). Avoid the third in the series (Agent JACK), although I didn't actually play it.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to imply that; it was a response to the suggestion of a 'female James Bond'.

[Vitruviansquid]

Such criticism is usually about objectification, which disregards the character's desires and motives. Not that object-level consideration is inherently wrong, but that's why the lack of lustful female protagonists wouldn't be a point against the criticism you're reflecting on. See also:


I.e., their clothing was informed by object-level consideration, rather than subject-level consideration.

Actually, what I was thinking about was the criticism that there isn't a big variety of female characters, and the reason I wanted to know if there were any slutty female main characters was because I have the theory that the small variety of female main characters is actually caused by an insistence that female characters be positive. I think it'd actually a step forward if we allow female characters to be unlikable in some way.

I think it'd be great if there were more games like Bayonetta or Lollipop Chainsaw, where they make a female main character with a bit more of a risky personality that not everyone would like.

[Rodin]

Actually, what I was thinking about was the criticism that there isn't a big variety of female characters, and the reason I wanted to know if there were any slutty female main characters was because I have the theory that the small variety of female main characters is actually caused by an insistence that female characters be positive. I think it'd actually a step forward if we allow female characters to be unlikable in some way.

I think it'd be great if there were more games like Bayonetta or Lollipop Chainsaw, where they make a female main character with a bit more of a risky personality that not everyone would like.

Part of the trouble here is that even the male characters aren't getting that diversity. "Yet Another Generic White Male Videogame Protagonist" is a meme for a reason, and I honestly couldn't tell the difference between a lot of them (Prototype and Infamous being one of the more famous cases where I don't know which is which from screenshots). They're typically either generic manly-man action heroes or military men. The nuanced characters come along relatively rarely, and in general the most interesting characters in any game are the secondary characters and antagonists who do NOT have to conform to that sort of blank slate.

[Giggling Ghast]

There's a rather large catalog of Japanese games that would disagree on you on this, and it even sneaks into western AAA level games, although since the infamous Hot Coffee mini game for GTA, much of it is the 'fade to black' or off-screen implied style of scene.

Well, obviously there's a whole sub-market of video game porn. I was referring to AAA games wherein porn was not the point. Despite the perception that games are rife with sex, there's not as much Hot Coffee being served as one might think.

[Lethologica]

Actually, what I was thinking about was the criticism that there isn't a big variety of female characters, and the reason I wanted to know if there were any slutty female main characters was because I have the theory that the small variety of female main characters is actually caused by an insistence that female characters be positive. I think it'd actually a step forward if we allow female characters to be unlikable in some way.

I think it'd be great if there were more games like Bayonetta or Lollipop Chainsaw, where they make a female main character with a bit more of a risky personality that not everyone would like.
Asking about one weirdly specific hypothetical 'flaw' is kind of an odd way to present that theory.

Now, there's at least two things going on here. First is what Rodin mentioned with main characters in general being pretty bland. Second is that female characters, when scarce, are forced to represent their gender wherever they appear--which makes them bland. I don't think "an insistence that female characters be positive" is a major force, and to the extent that it exists, I think it's similarly a symptom of scarcity.

[Traab]

Fear Effect, an old PS game had a bit of this. The main character is a female merc who used to work in a brothel, and there are a few scenes with "sexy" being the theme of it, like fighting while wearing nothing but a towel, fighting wearing "the little black dress" some girl/girl kissing, stuff like that. Might have been the sequel, its been over a decade so I cant recall for sure. I dont THINK she was outright slutty, but there was some sexual stuff, and considering its like, 2002, it was probably pushing the envelope for its time.

[Blackhawk748]

Fear Effect, an old PS game had a bit of this. The main character is a female merc who used to work in a brothel, and there are a few scenes with "sexy" being the theme of it, like fighting while wearing nothing but a towel, fighting wearing "the little black dress" some girl/girl kissing, stuff like that. Might have been the sequel, its been over a decade so I cant recall for sure. I dont THINK she was outright slutty, but there was some sexual stuff, and considering its like, 2002, it was probably pushing the envelope for its time.

Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, it was a prequel apparently. Im actually curious about this game now, but i doubt its available on Steam.

[endoperez]

Actually, what I was thinking about was the criticism that there isn't a big variety of female characters, and the reason I wanted to know if there were any slutty female main characters was because I have the theory that the small variety of female main characters is actually caused by an insistence that female characters be positive. I think it'd actually a step forward if we allow female characters to be unlikable in some way.

I think it'd be great if there were more games like Bayonetta or Lollipop Chainsaw, where they make a female main character with a bit more of a risky personality that not everyone would like.

Oh, right. Here's Quinnae Moon writing about this in 2012. She held a talk on the subject on this year's GDC. So yes, you aren't alone in that thought.

http://quinnae.com/2012/03/04/immoral-women-why-we-need-more-of-them/

[Lethologica]

Oh, right. Here's Quinnae Moon writing about this in 2012. She held a talk on the subject on this year's GDC. So yes, you aren't alone in that thought.

http://quinnae.com/2012/03/04/immoral-women-why-we-need-more-of-them/
FWIW, I agree, but I think Quinnae Moon would take issue with this thread's approach, based on this paragraph from the link:


Consider my title here: “Immoral Women.” Even now it conjures images of promiscuous, ‘loose’, or otherwise proudly sexual women, which is a testament to the suffocating and dehumanisingly limited framework with which women are saddled. I want that notion of immorality to be expanded to be something more fully human.

[endoperez]

FWIW, I agree, but I think Quinnae Moon would take issue with this thread's approach, based on this paragraph from the link:

Yes, definitely. I probably should have quoted that part in this thread, to make it clear. When I posted a link to that, I was thinking of it in the light of Vitruviansquid's latest post, where he was talking about the general phenomenon, not the specific example he gave in his first post.

[Tono]

The Main Protagonist of Mugen Souls uses her shape changing abilities to seduce people into worshiping her. The sequel looks to do more of the same. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4bMCP36bhc) Does the Eastern European Female Boss voice from Saints Row 3 count? IIRC she had some lines that may fit. Or how about Guilty Gear's Ino? Shes a main-ish character in some of the games. There's two or three that I feel like I am missing, but I can't remember for the life of me. Ill go through my library later.

Edit: And if you go from Main to Major, a lot more appear.

[Cespenar]

Looking just at the ratio of promiscuous female protagonists within all video games is a bit misleading. Compare, instead, the ratio of promiscuous male protagonists within the number of games with male protagonists, with the ratio of promiscuous female protagonists within the number of games with female protagonists. Only then some point might be beginning to be made, if any at all.

[Sajiri]

If it wasnt said already (Im sick (again) so having a hard time taking in what Im reading even though I read over each post) there's the saint's row boss I guess. You design the appearance and choose the gender, but the personality is pretty much entirely decided by the game outside of a select few decisions on how to finish a quest. The female boss I wouldnt necessarily say she's slutty as her main feature, she's definitely driven and aggressive, but she very clearly enjoys casual sex, going to stripper bars, even really gets into it with pole dancing at one point as something she 'always wanted to try'.

The fourth game had mini romances but they were more parodies of bioware romances. With the exception of a single character who it implies she had more serious feelings for, she can casually hook up with her entire crew.

[Fax Celestis]

Catwoman in Arkham City maybe?