Back in Black

Women have had prominent roles in pretty much every Resident Evil game, and most of them have been easy on the eyes. For my money, Ada Wong is the sexiest woman in franchise history. The femme fatale is morally ambiguous and its hard to tell where her allegiances lie, but this only makes her more compelling. (The fact that she wears high heel shoes while eluding monsters and cult members also adds to her intrigue.) Although she’s the type of gal who works in the shadows, her eye-catching outfits always ensure that she’ll be in the spotlight. Even when she’s milling around in dingy underground laboratories, Ada still dresses up like she’s going out for a night on the town. I’m especially fond of her slinky red dress from Resident Evil 4, and I love the way it highlights her long legs. Ada steals every scene she’s in, and it’s no wonder why.

Lulu is a powerful black mage with a nice rack and a sardonic disposition. She’s a lot nicer than her cold exterior suggests, but she’s extremely reserved with her emotions. As such, you’ll have to deal with her cynicism if you want to get her to open up. You’ll also have to put in some effort if you want to remove her dress. Against all odds, Lulu’s outfit might even be more uncompromising than her personality. Her legs are covered by dozens of interwoven belts that serve no practical purpose, and I imagine that they’d be a hassle to take off. (Perhaps this explains why she didn’t bother to change her outfit in Final Fantasy X-2.) She managed to conceive a child, however, so we can assume that she’s able to loosen the belts when the situation calls for it. In any regard, Lulu is the ideal woman for anyone who’s looking for a challenge.

Velvet Crowe is a complicated woman who has many different sides. Her long black hair reaches the floor and wouldn’t look out of place in a fairy tale. At the same time, her tattered clothes make her look more like a streetwalker. This sort of dichotomy mirrors the dual nature of her personality. On one hand, Velvet is a kind woman who values family. Conversely, she’s angry, bitter, and surprisingly violent. Her rage is not entirely unjustified, of course, and a traumatic event changed the way she looked at the world. This same event also turned her left arm into a daemonic weapon that could devour souls. She’s unfairly shunned by society as a result, but as far as I’m concerned, emotional baggage and an evil arm shouldn’t be considered deal breakers when you’re as hot as Velvet is. At least she’s not boring.

Anyone who has played a Dynasty Warriors game can tell you that Omega Force is really good at designing female characters. Wang Yi is an especially gorgeous example. The lone survivor of the Wang family is stunningly beautiful, but she has a minor case of “resting bitch face.” Although she seems relatively harmless, she’s surprisingly sadistic and obsessed with vengeance. Her short haircut gives off serious “I want to speak to your manager Emperor” vibes, but it’s a good fit for someone who’s on a quest for retribution. Without condoning her murderous ways, I appreciate that she stands up for herself instead of folding up like a Chinese hand fan. Wang Yi is never portrayed as a love interest and her sex appeal is downplayed, but she can melt your heart on the rare occasion she decides to smile.

Even though Lady is a normal human who lacks super powers, she takes on the mantle of a fierce demon hunter. She should be out of her element when she’s fighting supernatural foes, but she manages to level the playing field with an arsenal of weapons ranging from knives to rocket launchers. You’ve gotta admire her resourcefulness, if nothing else. Lady is on a quest to avenge her mother, and she’s remarkably focused on her objective. Ironically, her appearance makes it difficult for others to focus. Lady has belligerent sexual tension with her male co-star, her female friends point out how hot she is, and her arch-enemy gets excited by the prospect of spanking her butt. Her outfits always seem to accentuate her legs and cleavage, so I understand the hype. She even has a few nude scenes thrown in for good measure!

Fear Effect is an action-adventure game that’s acclaimed for its cel-shaded graphics and mature themes. It’s also fondly remembered for its busty leading lady. Hana Tsu Vachel is a mercenary tasked with rescuing the daughter of a wealthy businessman. When she’s not gunning down enemies or dazzling them with martial arts, she uses sex appeal as a weapon. In one instance, the former brothel worker distracts a guard by dropping her towel in front of him! Hana occasionally reminds others not to stare, but it’s hard not to when she’s disguising herself as a stripper or setting time aside for a gratuitous shower scene. Her sex appeal was ramped up even further in the sequel, and she was placed in a steamy lesbian relationship. Thankfully, the game was released in an era where fictional lesbians didn’t all look like lumberjacks.

Tharja is a Dark mage with a brooding personality, and her black hair is the embodiment of her sullen disposion. Although she’s recruited into an army, her choices are driven by cynicism and misanthropy. Tharja is usually self-serving, but she wishes she could be more comfortable around others. She even tries training herself to be a normal girl after people start noticing her unusual behavior! Tharja has no social skills to speak of, but men still flock to her because she has nice legs and wears an alluring bodystocking. The Japanese version of Fire Emblem: Awakening explicitly states that she had the nicest body in the army, but the English version merely implies that she has the darkest thoughts. Ironically, Tharja’s body inspires dark thoughts in others. Any attempts to downplay her sexiness failed spectacularly.

Momiji is a caring young woman who was raised to be the Dragon Shrine Maiden for the Hayabusa Ninja Clan. She was tasked with performing various purifying rituals, but she felt the need to take extra precautions to keep her village safe. To that end, she trained under the legendary Ryu Hayabusa and became a skilled kunoichi. Momiji’s possesses superhuman strength and agility, and she has all sorts of uncanny abilities at her disposal. She also plays a mean game of beach volleyball! When she’s not busy protecting her village in the Ninja Gaiden games, she spends her time with the lovely ladies of Dead or Alive. Momiji looks great when she’s slicing up evil ninjas, and she’s even hotter when she’s frolicking around in a skimpy bikini. She’s one of the nicest gals in gaming, but she’d be on this list even if she was a total bitch.

Litchi Faye-Ling is a renowned doctor with immense combat abilities. She’s also the nicest character on the BlazBlue roster, and she’s willing to sacrifice her own humanity to protect the ones she loves. Naturally, most of her castmates are too fixated on her breasts to recognize her heroics. People give her nicknames like “boobie lady” and go so far as to make “boing” sounds in her presence. Her big tits are the subject of many gags throughout the series, and Litchi even describes them as “the foundation society was built upon” in one of the game’s joke endings. Litchi has trouble finding clothes that fit right, but I’m a sucker for a busty woman with nice legs and a kind smile. I’m also impressed by how she handles her combat staff and can’t help but wonder how those skills could be potentially used in other environments.

Few women in fiction are more overtly sexual than Bayonetta. Her first language is innuendo, and it seems like she’s on the verge of climax at all times. The ancient witch has the body and grace of a runway model, but she behaves more like a stripper on MDMA. She’s basically lust personified. It you watch her for a few minutes, you’ll likely see her gyrating her hips, spreading her legs, or spanking her enemies. She’s also prone to stripping. Her leather catsuit is actually made of her hair, and so are the gargantuan beasts that she calls into battle. Bayo can’t summon the said beasts without removing her clothes, but she has no qualms in stripping naked in front of everyone. She’s heavily criticized by people who hate empowered women, but Bayonetta should be upheld as a feminist icon for the way she takes charge of her sexuality.