Beyond Lara Croft: 30 truly interesting female game characters – part one

From mad scientists to stealthy assassins, we celebrate the video game women who get things done

Over the years, there has been no shortage of articles about "the best female characters in video games". The problem is, what they've usually meant is "the sexiest female characters in video games", which has made for some very repetitive and occasionally rather creepy reading.

For this alternative selection, three women games writers have chosen 30 interesting and complex examples, who have more to offer than either looking good in an armoured bikini or fulfilling the "strong female character" archetype. And as Tomb Raider's Lara Croft has dominated every discussion about women in games for the last 20 years, she's been respectfully jettisoned too.