Updated 06/09/2024 14:07 GMT

TLDR: Made an evolving list of feminist, neutral and not feminist games. Enjoy! 😊

 Context Page:

001 – Introduction

002 – Rules

003 – What makes a game feminist?

004 – Key

005 – The List

006 – FAQ

007 – Future Plans

008 – Changelog

009 – Insights for Transparency

010 – Credits

001. Introduction:

Hey there and welcome to 'Is it Feminist?' 

2 years ago, I started creating a list of feminist games for myself. As the list grew, I noticed people in r/girlgamers requesting games with strong female leads or games that wouldnt leave them feeling disheartened because of sexism or other forms of discrimination. So I felt that this list might benefit others as well as myself.

Unfortunately, as the list grew it was a little too much work for lil'ol me to do on my own at the time which was one of the contributing factors as to why the passion for my project tapered out the first time.

However, thanks to people showing interest in my first list, even all these years later, it gave me the nudge which reinvigorated the passion to 'good enough' this list once and for all.

I hope this list will be as useful for you as it has been for me!

002. Rules: 

Feminist and anti-discrimination values are disliked by many people, particularly cisgender hetro men, in gaming spaces. These rules are in place to keep people safe and remove griefers, trolls and derailers.

• Follow the sub-reddit's rules
• Be respectful. Harassment will not be tolerated.
• Stay on topic. No derailment so make sure your comment is relevant to gaming or the list.
• Assume good intentions; unless it's obvious a redditor is just here to cause distress.
• Allyship is a key value of this list
• Critism of this post is fine but if it brings up negative emotions within you, it's probably not the list for you.

Rules can be added or adjusted so be mindful of the changelog.

003. What makes a game feminist?:

Feminism has many schools of thought and when adding games to the list, I aim to diversify which I use but I will normally lean towards using intersectional feminism.

 An intersectional feminist video game takes into account the diverse and overlapping identities that shape a player's experience, recognising that gender is just one of many facets. It doesn’t just plonk in a "strong female character" and call it a day. Instead, it digs deeper, addressing how race, class, disability, and sexuality interact with gender to affect people's lives in different ways.

The game's narratives and mechanics need to push back against oppressive norms. It actively resists tropes like sexualised female characters, instead offering a spectrum of women and non-binary characters with agency, flaws, and depth. The stories aren’t just about individual empowerment but engage with wider social justice issues, showing how structures of power work and how collective action can challenge them.

Importantly, the game doesn’t shy away from complexity. It acknowledges that privilege and oppression coexist in messy, sometimes contradictory ways, and allows space for that nuance in its storytelling. And it’s not just a matter of representation; the creators themselves bring diverse perspectives to the table, ensuring that the game reflects the real-world struggles and joys of those often marginalised.

I understand that people in the sub-reddit might have different personal experiences of what feminism means to them.

• Feminist games do not need to have women or girls as the main or player characters. If the game challenges aspects of the Kyriarchy then it can be categorised as feminist. Patriarchal structures harm everyone so it makes sense that everyone should do their part to challenge it in their own way. For example, in Fashion Police Squad you play as a LGBTQ+ black man sorting out fashion offences, this game challenges patriarchal norms by rejecting toxic ideas of masculinity around fashion and personality traits considered 'feminine'.

Useful resources:

• Media Tests

• Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality?

• Solare-San and their wonderful team have been working together to build a list called The Crow's Nest: A Compendium of Games made up of indie hidden gems!

004: Key:

✅ – Is feminist.

😐 – This game is neutral.

❌ – NOT feminist.

⚠️ – Blacklisted. CONTENT WARNING this means something serious happened that was so bad that regardless of whether the game is progressive or not, it is deemed NOT feminist because of extenuating factors and we should not line the pockets of discriminatory, abusive values or practices.

⏰ – Not yet released

💎 – A hidden gem in video games is like finding a scrappy indie film in a sea of blockbusters. It’s that overlooked title, dripping with creativity and heart, that slips under the radar. You won’t find it on every top ten list, but it offers something truly special—whether it’s a quirky story, a unique gameplay mechanic, or just pure, unfiltered fun. It's the kind of game that sticks with you, reminding you that the best experiences aren't always the loudest ones.

🔍 – Being Reviewed means that the game is being looked into to see if it belongs in a different category.

005: The List [217/250 ADDED]

All Ubisoft games have been blacklisted >! Ubisoft had employees come forward in 2020 about sexual harassment and as a response Ubisoft did nothing and stalled Source Several executives accused of sexual misconduct Source, some of these resulted in court cases and some were even arrested. The misogynistic environment has been acknowledged that this has effects game development Source.!<

• 2064: Read only Memories (2015) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; in 2018 CEO of Midboss at the time step down amid sexual harassment allegations.
• ⏰ 30 Birds TBA
• A Summer's End – Hong Kong 1986 (2020) – 🏳️‍🌈✅️ Feminist; A well fleshed out lesbian romance set in a time when it was even more contentious than it is now. The art style and music are remanesticent of all thing 1980s and early 1990s.
• AER: Memories of Old (2017) – ✅️ Feminist; An easy going exploration game with a woman of colour lead that is a must for any ecological feminist.
• Alice: Madness Returns – 🔍 Being Reviewed; Play as Alice a capable young woman who copes with her mental health in a dark fantastical world as she works through her truama to learn the truth about her family's past in this dark take on alice in wonderland.
• Alisa (2021) – 😐 Neutral; With its 1990s aesthetic it is an homage to survival horror classics. You play as a police woman trying to escape a house using her wits and skill. If it did just a little more it could be classed as feminist. There are questionable outfits.
• Animal Crossing New Horizon (2020) – 😐 Neutral; A cute cozy game that neither contributes to or harms the rights of women.
• American McGee's Alice (2000) – 🔍 Being Reviewed; this psychological thriller is a dark take on Lewis Carroll's Novel Alice in Wonderland. You play as Alice in a twisted version of wonderland as you overcome challenges to help her cope with truama from the loss of her family. Source
• Apex Legends (2020) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Standard battle royal that actually it's lead developer accountable for sexists and racists messages which the lead developer acknowledged. However, due to the failure of protecting its female player base and addressing rampant sexism within its player base, it is blacklisted.
• ✅ Aquaria
• ✅ Arcade Spirits 🏳️‍🌈
• ✅ Aspire: Ina's Tale
• Assassin's Creed Franchise – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Ubisoft Game
• ✅ Assemble With Care
• Baldur's Gate 3
• ✅ Best Friend Forever
• 😐 Baldo: The Guardian Owls
• ✅ Battle Chef Brigade Deluxe
• Bayonetta Series – ❌ Not Feminist; If the game was made with the specific intention to empower women or if it did more to challenge patriarchal norms, then it would be categorised differently. An all male dev team, or majority male dev team, can still create feminist games but unfortunately this is a game that was written not with the aim to empower women but a game made by men to specifically draw the attention of hetro male gamers using tropes such as the male gaze and objectification.
• Beyond Blue (2020) – 😐 Neutral; a Cozy game that involves ocean diving but does not contribute to feminism.
• Beyond Good and Evil (2003) ⚠️ Blacklisted; feminist game but due to being owned by Ubisoft, has been blacklisted
• Beyond Two Souls (2013) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Quantic Games has a problematic CEO and Beyond Two Souls also secretly rendered a naked model of Elliot Page without his consent.
• 😐 BioShock Infinite
• ✅ Black Book
• [Blackwell series](https://store.steampowered.com/app/80330/The\_Blackwell\_Legacy/)
• Bloodborne (2015) – 😐 Neutral; A souls game that applies the visceral side of woman's health as a major plot point within its story. Visceral Femininity: A Bloodborne Video Essay [Updated 01/09/2024 by – Kipvandemaan]*
• Book of Hours (2023) – ⚠️ Blacklisted;
• Book of Travels
• ✅ Bound
• ✅ Boyfriend Dungeon
• ✅ Broken age
• ✅ Butterfly Soup 🏳️‍🌈
• Calico (2020) 🏳️‍🌈✅️ Feminist;
• ❌ Call of Duty MW19*
• Carto
• Case of Distrust, A
• Cat Lady, The
• Celeste (2018) – ✅️ Feminist; a woman overcoming the internal struggles of mental illness. Story talks about aspects of self-empowerment, resilience, and personal growth, challenging societal expectations of perfectionism. The game portrays mental health in a sensitive, non-stigmatising way, offering a nuanced exploration of femininity, agency, and emotional complexity without reducing the protagonist to stereotypes.
• Child of Light (2014) –
• Chilla's Art Series
• Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
• Chrono Trigger
• ✅ Coffee Talk
• ✅ Control
• Coral Island (2021) – 💎 ✅️ Strong ecofeminist messages. With representation and inclusion done right with top notch well rounded characters.
• Cozy Grove
• ✅ Crypt of the Necrodancer
• Cultist Simulator (2018) – ⚠️
• Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; CD Projekt Red has a history with cozying up with transphobia, appropriating LGBTQ+ culture with little representation and performative allyship.
• ✅ Dandara
• ✅ Death Trash
• ✅️ Decarnation
• ✅ Detention
• Detroit: Become Human – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Quantic Games has a problematic CEO
• ✅ DEVOTION
• Diaries of a spaceport janitor
• Dishonored 2
• Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
• Dragon Age Inquisition
• ✅ Dragon Caffi
• ❌ Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
• Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
• Eastward
• Elden Ring (2022) – 🔍 Under Review;
• Elder Scrolls Franchise – ❌ Not Feminist; You can create a female character and rise to power, but the game itself doesn’t really challenge the structures of gendered power. It's still a medieval fantasy setting where the power dynamics are shaped by kings, jarls, and male-dominated hierarchies. Moreover, these games largely ignores the intersectional issues that would give it a more feminist perspective. The game doesn't grapple with how race, class, and gender intersect. Instead, it presents a world where your identity as a female character doesn't really change your experience or relationship with the world around you, as if gender exists in a vacuum, unconnected to other forms of marginalisation. At best, Elder Scrolls gives us an illusion of equality where gender doesn't seem to affect the plot or gameplay in meaningful ways but without any real interrogation of how power operates, it falls short of being feminist, let alone intersectional.
• ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
• Enslaved: Odyssey to the west
• Evan's Remains (2020) –
• ✅ Fae Tactics
• ✅ Fashion Police Squad
• Forgotten City, The (2021) – ✅ Feminist; praised for its exploration of social and gender issues within a compelling narrative. [Contributed 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Fallout Franchise – ❌ Not Feminist;The Fallout franchise, though rich in narrative, isn't feminist at its core. Its post-apocalyptic world primarily focuses on individual survival and often relies on tropes of toxic masculinity with little critique of patriarchal structures. While there are strong female characters, they tend to exist within the framework of male-dominated power structures rather than challenge them. The emphasis on individualism over collective action fails to confront systemic gender oppression in a meaningful way. Fallout 4 begins to challenge this with Nick Valentine and Piper but falls short since they are the expectations to the rule and not the rule itself.
• FAR:Lone Sails (2018) – 😐 Neutral; Set in a post-apocalyptic world the games focuses on exploration and does address feminist topics [Updated 01/09/2023 by JealousSubstance213]
• Farcry 6
• FATAL FRAME / PROJECT ZERO: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
• Final Fantasy 10-2
• Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy
• final fantasy 14
• Fire Emblem
• Firewatch
• Flame in the Flood, The
• ✅ Florence
• ✅ Forgotten Anne
• Full Metal Furies
• Galatea
• Genshin Impact (2020) – ❌️ Not Feminist; utilises the male gaze, issues concerning racism and colourism.
• Goodbye Volcano High
• Gone Home
• Gravity Rush
• Gravity Rush 2
• ✅ GRIS
• ✅ Grow: Song of the Evertree
• 😐 Hades
• Hades 2
• Half Life Alyx
• ❌ Halo
• ✅ Haven
• Harmony's Odyssey
• Heavenly Sword (2007) – 💎 ✅️ Feminist; a complex female main character with a narrative that brings up gender identity as well as addessing relationships and how women are valued in patriarchal societies.
• Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017) – ✅ Feminist; An intersesting take on neurodiversity as you play as a Pict warrior woman as she travels through the different realms of norse gods to save the soul of her lover as she comes to terms with her grief.
• Her Story (2015) – ❌️ Not Feminist; The story focuses on deception and murder with no one being held accountable.
• Herald: An interactive Period Drama – Book I & II
• Hogwarts Legacy (2023) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Transphobic and racist author who has contributed to endangering the lives of trans people via social media and politically in the UK.
• ❌️ Honkai: Impact 3rd
• ❌️ Honkai: Star Rail
• ✅ Horizon Zero Dawn
• Horizon Forbidden West
• ✅ I was a teenage excolonist 🏳️‍🌈
• Jeanne d'Arc (2006) – 💎 ✅️ Feminist; A classic JRPG hero's journey, inspired by the events of Joan of Arc, the defender of France. The game is a Forgotten TRPG that shows us the direction video games could have gone.
• Impostor Factory
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (2022) – ⚠️ Blacklisted; Ubisoft Game
• Ion Fury
• Journey (2012) – ✅ (Feminist; recognized for its universal themes and non-gendered protagonist, allowing for a broad and inclusive interpretation.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Juniors (2023) – 😐 (Neutral; a recent release with no prominent feminist themes as of now.)
• Kathy Rain: Director's Cut (2021) – ✅️ Feminist; using sleuthing skills you play as Kathy Rain a well fleshed out character trying to solve a mystery in a small rural town whilst confronting Kathy's troubled past.
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits (2021) – ✅ (Feminist; features a strong female protagonist and engages with culturally rich narratives and character development.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Kentucky Route Zero
• Kid Icarus: Uprising
• Koudelka
• Laika: Aged Through Blood
• Lake (2021)
• Last of Us (2013) –
• Last of Us 2 (2020) –
• Later Daters
• Life is Strange
• Life is strange: Before the Storm
• Life is strange 2
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Little Nightmares series
• Little Witch in the Woods
• Littlewood
• Longest Journey series
• Longest Road on Earth, The (2021) – ✅ (Feminist; recognized for its emotional storytelling and the representation of diverse experiences.)** [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime (2015) – ✅ (Feminist; features cooperative gameplay with diverse character representation and themes.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Nancy Drew Franchise
• Neurodeck (2022) – ✅ (Feminist; known for its mental health themes and inclusive narrative elements.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Never Alone
• Nidhogg 2 (2017) – 😐 (Neutral; primarily a competitive game with no strong feminist focus.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• ❌ Nier Automata
• Night in the woods
• ✅ Not Tonight
• Not Tonight 2
• ✅ Marvellous Miss Take, The
• Mass Effect Trilogy (Especially no.3)
• Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction*
• Metal: Hellsinger
• Metroid (not Other M)
• 😐 Minecraft
• ✅ Mirror's edge
• ❌ Monster Hunter
• Moonscars
• Mutazione
• My Time at Portia (2019) – 😐 (Neutral; while it features strong female characters, it is more focused on gameplay and community building rather than feminist themes.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• ✅ Old Man's Journey
• ✅ Ooblets
• ✅ Ori and The Blind Forest
• ✅ Outer Wilds
• ✅ Outer worlds, The
• Oxenfree
• 🔍 Papers, Please
• ✅ papo & Yo
• Parasite Eve
• Path by Tale of Tales, The
• Perfect Dark
• Pillars of eternity 1 and 2
• Pill Baby
• Plague Tale: Innocence, A
• Pokemon (1996 – Present)– ❌️ Not Feminist; would be neutral but due to lack of female representation. I.e. – out of 73 gym leaders 30 are female, Out of 11 villian/antagonist group leaders 1 is a female, Out of 17 champions seen in game and mentioned 5 are female.
• ✅ Portal
• Portal 2
• ✅ Potion Permit
• Red dead redemption 2 – ⚠️
• Remember Me
• ❌ Resident Evil Franchise
• Road 96 (2021) – 💎 ✅️ Feminist; A procedural generated choose your own adventure game that respectfully emulates fleeing a country in crisis. The game implments a lot of aspects of human rights and intersectional challenges.
• Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song
• ✅ Root of Pacha
• Sable (2021) – ✅ (Feminist; celebrated for its artistic expression and the inclusion of diverse character backgrounds and themes.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• ✅ Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
• Satisfactory
• Sayonara Wild Hearts (2019) – ✅ (Feminist; acclaimed for its empowering themes and inclusive representation within a unique gameplay experience.) [Updated 02/09/20224 by – CiroZorro]
• Shardlight
• Sims, The
• Signalis [Contributed 01/09/2024 by – Ms_Anxiety]
• Skullgirls
• ✅ Slime Rancher [*Updated 01/09/2024 by – IntrinsicIrony *]
• Spirit Swap
• Spiritfarer (2020) – ✅ (Feminist; recognized for its inclusive storytelling and emotional depth, focusing on themes of loss and compassion.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• Splatoon
• 😐 Starbound
• Stardew Valley (2015) – 😐 Neutral; Does things well on a superficial level but not enough to categorise it as feminist. It has helped contribute to the foundations of farming sims that are feminist.
• ✅ Steelrising
• Syberia Series
• Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet (2017) – ✅ (Feminist; appreciated for its inclusive narrative and diverse character portrayal.) [Updated 02/09/20224 by – CiroZorro]
• ✅ Sword & sworcery
• Super Lesbian Animal RPG (2022) –
• ✅ Tacoma
• Tell Me Why (2020) – ✅ (Feminist; noted for its representation of a trans character and its sensitive handling of personal and social issues.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• TemTem
• 😐 Terraria
• That Dragon, Cancer
• ✅ Thirsty Suitors
• ✅ This War of Mine
• ✅ Thomas was Alone
• To the moon
• Tonight we Riot
• Tomb Raider Franchise – 🔍 Under Review – looking into how best to address pre-reboot and post-reboot Lara Croft.
• Transistor
• Unavowed
• 😐 Uncharted Lost Legacy
• ✅ Unpacking
• UNSIGHTED
• Valiant Hearts: The Great War (2014) ** ✅️ Feminist;
• Valkyrie Profile
• Veil of Dust
• ✅ Walking Dead, The by Telltale
• Witcher 3 – ⚠️ Blacklisted; CD Projekt Red has a history with cozying up with transphobia. Witcher 3 fails at representation in a fantasy world.
• ✅ What remains of Edith Finch
• Wintermoor Tactics Club
• Witchy Life Story
• Wylde Flowers
• Wytchwood (2021) – ✅ (Feminist; features a strong female lead and engages with themes of empowerment and self-discovery.) [Updated 02/09/2024 by – CiroZorro]
• ❌️ Zenless Zone Zero

006: FAQ

• Why are you using reddit to make a list instead of [Enter Alternative App Here]? If the list gets unmanaged, I will transfer it to a more user friendly platform but for now it's fine here.
• Your list is terrible [Enter Bizarre Explanation Here] why even bother? Constructive citicism is always welcome but if you feel like going on a tirade, then refer back to the rules and question why a list that is trying to promote equity, diversity and inclusion upsets you.

007: Future Plans

• Aim for 250 games and we'll see from there 😊

 008: Changelog:

• 06/09/2024 12:13 GMT – Added to Feminist Criteria
• 06/09/2024 07:44 GMT – New Category added called "🔍 being reviewed".
• 06/09/2024 07:22 GMT – formatting errors fixed
• 05/09/2024 10:56 GMT – Removed give away aspect of the list
• 05/09/2024 07:10 GMT – Introduced the hidden gem label 💎
• 04/09/2024 – changed Blacklisted label from black square to a warning triangle. ⬛️ –> ⚠️ I also introduced spoilers to hide traumatic content from Blacklisted games.
• 02/09/2024 22:00 GMT – CiroZorro introduces a better format for the list.
• 01/09/2024 07:29 – Added insights for transparency
• 01/09/2024 00:43 – Issues with formatting
• 01/09/2024 00:05 – Criteria for what makes a game feminist has been added.

009: Insights for Transparency (Updated 05/09/2024)

Insights for this Post:

Insights for a similiar post 2 years ago:
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010: Credits:

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