DiamondLobby's study revealed only 8.3% of main characters in games were females of non-white ethnicities. This includes video games starring black female video game characters.
Despite this, in recent years there's been a few notable black women in video games who have been main protagonists. So without further ado let's focus on the ten best black female protagonist games out there.
(Disclaimer: This list also includes multiracial characters with a black parent.)
10. Urban Chaos
Released in 1999, Urban Chaos is a third person action-adventure game featuring police woman D'arci Stern who spends a majority of her time dealing with gang activity on the mean streets of Union City.
As D'arci you walk the streets and take on brazen gang members with your bare fists or armed, and you can even arrest them. You can also talk with citizens, enter buildings and do additional missions featuring assault, rescuing hostages or suicide prevention.
9. Children of Zodiarcs
 |
| © Square Enix |
Children of Zoiarcs stars young thief Nahmi (alongside a rag-tag band of thieves), who was stolen from her homeland and held captive by despicable nobles, until she made her escape. The gameplay is a mix of cards, dice and a traditional strategy RPG.
8. Dishonored 2 Death of the Outsider
Dishonored 2 would receive a standalone expansion pack and sequel in 2017 called Death of the Outsider. In this stealthy action adventure game you control the redeemed assassin Billie Lurk in 1st person perspective, who has a bone to pick with The Outsider.
7. Broken Age
This hand-animated point and click adventure game features a damsel in distress as one of the two main protagonists in Broken Age. Vella's tale involves her fighting fate after she is chosen as a sacrifice in her village to the monster Mog Chothra.
Dishonored 2 would receive a standalone expansion pack and sequel in 2017 called Death of the Outsider. In this stealthy action adventure game you control the redeemed assassin Billie Lurk in 1st person perspective, who has a bone to pick with The Outsider.
7. Broken Age
This hand-animated point and click adventure game features a damsel in distress as one of the two main protagonists in Broken Age. Vella's tale involves her fighting fate after she is chosen as a sacrifice in her village to the monster Mog Chothra.
6. Forspoken
The action RPG Forspoken is about a gritty New Yorker called Frey Holland who gets transported to the magical kingdom of Athia and becomes an unlikely hero. Unlike your typical RPG, the game does away with swords, instead with magic being the main focus.
5. Dandara
Dandara is a 2D Metrodvania video game which features the titular protagonist who you control, as you transverse the game's eccentric universe and warp between white surfaces. The game's hero is inspired by real life Afro-Brazilian warrior Dandara.
 |
| © Square Enix |
The action RPG Forspoken is about a gritty New Yorker called Frey Holland who gets transported to the magical kingdom of Athia and becomes an unlikely hero. Unlike your typical RPG, the game does away with swords, instead with magic being the main focus.
5. Dandara
Dandara is a 2D Metrodvania video game which features the titular protagonist who you control, as you transverse the game's eccentric universe and warp between white surfaces. The game's hero is inspired by real life Afro-Brazilian warrior Dandara.
Telltale's charming yet underrated PS4 episodic adventure game featuring the mainstay The Walking Dead heroine Michonne, is all about helping the former mother of two fight her inner demons amidst an ongoing zombie apocalypse that refuses to let up.
3. The Gunk
The Gunk is a third-person story driven action adventure game which stars a scavenger named Rani who lands on an alien planet invested by slime-like parasites called the Gunk, who are destroying it's environment.
Equipped with her power glove that sucks up gunk, Rani uses it to clean up their mess and restore the planet. Along the way Rani also has to fight corrupted monsters and she can even scan the environment to learn more about her surroundings.
The best story-driven zombie game of all time is an episodic adventure video game which follows a young survivor called Clementine as she narrowly survives a zombie apocalypse and meets people from all walks of life.
Players will witness Clementine grow from an adolescent child to a capable young woman as the story progresses and they make life changing decisions for her, ultimately affecting her path.
1. Assassin's Creed: Liberation
Liberation allows you to walk in the shoes of French assassin Aveline de Grandpré in 18th-century French Louisiana, who takes arms against Templars who attempt to gain control of New Orleans after the end of the French and Indian War.
In the process, Aveline uses her covert cover to become a cold blooded yet rebellious hero uprising against slavery, as she covertly fights for the oppressed.
Gameplay is viewed from a third-person perspective as Aveline utilizes her skills as an assassin to eliminate enemies, sneak around undetected and parkour across rooftops to complete missions and explore her environment.
Players will witness Clementine grow from an adolescent child to a capable young woman as the story progresses and they make life changing decisions for her, ultimately affecting her path.
1. Assassin's Creed: Liberation
Liberation allows you to walk in the shoes of French assassin Aveline de Grandpré in 18th-century French Louisiana, who takes arms against Templars who attempt to gain control of New Orleans after the end of the French and Indian War.
In the process, Aveline uses her covert cover to become a cold blooded yet rebellious hero uprising against slavery, as she covertly fights for the oppressed.
Gameplay is viewed from a third-person perspective as Aveline utilizes her skills as an assassin to eliminate enemies, sneak around undetected and parkour across rooftops to complete missions and explore her environment.