Joanna Dark – Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark, a pastiche of GoldenEye 007, hasn’t really aged well, but around the time of its release, it provided many a young gamer with their first crush in the form of Joanna Dark. She’s basically James Bond for girls (and guys who game), only way less serious.
Introduced in 2000, Joanna Dark was modelled in part on actresses Gillian Anderson and Winona Ryder, and her name is a pun on the historical figure Joan of Arc. She returned in 2005 prequel game Perfect Dark Zero, and has also appeared in a number of Perfect Dark novels and comic books.
Princess Zelda – Legend of Zelda
Nintendo's original 1986 video game The Legend of Zelda hardly features the princess of the title at all, and in a way that mystery makes the character all the more alluring. However, once the game company decided to prominently feature her across the franchise, it was game over – metaphorically speaking.
Fans had no problem whatsoever identifying with Link’s love for Princess Zelda once they saw what an adorable elfin beauty she was, and as each generation of Nintendo consoles has grown more sophisticated, so too has Zelda's grip on our heartstrings increased.
Leon S Kennedy – Resident Evil
Leon S Kennedy cut his teeth in Resident Evil 2 but it wasn’t until later on in the franchise that he became somewhat of a sex symbol. Within two games, he’d gone from naive cop to highly capable agent. He maintained his sense of humor and folly, though, and therefore avoided alienating audiences.
Let's not beat around the bush, though; gamers cared less about Leon's character development than his sultry good looks, especially with those late 90s blonde curtains a la Leonardo DiCaprio and/or David Beckham. However, his face was reportedly based on that of Resident Evil's animation director Christian Duerre. Who knew game designers were so hot?!
Naked Snake – Metal Gear Solid
While the hero of the Metal Gear Solid games is of course Solid Snake, the big bad of the series is Naked Snake, also known variously as Big Boss, Vic Boss, The Legendary Soldier, The Legendary Mercenary, and Jack. You know you're a big deal when you have a lot of nicknames.
Naked Snake is a wackjob with a hyper-masculine charm. Some may call him toxic, others downright sexy. Many Metal Gear Solid fans found themselves sympathizing with this character and the tragedies he experienced throughout the games. Are you one of those? Probably.
Chun Li – Street Fighter
Chun Li was destined to make an impression on Street Fighter II players being the only woman on an otherwise entirely male roster. She's certainly not the first woman in gaming history, but she made a bigger impression than any female video game character since Ms. Pac-Man.
Famed for her signature move the Spinning Chun Kick, Chun-Li's ability to take down even the mightiest of men with her thighs put a spell on fans back in 1991, and they’ve yet to snap out of it more than 30 years later.
Jill Valentine – Resident Evil
Jill Valentine, along with Chris Redfield, was one of the two playable characters available to players in the original Resident Evil back in 1996. Back in the early days, the game's designers were keen to avoid sexualizing their female lead, instead going to lengths to maker her tough and independent.
Obviously, that approach didn't last long. By the third instalment, they’d switched Jill's drab police outfit for a tube top and short skirt, and hey presto! Capcom knew what they were doing here and it paid off. Jill has long since been a poster girl for those who love hot video game characters.
Rayne – BloodRayne
Never heard of BloodRayne? Don’t be too upset. It produced only three games between 2002 and 2011 (not to mention a truly terrible 2005 film adaptation, which itself spawned two straight-to-video sequels). Still, at a moment in time, central character Rayne was one of gaming’s greatest pinups.
What’s not to like about a sexy vampire who can beat people up? Vampires have always been hot, after all, so making her a buff redhead in a revealing, skin tight leather outfit obviously adds to Rayne's appeal considerably, particularly among hormonal adolescents.
Lara Croft – Tomb Raider
If you were to show Lara Croft’s original form to younger audiences today, they’d probably be baffled by the grip she has on millennials. Yet for whatever reason, we couldn’t get enough of this blocky babe who has been the source of many a sordid fantasy for players over the years.
The rumour that there was a nude code within the original Tomb Raider did wonders for Lara's reach – until you entered the code in question, and she exploded. Still, there was always the simple pleasure to be taken from running her into a wall and hearing her moan.
Cammy – Street Fighter
Street Fighter’s second female fighter Cammy, unlike Chun Li before her, was designed to get pulses racing. Introduced in 1993's Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers, the British military agent was soon immortalized when Kylie Minogue portrayed her in 1994's Street Fighter: The Movie.
Although like every Street Fighter character she's a decent brawler in her own right, Cammy’s main appeal was the fact she has 99% of her behind on show. Gamers the world over can probably attribute her to their sexual awakenings.
Tifa Lockhart – Final Fantasy VII
Even saying the name Tifa Lockhart to certain people will bring a smile to their faces. One wouldn't necessarily anticipate a character introduced in the seventh game in a series would become so much of a fan favorite, but this starlet from 1997's Final Fantasy VII managed just that.
A mixed bag of a character, Tifa managed to balance a girly personality with an extreme penchant for violence. And she didn’t use any weapons! This was the kind of woman you wanted on your side, at every possible chance.
Samus Aran – Metroid
One of the OG video game crushes, Samus Aran’s gender was kept a secret until the end of the first Metroid. She would first show her face, and then her legs, before completely undressing and showing off her bikini bod.
Has this moment aged horribly? Yes. Did it mean the world to players back in the day? Absolutely. Samus Aran has subsequently returned in the Metroid sequels, as well as getting a far more photorealistic rendering in the more recent Super Smash Bros games.
Cortana – Halo
When the original Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001 as the flagship game for the original Xbox, it proved to be one of the most popular and widely imitated first person shooter games. However, the game's designers weren't above throwing in a little eye candy, as we see from Master Chief's AI companion, Cortana.
Yes, Cortana is clothed. But she doesn’t look it, which explains why she’s on this list. Fans of Halo weren’t solely enticed by Cortana but she served as a welcome addition to an already intriguing game. And how about that personality? Standing up against Master Chief? A deadly combo of brains and beauty.
Krystal the Fox – Star Fox Adventures
2002s Nintendo Gamecube title Star Fox Adventures is largely forgettable - but the amount of closet Furries it radicalised is something to behold. This is all down to the character of Krystal the Fox, a new introduction to the series' anthropomorphic animal ensemble.
There really are no two ways about this one: Krystal the Fox is a sexy fox. That’s about it. Nintendo had no idea that’s what the people wanted. They were just winging it, and boy did it land with players.
Paine – Final Fantasy
Sure, Tifa Lockhart is special, and so is Lightning and Yuna, but let’s not forget Paine. Introduced in 2003's Final Fantasy X-2, she quickly became a popular new character in the Final Fantasy pantheon, and the new pin-up girl of many gamers.
With her unusual red eyes, leather pants and opera globes (and a giant sword), Paine won over thousands of fans with her sexy, punk aesthetic. She is a question mark, too. You have to discover what happened to Paine during the events of Final Fantasy X.
Alyx Vance – Half-Life 2
Frst person shooter sequel Half-Life 2 was very well received when it first arrived in 2004. Winning scores of awards, the Valve Corporation release was quickly hailed one of the best video games ever. And let's face it - gamers wouldn't have enjoyed it so much if they weren't crushing on at least one character.
Alyx Vance’s charm is suburban. She isn’t some flying Goddess wielding a machete. She’s a regular, flawed woman and Half-Life fans absolutely loved that, offering reassuring proof that female video game characters don’t have to be hyper-sexualised to make an impression on male players. That isn’t to say she hasn’t been fantasised about since...
Meryl Silverburgh – Metal Gear Solid
With her buff physique and little black vest, Meryl Silverburgh is very much the cup of tea of many gamers. However, her representation of her character and her ultimate fate have, for many, raised uncomfortable questions about misogyny in video game culture.
If you overcome Revolver Ocelot’s torture in Metal Gear Solid, Solid Snake rescues his sidekick Meryl Silverburgh from a certain death. If you give in to it, she meets her maker. What do you think most people did? Poor Meryl deserved better than that.
Kitana – Mortal Kombat II
Chun-Li wouldn't remain the only Asian female character in a one-on-one fighter game for long. In 1993, Midway's rival beat-'em-up franchise Mortal Kombat released their second instalment with not one but three female fighters - the most alluring of whom was the mysterious Kitana.
A personal assassin for Shaok Kahn, this leotard-wearing bruiser took the franchise by storm in 1993 and you couldn’t even see her whole face. Just the dark, (possibly) soulful eyes… and, of course, she wore a tiny unitard which left her legs and most of her behind fully exposed.
Alastair – Dragon Age Origins
Not only do gingers have souls, but rugged good looks to boot. Introduced in 2009's Dragon Age: Origins, Alastair is one of gaming’s rare male redheads, which probably explains the fascination and adoration a lot of people had for him.
Alastair is your companion throughout Origins, helping you out of any pickle, and looking all rugged and handsome and coming out with plenty of pithy, witty remarks as he does so. Swoon! He's since been featured in Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze – Assassin’s Creed
Of course Ezio Auditore da Firenze is on this list. No discussion of the most crush-worthy video game characters of all time could possibly be complete without the poster boy and bona fide, red hot stud muffin of the Assassin's Creed series.
As it happens, combining charm, courage and an Italian accent makes for an appealing human being. Fans just couldn’t resist Ezio from his first appearance in 2009's Assassin’s Creed II to his poignant last days in 2011's Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
Johnny Gat – Saint’s Row
Is it possible to have a crush on a temperamental man who settles every dispute with violence while wearing square-lensed sunglasses? Yes, and 2006's Saint’s Row proved that. Sure, he might look like a boy band reject, but boy band members are considered attractive for a reason.
Second in command of the 3rd Street Saints, Johnny Gat hates you and everyone you know and that’s exactly why (some) fans loved him. He returned in the next two Saint's Row games before taking the lead in 2015's Saint's Row: Gat Out of Hell.
Dante – Devil May Cry
Another member of the “I don’t care about anything” crowd, Dante - main protagonist of the Devil May Cry series - served as some people’s first-ever gaming crush with his shoot-from-the-hip, unkempt style and corny one-liners. Oh, and his ludicrous Gigachad physique.
He’s aged in a bit of a silver fox throughout the years but that hasn’t lost him any love. After all, he's still got those eye-catching locks and dresses all snazzy in that long red jacket and black leather pants. Guess some older guys can still pull that look off...
Victor Sullivan – Uncharted
Victor Sullivan is probably the first (and last) old man you ever crushed on, and nobody can blame you. The ageing mentor of Uncharted's main hero Nathan Drake, he's got a bit of that old man appeal that you just can't find in a younger guy.
For plenty of players, choosing between Drake and Sullivan was a no-brainer. Sullivan was smarter. He was more mature. His charisma knew no bounds. And the way he’d smoke those cigars? Forget about it. Still, given his grizzled silver fox status, it was a surprise when Mark Wahlberg played him in the movie.
Garrus – Mass Effect
OK, laugh all you want but some people have gone on record as saying they felt attracted to Garrus. He might be a member of alien race the Turians with nothing resembling human features, yet he gives serious vibes to plenty of players.
An arrogant live-wire, he went to the end of the earth (and beyond) for his comrades. He was never selfish. He was basically everything a cat isn’t. ICYMI, Garrus has a feline-like head. No wonder so many gamers want to pet him.
Max Payne – Max Payne
Introduced in the 2001 game of the same name (which spawned two sequels), Max Payne is a hard-edged cop-turned-vigilante out to avenge the death of his wife and child, in the vein of Marvel's The Punisher. You feel for his loss - but there's also no denying his bad boy allure.
Tall, dark and, yes, handsome, Max is also conscious of his flaws and failings. And by the third instalment of the franchise, he displays not just a knack for violence but for restraint. Max Payne is a textbook example of a gentle giant… most of the time.
Gabriel Belmont – Castlevania: Lord of Darkness
One for the goths. Gabriel Belmont is a vampire hunter, armed with a whip, dark hair, and a sultry voice, as well as a big old hulking physique encased in distinctive red and black armor. This guy could front a metal band and no one would be surprised.
The male protagonists in Castlevania are many and varied, and none of them are low on sex appeal. However, there’s something extra special about this hunk. It doesn't hurt that in the sequels, he proved himself to be as vulnerable as courageous.
Cassie Cage – Mortal Kombat X
Original Mortal Kombat characters Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade were both super-tough fighters and perfect human specimens - so it stands to reason that any child they had would be similarly breathtaking. Behold Cassie Cage, introduced in 2015's Mortal Kombat X.
Introducing a new protagonist to any long-running series is a risky venture, but fans took to Cassie perfectly well, considering her a strong character who embodies the best qualities of her parents - which, of course, includes her smoldering good looks and eye-popping physique.
Kasumi – Dead or Alive
Ever since Dead or Alive’s debut in 1996, Kasumi has acted as the poster girl for the series, amassing a huge following of aroused gamers up and down the modern world. Whether or not this is linked to Kasumi wearing fewer clothes across each game is up for debate.
The character of Kasumi, and the DOA series in general, has attracted some controversy over its overt fetishism of young women, particularly with those volleyball levels. Still, Kasumi is also a highly skilled ninja, so she's far from being a damsel in distress.
Triss Merigold – The Witcher
The Witcher franchise enjoyed an unusual and interesting development, starting out as a series of novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, and more recently being the basis of the hit Netflix series. Of course, the series really rose to prominence via the video game series launched in 2007, whose popularity owes a fair bit to sex appeal.
Triss Merigold is a slippery customer. Unlike some video gaming crushes, she is not instantly likeable. In fact, she’s kind of annoying and vague, and apparently driven by ulterior motives. Then we spend a bit of time with her and realize she’s a compassionate and efficient woman. Players couldn’t get enough of this femme fatale.
Miranda Lawson – Mass Effect
Players have plenty of women to try and impress throughout the Mass Effect series but barely any hold a candle to the acid-tongued Miranda Lawson. First appearing in Mass Effect 2, this steely character actually turns out to be fun.
On top of having an agreeable personality, the black and white skin-tight costume doesn’t exactly ruin the mood. It's not shock Miranda's as attractive as she is given that she's physically modelled on the actress who voices her, the very beautiful Yvonne Strahovski.
Bayonetta – Bayonetta
The title character of the video game series introduced by PlatinumGames in 2009, Bayonetta has one thing that almost no other crush-worthy video game characters don't have... she wears glasses! So few heroines have glasses and that’s why Bayonetta is so great.
As if her eyewear wasn't enough, Bayonetta also has physical ability, a charm personality and of course a hot bod on her side. For years, the character has piqued the interest of veteran and rookie gamers with her dazzling aesthetic and jaw-dropping powers.
Aya Brea – Parasite Eve
Launched by games publisher Square in 1998, role-playing game Parasite Eve is an adaptation of Hideaki Sena's novel and centers on Aya Brea, an NYPD cop facing the rather significant task of saving the world from total annihilation by means of spontaneous combustion.
Much as Parasite Eve holds a special place in people’s hearts, Brea holds an incredibly special place. An NYC cop thrown into the deep end of violence and paranoia, she’s remarkably grounded. What? You don’t think composure is hot? Grow up. She is also simply hot, though. There’s no getting around that.
Bastila Shan – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Between George Lucas' divisive prequel films and the post-2015 revival at Disney, Star Wars was kept alive in large part by video games, not least the Knights of the Old Republic series. Much as the movies featured such iconic females as Leia, Padme and Rey, so too did the games boast some crush-worthy ladies.
If you’re looking for a graceful, skilled female femme fatale with a weakness for highly suggestive rhetoric, look no further than Knights of the Old Republic’s Bastila Shan. Voiced by Jennifer Hale, fans went ape for this Jedi back in the day. Sure, she’s hot, but it’s the yellow double-lightsaber we really love.
Elizabeth Comstock – BioShock Infinite
She has lived most of her life imprisoned in a tower, but the similarities to Rapunzel end there. (Her hair is short and dark, for one thing.) Elizabeth Comstock is a secondary character in 2013's BioShock Infinite, the third entry in the BioShock series, and she quickly became a fan favorite.
The developers of BioShock Infinite considered cutting her from the story due to difficulty in making her “work.” What a mistake that would’ve been. Elizabeth Comstock was a huge success among fans with her loving, animated eyes and positive attitude.
Morrigan Aensland – Darkstalkers
For a certain type of gamer, there's always going to be a particular appeal to any character that's described as a succubus, for reasons that a quick Google of the subject should make abundantly clear. Small wonder, then, that Morrigan Aensland of Darkstalkers has such a fanbase.
Aensland isn’t just an OG. She’s over three hundred years old, but she looks great. This succubus became a fan favourite the second she first appeared in Darkstalkers, for obvious physical reasons. The fact she had it in her to lay waste to anyone who stood in her way was the cherry on the cake.
Princess Peach – Super Mario Bros
If you're going to motivate an Italian plumber to search scores of enchanted castles (only to be perpetually told you're in another one), you'd better be a lady worthy of admiration. This is definitely the case with the beloved Princess Peach of the legendary Super Mario Bros series.
We’re not gonna call Princess Peach sexy. This gaming crush was purely wholesome. Among all the hijinks and chaos of the Super Mario Bros world, Princess Peach is a welcome tonic, sprinkling kindness and good vibes wherever she goes. She’s also proved capable of looking after herself throughout the years.
Sylvia Christel – No More Heroes
Action adventure game No More Heroes was developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and released to the Nintendo Wii in 2007. The player controls bad boy assassin Travis Touchdown - but what would any bad boy be without at least one bad girl nearby?
Sylvia Christel, an agent of the United Assassins Association, is pure fantasy. It’s hard to take someone with such short skirts too seriously gameplay-wise, not that anyone is complaining. In fact, players were probably happy to be disarmed by ol’ Sylv if it meant standing a chance with her.
Chloe Frazer – Uncharted
Uncharted might be considered a traditional boy's own adventure, but Chloe Frazer is no damsel in distress. She isn’t tied up in some castle, warbling and crying, waiting for a big strong man to come and rescue her. She’s tough as nails and isn’t afraid to let you know it.
It should also come as no surprise that, like most women in video games, Chloe is also smoking hot. She's had her dalliances in the past but none of that is gonna pin her down or be sued against her and that’s why she’s such a great character.
Angel – The King of Fighters
Since launching in 1994, The King of Fighters has proved a long-running fighting game franchise with over 20 titles produced to date. It might not be as big a deal as Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, but it has some good characters - including, quelle surprise, some major hotties.
Introduced in The King of Fighters 2001, Angel is one of the cybernetically modified humans created by the secret syndicate known as NESTS. Mainly, though, she’s just hot. The developer apparently modelled her on “personal preferences”, which by the looks of it are “scantily clad with a gravity-defying chest”.
Blood Elves – World of Warcraft
Society has come on leaps and bounds since the 90s when it comes to the acceptance of gaming in the mainstream. However, there are still some titles that can cause sniggers and accusations of dorkery among jock-type circles, and one such game is World of Warcraft.
Well, next time anyone tries to make fun of you for playing WoW, invite them over, introduce them to the blood elves, and watch them tripping over themselves in no time at all. Let’s see who the jock is then, yeah!
Kaileena – Prince of Persia
Female NPCs have a tendency to be damsels in distress and little else, but not Prince of Persia’s Kaileena. Oh no, this antagonist-turned-protagonist sidekick has a mind of her own, especially in 2005's The Two Thrones, the sixth instalment in the popular action adventure series.
Liberally dressed, with long, dark locks, Kaileena is immediately alluring - and obviously helps a great deal that, in her first appearance, she was voiced by one of the modern age's greatest screen sirens and a real life brunette bombshell, Italian actress Monica Bellucci.
Sophitia – Soul Edge
1996's Soul Edge (aka Soul Blade) was the first entry in what became the Soulcalibur fighting game series. Unlike some titles we could mention, Soul Edge isn’t just some catwalk for letchy gamers. It’s famous for its incredible gameplay and unlockable characters.
Still, Sophitia is a smokeshow and there’s no denying it. This Greek gladiator knows how to hand out a beating as well as she knows how to set pulses racing. She's remained a prominent figure, featuring prominently throughout most of the Soulcaliber series.
Anna Williams – Tekken
The younger sister of Nina, with whom she shares a violent rivalry half of the time, Anna Williams is one of Tekken’s greatest gifts and hottest characters. Introduced in the original Tekken back in 1994, this sultry brunette has subsequently appeared in every game in the series aside from Tekken 4.
Skilled in Aikido, Hapkido and Koppojutsu, she ain’t the kind of gal you ever want to cross in a dark alley. Well, actually, under certain circumstances we're quite confident that a lot of fans would like to do exactly that, if you catch our meaning.
Mileena – Mortal Kombat II
If Kitana is going to make a list about video game crushes, it makes sense to include her twin sister Mileena. Both characters were introduced in 1993's Mortal Kombat II, and have remained mainstays of the franchise and fan favorites ever since.
As well as being a similarly gifted fighter with the exact same body type, Mileena shares identical clothing with her sister, only hers comes in a deep purple, and she is armed with two sai. Is she afraid to use them? No, sir. No, she is not.
Sheva Alomar – Resident Evil 5
2009's Resident Evil 5 was criticized for failing to live up to the scare-factor of the previous instalments. What it wasn’t criticized for is the presence of one Sheva Alomar, another crush-worthy addition to Resident Evil's already significant pantheon of hot female characters.
If you have a fear or weakness for agents of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance who also shoot arrows, stay far away from this game and woman. It should come as no surprise that most fans of the Resident Evils series don't have this problem.
Alicia – Bullet Witch
2007 third person shooter Bullet Witch casts the player as the witch herself, Alicia Claus, who spends her days hunting down demons in a post-apocalyptic cityscape. This being a video game, she naturally does this in leather pants and a midriff-exposing crop top.
Quite why so many gamers were uncontrollably drawn to this proportionally perfect Jennifer Connolly lookalike with a knack for slaying her diabolical enemies as though she was running late for a meeting, we don't know. Alas, gamers had to be content with just one dalliance with the character as Bullet Witch never got a sequel
Kratos - God of War
Most of the attractive video game characters we've listed here are either women notable for their femininity, or men who are a bit on the pretty boy side. However, for those who prefer a raw hunk of unbridled masculine energy, there's no character more alluring than Kratos, figurehead of God of War.
As we've seen already in this list, being a bit scary does not in any way stop a character from being sexy. A mountain of muscle with a shaved head and a beard even thicker and fuller than his biceps, Kratos represents a model of perfect manhood for a whole generation of gym-going hipsters.
Tala – Darkwatch
2005 first person shooter Darkwatch takes us into a bold new world that blends motifs from westerns, Gothic horror and steampunk. Subsequently, there just had to be a Native American vampire temptress with a penchant for clothes that leave little to the imagination.
Can you guess what it was about Tala that hooked fans back in the 2000s based on this picture alone? We’re struggling. The eyes? Her nose? The pose itself? Whatever it is, it got this Darkwatch femme fatale into Playboy’s Women of Video Games issue in 2006. Strange!
Rachel – Ninja Gaiden
Well, what do you know - another ninja-themed fighting game with some fine-looking characters for you to play as. Ninja Gaiden concerns the adventures of Ryu and Rachel, a fiend hunter carrying a blood curse that can turn humans into fiends.
Of course, Rachel's abilities and the impact the have on gameplay are only of tangential interest here; more importantly, she was designed by an incredibly aroused developer. Blonde hair and green eyes? We’re listening. Scant clothing? OK. An inferno hammer? Sold.
Christie Monteiro – Tekken 4
Introduced to the Tekken roster of fighters in 2001's Tekken 4, Christie Monteiro is an Afro-Brazilian master of capoeira. This naturally means she's super buff and has killer abs which she is keen to have on display at all times, to the objection of precisely no gamers.
Sure, Christie is saucy, but she also looks like someone who’d be down to chill. A good-humored all-rounder, who never seeks confrontation but can solve it. After you play as the Brazilian in Tekken 4, all of this is gloriously confirmed.
Trish – Devil May Cry
Who came first: Trish in Devil May Cry, or Christina Aguilera in the music video for her song Dirty? Trish, actually. This devil-hunter made her debut in 2001 when the action horror game series began, and has captivated gaming audiences ever since.
With her long blonde hair, revealing black corset wrist bands and skin tight black pants, Trish has always been a sexy demon. Then, as if that wasn't enough, she changes into the even saucier Gloria in some of the later Devil May Cry games.
Juliet Starling – Lollipop Chainsaw
Usually, our childhood video game crushes were on those we were either playing as, or rooted for. In the case of Lollipop Chainsaw, we were down hard for its main protagonist. Juliet Starling, a chainsaw-wielding cheerleader and lollipop fan, made us question good versus evil and right versus wrong.
The edgy, alternative appeal of Juliet and the game overall makes even more sense when you learn Lollipop Chainsaw was co-written by James Gunn, screenwriter and director behind the Dawn of the Dead remake, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy series and DC's The Suicide Squad.
Mai Shiranui – Fatal Fury 2
Proof positive that you can simply never have enough hot lady fighters in flowing outfits that hide very little of their body, behold Mai Shiranui, the ninja introduced in 1992's Fatal Fury who later joined The King of Fighters series.
There’s a lot of pressure on Mai in Fatal Fury 2. The Granddaughter of ninjutsu master Hanzo Shiranui, she has to hold her own in a tough climate. And for the most part, she can, and while looking typically OTT in the looks department. This remains a cosplay favourite.
Yuna – Final Fantasy X
Introduced as a playable character in 2001's Final Fantasy X and later made the main character of 2003's Final Fantasy X-2, Yuna has her share of super powers - not least the spell she casts over players of the long-running role playing game series.
Yuna was much more of a wholesome crush in that she didn’t have parody boobs and a need to talk to men in a throaty, suggestive manner. Players fell hard for Yuna for how she was rather than how she looked (still pretty hot all the same). Final Fantasy wouldn’t be the same without her.
Aeris Gainsborough – Final Fantasy VII
One of the last surviving Cetra on the planet, Aeris Gainsborough is linked with the eco-terrorist outfit AVALANCHE in Final Fantasy VII. She’s also no longer with us (RIP). But what an impression she had on us back in the 1990s.
Aeris may well be one of the only video game crushes players shed a tear over when she met an early demise in 1997's Final Fantasy VII. Still, as we've seen, gamers have no shortage of other lovely ladies in the Final Fantasy pantheon to dream about.
Ada Wong – Resident Evil 2
In Resident Evil 2, Ada Wong is a secret agent, though you wouldn’t think it judging by her sultry red dress and choker. Originally destined to be a researcher named Linda, Wong was quickly turned into the villain who tries to infiltrate Umbrella Corporation only to be caught up in a zombie outbreak in Raccoon City.
The character's popularity has seen her return in further Resident Evil games as well as in the spin-off movies. She was portrayed by Li Bingbing in 2012's Resident Evil: Retribution, and Lily Gao in 2021's Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.
Felicia – Darkstalkers
Bye, Felicia? More like Hi, Felicia! Introduced in 1994's original game Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, and popularized further in the spin-off animated TV series, this was one of those characters who stirred somewhat confusing feelings in youngsters given the fact that - well - she isn't exactly a human being.
Of course, fans of Darkstalkers were not put off by the fact that Felicia was half-cat. If anything, that added to the weird attraction they had for Felicia. Are these the only claws in gaming we’ve ever wanted to be scratched by? 100%.
Trip – Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Namco Bandai action adventure game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was released in 2010, and was notable for being written by filmmaker Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) and boasting a mo-cap performance from renowned Gollum actor Andy Serkis. However, all most gamers care about was the delectable Trip.
Played by actress Lindsey Shaw, Trip isn’t some damsel in distress we want to save to ignite a romance. We have to save her, for starters. If we don’t, Monkey (i.e. you, the player) dies. She's also an extremely handy and attractive AI companion who makes this game a lot less underwhelming.
I-no – Guilty Gear XX
1998 Arc System Works release Guilty Gear presented a fun spin on your standard fighting game by adding a rock and roll aspect to the game. In third installment, Guilty Gear X2, we might one of the baddest rock chicks ever in the form of I-no.
Men never feared women with electric guitars as much as they did when they came across I-no in Guilty Gear XX. She seriously is one of the more difficult boss battles in this Japanese fighter, what with her flying abilities and everything. Don’t let her hit you, unless that’s what you’re into.
Zoë Castillo – Dreamfall
Released in 2006, Funcom adventure game Dreamfall: The Longest Journey is the sequel to earlier game The Longest Journey, and introduces a quartet of new playable characters - including the very alluring Zoë Castillo, who gamers quickly got all gooey over.
A strong independent woman, Zoë spends the majority of Dreamfall looking for and attempting to save investigative journalist and close friend Reza Temiz. If all hell breaks loose, Castillo is willing to lay waste to some opps. Generally speaking, though, she just wants peace. We just want her hand in marriage.
Sarah Morrison – Tabula Rasa
As the massively multiplayer online role playing game Tabula Rasa has been offline since 2009, gamers now have only memories of the action-packed shooter - and among the sweetest of these memories are those that include the character of Sarah Morrison.
Sarah Morrison is a classic case of a runaway teen who has to learn how to defend themselves. The only difference is that the Texan is never stuck in her adolescence. She blossoms into a drop-dead femme fatale with a very particular set of skills.
Hana and Rain – Fear Effect
Released for the original PlayStation back in 2000, action adventure game Fear Effect enabled the player to play as either Hana, Deke, or Glas in a near-future struggle to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Hong Kong gangster. Hana had a partner (and we don't just mean partner in crime) named Rain.
As one of video gaming’s first-ever bisexual couples, Hana and Rain are LGBT icons. Hana is a French-Chinese freelancer for the Traid. Rain is a hacker who has no memory of her past. Together, they are the crushes of many a young player back in the day.
Nova Terra – StarCraft
Few things prove quite so alluring to gamers as a pretty lady with a big gun. Take a bow, Nova Terra of StarCraft. As a ghost agent for the Terran Dominion, this is one babe who is not to be messed with.
She isn’t to be leered over either. Why? Because she can read your mind. That’s right. All those thoughts you had about her way back when in the privacy of your bedroom? She heard it all, stud. Bet you feel ashamed now.
Shiki – Samurai Shodown
What's that you say? There just aren't enough stereotypical Japanese warrior women for gamers across the world to get all lecherous over? Let's not forget about Shiki, who was introduced to long-running fighter series Samurai Shodown in 1997 release Samuari Shodown 64.
We feel for Shiki. A servant of Yuga from the moment she was born, he engraved a snake tattoo down her back in order to control her. Then he made her find a man to become the Dark Lord’s resurrection. As players, this struck a chord – on top of her parody chest.
Nariko – Heavenly Sword
Action adventure hack and slash game Heavenly Sword was released to PlayStation 3 in 2007, and is notable for being co-written by Andy Serkis and Rhianna Pratchett. It casts the player as Nariko, a smoking hot red head with a very big sword.
Nariko is as loyal and protective as they come, especially when it comes to her clan and family. She proves herself time and time again that she isn’t just a pretty face, or a flawless body, or hyper-sexual, though those things are probably why so many gamers took to her.
Fran – Final Fantasy XII
As we've seen, a video game character doesn't need to be entirely human in order for them to become the subject of a perhaps unhealthy fixation from certain players. This is notably the case with Fran from Final Fantasy XII, who has two rather distinctive features - and for once, they're not on her chest.
Okay, those are some serious ears. They’re not a cute Playboy bunny accessory. This may bend some out of shape. Ask certain Final Fantasy XII players their thoughts on Fran though and they’ll get hot under the collar. For a chick who looks like a rabbit.
Litchi-Faye Ling – Blazblue
The 2008 Arc System Works fighting game BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger boasts a slew of striking characters both male and female for gamers to fantasize about. Perhaps the greatest impression was made by Litchi, who may be a doctor but doesn't look like she'd fit in at your local surgery.
Litchi is one of the original twelve playable characters in the Blazblue series. She also hosts the Teach Me, Miss Litchi! miniseries in the main games. This is one doctor that would put you at ease within seconds, and many fans were left hoping she made house calls.
Goddess Etain – Shaiya
Online free-to-play fantasy MMORPG Shaiya is your classic tale of the forces of light and darkness in a large scale war for dominance over our reality. Surely the most crush-worthy character in this mighty metaphysical melee is the gorgeous Goddess Etain.
We’re kind of cheating here. Etain is actually two goddesses; a light and a dark one. Does anybody have a favourite? Probably not. Why complain about an abundance of video game crushes like this? Shaiya is worth playing, by the way. Criminally overlooked if anything.
Princess Daphne – Dragon’s Lair
Originally released to arcades way back in 1983, Dragon's Lair blew the minds of gamers at the time as presented a video game fantasy world that looked exactly like an animated movie, thanks to the work of renowned animation filmmaker Don Bluth.
However, while we all remember the cute, heartstring-tugging characters from Bluth's movies An American Tail and The Land Before Time, not everyone remembers Dragon's Lair's Princess Daphne. She made an altogether different, somewhat deeper impression on those who played the game, if you know what we're talking about.
Leah – Diablo III
2012's Diablo III was (as you've probably surmised already) the third instalment in the hack and slash action roleplaying game series. Obviously no such game is complete with a character for gamers to fall in love with, hence the introduction of Leah.
One of the main NPCs in Diablo III, Leah is the niece of Deckard Cain and daughter of Adria. She has the power to destroy everything around her. Do we need to expand on that? Not if you’ve ever played Diablo III, we don’t. Leah looks out for you whatever the case and we’re here for that.
Amber and Crystal Bailey – Dead Rising 2
The sequel to 2006 action adventure game Dead Rising, 2010's Dead Rising 2 beefs up the zombie-fighting action by adding multiplayer options. It also adds a considerably slice of eye candy with the appearance of Amber and Crystal.
You’ll have found these saucy yet sinister twin sisters as the acid-tongued co-hostesses of the in-game pay-per-view game show Terror is Reality. They are little more than something for players to ogle over. And ogle they did, hopefully in a curious, innocent, non-pervy way!