Boobs, Beauty & Bad-Assery: The Costume

Boobs, Beauty & Bad-Assery, a new section of Assassionista, explores various design and character development tools used to create female video game characters. I want to uncover how identity functions within these games, specifically in regards to women characters. 

Costume is a critical aspect of character design as it's used as a key tool to differentiate between multiple characters in a single game. Usually a character's outfit stays constant throughout the game, allowing players to easily recognize who that character is. Apart from character recognition, costumes are used in a totally different matter when it comes to female characters. Their costumes are often just designed to appeal to (hetero) male fantasies. They are usually revealing, lack usefulness and a sense of realism. Instead of simply focusing on several examples, I've decided to highlight a multitude of female game characters and their male counterparts. I believe that their costumes speak louder than any words.

Female Cog's look pretty true to their male counterparts. The main difference is their beautiful makeup and perfect hair. I don't think the locust care if they've got chic bobs or not.

Hmm, which Soul Calibur character is sexualized? I wonder...

Both Elika and the Prince of Persia have similar costume styles. I think the Prince is actually showing more skin than she is!

Miranda's "armor" doesn't look it's going to protect as much as Commander Shepard's. You could argue against this with the option of playing as FemShep, but since Mass Effect 2's default character/marketing was male, we have to consider how he's shown.

These are just a few examples of the use of costume in games, specifically as a tool to develop female characters. This tool can be used for good, such as in Prince of Persia, where Elika's clothes demonstrate her royal background and her free-spirited attitude. Or the tool can be used to objectify the character, such as Soul Calibur's Ivy (and almost every other fighting game women). As much as costume is a big part in developing a character, it doesn't need to be a signifier of male/female.

On the next Boobs, Beauty & Bad-Assery, we're going to talk about breasts. We'll be analyzing some famous video game boobies, the implications they create, and their overall place in character development.

As always,
LadySnip3r