Damsel in Distress: Part 2 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games
9,582TRIGGER WARNING: This video contains a handful of graphic scenes involving violence against women. Parents should preview the video first before sharing it with young children.
This is the second in a series of three videos exploring the Damsel in Distress trope in video games. In this installment, we look at "dark and edgy" side of the trope in more modern games and how the plot device is often used in conjunction with graphic depictions of violence against women. Over the past decade we've seen developers try to spice up the old Damsel in Distress cliche by combining it with other tropes involving victimized women including the disposable woman, the mercy killing and the woman in the refrigerator.
Watch Damsel in Distress Part 1: http://youtu.be/X6p5AZp7r_Q
Watch Damsel in Distress Part 3: http://youtu.be/LjImnqH_KwM
Links, resources and full transcript available at: http://www.feministfrequency.com/2013/05/damsel-in-distress-part-2-tropes-vs-women/
183 TOTAL GAMES SHOWN IN THIS 3 PART MINI-SIRES
74 GAMES SHOWN IN THIS EPISODE
Those with spoilers are marked with an asterisk (*)
Onimusha: Warlords (2001)
The Bouncer (2001)
TimeSplitters 2 (2002)
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure (2002)
Kingdom Hearts (2002)
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (2002)
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002)
Grabbed by the Ghoulies (2003)
Will Rock (2003)
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (2005)
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Red Steel (2006)
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (2008)
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (2005)
Devil May Cry 4 (2008)
Prototype (2009)
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009)
Splatterhouse (2010)
Ninja Gaiden (2004)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (2010)
Alan Wake (2010)
The Void (2009)
Child of Eden (2011)
* Max Payne 3 (2012)
Asura's Wrath (2012)
* Deadlight (2012)
Hitman Absolution (2012)
Ninja Gaiden II (2008)
Psychonauts (2005)
* Jazz Jackrabbit (1994)
* Ico (2001)
* Double Dragon Neon (2012)
The Darkness (2007)
Max Payne (2001)
God of War (2005)
Outlaws (1997)
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (2007)
Prototype 2 (2012)
* Inversion (2012)
Dishonored (2012)
Ghouls'n Ghosts (1988)
* MediEvil 2 (2000)
* The Darkness II (2012)
* Shadows of the Damned (2011)
Dante's Inferno (2010)
* Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)
Persona 4 Arena (2012)
* Dead Space (2008)
* Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (2005)
* Infamous (2009)
* Hotline Miami (2012)
* The Godfather: The Game (2006)
* Bionic Commando (2009)
* Splatterhouse (1989)
* Castlevania: Lament of Innocent (2003)
* Breath of Fire IV (2000)
* Gears of War 2 (2008)
* Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (2009)
* Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
* Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (2007)
* Duke Nukem Forever (2011)
* Borderlands 2 (2012)
* Alone in the Dark (2008)
* Pandora's Tower (2013)
* Prey (2006)
* God of War: Ghost of Sparta (2010)
* The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
* Resident Evil 5 (2009)
* Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army (2006)
* Ninja Gaiden 3 (2012)
Dear Esther (2012)
Passage (2007)
To The Moon (2011)
Many more examples of the Damsel in Distress on our Tumblr: http://tropesversuswomen.tumblr.com
FAIR USE
The multimedia clips included in this video constitute a 'fair use' of any copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of U.S. Copyright law which allows for criticism, comment and scholarship.
ABOUT THE SERIES:
The Tropes vs Women in Video Games project aims to examine the plot devices and patterns most often associated with female characters in gaming from a systemic, big picture perspective. This series will include critical analysis of many beloved games and characters, but remember that it is both possible (and even necessary) to simultaneously enjoy media while also being critical of it's more problematic or pernicious aspects.
This video series is created by Anita Sarkeesian and the project was funded by 6968 awesome backers on Kickstarter.com
COMMENTS: Sadly, we have been forced to close comments on YouTube due to continued harassment of this channel but please feel free to post and share this video with your own social media networks to facilitate discussions.
Credits
Director: Anita Sarkeesian
Producer: Jonathan McIntosh
Writers: Anita Sarkeesian & Jonathan McIntosh
Motion Graphics: Black Math
Intro Music: Matt Joynt & Nathan Sandberg
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