Video games have seldom been associated with having well-developed female characters. But, the new era has seen a surge of personalities that catch our attention immediately. Here's a list of memorable female protagonists that stand out in video games.

1. Ellie (The Last Of Us)

Ellie is perhaps one of the most memorable video game characters of all time. She is, arguably, the most inspiring character in this list. Naughty Dog has done a stellar job with her, making the gamers feel the emotions that go through Ellie's head as she and Joel try to survive the harsh world of The Last of Us. Her approach to violence without any hesitation, determination to keep on fighting, and her sort of father-daughter relationship with Joel where the duo start depending on each other for surviving makes her a stand out.  

2. Evie Frye (Assassin's Creed: Syndicate)

Evie Frye is one of a kind. Strong in stealth, intelligent and witty; Evie might be twins with Jacob but the siblings are polar opposites of each other. A firm believer of the teachings of the Brotherhood, her tactical approach to objectives and her skill-set will make her one of your favorite Assassins. 

3. Zoey (Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2 DLC)

Zoey is one of those characters that you might find yourself engaged in even after the game ends. Her journey is probably one of the most human ones a character has to take in video games. From the naïve young girl who fights for survival to a woman who is in pain from the incidents of L4D, Zoey made us fall in love with her and it would be amazing to get another Left 4 Dead game with her in focus, again.

4. Maxine Caulfield (Life Is Strange)

A great protagonist in a really good game, Maxine is a character who has the ability to re-do incidents. This makes her awesome, by itself. But it's the way her character develops throughout the episodes that makes you want to replay the game again and again and relive the situations through Maxine's shoes. 

5. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

The ultimate female protagonist! Lara Croft is every girl's inspiration. She has helped redefine gender roles in video games and is probably the first female protagonist with such an immense impact. Two decades later, Lara is still one of the greatest video games character ever and possibly will be. What Lara Croft can do is not the question; it's what she can't do that comes in to mind due to her resourcefulness in every situation.

Special Mention: Samus Aran from the Metroid series. 

One of the most badass female characters ever made. Samus is a wrecking ball. Resistant to most hazardous environments, as well as extensively trained in all sorts of combat scenarios, Samus redefined the concept of super soldiers being male-only in video games.

Fardeen Zareef is sarcastic, in spirit. In his free time, he quotes Chandler Bing, fights with carbohydrates and tries to understand Twitter. He is also a passionate Manchester United fan who loves to game. You can e-mail him at fzareef666@gmail.com