Fallout 3 is the first game I have played of the series. Needless to say, I loved every bit of it, from the main story line to losing and gaining Karma in an attempt to align yourself with good or evil. The leveling system and point distribution (attributes) were clear, simple, and effective. I enjoyed the character customization, and for some reason, it reminded me of the character builder in the Tony Hawk games for PS2…only with more details to change. The seemingly-endless environment made for hours of wandering, equipped with your choice of weapon, in a game that was not conformed to the dynamics of a FPS. Huzzah to switching between third and first in various situations.

I started my first run through as a good character, but realizing that you can easily kill someone merely for their awesome 50s attire made my game as an evil character oh-so-delightful. As my need to be a saint or a ruthless killer increased, so did my enjoyment of this game. Remember kids, you alone hold the future of the Wastelands in your hands!

Whether we consider Zelda or Peach, the Princess archetype is all too apparent: the flowing gown, the damsel in distress, the helpless maiden. Despite that many of the women of more recent games have become warriors, there is still a sweet sense of nostalgia attached to a modest and beautiful female to rescue. She is seen as a symbol of power and, at the same time, a reward. And in this sense, I feel that this gives her a strength that is equal to, if not greater than, the warrior.

Another example is the female healer. I will use two well-known exemplars: Aeris (Final Fantasy 7) and Yuna (Final Fantasy 10). Aeris, while naive and innocent, takes on the role of healing everyone in the party, at least up until her unfortunate death. She is seen as the sweet flower girl whose goals are slightly less worldly than the others, which comes into play in both FFVII and in the movie Final Fantasy: Advent Children. On the other hand, there is Yuna, the summoner destined to defeat Sin and restore the Calm. While her powers go beyond simply healing (she can summon a number of aeons and do some serious damage), Yuna is still a rather delicate character compared to the rest of her party. There is another connection between Aeris and Yuna, and perhaps it is the most complex one of all: the martyr factor.

While Aeris’ death was for the most part unexpected, in terms of storyline, we find out later on in FFX that Yuna will be sacrificing herself as a summoner in order to defeat Sin. The martyr factor is an interesting concept, considering the fact that for the most part it is not a direct suicide, but instead, the character has goals beyond this world (or their world). But that is another concept altogether. What makes Aeris’ and Yuna’s cases intriguing is the fact that someone comes to rescue, or at least attempts to rescue, them each time. Cloud goes after Aeris, only to watch her be brutally shish-kabobed before his very eyes. Tidus is slightly more successful, other than the years of therapy both him and Yuna will have to undergo due to some major separation anxiety. The theme of martyrdom is yet another interesting idea to fall under the Princess category.

There is so much more to consider when thinking about what makes up a Princess type character. From being the nurturing healer to the damsel in distress, the “good girls” and princesses of video games are a dynamic that keep a story traditional and our hero motivated. Without a fragile and lovely creature to fight for, where is the true reward?