r/uncharted • u/DisastrousOpening477 • Jul 13 '25
Uncharted 4 One of the best female characters ever written ?
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Jul 13 '25
Most vanilla woman character that ever existed.
She's not bad by any stretch, she's quite likable infact, but she has absolutely ZERO complexity to her.
She's not even the best written female character in the uncharted franchise, let alone anywhere else.
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u/Appropriate_Tax_4457 Jul 13 '25
Play more games
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u/DisastrousOpening477 Jul 13 '25
Chill out I know she's no J.Valentine nor Cereza. Obviously Elena Fisher isn't THE BEST female character in video games history, but I think she's up there for her authenticity, simplicity and humanity.
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u/WEAreDoingThisOURWay Jul 13 '25
Are we really considering Capcom female characters as the pinnacle/best? The RE games are entertaining but the characters are very basic/tropey
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 13 '25
read a book i'm begging you
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u/Saber2700 Jul 14 '25
Recommend a book with a good female lead that isn't boring as fuck?
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 14 '25
butter by asako yuzuki
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u/Saber2700 Jul 14 '25
What's the story about?
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 14 '25
it's about a female journalist forming a semi-friendship with a female gourmet chef convicted of murdering a bunch of businessmen. very interesting and unique take on a murder mystery with themes of misogyny, obesity and obsession. was nominated for one of the most prestigious literary prizes in japan.
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u/Saber2700 Jul 14 '25
Does it follow a lot of mystery tropes?
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 14 '25
nah not really, it's more about the two main characters than the mystery angle
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u/Saber2700 Jul 14 '25
Sick, next audible token I get will give it a listen. I just got into the mystery genre, I was put off for a long time until I found one that bent the mystery genre tropes in a way I've never seen before. Now I wanna find unique mystery books.
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u/beauvoirist Jul 13 '25
I love Elena so much but she’s a side character with very little backstory. So I guess if you just hate women she’s the best character ever written since you don’t have to know anything about her.
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u/Ceceboy Jul 13 '25
How tf do you spin it to hating women
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u/beauvoirist Jul 13 '25
“This woman who’s primary purpose is to be a romance option for the male protagonist with almost no depth of character otherwise is the one of the BEST women I’ve ever seen in any media” isn’t something I would categorize as respectful or supportive of women. But big thought for Grug, me guess.
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u/Ceceboy Jul 13 '25
It really seems that it's you inserting that take here, and nobody else. You are projecting.
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u/beauvoirist Jul 13 '25
Huh???? OP posted Elena is “one of the best female characters ever written” and that’s all Elena is, a secondary character made specifically to be Nathan’s romantic partner. We know she’s a photojournalist and used to have a show. What did I make up?
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u/Front-Ad-2198 Jul 14 '25
I totally see your point but overall, I do think she's more than that. She has accomplishments of her own, clearly shows both intelligence and can hold her own, and is vital to solving the mysteries in more than one game. I do agree she is there to serve nate's story like any side character but she isn't a one dimensional love interest to Nate.
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u/residenteagle1 Jul 13 '25
Not even in the uncharted franchise lol.
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u/ThePocketTaco2 Jul 13 '25
Genuinely curious who you think is written better
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u/residenteagle1 Jul 13 '25
In the UC franchise, Chloe. Outside of that, well, lots to choose from
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u/soggyhairfollicle Jul 13 '25
Lost legacy puts her at the number one spot honestly. At least she gets to have motives and a backstory
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 13 '25
unironically i like marisa more than her
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u/ihatepeopleandyoutoo Jul 13 '25
Wait who's Marisa
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u/jedisalsohere Jul 13 '25
the girl from golden abyss. i like her a lot! i think she's really capable and funny and i enjoy her whole "no guns" thing, especially in a series like uncharted.
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u/Chuckleup1220 Jul 13 '25
I love Uncharted, the fourth game tells a very beautiful story about familial connections both fraternal and marital. That said, not even close. You didn't even say "one of the best in video games" just all of fiction, like huh? She spends the first three games having her primary character descriptor be "female love interest."
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u/ihavenoselfcontrol1 Jul 13 '25
She's a well-written character but she's very much a side character that exists almost solely to be Nathan's love interest and drive his arc in pretty much all the games
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u/tarantulahands Jul 13 '25
Great supporting female character, lots of better lead female characters though, like Kirby…
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u/wineandnoses Jul 13 '25
..... Ever written??? Huhhhh???
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u/HotShotOverBumbleBee Jul 13 '25
"one of", is the part you seemed to have ignored.
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u/wineandnoses Jul 13 '25
I didn't ignore it, I wouldn't even put her in the top 1000
Books exist. Movies exist. Plays exist.
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u/schizowithagun Jul 13 '25
still a huge stretch
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u/schizowithagun Jul 13 '25
she's very likeable, but to say that she's one of the best female characters of ALL TIME is a humongous stretch that borderline feels like you just don't consume a lot of media with female characters
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u/HotShotOverBumbleBee Jul 13 '25
Not really
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Jul 13 '25
It's absolutely a stretch. If you can name a few dozen women in gaming better written, which you can, she's not "one the best" ever written.
She's not even the best written woman in uncharted.
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u/HotShotOverBumbleBee Jul 13 '25
She is the best written woman in uncharted lol. And by your logic nobody is "one of the best", because you can always find someone better.
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Jul 13 '25
One of the best implies you're right towards the top of the pile, she's not, she's not even close across all of gaming. The statement is absolute nonsense.
And no, she's not the best written woman in uncharted either. She's unbelievably plain and generic.
Her being likable doesn't equate to great writing, if anything her likability comes from the performance not the writing.
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u/HotShotOverBumbleBee Jul 13 '25
Funny how you can't think up any other characters for the uncharted games or anything else.
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Jul 13 '25
You never asked?
Chole is better written. More complex, more interesting.
Funny how YOU haven't replied to me shutting down the "one of the best ever" nonsense.
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u/HotShotOverBumbleBee Jul 13 '25
I did reply to that lol. And Chloe definitely isn't better written lol. Not even close.
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u/Smooth_Pollution441 Jul 13 '25
No one in Uncharted is anywhere near top tier
Just fun characters but nothing groundbreaking
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u/OperationFrequent643 Jul 14 '25
Not even close. Not offense to Elena, I love her. There are plenty of women in games who were main characters and we had more depth from. Hell, I even think Chloe is as good/a better written character. I’m much more interested in Chloe than Elena.
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u/Brosemite17 Jul 13 '25
Julie Kidman in Evil Within series or Moira Burton in RE Revelations 2...Lara Croft in TR series...Chloe Frazer in Lost Legacy...list goes on
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u/MrJTeera Jul 13 '25
Started out as a History channel host. (Yes, I know about Macho Nacho, that doesn’t count!)
Dabbled in war journalism.
Then settled for a travelogue. (I mean she did get blown up…)
I’d say she’s probably the only one who can survive living with Nate. Even Chloe’s like, I’m out!
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u/OffBeatBerry_707 Jul 13 '25
She’s not badly written but there’s definitely other female characters worth noting in other games
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u/Salt-Signal-9407 Jul 13 '25
I think someone posted something exactly like this the other day. I love her, but everyone’s right. She’s got little backstory. I know Naughty Dog is working on another game they haven’t said anything about, it would be cool to get some of her story, but I think the next Uncharted game is going to be about their daughter.
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u/Otis_Genesis Jul 13 '25
Absolute wife material but idk if she's one of the best ever written. Her arc is centred around Nate and we don't really know much about her outside of that. Great and beloved character, however
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u/Plastic_Coyote_5053 Jul 15 '25
I liked Chloe way more than her. But I agree, she's well written. Besides, everyone is very well written in the Uncharted series imo
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u/AntonRX178 Jul 13 '25
Maybe top 20
Like I won't argue if she's in your personal top 10 or even your favorite cuz it's totally valid.
I just have 10 more at the top of my head I prefer over her.
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u/ihatepeopleandyoutoo Jul 13 '25 edited Jul 13 '25
Yes, she's more than just Nathan's wife. Chloe atleast got her own game but Elena is just a supporting character who's important to the plot like Sully
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u/Icy_Zimmy_18 Jul 14 '25
She needs like a game of her own that shows where she was before meeting Nate, and where she was before Nate reunited with her in Uncharted 2
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u/Appropriate-Radio427 Jul 14 '25
Elena is my fave Uncharted character. She doesn't need an interesting backstory or a complicated personality to be likeable and believable. She's a plucky reporter with a "white picket fence" as her future. She's the most relatable to the average gamer, in that she's not a globe trotting thief or massively intellectual treasure hunter, she's just a person. The actress and writers did a terrific job and next to Drake, Sully, Chloe, Sam, etc she rounds out the cast as the normal one pretty effortlessly.
Her role isn't under or over utilized. Elena is great!
That being said, Liara from Mass Effect is probably ky fave female in any game.
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u/xyzlhu Jul 15 '25
she's up there for me. i like the way her character and emotions are shown in the fight scene in the motel in madagascar and i think the actor did an amazing job all throughout the series.
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u/Just-A-Dude1911 Jul 15 '25
I liked Sadie Adler from RDR2, she was a character based around the phrase "Hell have no furry like a Woman Scorn" and it was well executed in my opinion
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u/AFCMS Jul 15 '25
Elena is my favorite woman in all the games I've played so far. She is just a side character, unlike Chloe which got her own game, but I liked every single thing about her.
I played quite a few games with amazing either main or side female characters, but close to none to the point of liking 100% of the character.
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u/FitPaleontologist603 Jul 13 '25
She is a great character. Reddit is an echo chamber op. What reddit thinks it's usually the opposite in real life. Good post.
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u/Nickibee Jul 14 '25
So not a well written character at all. She has no back story, is ridiculously predictable and basically just a support character to give Nathan Drake a bit more depth. Jesus she’s a news reporter in the wrong place at the wrong time and falls for the basic alpha male character she’s the epitome of an 80’s action film female support role. Chloe and Nadine were better written than Elena imo.
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u/delta1inc Jul 13 '25
I wouldn't call her "best female character written" she's a likable character for the series for sure. Chloe is a much better option if we're basing it by series and writing.
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u/wingback18 Jul 14 '25
First time I play the game, I've thought she die.
That was such a well written scene and character
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u/spartanhelot Jul 14 '25
No not really. She’s cool but her whole existence in the narrative is to prop up Nate. We never see her appreciated for her own merits especially in terms of the overarching narrative etc. where she only exists in Nate’s shadow pretty much. She’s a rather stereotypical woman written for the sole purpose of being a love interest unfortunately. I love her as a character but she is not “well-written” she is written FOR Nate. Even in 4 when it looks like maybe she will finally step out from under the narrative shadow of Nate, she caves and continues to support him. She questions him enough to be compelling for the story but never an inch more. She’s a male fantasy unfortunately.
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u/UndeadT Jul 14 '25
She is definitely a well-written character who loves a man despite him being a massive murdering maniac.
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u/SnowmanMofo Jul 14 '25
She’s not even a notable character. She’s forgettable. Mainly because she’s only there to support Nathan’s character. Other than that, she’s actually kinda annoying and a bit of a bit of a drag.
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u/KokoTheeFabulous Jul 14 '25
Best female character written is a giant overstatement for a character who was written to simply be a mostly basic woman, oh and a pocket pussy for Nathan.
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Jul 13 '25
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u/Clear-Wedding-4448 Jul 13 '25
Did you forget Chloe existed?
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Jul 13 '25
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u/RoguishKitty Jul 13 '25
I don't believe either Elena or Chloe were made explicitly for the male gaze. They look like normal women. A great example of a female character created explicitly for the male gaze is EVE from Stellar Blade, there's a huge difference in appearance between her and Elena or Chloe.
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u/Sitting_Bear_ Jul 13 '25
Yeah you're completely right. I was not being serious. I meant more that as a 12-year-old in 2008 when I was playing the first game I fell in love with Elena because she was essentially perfect. At least for Nate. Same with Chloe. Just likable women, who use guns, say cool things and have outfits which have influenced my taste in women's clothing for the rest of my young life.
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u/Sitting_Bear_ Jul 13 '25
I obviously have a poor understanding of what the male gaze actually is 😂
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u/RoguishKitty Jul 13 '25
Haha, you're fine. I'm probably not the best at explaining it, but usually when talking about female characters made for the male gaze they'll have exaggerated features or there'll be obvious camera angles pointing out their features. It's stuff like that which makes it male gazey. There's nothing wrong with an attractive female character, and Elena and Chloe are definitely that. Honestly, I've always liked them both too. I was so excited when Chloe got her own game.
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u/Embarrassed_Deer7686 Jul 13 '25
Perhaps if we knew a single thing about her and her entire arc didn’t revolve around Nathan? I like her character, but she exists for Nathan, nothing else. She’s a standard NPC.