Tropes vs. Women in Video Games — Season 1, Episode 2: Damsel in Distress (Part 2)

Episode synopsis

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.

About Tropes vs. Women in Video Games

Tropes vs. Women in Video Games aims to examine limiting, sexist patterns associated with female representations in games, and to illuminate how these patterns reinforce and perpetuate harmful attitudes about women in our culture.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Damsel in Distress (Part 1)
• E3Damsel in Distress (Part 3)
• E4Ms. Male Character
• E5Women as Background Decoration (Part 1)
• E6Women as Background Decoration (Part 2)
• E7The Scythian – Positive Female Characters in Video Games
• E8Jade - Positive Female Characters in Video Games
• E9Women as Reward
• E10Women as Reward – Special DLC Mini-Episode