Zombie Slayer

In 1996 the first Resident Evil game was released.  Resident Evil is one of a handful of console games that I follow.  My next heroine is one of the original playable characters from that game who also has popped up in later games but not in a starring role.

Jill Valentine

Although I am a confessed horror game wuss, Resident Evil is one of the series I have followed since the beginning.  Yeah, it gave me nightmares and I had a few periods where I was worried that a zombie dog would come lurching out of the bushes at me, but I liked it enough to put up with the feelings of terror.  One of the reasons I kept up with RE was because players are given the choice to choose between Chris or Jill as their character.  I always go with Jill.

Jill is a member of STARS (Special Tactics and Rescue Squad) that is sent in to investigate a mysterious mansion.  In the mansion they find many secrets and many zombies.  Jill isn't as hardy as Chris, but she starts off with better weapons.  I liked that the original Jill was outfitted as a soldier (as opposed to a streetwalker, like many female characters) and wasn't overly sexualized.  She utilizes her skills and smarts to navigate the mansion--picking locks and playing the piano (seems trivial, but is important).  She's tough, but also smart, a great combination in a female character.