Net Ten: Ten Ambiguously Gay Game Characters (page 1) Subscribe to this RSS feed

Gay is good! Homosexually-tinged characters are finally seeping into video games, one of the last bastions of rigid, uber-masculine heterosexuality. So in the spirit of fun, here's a look at some classic game characters who might just be a tad light in their loafers...not that there's anything wrong with that!

#10 Zangief (Street Fighter series) - [ PS2 ]

Though he's certainly no sissy, this burly bear came up as a surprise blip on our gaydar. The brawny Russian wrestler has a habit of stuffing opponent's heads into his crotch, then sitting on their faces in an almost pornographic display known as the "piledriver.... Okay, okay, so chicks dig the piledriver. Still, the speedos, the leather daddy look, and the proud display of thick, luxuriant body hair point to the fact that, if nothing else, Zangief's in touch with his sensitive side. Just don't tell him we said that!

Verdict: Straight, mostly

#10 Zangief (Street Fighter series)
78% average
critic
score

#9 Raphael (Soul Calibur II) - [ PS2 ]

On the outside, this Soul Calibur II warrior seems like a shoe-in, what with his ultra-stylized hair, flamboyant fencing style, and ornate outfit. Plus, he's French. So yeah, he's something of a poof. But looks can be deceiving. Aside from anecdotal evidence, there's little to suggest that Raphael is anything but a ladies man. So who's spreading all these rumors? Frustrated folks who keep finding themselves on the business end of his devastating sword thrusts, that's who.

Verdict: Straight, mostly

#9 Raphael (Soul Calibur II)
91% average
critic
score

#8 Guile/Charlie (Street Fighter series) - [ PS2 ]

In identifying gay game characters, it always seems to come down to hair and physique, doesn't it? So it's no surprise that Guile's gravity-defying hairdo, toned body, and boyish good looks definitely raise some eyebrows. But ultimately, the truth lies within his murky relationship with war buddy Charlie (who boasts fighting styles suspiciously similar to Guile). Those records are classified, but who's to say what those two were up to in those foxholes?

Verdict: Don't ask, don't tell

#8 Guile/Charlie (Street Fighter series)
78% average
critic
score

#7 Samus (Metroid Prime 2) - [ GameCube ]

Well, what do you expect from a chick who thinks of a strapping on an ice beam and sticky bombs as "accessorizing?... In all seriousness, Samus is a tough one to call; with the recent Metroid Prime games, she inhabits the ultra-macho world of the first-person shooter (and does so quite convincingly). She's encased in a rigid, masculine suit, and exhibits no traditionally feminine qualities. But does she indulge in "the love that dare not speak its name?... Evidence is at best incidental, unless she and Mother Brain are closer than they're letting on.

Verdict: Ambiguous, possibly asexual

#7 Samus (Metroid Prime 2)
91% average
critic
score

#6 Tidus (Final Fantasy X) - [ PS2 ]

This squirrelly young fella is decked out like a Mardi Gras float, and while that's not always a dead giveaway, it certainly registers as a major ping on our gaydar. Other key attributes include the feathered hair style and the excessive display of tanned, toned flesh. Okay, okay, so he "falls in love with... Luna, one of FFX's main female characters. But isn't it also possible that he's simply playing along for the sake of appearances? The jury's still out on this one, but there's no question that if nothing else, Tidus is suspiciously jaunty.

Verdict: Ambiguous

#6 Tidus (Final Fantasy X)
92% average
critic
score