What happened to your pants?
Theres a lot said about gamings depiction of women, and with good reason. For all the talk of sex positivity and the empowerment of sexuality, theres a long history of objectified digital ladies. And Im sure that regrettable lineage of underdressed women has you thinking the same thing as me: Where are all the nearly nude men in gaming?
Dead or Alive 5s Ein in Incubus garb
The Dead or Alive games are (in)famous for one thing, and it isnt balanced gameplay. The series has been cashing in on the appeal of its buxom female cast for years, and the majority of Dead or Alive 5s DLC is made up of a near endless number of sexy costumes. For the most part, the guys of DOA5 are left with jokey downloadable attire like Santa Claus and his reindeer, but this alternate look of Eins doesnt seem intended for laughter.
Castlevania Judgments Simon Belmont
I wouldnt describe any of the Castlevania characters as sexy during the 8-bit era, but things took a turn on PlayStation. Not only did games like Symphony of the Night take clear inspiration from Metroid titles, but everybody got a whole lot prettier. Nowhere is that shift in design more obvious than with Simon Belmont. By the time he appeared in Castlevania Judgement, he had taken his whole whip wielding motif much farther than anyone expected.
Street Fighter 3s Gil and Urien
Street Fighter has its share of underdressed guys, from the handsome psychopath Vega to the bearish wrestler Zangief, but they cant really compare to this duo from Street Fighter 3. Brothers Gil and Urien are both leaders of a dangerous cult, with Gil making himself the messianic figure as Urien tries to usurp control. Both have the power of Greek gods, and the bodies to match, as you can no doubt see. Seriously, how can Ryu keep a straight face when battling either of those guys?
Killer is Deads David
Goichi Suda51 Suda and his team at Grasshopper create strange games, perpetually the result of their creator's lifelong obsession with punk rock, pro wrestling, and horror films. Even his lesser works, like Killer Is Dead, still offer a more distinct world than youll find in many other games. I mean, how many other action titles feature an arch enemy who exclusively wears gold chains and lives in a palace on the moon?
Metal Gear Solid 2s Raiden
These days Raiden is fully accepted as one of gamings elite stars, but fan reaction wasnt so charitable when he first appeared. Most players were apoplectic that he replaces fan-favorite Solid Snake - up til then the lone protagonist of the Metal Gear Series - so early in the game. Konami only made it worse by not revealing that was the case ahead of release. Unlike the grizzled Snake, Raiden is a pretty boy whos much more sexualized than his predecessor. I mean, Snake didnt have to stand around with just a straw obscuring his penis, did he?
Devil May Cry 3s Dante
Devil May Cry star Dante has always looked more like a 80s glam metal singer than a paranormal investigator. Seriously, just about any of his outfits would fit on the cover to a Poison album, but Dantes standard garb in Devil May Cry 3 takes it to a whole new level. He keeps his signature red leather duster, and this time hes going shirtless underneath, save for the strap right across his chest.
Vagrant Storys Ashley and Sydney
If youre ever thinking of digging up Final Fantasy 7, please do me the favor of playing Vagrant Story first. That games been underrated from day one, and with apologies to writers of Cloud/Sephiroth fan fiction, Vagrant Story has sexier guys as well. Unfortunately, thanks to the limitations of technology, their outfits could only really be appreciated when you look at the concept art.
