Although females in videogames have mostly gotten past the "damsel in distress" role, I still feel that the portrayal of women in games is superficial and in some cases offensive. Even in their roles as main characters, they're still always ridiculous stereotypes. Most people offer Lara Croft as an example of a good female role model in a game. I, however, think the contrary. Even after her recent redesign for Tomb Raider: Legend, she still retains the same stereotypical traits: absurdly small clothing that is impractical for her occupation (raiding tombs, I think) and a ridiculous breast size. It's even worse in RPGs: Every single female character that will join your party will always be a healer or magician, wear impractically skimpy clothing that barel even qualifies as clothing, and will, 99% of the time, have an attack where thay blow a kiss, visible as a giant pink heart. And in all other games where you can play as either a male or female, the female character will always have less health, but more ammo and an easier difficulty. And this phenomenon has been around before Resident Evil. I think the only actual positive female role model in any videogame is Samus Aran, with the possible exception of Jill Valentine. She doesn't go into hosile planets wearing tiny shorts and underwear (well, except in the original Metroid, with the Justin Bailey code), she goes with full armor, and has actual combat expertise. And even then, the power suit isn't a form-fitting leotard thing, it's an actual power suit designed to keep out the elements. I wish more games would feature female characters that aren't just sexist eye candy.