Whether players have a view of space or are surrounded by futuristic technology, sci-fi games have captivated fans for years. These games may all fall under the same genre, but they're all still very unique and entertaining in their own ways. They give players a chance to discover new worlds, be amazed by new technology, and even meet alien races across the galaxy.

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Over the years, as more sci-fi games have been developed, more female protagonists have become popular figures in the genre. From soldiers to puzzle-solvers, here's a list of some of the strongest female protagonists from sci-fi games.

10 Chell (Portal Series)

When it comes to Chell, she's not one for conversation, but that doesn't make her any less of a great character in the sci-fi realm. She's super intelligent, so much so that she has brought frustration to plenty of robots about how easily she can solve their puzzles in the Portal games.

She clearly has some level of physical strength too since she can survive being hurled around in the testing chambers. In some of these cases though, her survival can be attributed to the boots she wears that help to decrease the force of impact. Still, she's agile enough to not only navigate the testing chambers, but also to defeat giant robots.

9 Faith Connors (Mirror's Edge Series)

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Faith is known as a "Runner" in Mirror's Edge, which is a person who delivers messages in a way that the over-bearing government can monitor. To do this, Faith has to jump, climb, slide, and fight her way across tall buildings while facing the occasional problem like officers trying to stop her.

Everything that Faith has to do in this game is an example of her great physical strength. She's quick on her feet, and clever in how she navigates the city. Plus, she's strong enough to traverse quickly across these areas that many people might not be able to get through. She sometimes takes a long time to climb or to recover from a jump though, which can be frustrating when players are running from their foes.

8 Amanda Ripley (Alien: Isolation)

The critically acclaimed Alien: Isolation requires players to be stealthy, as the Alien that they're fighting against can't be defeated by normal means, so trying to fight it isn't going to end well. Amanda Ripley has to learn this quickly, but she's well-equipped with the skills to take on the Xenomorph. She's smart in how she sneaks around and what technology she uses to her advantage.

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Not only does she have to worry about Xenomorphs, but she also has to try and protect herself from certain people on the space ship as well. Players still don't get to see too much of her physical strength very often though, as so much of the game relies on sneaking instead of fighting.

7 Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)

Aloy is an exceptional hunter in the world of Horizon Zero Dawn. She's smart and creative with how she uses the resources around her to craft new gear, and she is very skilled at using weapons like her bow and arrow.

To traverse the terrain that has developed in this futuristic world, she needs to be careful, quick, and have a lot of stamina. She also has the ability to take control of certain machines in the world, so she can get even more help in the wild. While she's well-trained with many of her weapons, she sometimes relies more on ranged attacks than close-up ones, where her strength could be used in different ways.

6 Kait Diaz (Gears Of War Series)

Fans of the Gears of War series will know that Kait has been through a lot of hard times. From figuring out her connection to Locusts to having to fight her own mother, she has a lot of heavy situations weighing on her mind.

Still, she continues to be a strong-willed character who can clearly hold her own in a fight. She's skilled with nearly any weapon at her disposal, she can take plenty of hits like any other Gear, and she's not afraid to speak her mind against any order that she doesn't agree with.

5 Athena (Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel)

Athena stands out as a very capable and lethal character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. She's a trained assassin, so she knows how to handle a fight before the fight even starts. While she doesn't fight with too many assassin skills now, she's still a deadly force with her shield that she uses alongside whatever weapon the player wants to use.

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Not only does her shield absorb any damage when her character skill is used, but she also throws her shield at her enemies, which can create a deadly blow. While she doesn't have more "extreme" powers like a Siren, she's still a great character who shouldn't be underestimated.

4 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect Series)

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It's hard to talk about strong female protagonists in sci-fi games without mentioning Commander Shepard in Mass Effect. After all, she has a long list of accomplishments that took a lot of strength, both emotional and physical, to complete. Besides helping many different planets and people with their individual problems, Shepard also saved the entire galaxy from being overtaken by the Reapers.

The Reapers weren't just any random enemies either. They were huge, deadly creatures that killed without remorse, but Shepard and her team were able to fight back and keep the galaxy safe for now.

3 Amara (Borderlands 3)

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Yes, there is a lot of debate about which Siren in Borderlands is the most powerful. Most people tend to see Lilith as the strongest Siren, given her abilities that gave her the name "Firehawk." However, this list is based on characters while players can take control of them, not what happens to them later in a series when they aren't a playable character anymore.

Since players don't actually get to be Lilith while she has Firehawk abilities that make her really powerful, it makes sense to give Amara a place on this list instead. When players pick her, all of her skill trees give her powers that are very helpful in a fight. She can throw a projection of herself at enemies, she can slam down on the ground to cause damage to those around her, and she can even hold enemies in giant fists so everyone on the team can get a good shot. She's a very valuable team member in more ways than one.

2 Zarya (Overwatch)

When choosing the strongest female character in Overwatch, the decision can be a bit tough since there are so many powerful women to choose from. However, all signs point towards Zarya being the strongest of all the women in the game.

For starters, she's a tank, so players already know that she can take a lot of hits and deal a lot of damage. Not only that, but she's physically super strong, which players can see by her flex and how she can easily lift her massive gun. When it comes to damage, Zarya gets more powerful the more that people shoot her while she's in a protective shield, and she can even give that bubble to other players on her team. If she gains full power, she can be practically unstoppable.

1 Samus Aran (Metroid Series)

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Samus has been a powerful protagonist for decades, and the Metroid series is still making new entries for new adventures that she'll go on. With Chozo alien DNA in her body, she's just extremely strong when she is in her Power Suit that gives her more weapons and abilities, but she can also hold her own when she's not in the suit.

The entries in the Metroid series have taken her across the galaxy to complete incredible feats. If Samus was to go up against any of the other protagonists on this list in a fight, she's sure to have the experience, skill, and firepower to take them all down.

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