It was also a new beginning for gamers who flocked to video game and electronics stores to get their hands on the brand-new PlayStation 2, which became the best-selling console of its generation. Throughout its 13-year lifespan, the PS2 gave us countless adventures and introduced us to iconic characters that shaped how we experienced the first decade of the 21st century. It was also a time for revolution when it came to female characters in video games, who continued to gain importance and popularity after entering the scene in the 90s. And in this ranking we’ll be looking back at some iconic gals that any PS2 owner would have loved to call their waifu.
10. Riho Futaba – Demolition Girl
I’ll be the first to admit that Demolition Girl’s Riho Futaba isn’t the most famous woman in PS2 history but bear with me for a moment. The PlayStation 2 was all about experimentation. Sony wasn’t precisely selective about what could be released for this best-selling console, which shaped the personality of its roster. Tamsoft’s Demolition Girl follows Riho, a gorgeous idol who gets bitten by an alien lifeform. After a brief fainting spell, she wakes up as a 48m tall babe-zilla, and the game begins. For the few people who got to play this unusual game, the giant bikini-clad Riho remains a symbol of the PS2’s wacky video game library. She’s also a total hottie – a real XXXL waifu.
9. Heather Mason – Silent Hill 3
The 2000s were a time for dark and edgy characters, including the realm of waifus. Heather Mason is a prime example. Despite not wearing make-up and always looking like she’d just spent 30 minutes bawling her eyes out in the bathroom before coming back on-screen, Silent Hill 3 players were happy to call Heather “mai waifu” thanks to her irreverent personality and tomboyish emo appeal. I can picture us smoking cheap cigarettes and talking about our complicated family circumstances all night, providing each other with the support and understanding we didn’t get at home. It doesn’t get any more 2000s than that.
8. Etna – Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
Thinking back on my early gaming years, I don’t think there was a JRPG character I ever liked more than Etna. This tiny vixen is a domineering, sadistic, and narcissistic demon whose only objective is accumulating power so she can force everyone to call her “nice-bodied.” Despite being – in the words of other Disgaea characters – a “Curveless Ironing Board,” Etna longs to become a sex symbol like Marilyn Monroe. This is doubly funny when you consider that a fair bit of Etna’s popularity comes precisely from her “pettanko” appeal. Etna is a perfect 2000s waifu thanks to her irreverent personality and extreme love for all things leather. She’s a bonafide goth goddess, and Disgaea fans lived for it.
7. Kos-Mos – Xenosaga Trilogy
The only thing that could hope to compete with goth femme fatales in the 2000s was robot, android, and cyborg girls. Kos-Mos is the epitome of the trope. This overpowered humanoid robot brings together ultimate feminine beauty with near-unstoppable power. She’s like a Metal Gear hidden inside a Victoria’s Secret model – so people were wild about her back in the day. Did I mention she’s the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene from, like, the Bible? Xenosaga is a weird game.
6. Rayne – BloodRayne
Half-human, half-vampire, Rayne is a skilled dhampir assassin on a quest to rid the world of as many Nazi occultists as she possibly can. Her preferred methods are hacking them to pieces with her trusty Arm Blades and pumping them full of lead with any firearm she can get her hands on. Maybe it was the Nazi killing or just the fact that she’s a sexy redhead vampire chick, but people were crazy about Rayne back in the day. Her popularity was such that she even made it into Playboy Magazine for a topless feature – becoming the first of many video game vixens to grace the pages of this iconic publication.
5. Ivy – Soulcalibur II
Another blade-wielding femme fatale whose image is burned into the retinas of millions of gamers is Isabella Valentine – better known as Ivy. With an utterly unrealistic physique, unmistakable silver hair, and no sense of modesty whatsoever, Ivy is the ultimate 2000s video game babe. While some people might see Ivy’s character as harmful to the image of women in gaming, one has to consider the whole package before passing judgment. Ivy is sexy, sure. But she’s also a strong, ambitious woman whose skill with a blade and unshakable will have earned her a place among the major power players of Soulcalibur’s world.
4. Chie Satonaka – Persona 4
Not all video game waifus from the PS2 era are sex symbols. In fact, a lot of them couldn’t be farther from that stereotype. Persona 4’s Chie Satonaka is a sporty tomboy who values strength and athletic achievement above superficial appearance and more “feminine” traits. She’s a big fan of kung-fu movies, and she’s liable to kick your teeth off with a spin-kick if you think of harming her friends. Despite being described by Persona 4: Arena Ultimax as “The Carnivore Who’s Discarded Womanhood,” she’s probably the most popular female character in the P4 saga. Chie is a bright and extroverted fighter anyone would be happy to call their friend – or their waifu.
3. Lulu – Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is one of the franchise’s most critically and publicly acclaimed entries. It tells an emotional story of experiencing extreme loss and learning to move on, which resonated with players at a deep level. One of the most tragic characters is Lulu, who lost her true love Chappu before the beginning of the game. Her story makes you want to step in and try to give her the love she deserves. Or at the very least, make her time grieving a little bit more manageable. Plus, she’s a well-endowed goth witch – and you know how we loved our goths in the 2000s.
2. Lady – Devil May Cry 3
One of the most important video game franchises born on the PS2 is Devil May Cry, an action-adventure epic starring one of gaming’s most popular husbandos: Dante. But Dante is far from the only attractive character in the game. Representing the women of the franchise’s original PS2 trilogy comes Lady – a human Devil Hunter who relies on extreme firepower to subdue supernatural entities in the name of revenge. Lady combines a bunch of tropes that were popular at the time. Her military-infused schoolgirl look, short jagged bob haircut, and psychotically violent personality drove the fans crazy for her.
1. Ada Wong – Resident Evil 4
The PS2 waifu at the top of our list comes from the single most fantastic game in the PS2’s roster: Resident Evil 4. It was a breath of fresh air for the Resident Evil franchise and Ada Wong’s character. She’d already been introduced as a mysterious secret agent during the events of RE2, but it was RE4 that cemented her character as the ultimate femme fatale with hidden depths. The mystery, the sultry voice, and the Manchurian qipao make her irresistible – and the way she saves our asses with that RPG near the end of the game is what true love is made of.
