Best free "female protagonist" games

Some video games put a female character firmly in the spotlight, whether she is an adventurer, warrior, princess, detective, or something considerably harder to classify. While male protagonists have historically been more common, plenty of games have given women memorable leading roles, with Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series being one of the most recognizable examples. Freeware and indie games have also embraced female protagonists, often without feeling the need to follow traditional formulas. Titles such as Iji, Hyper Princess Pitch, and Knytt put women at the center of very different adventures, from action and exploration to strange and wonderfully unconventional worlds. This category collects games where the heroine isn't simply standing around waiting to be rescued—she's the one doing the exploring, fighting, solving problems, and occasionally making a spectacular mess of things.