As the world mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we look at some of the queens depicted in video games.
As much as Queen Elizabeth does not appear in video games, in Zombi, a zombie apocalypse video game gets players to go underground while scavenging Buckingham Palace. This is probable the closest the monarch has been depicted in the gaming industry.
And although video games have been accused of not featuring female characters, some have stood out with impressive plots and gameplays.
In this industry, kings are painted as brave and honourable figures, but queens are usually defined by their underhandedness and uncontrollable lust for power.
In cases where the female monarchs are not known for their manipulative qualities, there is a good chance that they are being manipulated by someone else.
With that said, there are still a couple of iconic queens in gaming who are worthy of recognition, and this list highlights some of them.
StarCraft - Queen of Blades
Sarah Louise Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades, is a fictional character in Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft franchise.
In this game, a military science fiction real-time strategy game, she is depicted as the leader of the Zerg, the game's bio-organic Borg analogue. One of the core elements of her personality is that of her manipulation by others and her lack of identity.
Assassin's Creed Origins - Cleopatra
In real life, Queen Cleopatra was a real queen ruling Egypt between 51BC and 30BC. But a video game version of Cleopatra also plays a key role in Assassin's Creed Origins.
After getting overthrown by her brother, she enlists protagonist Bayek (and his wife Aya) to take down the Order of the Ancients and reclaim her place on the throne.
Elden Ring - Queen of the Full Moon
This is probably one of the most favourite video game queens. In the game, she is the guardian of Raya Lucaria Academy.
Though not a demigod, Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, is one of the many obstacles that players need to defeat to advance the story forward. She is a powerful sorceress and the current head of the royal family that is used to govern the state.
Diablo 4 - Lilith
Diablo's Lilith, also known as Queen of the Succubi, is a fascinating antagonist in this action role-playing game. She is mainly presented as a demon that rules in hell and can take on human form or a demon. Her abilities include possessing humans in a manner that does not kill them, which allows her to retain possession over extended periods, without awakening suspicion.
Kingdom Hearts - Queen of Hearts
This is an intra-world villain who appears in a major role in Wonderland. As the ruler of Wonderland, she is not too pleasant since she is more concerned about chopping off people's heads than ensuring the people of her kingdom are happy. She is a foul-tempered monarch who is very quick to judgment at the slightest offence.
Radian Historia - Queen Protea
Protea is the Queen of Granorg, but she could not be less interested in the pleas of her people. She cares only about herself and indulges herself in luxury at the expense of her kingdom.
After her husband dies, Protea allows herself to be manipulated by her advisers and is swept up in the glamour of royalty. Within a matter of years, bodies are littering the alleys and her subjects are starving to death. Protea is a vain, cruel, and stupid woman who has no idea how to rule responsibly.
She taxes her kingdom into poverty, has hundreds executed on flimsy charges, and she sets her city on fire just to kill a single rebel! She also treats her stepdaughter like garbage and frequently locks her in her room.
