This thread made me think about this comic. http://www.megatokyo.com/index.php?strip_id=626

As for sexism in video games, I try not to go very broad when examining something like that. First because there are games more sexist and ones less sexist, and they shouldn't necessarily be lumped together, and second, I haven't played all games or even a majority of them to be able to accurately comment on it as a whole. As for my personal opinions, I am quite content playing a game with a male or female lead, and I have even been somewhat put off of some games because of their female models' characteristics which in some cases were supposed to attract a male audience.

I can't speak for Halo or GoW (haven't played them). DOA, I would agree with the comic, even if they were to be like that, for fighting, they would probably bind themself. GTA, guys as pimps, mosbsters, gang membes, and also bullet practice. It's not really a game you go to looking for a clean look on the world. 

More varied types of guys are more often found, but at least in America, there still seems to me from what I've seen, that male leads are supposed to be more of the big, tough, silent, or unemotional (well, not particlarly showing great amounts of emotion) or some sort of combination of these. 

As for consistent with pop culture, that would seem reasonable, wouldn't it? Games, movies, and anything is designed to sell, so for the most part would follow what is currently popular. I would be fine with the trend if it moved to a little less of "eye-candy" and more to fairly reasonable attractive, but as I said, there are various different types of games, and I think most anyone can find something they'd enjoy that wouldn't be really objectionable to them.

@Bodhesatva - Wow... I completely agree with you about Alex. The pic brings what your saying right to mind. She is very cute but she's got technical skills and personality. She's more attractive because of those things too. The outfit speaks volumes itself. That's a girl to take home to mama.

As for papa, papa likes.

There are a lot of female characters in Halo (above all in the books). If yor read the books you will notice how many soldiers are female. Even a lot of spartans are female.
There are many other games with female roles, like Kameo, Bullet Witch, Tomb Raider, Perfect Dark Zero, Rumble Roses XX, Final Fantasy and so on...
I think if more women would play video games there would be more female characters too.

Another good example from what I've been able to see from the trailer is the female lead from Uncharted, I doubt she'll be playable, but she IS a character in the story/game so that has to be considered as well.

Is it just me or does anyone find it ironic that the topic creator's ava is from a porn(if I recognize the artist's style correctly)...

A great female role model was Ashley from Another Code (Trace Memory)

She was a sweet 13-year old with personallity and great character development. Leading role, Both male or female could identify with her, without having to rely on VG stereotypes. Jade from Beyond Good & Evil is another good example. But sexism is more or less acceptable to the male crowd, who just like pretty faces and figures. No one cares if a woman is empowering in a game if she just is enough eye-candy. See Tifa from FF 7. Great character, moving story and romance with Cloud, and titties the size of Bahamut. Hard to escape it. It's good though that women escaped from the whole "damsel in distress" thing. Peach alone brought back the feminist movement by 30 years. Even her stand alone game was sexist, because her powers were augmented by girlish mood.  

Wasn't there going to be a "Goddess of War" game?

Heavenly Sword is essentially that...

Guess there's no arguing Tifa's "Appeal"

Enough eye candy though... Wasn't there  literally going to be a game called, "Goddess of War"? I could have sworn I saw displays for it at Gamestop.

I think there was, but not exactly that. Something more like War Goddess or something.

Anyway, as for the thread, I find Super Princess Peach to be sexist. The whole premise of the game is that a womans strength is tied to her emotions. Gamestop said "Also, there's something rather sexist about the idea that Princess Peach's big secret weapon is that she can get really overly emotional at the drop of a hat." In their review.