Hey Guys (and gals),

Thanks for the comments on my article. It's so true that everytime I play a character, it's a she (if I have the choice) and she's hot. I certainly don't think video games influence beauty more than magazines, films or any other form of media, but I do think they perpetuate that same idea of beauty-- exotic & extreme, a caricature of the human form, always just-this-side or over-the-line of absurdism. I think this is the case with male characters too. Who wants to play a fat, balding, yellow-toothed middle-aged man while fighting to save the galaxy? If I were a male character, I'd much rather be a Keanu Reeves than a Steve Bushemi (in terms of looks anyway).

But, just because a character may not be as endowed as Pamela Anderson, doesn't mean that she's fat. There are a lot of options between those two extremes. Lara Croft didn't have to be a size DD to manuever through tight places. In the film, Angelina Jolie got pads to make her a size C and I think most fans can agree that she looked okay.
I think it's interesting that we assume someone's fat if he/she isn't perfect...
So, I guess my point is that a character that isn't hyperbolically top-heavy doesn't have to be a fat slob. There's tons of room in between to play with.

That being said, thanks for the welcomes, the compliments, and the critiques!