Summary
In many video game franchises, such asThe Legend Of Zeldaand theBatman: Arkhamseries, players typically control one main character throughout many subsequent games. In contrast, some franchises have gained popularity byfeaturing different protagonistseach time, sometimes even more than one.
Whether it is for story or gameplay purposes, certain gaming franchises have become known for introducing new main protagonists for the player to control in subsequent titles. There are also cases where side characters become the new protagonists, consistently swapping out with other heroes who occasionally return in later entries.
9Far Cry
A Hero Always Rises To Fight Evil In Exotic Locations
Far Cryfeatures characters in radically different locations in every game, from the fields of Hope County in Montana to jungle islands in South America. Each gamealso presents a new standout villainas the main threat, which results in a new hero fighting them via an open-world adventure filled with threats, both human and animal alike.
Some protagonists inFar Crygames are better than others, but there are some famous ones, such as Jason inFar Cry 3, who stands out for becoming just as villainous as the pirates he’s trying to kill. Rex Colt fromFar Cry: Blood Dragonis another, due to his intentionally ridiculous story which parodies 80s action movies and video games.
8Call Of Duty
Generations Of Soldiers Have Stormed Into Battle
Whether it’s the Mason family, theBlack Opsseries, or the multiple protagonists inModern Warfaregames,Call of Dutytends to change with every game. Some games take place in World War 2, while others take place in the distant future, and as a result, gamers have takencontrol of a plethora of soldiersin the past twenty years ofCall of Dutycampaigns.
The voice acting of the protagonists inCall Of Dutyvaries depending on the developers and the series. Some are fully voiced and motion-captured, but they have been completely silent in other cases, such as inCall Of Duty: GhostsandCall Of Duty: WWII.
Assassin’s Creed
Besides the trilogy ofAssassin’s Creedgames starring Ezio, almost every game in Ubisoft’s franchise introduces a new assassin as the main protagonist. This approach is a result of the series' exploration of different historical periods and locations throughout the world. From the original game to the most recent installment, this tradition continues.
The different protagonists have allowedAssassin’s Creedtoexperiment with different gameplay styleswhile also keeping the same stealth-based template. Whether it’s a Viking warrior, a gangster in Victorian London, or even a Medjai in Ancient Egypt, each games has featured unique gameplay elements as well as exciting stories to witness.
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasyhas had sixteen mainline entries and none of them share any characters or stories. EachFinal Fantasyis essentially a reboot that takes place in a new world with unique characters, lore, and history. The only timeFinal Fantasycontinues a particular story is with titles likeFinal Fantasy 10-2or theFinal Fantasy 13trilogy, which can be confusing to newcomers.
The approach of a new world for every entry has allowedFinal Fantasyto introduce entirely new parties of characters for players to control.Final Fantasy 7introduced iconic heroes like Cloud, Barrett, and Tifa, whileFinal Fantasy 12featured Vaan allying with the pirate Balthier and Princess Ashe to save the world of Ivalice.
5Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Has Yet To Reuse A Protagonist In Their Games
EveryGrand Theft Autogame takes place in a different city and time period, allowing for new protagonists each time. C.J. fromGrand Theft Auto: San Andreasis arguably the most famous main protagonist in the series, but the late Ray Liotta did shine as Tommy Vercetti inGrant Theft Auto: Vice City.
The different protagonists inGrand Theft Autoalso showcase different sides of the criminal underworld; some are mafia henchmen, some are skilled robbers, and others are up-and-coming gangsters. On top of that, Rockstar Games have gone above and beyond to make every character vastly different in terms of story and personality.
Borderlands
Despite each game carrying on the story from the previous game,Borderlandsmakes the strange choice of having the four protagonists from each entry come back as NPCs. As a result, every new game, from the originalBorderlandsto the newBorderlands 4,features four new Vault Hunters to pick, play, andplunder across the alien planetof Pandora.
While it may be disappointing to not play characters like Lilith and Mordecai again, they continue to be beloved characters in other ways. As NPCs, they get far more story and dialogue than ever, which continues to be a tradition. This also allows new characters to feature distinct abilities and designs, allowing the looter shooter adventures to feel different with every entry.
3Mortal Kombat
The Fate Of The Realms Is In The Hands Of Many Champions
As theMortal Kombatgames have evolved, theirstory modes have become increasingly intricate. Each installment introduces new concepts, characters, and storylines, enhancing the epic saga of this fighting game series. With a vast array of characters in theMortal Kombatuniverse, some characters have the opportunity to shine as heroes while others remain on the sidelines.
InMortal Kombat(2011), there were several storylines, but the main one focused purely on Raiden trying to stop an apocalypse.Mortal Kombat Xshifted to focus on Johnny Cage and a new generation of Earthrealm champions. The latest game,Mortal Kombat 1, focuses mainly on Fire God Liu Kang as he leads his fighters through his new timeline.
2Castlevania
Someone Is Always There To Fight Dracula And His Minions
The idea ofCastlevaniais simple, with heroes taking on Dracula whenever he returns from the grave. However, thanks to a verylong and complicated canonical timeline,Castelvaniahas evolved to have dozens of heroes taking on the Prince Of Darkness across hundreds of years, dating back to the 1000s.
In the mainCastlevaniatimeline, gamers have played as various members of the Belmont family, Morris family, Dracula’s son Alucard, and one-off characters, such as Shanoa. Even when the series was rebooted twice with the Nintendo 64 games and then theLords Of Shadowseries,Castlevaniainvented new characters to carry on the franchise each time.
Resident Evil
From Jill Valentine to Ethan Winters, theResident Eviluniverse is massivewith new kinds of monstersand strains of viruses popping up more times than the common cold. To combat these threats, each game features some survivors who are as lucky as they are unlucky, using every item and weapon they can find to fight zombies, giant mutated animals, and other terrifying bioweapons.
Many heroes in theResident Evilfranchise have gone on to become fan favorites, such as Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy. Some characters would even get to return in future games, like in the case of Leon being introduced inResident Evil 2and becoming the sole protagonist ofResident Evil 4.
