Video games wouldn't be complete without their charming main characters, whether it's the adorable cat from Stray to The Tarnished from Elden Ring. Usually, games would only follow the adventures of one main character. However, some game studios have created immersive and complex narratives that allow multiple protagonists to shine in the game.
Some games are seen from the perspective of various androids, meanwhile, some titles have managed to squeeze in different personalities from the famed Racoon City. From GTA V to Octopath Traveler, a number of excellent games feature the point of view of multiple protagonists.
Nier: Automata
The JRPG Nier: Automata features a world where humanoid robots and extraterrestrial machines are at war. It initially follows the combat android named 2B, who is on a mission to defeat all the machines created by aliens on earth. The game also shows the perspective of a scanner android named 9S, who can defeat enemies through hacking.
Halfway through the game, 2B perishes, and gamers are then introduced to the rogue prototype A2, who is an attack android who chooses to work alone. Through the three main characters, gamers can uncover the tragic tale of Nier: Automata.
Resident Evil 6
Just like other games in the franchise, Resident Evil 6 features experiments gone wrong by the evil pharmaceutical organization Umbrella Corporation. The game also features an overarching storyline where players control different characters such as Leon S. Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Jake Muller, and Ada Wong.
Because of its ambitious narrative that features four campaigns, the game received mixed reviews as some felt that it was bloated with content. Still, fans of the franchise enjoyed the game for its horror aspect and action-filled gameplay.
GTA V
Gamers return to San Andreas in one of Rockstar's best games, GTA V, the fifteenth installment in the Grand Theft Auto Series. But in GTA V, gamers don't get to control the beloved character CJ. Instead, the game features the stories of three main characters — a drug dealer named Trevor Philips, a former bank robber named Michael De Santa, and a lowly street gangster named Franklin Clinton.
In the game, the main characters go on missions commanded by various powerful criminals and government personalities. GTA V continues to amass gamers due to its expansive online feature, immersive story, and charming playable characters.
Detroit: Become Human
Developed by Quantic Dream, Detroit: Become Human is a game that features a world where androids serve humans. However, some of the androids have developed sentience, which then complicates their function and role in society. The game is viewed from the point of view of three androids — Kara, an android who suddenly gains sentience and finds freedom, Connor, a robot whose job is to find other sentient androids, and Markus, an android who tries to free others from their intellectual restraints.
What's interesting about the game is that it allows multiple branching paths, which allows gamers to have a completely unique experience, with different chioces and multiple endings, the game can be different every time its played. It also brings an interesting dimension of thought to the gaming, forcing the gamer to consider how human these androids have become.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI has an ensemble cast that, throughout the game, grows to 14 permanent and playable characters that they can add to their party. Final Fantasy VI is about the war between the Gestahlian Empire and a rebel organization known as the Returners. The game begins from the point of view of Terra Branford, an imperial soldier who suffers from amnesia.
Due to its expansive story, a memorable cast of characters, and dynamic gameplay, Final Fantasy VI is considered one of the best in the Final Fantasy series. With multiple playable characters there's a wide skill set to learn and different play styles to become accustomed to. As your party develops so too does the story with each individual adding further depth to the already fanastic game.
Octopath Traveler
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Octopath Traveler is a tactical RPG that bears resemblance to the beloved game Final Fantasy Tactics. The game is set in a magical land named Orsterra, where various kinds of powers exist. The game has eight protagonists, all of whom are united by their desire to defeat a witch named Lyblac who wants to access the afterworld and resurrect a fallen god named Galdera.
Some of the protagonists in the game are a teacher named Cyrus Albright and a noblewoman named Primrose Azelheart. The game was received positively due to its innovative battle system and engaging narrative. As you play through each character's journey, the overarching story becomes more apparent, framing each character in the narrative brilliantly well.
Zero Time Dilemma
Developed by the game studio Chiime, Zero Time Dilemma is a game about a group of people who need to play a game to their death in order to escape a nuclear bomb shelter. The game features three main protagonists — a boy named Q, a firefighter named Carlos, and a nurse named Diana. The three characters are split into three teams and are coerced to choose between their principles, their freedom, and their humanity.
Players will mostly encounter escape room-style puzzles in the game. Zero Time Dilemma also features one of the most romantic pairings in horror games, Junpei and Akan leaving the gamer to develop both critical thinking skills and their relationship savvy between the characters.
Heavy Rain
In the game Heavy Rain, four protagonists are in a race against time to save a child from a serial killer named Origami Killer. The main characters of the game are all connected to the Origami Killer — Ethan Mars, the father of the Origami Killer's victim, Norman Jayden, an FBI agent, Madison Paige, a photojournalist, and Scott Shelby, a private eye.
Depending on the choices made by the gamer, the playable characters in the game might die, which will then create a branching storyline. Because of the game's emphasis on good decision-making, Heavy Rain is a game where the gamer's choices matter a lot. By playing through each character, gamers get to experience different perspectives on the child's loss and slowly uncover who the Origami Killer really is.
The Last Of Us Part 2
The Last Of Us Part 2 continues the story of the father figure and daughter duo Ellie and Joel. However, the sequel begins with Joel being beaten to death by Abby, a soldier who wants to avenge her father's death. Further down in the game, gamers will also get to control Abby, which then allows them to see the other side of the war.
After following Joel and Ellie so long, the option to control Abby is shocking to a lot of gamers who instinctively hated the character due to her role in Joel's death. However , it is a necessary plot decision that shows how everyone in the world is an unnecessary victim of the parasitic zombie virus and the war and provides a dimension and insight into the "villain" of the story that players rarely get to see, adding extra emotional depth to an already groundbreaking narrative.
Yakuza 5
The action-adventure game Yakuza 5 tells the story of five individuals who are locked in a Yakuza war in Japan. The fifth mainline game in the Like a Dragon series follows five protagonists — franchise staple Kazuma Kiryu, Yakuza 4 characters Taiga Saejima and Shun Akiyama, Kiryu's niece Haruka Sawamura, and former baseball player Tatsuo Shinada.
The number of playable characters make this a complex story revealed in parts and Yakuza 5 has received favorable reviews for its well-written narrative, sheer amount of content, and hard-hitting combat mechanics.