Proper representation is valuable in any piece of media, but it's arguably even more so in video games. Since players are put in a position where they assume direct control over the main characters and plots, it's imperative that their experience is a positive one.
While, unfortunately, there have been unsavory, harmful caricatures of Asian people in past titles, a handful of developers have made phenomenal strides in the past few years. Here are ten of the best games that respectfully depict Asian characters who feel like real, relatable people.
Mirror's Edge
For years, Faith Connors, the protagonist of both Mirror's Edge titles, was one of the only notable Asian characters in gaming that was neither a "seductress" nor a fighting game-type. She was cool, capable, and insanely fun to play as with her panache for parkour.
What made her so iconic, however, was the fact that the game focused itself entirely on her abilities and her job as a runner. Her race was never the butt of the joke, nor was she sexualized in any way, and that made many Asian women feel connected to her in a way they hadn't felt about any other game protagonist.
The Last Of Us Part II
Oftentimes, Asian characters are reduced to heavily gendered stereotypes, but The Last Of Us 2 featured multiple Asian characters who were central to the plot and whose identities were treated with respect and individualism.
In particular, Jesse was shown to be a charming young man and a loyal friend, while Lev felt and acted like a real teenager. As well, both men are shown to have support systems who love them and fight to take care of them, things that can mean a lot to a player who identifies with either character.
Sleeping Dogs
Although Sleeping Dogs is often considered to be just another Grand Theft Auto clone, it really broadened the scope for Asian stories in video games. Most notably is the fact that it treats its protagonist, Wei Shen, with multiple layers of complexity and maturity instead of mocking him like so many forms of media tend to do with Asian men.
As well, the game manages to capture that particular feeling of being both at home and out of your element in places that are so uniquely Asian. Hong Kong is such a hotbed for expats, and it was really cool for a video game to explore this respectfully.
Overwatch
Part of why Overwatch took off the way it did was because it featured characters of color who were vibrant and interesting, and not at all just stereotypes of their race, as is often the case with hero shooters. Characters like Mei, Hanzo, D-VA, and Symmetra are all proudly Asian and represent aspects of being Asian that the media doesn't always tap into.
Overwatch provided phenomenal opportunities for Asian actors to provide their voices for characters they actually felt respected their heritage. Often, Asian actors are type-casted into roles that should have been left in the 20th century.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Speaking of type-casting, the RE2 Remake finally did Ada Wong right by giving her more depth than just the "sexy Asian femme fatale." In the remake, Ada feels more like a person than just the idea of a person, going beyond just being a suave spy and actually having moments of moral conflict and deliberation.
It also seems like she got the "Harley Quinn treatment" in that her fashion seems like it was actually chosen by a woman this time around. Overall, Ada's always been an iconic character, and her changes aren't super drastic, but they're enough to make her seem like her own person.
Portal 1 & 2
The developers of the Portal games always intended to make their protagonist, Chell, a blank slate, but they did add some elements to her character to give her a bit more substance. In particular, they've made an official statement that she is mixed-race, and her face model is actually Brazilian-Japanese.
Many women of color who played Portal were delightfully surprised when they first saw Chell's face and saw someone who looks like them. While white-passing mixed girls are valid in their racial identity, the gaming industry tends to use white-passing characters as a cop-out for more varied representation. Chell succeeds in looking both non-white and very similar to many mixed-Asian girls out there.
Dreamfall
Eternally underrated, the Dreamfall series has always attempted to be progressive, featuring LGBTQ+ characters in droves and making their human cast diverse. But, they really did something special with the addition of Zoe Castillo, the second playable character in the series, who is half-Chinese and half-Argentinian.
Like Chell, Zoe is mixed. But, unlike Chell, Zoe has a full personality and feels unique amongst female protagonists in gaming. She is at once privileged and aware of this privilege, talented yet depressed, and brave yet lazy. Watching her grow into a more confident young woman is very rewarding for players.
Uncharted
Some people forget that "Asian" encompasses all people within the continent of Asia, which includes India—hence why the beloved Chloe Frazer from the Uncharted series is on the list: she is Indian and Australian, a fact which isn't touched on much in the series, as Chloe's personality takes up most of her screentime.
She's a rare character who harnesses her sexuality in a way that doesn't feel pandering since it's also balanced with her ambitions, athleticism, and great sense of humor. Chloe is a truly well-rounded, iconic character who means a lot to players who identify with her.
Half-Life 2 & Half-Life Alyx
Compared to the other entries here, Half-Life 2 is fairly old, which makes it all the more respectable that its deuteragonist, Alyx, is Afro-Asian. This particular mix is very poorly represented in all media, so the fact that Alyx is who she is—both racially and individually—is pretty awesome.
It's also great that she's getting her chance in the limelight in Half-Life: Alyx as the playable protagonist. Even though players don't get to see her much in that game, it's still a great step in the right direction, especially since it's the plucky and idealistic Alyx who's guiding those steps.
Life Is Strange: True Colors
Releasing this September, True Colors will feature Alex Chen as its protagonist. Alex is very much an unconventional Asian protagonist, as she is thick-bodied as well as coming from the foster system, two things not typically associated with Asian girls in media.
While it's unfortunate that the story will revolve around the death of her older brother Gabe, it's certain to be an exciting installment in the Square Enix-backed series. There really aren't enough of them out there, and, hopefully, with the positive steps the gaming industry is taking, more games like True Colors will be coming out in the near future.