Entertainment
10 Video Games With the Best Character Development
For the most part, video games are all about gameplay, with these experiences aiming to immerse players in fantastical worlds and engaging mechanics. This medium is meant to give a sense of control unlike any other, with games such as Grand Theft Auto and The Legend of Zelda achieving this. However, video games have evolved into a storytelling medium with great narrative potential.
Great stories take many different forms, but one focus the fans love is character development, which is why this list will rank the ten video games with the greatest character development. Based on aspects such as writing, arcs, progression, gameplay tie-in, relevance, believability, characters, and overall quality, these ten video games do the unthinkable.
10
‘Final Fantasy IX’ (2000)
The Final Fantasy franchise is best known for the sixth and seventh video games, but the greatest in terms of character development is arguably Final Fantasy IX. Princess Garnet wants out of her stuffy castle, so she hires a thief named Zidane to “kidnap” her. After that, the duo embark on an adventure around the world, which turns into a profound exploration of identity and the meaning of life.
This may not be the first game fans think about when imagining great character development, but Final Fantasy IX puts together an incredible ensemble of characters who all individually grow. Some characters have static arcs, and others have philosophical journeys that deeply change who they are. Either way, Final Fantasy IX is an underrated character development masterclass.
9
‘Assassin’s Creed II’ (2009)
Ubisoft has moved on to a different type of Assassin’s Creed game, but the best in that series is still Assassin’s Creed II in many ways. Ezio is a newcomer assassin in Italy who hunts down the Templar Order to enact his revenge after they framed his father and brothers for treason and had them executed, using whatever methods are handy to him.
Assassin’s Creed II is one of the best action games that boasts an incredible style of gameplay, but it is also known for having magnificent character development. Ezio Auditore transforms from a brash and eager kid into a wise and polished master assassin. The arc structure is normal, but it is still a coming-of-age story mixed with a revenge tale that is so captivating to play.
8
‘Far Cry 3’ (2012)
Known for its chaotic style, the Far Cry franchise is one of the craziest out there, boasting a masterclass of character development, Far Cry 3. Jason Brody and his friends are enjoying their tropical vacation when all of a sudden, ransomers kidnap them. Barely escaping, Jason dedicates himself to freeing his friends and getting off the island, although his priorities might start to change the more he is in the jungle.
This game is all about Jason Brody and the madness that he experiences while trying to save his friends. Starting as a cowardly brat, the jungle slowly changes him, making him more heroic, and then eventually into an insane madman like the rest of the villains. Vaas is an excellent foil and incredible villain who further pushes his downfall arc. Not only that, but Far Cry 3 works his degradation into the mechanics, making for a more fluid and engaging change.
7
‘Life is Strange’ (2015)
A lot of the games on this list have some sort of action or combat, but Life is Strange is solely focused on the story and character development. Max Caulfield is just a normal photography student, that is, until she gains time-warping powers. With the help of her childhood best friend, the two of them investigate the dark secrets of their small town while learning the consequences of messing with time.
The time-travel mechanic does overshadow the subtlety of their growth and dynamic, but in the end, Life is Strange still has a profound view of change. By constantly undoing mistakes, Max realizes she is taking the easy way out, putting herself at risk in the future. This unique lesson double-acts as a distinct form of character development that highlights the narrative prowess of Life is Strange.
6
‘God of War’ (2018)
The original games in the franchise were all about rage, violence, and revenge, but the 2018 God of War took Kratos out of Greece and into the Norse realm of Midgard. Living a new and more peaceful life, his wife unexpectedly dies, leading him and his son Atreus to scatter her ashes at the highest peak. However, the Norse gods have their sights set on Atreus, and will stop at nothing until they get him.
While fans don’t get to see Kratos’ change from the original games to this one, God of War 2018 still highlights his growth. This game completely recontextualized Kratos and his whole dynamic, making him a much more reserved personality who is ashamed of his past. He still isn’t perfect, but God of War takes players along the cycle of how Kratos is trying to be a better man and father.
5
‘The Walking Dead Series’ (2012-2018)
It might be cheating to include an entire series, but The Walking Dead telltale games are all phenomenal. Split into different seasons, this game franchise is based on the comic and TV show of the same name. Lee Everrett and Clementine are two survivors of the zombie apocalypse, and these games chronicle their lives from new survivors to hardened veterans.
The Walking Dead season one has one of the bleakest endings in video game history, but that only serves to act as a major moment in developing Clementine. This is a game all about choices, and each one the player makes, Clementine sees. Every decision, good and bad, changes Clementine for better or worse, making her character development entirely up to the way gamers play the game.
4
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)
Rockstar Games publishes some of the greatest masterpieces out there, and in terms of character development, Red Dead Redemption 2 takes the cake. Arthur Morgan is the leader of a cowboy gang set in the dying age of the Wild West. Confronted by his own mortality, he sets out on one last adventure, looking to redeem his past failures.
In terms of a single character and their arc, Arthur Morgan is revered as having the best character development in video games. Beginning as a loyal outlaw, Red Dead Redemption 2 forces the players to embody his role and emotions, feeling the pain with him and learning his philosophy was a lie. Right until the end of the game, Arthur goes through one of the most compelling character arcs put on screen.
3
‘The Last of Us’ (2013)
The Walking Dead was based on the TV show, but The Last of Us is the other way around, being a video game that inspired a show. Years after a zombie apocalypse pushed humanity into hiding, Joel is a veteran whose next mission is to escort a girl across the country. However, when he learns she may be humanity’s last hope for a cure, he protects her with everything he’s got.
The character development and story were so good in this game that it is the only renowned live-action TV adaptation. The Last of Us is all about Ellie and Joel’s dynamic, which has its ups and downs, but ultimately grows in this slow-burning adventure. By not shying away from the ugly truth, players learn that the relationship they have come to love takes priority over the rest of the world, culminating in a shocking twist that highlights the development of Joel, proving The Last of Us is a remarkably influential video game.
2
‘Mass Effect Series’ (2007-2012)
Similar to The Walking Dead game series, this entry features an entire trilogy of games with the Mass Effect Series. Players control Commander Shepard, who must take their squadron out into the galaxy in order to defeat a machine race known as the Reapers, needing to unite multiple planets and species to aid in the fight or risk losing everyone.
It may be unfair to include an entire trilogy, but each game in it is a flawless depiction of micro character development throughout a grand cast. Since the games carry save files, relationships, choices, and moments are brought to the next game, making the development personal to each specific player. Mass Effect wields its interconnected narrative web through the micro-changes of the many characters and their growth.
1
‘Disco Elysium’ (2019)
Almost all the games on this list were AAA blockbusters, but the indie scene is also home to some character development sensations, including Disco Elysium. The players control an amnesiac detective who wakes up in a hotel room, now needing to use his multiple personalities to remember who he was and solve a murder that has some serious political implications.
A lot of the games on this list use character development as a set story that players experience, but the reason why Disco Elysium is number one is that the players themselves develop the protagonist. The well-written themes of politics, philosophy, failure, and addiction meld into the multiple psyches of the character, with players having full freedom over which one wins. Disco Elysium is one of the greatest video games of all time because the character development is an intimate process of player agency that can be different each playthrough.
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