Summary
- Horror games showcase complex protagonists facing harrowing scenarios and emotional turmoil.
- Characters like Isaac Clarke and Dwayne Anderson explore themes of addiction, guilt, and trauma.
- Protagonists like James Sunderland and Ellie Williams offer layered, realistic portrayals of human flaws and struggles.
More often than not, the protagonist is the most important character in any narrative, be it book, film, or video game. The depth of the protagonist — their personality, beliefs, and goals — all contribute to whether people will like them or, more importantly, be invested in their journey. Generally, the most memorable characters are those who are well-written with all facets of human nature, even the ugly ones.
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The horror genre opens up plenty of opportunities to include complex characters, throwing them into harrowing scenarios that either confront them with their own emotions or determine the direction of their character development. From tortured and remorseful killers to conflicted decision-making, these are some of the most complex video game protagonists.
Spoiler Warning: this list delves into major story spoilers for each entry on the list.
10 Isaac Clarke (Dead Space)
How Many Necromorphs Does It Take To Break A Man?
Dead Space 2
- Released
- January 25, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Dead Space
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Something that the sci-fi horror genre does particularly well is taking ordinary humans and placing them in literally outlandish scenarios. To put a regular person in such situations welcomes a whole load of character development, for better or for worse.
Across the three main Dead Space games, particularly the second, the lines that distinguish engineer Isaac's real emotional turmoil from the alien monolith's mind-influence begin to blur, leaving him concerningly apathetic to death. Ironically, this nothing-to-lose attitude gives him all the more enthusiasm to keep fighting.
9 Dwayne Anderson (Visage)
Guilt, Addiction, And Facing Consequences
Visage
- Released
- October 30, 2020
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- SadSquare Studio
Dwayne Anderson is the protagonist of Visage — a first-person psychological horror game that takes place in a suburban home. Taking inspiration from Kojima's P.T., the player must navigate the terrifying house, revealing the tragic fate of its previous tenants.
Visage heavily emphasizes themes such as depression, guilt, and addiction. While the story isn't as clear-cut as other titles in the genre, Dwayne's unreliability as a troubled individual himself makes him a compelling character, leaving the player wondering what he is really to blame for.
8 Josh Washington (Until Dawn)
Great Brother, Questionable Friend
Until Dawn
- Released
- August 25, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PS4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Supermassive's roster of games has no shortage of interesting characters, although as part and parcel of the interactive nature of the games, their personalities and relationships are largely determined by the players' choices.
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One character that does stand out is Josh Washington of Until Dawn. The brother of twins Hannah and Beth (who went missing a year earlier), Josh invites their mutual friends to a lodge for a reunion. It is soon revealed that he has a severely misguided perception of 'fun,' and a lot of unprocessed issues. The events that unfold reveal a multifaceted character who has an unfortunately great deal of love and suffering.
The 2024 remake of Until Dawn has another possible alternate ending for Josh.
7 Fang Ray Shin (Detention)
A Tragic Tale Of Personal & Political Trauma
Detention
- Released
- January 12, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Detention is a 2D Taiwanese horror game that follows Ray through an otherworldy version of her school as she pieces together the truth about her past. Drawing on East Asian culture using a moody hand drawn backdrop, the player must solve puzzles and face haunting spirits.
Not only does Detention delve into personal trauma such as domestic abuse and grooming, it also explores intellectual and violent physical oppression at the hands of the government. All of these factors culminate into the conflicted character of Ray, influencing her choices.
6 James Sunderland (Silent Hill 2)
Demonstrates Human Flaws And The Complications Of Life
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- October 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Franchise
- Silent Hill
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
It is not difficult to see why many players immediately dislike James Sunderland; his choices and reasons for making them are undoubtedly inexcusable. That being said, Silent Hill 2 does a great job of examining his character, leaving out none of the darker side of human nature.
Ultimately incapable of coping with his pain, James faces his actions head on as the player deals with the manifestations of guilt, regret, and all the other repressed emotions surrounding Mary's death. Overall, James Sunderland is an interesting and layered character, perhaps even one of the most divisive when it comes to sympathizing.
5 Ellis Lynch (Blair Witch)
Struggles With PTSD Are Explored Using Time
Blair Witch
- Released
- August 30, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Publisher(s)
- Lionsgate Games
- Franchise
- Blair Witch
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Amazon Luna
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Horror has long been a popular genre for representing trauma. With so many titles out there, the horror games that really stand out tend to have a unique selling point. The Blair Witch is one such game, exploring the protagonist's story by cleverly manipulating time throughout.
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The player follows former police officer Ellis as he searches Black Hills Forest for a missing boy. It soon becomes apparent that Ellis is somehow involved on a much deeper level, finding himself confronting his own troubled past (and future). Fortunately, players have their dog, Bullet, close by for a spot of pet therapy along the way.
4 Simon Jarrett (SOMA)
Questions What It Means To Be Human
SOMA
- Released
- September 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Publisher(s)
- Frictional Games
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Simon is a complex protagonist in a slightly different way to others on this list, notably taking on a larger, more philosophical role. One of the widest and longest discussions is what it truly means to be human; something SOMA manages to broach in a surprisingly personal way.
Awakening at the underwater research facility PATHOS-II after a brain scan, Simon uncovers the measures that have been taken to preserve humanity's future. In scenarios that do not seem all too unbelievable by today's standards, players will be left emotionally invested in tackling topics such as identity and consciousness.
3 Sunny/Omori (OMORI)
A Touching Narrative About The Loss Of Childhood Innocence
OMORI
- Released
- December 25, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
OMORI is a pixel horror RPG that follows a young boy, Sunny, and his titular alter ego, Omori. Exploring and fighting through the "faraway town" and the "headspace" with his friends, the player will find out what really happened to the group's missing members.
OMORI does especially well at establishing the relationships between characters and developing these connections. Sunny's story is touching, tastefully representing childhood naivety, guilt, grief, and how one tries to cope with these struggles. Overall, the environmental storytelling and multiple endings do extremely well to express Sunny's internal conflicts in the face of truth.
2 Lee Everett (The Walking Dead)
How Being Forced To Make Difficult Choices Shapes A Person
The Walking Dead
- Released
- April 24, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Telltale Games
- Publisher(s)
- Telltale Games, Skybound Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Mobile
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure, Horror
The Walking Dead is an episodic horror game based on Robert Kirkman's comics. The first season follows criminal Lee Everett after the police transporting him crash their car, leaving him to navigate the zombie-infested world. Lee has a potentially incredible redemption arc after finding and vowing to reunite young girl Clementine with her parents.
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That said, the game's trajectory is determined by the player's choices, which puts the spotlight on moral dilemmas and how they will affect characters' relationships and lives. Each unique character they come across is motivated by their own fears and goals, but there is no doubt that players will be rooting for Lee as he deals with the highs, lows, regrets, and consequences of his journey.
Clementine is an equally complex character who develops even further in the following seasons.
1 Ellie Williams (The Last Of Us)
An Incredibly Well-Written & Relatable Character
The Last of Us Part 2
- Released
- June 19, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Franchise
- The Last of Us
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Last of Us franchise as a whole has become renowned for its fantastically rich storytelling and well-written characters. Ellie, in particular, has had a rough time from the start, dealing with survivor's guilt and betrayal alongside the more physical threats of the Infected, all while still being a child.
In The Last of Us Part 2, the player gets to see a lot more of how these events have affected her — and how she deals with the trauma throughout. Ellie's character is starkly real and human, complete with pain, fear, and regrets, as well as love and a fierce sense of justice, which makes her all the more relatable. As a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world, though, Ellie certainly doesn't pander to happy ending enthusiasts.
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