The Best Open-World Games With Children Protagonists

From sprawling fantasy landscapes and bustling cities to quaint towns full of eccentric characters and interesting stories, the open-world genre has captivated players by allowing them to enter new realities. Players often see these worlds through the eyes of an outsider. For example, in the Fallout series, as a vault-dweller stepping into the post-apocalyptic landscape for the first time, or in Red Dead Redemption 2 as Arthur Morgan, who rides deeper into unknown territory with his gang as they flee the law.

This is a great narrative tool to help us adjust to the new land's customs, but perhaps the best way to adapt to a new environment is to see it through the eyes of a child. There are several titles featuring a child protagonist, and these young heroes inspire us with their bravery, leadership, and adventurous spirit as they go against everything from dangerous beasts to hardhearted villains. Here are a few fan favorites who have made their mark on the world despite their young age.

5 Bully - Jimmy Hopkins

15 Years Old

• Jimmy Hopkins joins Bullworth Academy as a new student after being kicked out of seven previous schools.
• Bully takes place on the Bullworth campus, as well as the surrounding town of the same name.

Rockstar's Bully puts players in the shoes of 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins, a new student at Bullworth Academy who must survive his time at the boarding school and surrounding town of Bullworth. Aside from attending his classes and maintaining good grades to avoid detention, Jimmy must defend himself and others from bullies, create alliances with other students and residents, and survive as an outsider who doesn't formally belong to any of the cliques on and off campus.

The game is a commentary on social hierarchies and adolescence seen through the lens of Jimmy, who has a difficult home life and has been kicked out of several schools before arriving at Bullworth. Its satirical tone, memorable characters, charming presentation, and catchy soundtrack place this game in high regard among gamers.

4 Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - Miles Morales

17 Years Old

• Miles has become a capable Spider-Man under Peter's wing. He has several unique abilities, including camouflage and bio-electricity.
• Spider-Man 2 massively increases the map size from the previous game by including 2 additional boroughs.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 features 2 playable characters; Peter Parker and Miles Morales. It takes place in a stunning recreation of New York's Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, where the Spider-Men can sling and glide through the city in arguably the most fun traversal of any Spider-Man or superhero game to date. Miles first revealed his powers to Peter Parker during the events of the first game, and players experienced his unique abilities firsthand in its expansion, Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Now aged 17, Miles must work alongside his mentor to face iconic villains such as Venom, Sandman, Kraven, and more. As Spider-Man, he has to hone his skills in combat, and as Miles Morales, he must navigate his life as a teenager, student, and son.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild - Link

17 Years Old

• The first in a series of 2 highly rated Legend of Zelda titles, Breath Of The Wild introduced fans to a fully open-world Hyrule for the first time.
• Despite being only 17, Link is the personal guard and knight to Princess Zelda.

It could be argued that Link is 117 years old in the events of Breath of the Wild, but that's if his 100 years of slumber are added to his age of 17. Link must travel across Hyrule to rescue Princess Zelda and challenge Calamity Ganon before he destroys the world. Nintendo's 2017 masterpiece is highly praised for its expansive world, memorable characters and quests, and a sense of freedom and rewarding exploration beyond what many open-world games allow.

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By  Joe Grantham

Link's youthfulness lends itself perfectly to the spirit of exploration built into the game. Despite his young age (and amnesia following near-fatal injuries from events before the game), the young hero embarks on his quest, forming alliances, solving problems, and taking on the toughest of foes along the way.

2 Shadow Of The Colossus - Wander

16 To 20 Years Old

• Wander's origins are unknown. His skill in archery and horse-riding and his possession of the magical Ancient Sword only add to the mystery.
• The Forbidden Lands contain vast plains, forests, and deserts, dotted with massive stone ruins of a bygone age.

Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus captivates players with its charming visual design, surreal atmosphere, and massive sense of scale. It follows Wander, a young hero thought to be around 16 to 20 years old, as he travels to the Forbidden Lands to defeat 16 Colossi and resurrect a sacrificed girl named Mono. Despite his small stature compared to the great beasts, Wander doesn't back down, he instead uses his wits and archery skills to bring them down. To him, no price is too great to bring Mono back.

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This game is regarded by many as a highly acclaimed and beloved title that makes players respect the young protagonist's determination to achieve his goal while questioning if what he's doing is really for the best. The hauntingly beautiful landscape of the Forbidden Lands feels lonely, giving players plenty of space between the action to consider their choices.

1 God of War: Ragnarök - Atreus

14 Years Old

• God of War: Ragnarök takes place three years after the previous title, and places more emphasis on Atreus' growth as a warrior.
• Kratos and Atreus visit all nine realms of Norse mythology on their journey.

God of War: Ragnarök is not a typical open-world game. It instead features several large open-ended levels that replicate the feeling of freedom and space of an open-world title. Players are put in the shoes of both Kratos and his 14-year-old son Atreus, traveling across the Nine Realms as they prepare for a world-ending war. The game explores the father-son relationship as Atreus transforms from a curious child to a capable warrior to adapt to the increasingly hostile world.

The game's highly detailed and stunning landscape explores diverse environments with exciting gameplay that keeps players on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Following the footsteps of an iconic character like Kratos isn't easy, but with his emotional depth and capable combat skills, Atreus wins over fans while proving himself to his father time and time again.

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