While it can be fun to play as the righteous hero of a story or, in some cases, the villain, there is something so intriguing about stepping into the shoes of a character who walks the moral line. Morally grey protagonists in video games are so fascinating because they keep you guessing about where their true intentions lie.
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PostsBecause if the real world doesn’t paint things in black and white, then why should all of fiction conform to such binary characters? As the gaming industry has matured, so have the stories it tells and the main characters who inhabit them. These protagonists aren’t necessarily right or wrong in their actions, but they are often painfully human.
8 Wander - Shadow Of The Colossus
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
Shadow of the Colossus (2018)
Adventure Released February 6, 2018 Developer(s) Bluepoint Games, JapanStudio, Team Ico Platform(s) PlayStation 4 Powered by Expand CollapseAt the beginning of Shadow of the Colossus, Wander’s motivations seem perfectly reasonable. A loved one of his has passed away, and he visits the Forbidden Lands to find a way to bring her back to life.
However, the solution to her resurrection requires Wander to kill sixteen Colossi dotted throughout these ancient lands. Colossi, who, as you progress through the game, offers little justification for their deaths other than that they just happen to be in the way of Wander’s plans. And by the end of the adventure, you’ll be left wondering whether the massacre of these mighty beasts was at all worth it.
7 Bayonetta - Bayonetta
Never Quite Sure Witch Way She’ll Go
Bayonetta
Action Released October 29, 2009 Developer(s) Platinum Games Platform(s) PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC Powered by Expand CollapseBayonetta is not afraid to display some of her more selfish qualities - such as openly taunting other characters and often not grasping the seriousness of potentially world-ending situations. Her cockiness and self-assured attitude often fly in the face of the needs of the world around her, often framing her as uncaring and naive.
But dig a little deeper, and Bayonetta is a complex protagonist whose murky background makes it difficult for her to know what the right path is a lot of the time. There are a small number of characters who mean a lot to Bayonetta, and whenever their safety is at stake, she goes to the ends of the world to protect them.
6 Agent 47: Hitman
The Definition Of Being Committed To Your Job
Hitman 3
Action Puzzle Simulation Released January 20, 2021 Developer(s) IO Interactive Platform(s) Xbox Series X, Stadia, PS5, Xbox One, Switch, PS4, PC Powered by Expand CollapseAgent 47 is, on the surface, a cold-hearted killer who was literally programmed to be the ultimate assassin - taking down whoever has been unfortunate enough to end up on one of his contracts. He is an unfeeling force of nature that stops at nothing to fulfill his duty and do the one thing he has always been told to do: killing.
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PostsFrom a certain perspective, there’s almost something sympathetic about Agent 47’s story. As a clone who never had any choice over his destiny, this hitman simply goes about his work with no empathy toward the moral implications of his actions.
5 John Marston - Red Dead Redemption
A Redemption Arc Uncompleted
John Marston is a classic tragic figure in the ever-growing canon of Wild West stories and one who has captured the imaginations of gamers since Red Dead Redemption. The former outlaw-turned-family man, Marston’s tale of failed redemption is one of the most gripping narratives in modern gaming.
While he is desperate to put his past behind him, that past has a nasty way of catching up to him in ways that impact the reformed life, he is trying to lead. Every action he takes is to protect the ones he loves, even if those actions bring him right back to his old life.
4 Geralt Of Rivia - The Witcher
As Stoic As They Come
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
RPG Action Adventure Released May 19, 2015 Developer(s) CD Projekt Red Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand CollapseGeralt of Rivia exudes a cool energy in more ways than one. On a superficial level, his magical Witcher abilities and detached attitude paint him as one of gaming’s most endearing anti-heroes.
But that cold demeanor also represents an apathy that can boil over to rage whenever Geralt feels threatened. The world of The Witcher games is full of tough moral choices and characters who walk the line. You couldn’t ask for a more appropriate protagonist for a world of man and monsters than Geralt of Rivia.
3 Niko Bellic - Grand Theft Auto 4
What Lengths Would You Go To For The American Dream?
Grand Theft Auto 4
Action Adventure Released April 29, 2008 Developer(s) Rockstar Games Platform(s) PC, Xbox 360, PS3 Powered by Expand CollapseNiko Bellic’s tale in Grand Theft Auto 4 is one of corruption, lies, and falling victim to the American Dream. Niko moves to Liberty City in hopes of finding wealth and success, yet only finds an illusion that slowly festers away at the people who seek its glory.
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PostsThe path that Niko finds himself on leads to some of Liberty City’s darkest secrets. Along the journey, he finds himself in more and more dangerous situations that force him to compromise on his own morals to get to the other side.
2 Kratos - God Of War
Gaming’s Best And Worst Father
God of War
Action Adventure Released April 20, 2018 Developer(s) Santa Monica Studio Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4 Powered by Expand CollapseKratos has a rap sheet that would make it hard to justify calling him “morally grey” at all. Certainly in the Greek God of War games, his actions are either entirely selfishly motivated or a direct reaction to the horrible deeds he committed in his past.
But after switching mythologies and giving the whole “being a dad” thing another go, Kratos is given more depth as a character without completely undermining the person he was before. That rage never fully goes away. Instead, he finds a new purpose as a family man and can use that to control the monster within that took everything away from him.
1 Joel Miller - The Last Of Us
He Would Do It All Over Again
The Last of Us
Action Adventure Released June 14, 2013 Developer(s) Naughty Dog Platform(s) PS3, PS4 Powered by Expand CollapseNo other video game protagonist operates in the grey as much as Joel Miller from The Last of Us. He is a heartbroken father who cares deeply about the people closest to him. But he protects those people at all costs, even if the well-being of more people is at stake.
He’s a character who has been beaten down by the world around him yet can still find beauty in small places. Certain decisions he makes are still being discussed and argued in gaming circles to this day, highlighting a character who truly divides opinions with his many shades of grey.
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