Video games have an interesting relationship with the term “protagonist.” While it should be obvious who the main character of a game is, sometimes it’s a little ambiguous. In this video essay, we’ll look at three games that challenge out notions of what a protagonist can be.
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Games Discussed:
Stray (2022) – Developed by BlueTwelve Studio, Published by Annapurna Interactive, Directed by Koola and Viv (Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Action, Adventure, Puzzle, Story-Rich, Cyberpunk
Hi-Fi Rush (2023) – Developed by Tango Gameworks, Published by Bethesda / Microsoft Game Studios, Directed by John Johanas, Produced by Shinji Mikami (Xbox Series X, Playstation 5, PC) / Character Action Game, 3D Fighter, Brawler
Wandersong (2018) – Developed and Directed by Greg Lobanov, Published by Humble Bundle (Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC) / Puzzle, Adventure, Narrative, Subversive, Indie
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Games Referenced (In Order of Appearance)
Demon’s Souls (Remake) (2020) – Developed by BluePoint Games, Originally Developed by FromSoftware, Directed by Hidataka Myazaki Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 5) / Action, RPG, Soulslike
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021) – Developed by Insomniac Games, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 5) / Third-Person Shooter
Hroizon: Forbidden West (2022) – Developed by Guerilla Games, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 4, Playstation 5) / Open-World, Action, Adventure
Hitman 3 (2021) – Developed and Published by IO Interactive (Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC) / Stealth, Suspense, Spy, Thriller
Pikmin 3 (2013) – Developed and Published by Nintendo, Produced by Shigeru Miyamoto (Wii U, Nintendo Switch) / Real-Time Strategy, Puzzle
Alan Wake II (2023) – Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Published by Epic Games, Directed by Sam Lake (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Horror, Thriller, Third-Person Shooter, Psychological Thriller
The Last of Us Part II – Developed by Naughty Dog, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Directed by Niel Druckmann (Playstation 4, Playstation 5) / Narrative, Stealth, Shooter, Horror, Survival Horror
Fallout 4 (2016) – Developed and Published by Bethesda, Directed by Todd Howard (Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC) / Open-World, RPG, First-Person, Role Playing, 1950s
Resident Evil 4 (Remake) (2023) – Developed and Published by Capcom, Directed by Shinji Mikami (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Action, Adventure, Horror, Survival Horror, Classic
Bioshock (2007) – Developed by 2K Boston, Published by 2K Games, Directed by Ken Levine (Xbox 360, Playstation 3) / First-Person Shooter, Retro Futurism, Magic, Role Playing, Satire, Narrative
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) – Developed by Infinity Ward, Published by Activision Blizzard (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / First-Person Shooter, Military Shooter, Multiplayer, Online
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Additional Works Referenced:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby (2013 Film) – Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 Film) – Directed by Sidney Lanfield, Starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce
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Topics Discussed:
Video game protagonist, main character, literary analysis, main character, cat, cats, orange cat, orange cat behavior, flame point Siamese, Jackson galaxy, cat expert, feline, cat video, housecat, robots, artificial intelligence, ai, technology, narrative devices, Playstation 5 reveal, Sony state of play, game announcement, video game announcement, new video games coming soon, game awards, summer game fest, English class, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, superwholock, British, video essay, essay, video game essay, video game review, short video essays, game recommendations, breakdown, iceberg, music, original soundtrack, ost, rock music, guitar, robots, spy, anime, comic book, BookTok, style, cel shaded, animation style, Nine Inch Nails, The Evil Within, Ghostwire Tokyo, vibes, aesthetic, witch, magic, singing, music, music game, rhythm game, choral music, music composition, tenor, alto, soprano, bard, traveling musician, hero, combat, hero’s journey, subversion, travel, adventure, dance, dancing, video game secrets, video game challenges, indie game, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Beastieball, GameMaker Studio, musical, emotional, three act structure, storytelling frameworks, independent
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39 comments
Edit:i feel like i made a mistake explaining it the cat is definitely the main character in the book but its more of a narrator just the kind that interacts with the story bc the book mainly focused on people around the cat like its owner and his family the book is actually pretty cool itd been an inspiration for me a few times and if youre interested in something like it you definitely should check it out) disclaimer the book is a Japanese satirical novel so it doenst exactly have the same vibe as stray but its still really cool
I really hope he didnt talk about the book in the video or im going to sound super stupid explaining all of this
It's as though your actions are taking place in an overall insignificant few years, while the world itself has existed for millenia. It's deepened in how the lore is often hidden and how npcs talk to you as though you are just another lost soul.
I know you could argue this for most any game, but anyone who has played will know the feeling I mean, it's as though the real story is being played by gods and you are one of their pawns.
That means, if any character on the side, no matter how much "story" they tell, if I play two playthrough and they do the same thing, they are not the main character.
Secondly, how exactly does Peppermint advance the plot without Chai? Considering how much legwork he does, how could the plot advance if he didn't exist? Without Chai, Peppermint doesn't advance HER plot.
I just don't think any of the examples you gave actually make a character a main character. If anything, Peppermint serves as the mentor, guiding the main character through this new world and pointing him in the right direction. Hell, let's compare her and Obi-Wan Kenobi from A New Hope.
- are both the leaders of the group
- both have a longer and more storied history with antagonists
- both recruit other team members
- both develop plans
- emotional beats are arguable but I'd say Obi-Wan has more than Luke
When you look at it this way it becomes pretty obvious imo.
Luke and Chai
- both pushed into wider conflict after suddenly being persecuted by previously thought to be benign antagonists
- both just trying to survive
- both reluctantly join resistance
👇
(spoilers if you haven't played somehow)
like your literally a servant of other people the entire game, like the story is not about you at all, your just a tool
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