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When it comes to narrative-driven video games, the protagonists are often a key factor in determining how appealing an adventure is, as they can be even more memorable than the plots themselves.
To give an example, I don’t remember a single second of the Uncharted series’ story, but I’ll never forget Nathan Drake, and there are many other examples that could highlight the importance of a good main character.
That being said, they aren’t always essential, because I’ve lost count of the outstanding games whose protagonists’ names I can’t remember, or titles that don’t even have one, but several, precisely because the only thing I can concentrate on is their gameplay differences and how they change the whole experience.
Whether it’s to accommodate multiplayer, maintain a multidimensional narrative, or simply to give the user more gameplay options, it’s not as unusual as it seems for a game to have multiple heroes, as I’ll demonstrate with this list of ten games with alternate characters that dramatically alter gameplay.
10 The Red Strings Club
Threads of Fate
Would you believe me if I told you that a video game about a bartender, a cyber-revolutionary, and an AI is the best graphic adventure I’ve ever played? Well, that’s exactly how I see The Red Strings Club, one of the most thought-provoking titles of my entire life.
Donovan, Brandeis, and Akara-184 star in a stunning story where dialogue reigns supreme, with incredibly dense lines that will make you rethink your existence while you’re serving drinks, sculpting clay, or hacking into major corporations—three mechanics that are simple by all means, but modify entirely the way you interact with the world.
Seeing the events unfold from three perspectives offers a commendable narrative plurality, especially thanks to the eccentric yet memorable characters you meet along the way, each of whom forces you to make difficult and even contradictory decisions.
The Red Strings Club is a humane game, just like its characters, so every interaction within it feels incredibly natural and believable. Connecting with its message and its mysteries flows like silk, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up like me and decide to finish it three times to see every last detail.
9 Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
More Than One Sociopath at Hand
Ever since its release, I’ve felt Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number‘s very existence contradicts its predecessor’s message, but I can’t deny it’s an adrenaline rush.
I feel it lacks the same ludonarrative impact as Hotline Miami and expands in the incorrect direction, but I also think it’s brilliant how they introduce numerous playable characters and diverse storylines that converge into one grand narrative.
Going from a cop and a writer to a Russian mobster and a US soldier is an inexplicably strange and fascinating sequence of events, especially since each character has their own playstyle adapted to the various scenarios they inhabit.
One has dual weapons, another goes around using non-lethal combat, and another uses a katana like a madman, among other options that force you to approach each level with a different mindset to move forward.
Keeping track of everything is impossible, and I refuse to believe there’s a single human being on Earth who has understood Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number‘s entire plot without watching a video or playing through the game seven times, though that doesn’t detract from how exhilarating it is to play.
8 Darksiders Genesis
Two Horsemen Are Better Than One
Although it wasn’t the fourth installment I was expecting, Darksiders Genesis pleasantly surprised me because I’m a massive Diablo fan, and I loved the War and Strife duo.
While I feel it was a somewhat inappropriate way to give a game to the last Horseman of the Apocalypse, since I believe it deserved its own standalone experience, the genre fusion works wonderfully for the title, with two opposite classes that complement each other perfectly.
This pristine parity is mirrored in the narrative, with War as cold and calculating as ever alongside Strife, who allows us to see more of what little we could glimpse of him in Darksiders 3, revealing his unexpectedly human and empathetic essence but also his mocking and aggressive side.
The best part is that their personalities are masterfully adapted to the gameplay, with one class dedicated to -quarters combat in the most visceral and brutal way possible, and the other devoted to range and agility to take everyone down without even taking damage.
Although it’s the least flashy story in the franchise and, overall, the least impactful game, Darksiders Genesis is a magnificent spin-off no fan of the series should miss, and even a great starting point for newcomers, considering it’s the first chronologically.
7 Grand Theft Auto V
An Unforgettable Trio
When we talk about video games with multiple protagonists, it’s quite difficult for me not to think of the most iconic, representative, and relevant of all the options: Grand Theft Auto 5.
Rockstar had always stood out, among other things, for creating tremendous main characters like Niko Bellic, John Marston, and CJ, but with their then-masterpiece, they took it a step further by giving us three protagonists, and I believe the decision was extremely successful.
The trio of Franklin, Trevor, and Michael is among the most memorable in video game history, particularly for the way they work together seamlessly without needing to be subservient to each other to have any value. Following their crazy stories is fantastic from beginning to end, and I would say that watching them interact is even better.
Fortunately, the gameplay differences between each character go beyond just stats and special abilities, as they directly relate to the surrounding context. Since each character has a different background and personality, you feel like everything changes: the cars they drive, the missions they can undertake, their interactions with other NPCs, and even the simple vibe of wandering around Los Santos.
I think it’s valid to feel there isn’t much gameplay differentiation between characters when it comes to shooting or driving, but ultimately, the true appeal of Grand Theft Auto 5 lies in the freedom of its gameplay and the satire of its universe, and in both respects, it remains unmatched.
6 Assassin’s Creed
A Duality of Timelines
I don’t have a sharp enough memory to recall if Assassin’s Creed was my first game without one main protagonist, but I do remember how utterly mind-blowing its concept was.
The whole idea of reliving past events that allowed you to travel through time while being a guinea pig for a multinational corporation in the present was truly unique, especially since both Desmond and Altaïr are amazing in their own way.
While Desmond’s gameplay is confined to puzzles and conversations, practically straight out of a point-and-click adventure experience, Altaïr exploits the game’s action-adventure core gameplay loop, creating distinct sequences that enhance the overall concept of being two people at the same time.
Switching between characters provided the necessary changes in pace to prevent Assassin’s Creed from revealing its limitations too quickly; a masterful design decision that reminds us how incredibly skilled Ubisoft was back then.
5 Absolum
A Passionate Modern Classic
From the first second I touched Absolum, I noticed two things: first, that Hades‘ influence on the roguelite genre is undeniably strong these days, and second, that the title is simply stunning.
I’m sure the idea of having multiple protagonists stems from the desire for diverse playstyles to enhance both the individual and cooperative experience, which they achieve brilliantly with four wonderful and well-differentiated classes.
However, far from simply offering playable variety, the game goes further, giving them a remarkable backstory, materialized through conversations they have with each other in the game’s hub that feel genuinely natural and engaging.
The reasons for playing with one or the other go beyond their different approaches, special abilities, strengths, and weaknesses; the path you follow changes to complete each one’s side missions, motivating you to explore builds and passages you probably wouldn’t otherwise touch.
To be honest, I don’t think it was necessary because the procedurally generated beat ’em up gameplay is refined to the extreme, but it speaks volumes about the developers who went the extra mile to make Absolum even more iconic.
4 Borderlands 2
Vault Hunters for All Tastes
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say playing Borderlands 2‘s multiplayer is one of the most memorable and lengthy experiences in video game history, because what a blessed marvel it was.
There are many reasons to fondly remember the best looter shooter ever created, including its spot-on humor, its perfect antagonist, its colorful universe, and its addictive loot system, but also its quartet of protagonists.
Axton, Maya, Salvador, and Zer0 are iconic from the very first scene, where they appear to the strains of “Short Change Hero” in an opening that is a clear statement of intent, both in terms of gameplay—easily defining each character’s class—and narrative, as they are all ruthless Vault Hunters.
And indeed, each character has their own distinct personality and mechanical style, making them stand out in matches with friends and even in new solo runs, so there are even more reasons to think Borderlands 2 is simply magnificent.
3 Warriors Orochi 3
Infinite Possibilities
I don’t know if it’s fair to include a Musou game on this list, considering it’s a genre that literally thrives on having hundreds of characters with dozens of parallel storylines, but I know it’s always fair to praise Warriors Orochi 3.
Certainly, whatever I say about it, I could also say about any game in the genre, although I feel this particular installment best balances the countless protagonists with a ferocious and frenetic gameplay that makes you never want to stop playing.
How easy it is to become familiar with the characters’ movements and want to exploit their abilities is surprising, since there’s nothing quite like becoming a general from the Three Kingdoms era and destroying armies of 3,000 soldiers with flashy sword strikes and beams of energy that seem to appear out of nowhere.
Warriors Orochi 3 is not about realism, but about power fantasy, one that it manages to achieve through numerous swordsmen, archers, mages, juggernauts, gunmen, and other characters who, although it may not seem so, share the narrative spotlight of the plot (with their favorites, but still).
2 Fear & Hunger
Four Souls in Pain
It seems four protagonists is the magic number that games of this style often use, as the dark yet wonderful Fear & Hunger also features a quartet of characters.
My description of them is typical, with each having its own distinct aesthetic and mechanics to master, but what’s astounding is how the game’s plot works with four main characters, because it doesn’t focus on them, but rather on the dungeons themselves.
By focusing on the Dungeons of Fear and Hunger, every story that unfolds within them becomes relevant, and the way it connects the backgrounds and destinies of these four unfortunate souls, even if mostly through text, makes Fear & Hunger a marvel of storytelling with phenomenal lore.
If we add to that the fact that it’s impossible to compare each playthrough due to differences in builds, possible interactions with the environment, conversations, and so on, it makes me want to say that the only way to truly experience Fear & Hunger is by playing it at least once with each character.
The stories of Cahara, D’arce, Enki, and Ragnvaldr are relevant both individually and collectively, so much so that the game truly invites you to experience them all to discover how this decadent world really works. Having to go through the dungeons four times is heartbreaking, but believe me, it’s worth it.
1 Slay the Spire
Cards for Everyone
Unlike all the previous games, Slay the Spire eschews narrative formalities and focuses much more emphatically on its gameplay, and the results are spectacular.
The four playable classes are literally four entirely distinct archetypes, each with its own special cards and unique approaches that change how you approach the game thoroughly.
They all face the same enemies, decisions, rewards, and bosses, but I can’t overstate how different it is to experience it all with a warrior who builds up shields until he’s immortal versus an assassin who plays 40 cards per turn.
While a mechanic can be extremely powerful for one character, the same mechanic can be the reason for another’s death, and that applies to relics, special enemy abilities, and even your own play style, because so many systems converge that it’s impossible for two circumstances to be repeated.
Slay the Spire is the best deck-building roguelike ever created, and that’s no accident. It’s the natural consequence of having four protagonists whose branching paths create a gameplay system with unlimited viable and engaging opportunities, something that’s almost impossible to achieve.
