10 Games Where You Aren’t the Main Hero of the Story

Likelihood is that the majority of your favourite video games contain you being the principle hero of the story. Maybe the playable character is supposed to save lots of the world, or perhaps they’ve a singular expertise or capacity that nobody else has.

However what concerning the video games the place that accountability falls to another person? Whereas it is empowering to have such greatness thrust upon you, among the most satisfying video games are those the place you influence the world not directly or allow another person to take action.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion‘s intro is past unbelievable, each in presentation and the way it eases you into its world. Your journey begins in a jail cell, and it simply so occurs the king is secretly leaving the citadel by means of a passageway solely accessible out of your cell. Upon assembly you, he remarks on how he is seen you in his desires and beckons you to come back with. This has all of the makings of you being a sort of chosen one, however truly that function belongs to the king’s illegitimate son, Martin.

Your journey all through Cyrodil revolves round discovering Martin and the occasions that unfold afterward. It is unfair to say your character is not influential, because you’re even acknowledged in-game because the “Hero of Kvatch,” however Martin is the important thing to Cyrodil’s future, whilst you play a extra supportive function.

Fortunately, when you’ve by no means performed, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was concurrently introduced and launched in April 2025, and makes a compelling case as to why the gaming world needs more shadow drops.

Associated

The World Needs More Bethesda Remasters (Here’s Which Games They Should Work On Next)

Shut the gates to Oblivion (and open doorways to future remasters).

9

Remaining Fantasy X

The humorous factor about Final Fantasy X is how the sport emphasizes its occasions being Tidus’ story, regardless of that not solely being the case. Tidus could also be a important character, however he’s a guardian to Yuna, a summoner embarking on her pilgrimage to acquire the facility wanted to save lots of the world. Particularly, Yuna travels throughout all of Spira to assist deliver concerning the Calm, a interval of respite from the calamity often known as Sin.

Make no mistake, Tidus is crucial to the story, particularly given his ties to a number of plot-critical characters. What occurs within the recreation’s climax is because of his affect, and he’s undoubtedly a hero, however the narrative is primarily centered on Yuna. You spend a great chunk of the sport accompanying her from temple to temple as she acquires extra energy within the type of Aeons, and the sport can’t transfer ahead with out her.

8

Legend of Mana

Legend of Mana encompasses a silent protagonist because the participant character, who may be both male or feminine. The Mana Tree, which offers mana and life for the complete world, burned down a whole bunch of years earlier than the sport begins. The protagonist needs to revive the world and does so by aiding sure characters all through three important quest arcs, in addition to a ultimate arc.

Notably, there isn’t a data given about your character, and their silent nature offers no clues about their persona or background. They serve extra as an enabler and assist for the opposite characters within the story, who all play a vital function in restoring the Mana Tree.

7

The Final of Us Half I

Regardless of solely controlling her for a quick time frame (within the first recreation, at the very least), Ellie is the principle hero in The Last of Us Part I. Much like Remaining Fantasy X, you play as a bodyguard principally the complete recreation. After it’s found that Ellie is the one recognized particular person resistant to the Cordyceps an infection that has devastated the world, Joel is employed to guard her. Your purpose is to regroup with the Fireflies, a faction that goals to reverse-engineer a vaccine able to curing those that change into contaminated.

Joel is something however virtuous, and even calling him a hero is a stretch contemplating how cynical and ruthless he’s. As you journey all through the sport, you uncover that Joel has killed many individuals. At one level in his life, he and his brother had been no higher than raiders, regularly setting traps to homicide and rob anybody unlucky sufficient to cross.

Joel is actually a important character, however he positively is not a hero. Every thing in The Final of Us Half I revolves round Ellie and the potential affect she will have on the world.

Associated

10 PlayStation Games With Perfect Movie and TV Tie-Ins

Do not simply play your favourite video games, watch them too.

6

Halo 3: ODST

The actual fact your in-game character is called “Rookie” in Halo 3: ODST (an Xbox game you probably never played, but should) tells you all the things you could learn about your function within the story. Although Rookie is the principle character, the majority of the sport is definitely skilled by means of a sequence of flashbacks.

The story begins in New Mombasa as he awakens after being knocked unconscious from his bumpy touchdown. You then scour the town to try to discover totally different beacons, every of which is related to one among his squadmates indirectly. Upon discovering a beacon, you’re taking management of the comrade in query to piece collectively what occurred whereas Rookie was out chilly.

Not solely do you play as a number of characters all through the Halo 3: ODST’s marketing campaign, you’re noticeably weaker than sequence protagonist Grasp Chief on account of being an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper. That is to not say that shock troopers within the Halo universe cannot be heroic, however Rookie’s exploits aren’t noteworthy within the long-run.

5

Remaining Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age

Vaan is fascinating in that he’s a important character in Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age, however not essentially important to the story’s narrative. Starting the story as nothing greater than a road urchin, Vaan will get swept up in a battle between the Kingdom of Dalmasca and the Archadian Empire. Ashe, inheritor to the Dalmascan throne, heads a resistance motion to fend off the Archadians and reclaim her throne. Vaan’s companions, notably Ashe, Balthier, and Basch, are all key gamers relating to what befalls Ivalice. Even Balthier feedback about how he is the “main man” of the story.

Within the grand scheme of issues, Vaan is extra of an exterior observer, or a self-insert of the participant into the sport’s universe. His relative ignorance of the world offers straightforward methods for different characters to elucidate what is going on on to him with out the participant getting misplaced. He does assist advance the plot and has many vital moments within the story, however the better focus is on Ashe and her purpose of liberating Dalmasca.

4

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Xenoblade Chrnoicles X begins with you creating an avatar character, recognized by default as Cross. As the sport begins, you are woke up by Elma, the chief of BLADE (Builders of the Legacy After the Destruction of Earth) and introduced again to New Los Angeles. Earlier than you already know it, Cross turns into a member of BLADE underneath Elma’s command and embarks on a variety of missions and adventures.

Although the missions you participate in have a monumental influence on the world, you’re finally part of Elma’s group. Elma’s squadmates contribute in massive methods, however she is the narrative’s main focus and what happens within the story wouldn’t happen with out her.

3

Fireplace Emblem: Awakening

In Fireplace Emblem: Awakening, the avatar character (canonically often known as Robin) performs a pivotal function within the story, however continues to be second to Chrom and Lucina. A descendant of the Hero King, Marth, Chrom is Ylisse’s prince who leads a vigilante group often known as the Shepherds that shield the dominion. Chrom finds Robin handed out in a discipline and affected by amnesia, who then travels with the Sheperds, serving as their strategist.

Issues get extra sophisticated as soon as Lucina, Chrom’s daughter from the longer term, makes an look to stop her father from being killed as he was in her time. I will chorus from spoiling the story too closely, however Robin is actually an integral a part of the plot. When Robin’s identification is revealed, he does change into a focus, however Chrom and Lucina are nonetheless those taking heart stage as they save the current and the longer term collectively.

2

Remaining Fantasy Techniques

Remaining Fantasy Techniques could appear to be an odd inclusion on this listing, however in keeping with the in-game information, the principle character is a heretic. Ramza Beoulve was born into the revered Home Beoulve and, regardless of his place as a noble, he rapidly turned pals with Delita Heiral, a commoner. Whereas Ramza initially fights to honor and uphold his household identify, his motivations change as soon as he sees how twisted and unfair the world actually is, notably to folks like Delita.

Ramza and Delita symbolize two very totally different strains of pondering and strategies of creating the world a greater place. Delita believes it’s acceptable to govern others to result in good and Ramza tries to attain that very same finish by means of virtuous means, it doesn’t matter what.

Each characters search to alter society for the higher, however Ramza’s strategies are extra overt, ensuing within the church branding him a heretic. In the meantime, Delita finally turns into king, courtesy of his crafty and scheming. Ramza finally saves all of Ivalice, however his deeds and identification are virtually fully omitted from historical past, so he technically is not a hero in any respect.

1

Gothic

Gothic is a brutal RPG the place you start as a no person and the world is actively attempting to benefit from you. The sport begins along with your character being sentenced to a mining colony as a prisoner for an unmentioned crime. Earlier than serving your time, you obtain a letter and are instructed to ship it to the Order of the Magicians of Fireplace, a job that begins your journey.

As Gothic’s plot progresses, you do change into respected, nevertheless. I will keep away from spoilers, however there’s a cause the sport refers back to the important character because the Anonymous Hero. Nonetheless, it’s an arduous journey and one the place it takes an inordinate quantity of labor for different characters to even acknowledge you, a lot much less discuss with you as heroic.

Although it is good to be the principle hero of a narrative, generally it is simply as satisfying to be alongside for the trip. Most of the finest video games round are those the place your actions could not have straight modified the world, however helped these whose actions may. Whether or not it is for a good friend or to guard somebody much more expensive to you, the emotional influence of being there for them outweighs the satisfaction of saving the world any day of the week.