Video Games That Have Displayed Impeccable Character Development

I’m a huge fan of games that get somewhere meaningful with their respective storylines and aren’t just a word vomit of horrible writing and humdrum narrative like Forspoken, which unequivocally features one of the most unlikeable protagonists in gaming of all time. That’s why you’ll always find me on the lookout for experiences worth writing home about, and as that came to happen, I’ve picked up a few recommendations for you along the way.

Games that showcase some of the best character developments will always stay near and dear to me, therefore, for having displayed such works of art, that you can’t help but immerse yourself significantly into the worlds they offer.

Talk About Sensational Character Growth That Sticks With You

If you find yourself on the same page as me, make sure to post a comment ahead, and talk about other games that propose character development in such high-class manner.

1. The Last Of Us

A decade-old franchise that’s still staying relevant in 2024 thanks to newer iterations, The Last of Us is a personal favorite IP for when one sits down to talk about character focus and progress. The first game focuses the spotlight on two characters, Joel and Ellie, with the former grouped with the latter in a heart-rending story of betrayal, survival, and sheer human desperation.

Somewhere along the lines, a bond is formed, with little Ellie there growing up to be quite the level-headed warrior, but as for her partner, things don’t go too well on that front. In the second game, which is The Last of Us 2, the same Ellie is shown to have made strides on a personal level, and the fact that we get to play as her now in the sequel is magnificent in its own right, though there are some shortcomings that haven’t exactly won players over.

eXputer reviewed The Last of Us 2 Remastered and rated it 5/5, with author Haris Umer remarking,

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a must-buy for PS4 owners since it is a $10$ upgrade, and the No Return mode alone makes it worth it.”

2. God Of War

While everyone is entitled to have an opinion, I fail to understand the logic behind some fans bashing the progress that Kratos has made over the years. No, he’s not a mass-murdering weapon of the Greek gods anymore. He’s just an older man trying to do right by himself while fathering a son, though certain misgivings will lead that man to pull out his older self here and there (I’m looking at you, Heimdall).

God of War from 2018 puts the spotlight on Kratos like never before, because, from the past trilogy from that point backward, Kratos’ rage and mindless hate knew no bounds. After destroying the Greek pantheon from the face of existence and attempting to kill himself afterward, Kratos found himself waking up in Midgard, meeting a woman whom he’d later call his wife.

The God of War reboot, therefore, is a story of how that man tries to turn his life around following a past full of trauma, and there’s nothing more beautiful than that, especially with Ragnarok — the sequel, which by the way, is a masterpiece in its own right — where Kratos’ redemption arrives swift.

3. The Walking Dead

You’re going to get some growth out of Clementine in this one, so before I start spoiling a lot of stuff for you, better pick up the masterpiece that is recognized as The Walking Dead. It’s an adventure-horror series divided into 5 different parts, with the entire emphasis of the franchise being on the story and the characters revolving around it the whole time.

There are just so many heart-wrenching moments in the game, you can’t help but get teary-eyed, but hey, that’s the mark of a successful game right there, one that I’m keen on revisiting every now and then.

4. Mass Effect

Being one of the most first-class Western RPG trilogies, I really recommend players try getting into the Mass Effect IP and just stand to witness the sheer unpredictability of all of it. Certain characters coming to terms with their trauma, while others offering an even more satisfying conclusion, are some of the main highlights of the Mass Effect games that I genuinely think you should not be skipping.

Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong,” said Morgin in Mass Effect 2.