Games Where The Main Character Isn’t The Hero

We often play video games as heroes – brave warriors and selfless saviors. But sometimes, games feature characters who aren’t so clear-cut. They operate in a gray area, where it’s hard to tell right from wrong, and their actions are driven by survival, even if it means causing destruction. These characters don’t always offer uplifting stories, but they resonate with players because they make us think about difficult issues.

Sometimes, the hero of the story isn’t actually a hero at all. Here are 8 games featuring main characters who are driven by selfish desires, make tough choices, or are simply villains – proving that you don’t need to be ‘good’ to be the protagonist.

Spec Ops: The Line

War Crimes In The Sand

Spec Ops: The Line begins as a typical military shooter, but quickly becomes a disturbing and thought-provoking experience. Players control Captain Martin Walker, sent to Dubai to rescue civilians, but his choices consistently result in horrific events. This forces players to confront a difficult question: are they a hero, or are they responsible for terrible acts? The game’s infamous use of white phosphorus is a particularly shocking example of Walker’s descent into darkness.

The game cleverly subverts expectations by initially portraying Walker as a classic hero, then gradually revealing his flaws. By the end, it’s unclear if his actions were motivated by altruism or self-interest. Very few games, like *Spec Ops: The Line*, challenge players to question the ethics of the hero and their own involvement.

The Last of Us Part 2

Revenge Is A Poisoned Blade

Four years after the original game, Ellie has grown up and is haunted by past trauma, especially the death of Joel. Driven by a desire for revenge, she relentlessly pursues Abby, the person responsible. This pursuit leads to an endless loop of violence, and the game forces players to see the repercussions of Ellie’s actions as well as Abby’s side of the story.

Rather than offering the satisfying release you’d typically find in a revenge tale, *The Last of Us Part 2* leaves you feeling drained and sorrowful. Ellie’s actions lead to her becoming lonely and emotionally shattered, and by the game’s end, it’s difficult to view her as a hero. Naughty Dog subverts expectations by focusing the story on the main character’s tragic decline.

Disco Elysium

A Deranged Dysfunctional Detective

Most games don’t start with you as a failure, but *Disco Elysium* does. You play as Harry Du Bois, who wakes up with a terrible hangover and complete amnesia in a wrecked hotel room-and he’s immediately assigned to investigate a murder. The player decides whether to help him get his life back on track or let him descend further into chaos.

The game is compelling because Harry is deeply flawed. He’s a messed-up, sometimes funny, and definitely not someone to look up to. Even if players try to help him become a better person, he remains a complex character, far from a perfect hero. This is what makes him a classic anti-hero, and *Disco Elysium* showcases this brilliantly.

Overlord

Evil Has Minions Too

Instead of the typical hero’s journey, *Overlord* offers a unique and surprisingly fun twist on the RPG formula. Rather than playing the noble knight, you take control of the ‘monsters’ – leading goblins and other creatures to raid villages, collect loot, and overpower anyone who tries to stop them.

The game makes it clear: you play as the bad guy, and that’s what makes it so fun. Sending little imps to steal from sheep is ridiculous, funny, and surprisingly satisfying. It’s unusual to play a strategy game where you’re *supposed* to be evil, and this game leans into that with a dark, comedic spin.

Manhunt

Blood Stains On Every Corner

In the disturbing game Manhunt, players control James Earl Cash, a man forced to participate in gruesome snuff films directed by a cruel filmmaker. The goal is to survive by committing brutal murders using whatever makeshift weapons you can find – all while being filmed. Any feeling of being a hero vanishes the moment you commit your first act of violence, like suffocating someone with a plastic bag.

The game’s gritty visuals actually enhance its disturbing mood. Levels don’t feel carefully crafted; instead, they seem thrown together for a shocking spectacle. Forget any heroic fantasies – the main character isn’t a savior, but someone who inflicts pain, and the player is drawn into that violence. *Manhunt* is intentionally unpleasant, and that’s what makes it so haunting and memorable, even after you stop playing.

Prototype

A Walking Plague

Alex Mercer is a mysterious figure who wakes up with amnesia and an incredible ability: he can transform his body into deadly weapons, easily destroying anything in his path. While he appears to be a man haunted by his lost memories, the truth is far more shocking – he’s the origin of a dangerous virus rapidly spreading throughout New York City.

The gameplay in *Prototype* brilliantly reflects the main character’s complete lack of empathy. Mercer can absorb anyone, taking on their appearance, memories, and abilities without hesitation. It’s incredibly engaging to cause chaos without worrying about who you hurt, but the game powerfully makes you realize you *are* the disaster, not the one trying to stop it.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

Criminal Minds At Work

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men centers around two criminals, hardly heroes, who are simply fighting to stay alive. Kane is a former soldier with a tarnished reputation, and Lynch is dangerously unstable. The game isn’t a story of turning things around, but a gritty look at how far two desperate men will go when faced with betrayal, greed, and violence.

The relationship between the two main characters is turbulent and filled with conflict, but this tension is what makes the story so interesting. They aren’t meant to be heroes you root for – the game deliberately strips away the typical polish of action heroes, presenting players with two flawed and damaged men just trying to survive.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The Rules Of Nature Demand Bloodshed

In *Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance*, Raiden is a far cry from his earlier self. Everything he stood for since 2001 is gone, replaced by a cold, detached killer. As he becomes more machine than man, he also loses his sense of right and wrong. He knowingly kills to serve the interests of others, and doesn’t care about saving the world – he’s simply okay with being a weapon.

The game leans heavily into its grim themes with incredibly violent combat. Raiden brutally dismembers his foes and confronts enemies who represent the consequences of his past actions, but he’s still positioned as the ‘good guy’ simply by defeating them. When the game reveals its connection to Jack the Ripper, players understand they aren’t controlling a heroic figure, but a ruthless and effective weapon devoid of morality.

2025-09-25 06:05