Best Non-Superhero Games With Super-Powered Protagonists, Ranked

Key Takeaways

Games like Quantum Break and Dishonored offer unique experiences with super-powered protagonists.
Second Sight and Saints Row 4 feature intriguing stories and engaging gameplay with superpowers.
Prototype and InFamous showcase anti-hero protagonists with powerful abilities in open-world settings.

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for superhero sandboxes and open-world adventures, I must say that these games truly embody the spirit of being a cybernetic peacekeeper or a superpowered hero.

As a gamer, I can’t help but resonate with the shared dream of becoming a real-life superhero. While there’s no shortage of games that let us soar through the skies and save the day, it’s rare to find one that immerses us in the complex moral quandaries of being an unregistered hero.

For those seeking extraordinary, unconventional experiences beyond typical heroic tales, fear not! There’s an abundance of alternatives if you’ve already tackled conventional heroic classics. Whether it’s channeling electricity against a tyrannical regime or employing potent telekinetic skills to fling the nearest fire extinguisher at spectral beings from another realm, these are some exceptional games featuring protagonists who possess super-powered abilities, but aren’t traditional superheroes.

8 Quantum Break

Control Time Itself

Following an unfortunate turn of events during a scientific experiment, Jack Joyce acquires the unique ability to control time completely. Throughout the game, players can utilize different powers, such as making adversaries move slowly or moving certain environmental elements back to their original positions – this seamlessly integrates with both gameplay and exploration.

Remedy’s games are recognized for their innovative concepts and integration of real-life storytelling into gameplay, making titles like “Quantum Break” a distinctive gaming experience. The ability to manipulate time, although seldom found in many video games because of its potent nature, is skillfully managed in this game to give players a sense of power without overwhelming them.

7 Second Sight

Mind-Bending Psychic Abilities

Second Sight is a little-remembered gem from the PlayStation 2 era that boasts exceptional superpowered gameplay. John Vattic finds himself in a research facility with amnesia, a common horror for video game protagonists. Equipped with newly acquired telekinetic and telepathic skills, it’s his mission to unearth the truth about his past and discover how he ended up there.

The narrative of the game Second Sight is intriguingly engaging, yet it’s the environmental puzzle-solving utilizing the protagonist’s abilities that truly captivates. John Vattic, while not typically a pacifist or action hero, often leans towards stealth in this game by Free Radical Design. The adventure offers a mental challenge as players strategize their escape from various scenarios. With powers such as possession of enemies, projection of psionic duplicates to unlock doors, and more, it’s not an all-out power showcase, but rather a thrilling reality-warping experience.

6 Dishonored

Blink And They’ll Miss It

Following the acquisition of the Outsider’s Mark, Corvo Attano gains access to a range of potent skills during his mission to expose and overthrow the corrupt rulers in Dunwall. These abilities include transporting himself, conjuring swarms of rats, or even momentarily halting time itself.

In the game Dishonored, Arkane Studios’ signature style of intricate sandbox level design is evident, making Corvo’s powers stand out. There’s seldom a single method for dealing with adversaries; players can choose to leap onto rooftops and steer clear of them entirely, maintaining their peaceful, non-lethal streak – or they can discover how many heads they can decapitate before the flow of time resumes. Being an assassin endowed with supernatural powers on a mission for vengeance is as satisfying as it appears in Dishonored.

5 Control

Armed With Telekinesis & A Shapeshifting Pistol

In the supernaturally haunted Bureau of Control, Jesse Faden acquires diverse potent telekinetic skills and a versatile weapon that alters its form based on the user’s requirements.

Engaging in thrilling and intense battles centered around Jesse’s newly acquired powers, this game offers one of the most enjoyable and liberating superhero experiences available. As Jesse advances, she gains access to numerous enhancements for her telekinesis, from tossing desk chairs to soaring through the air. The thought-provoking psychological horror narrative could easily be a part of an “Alan Wake” novel, but the exhilaration derived from these new abilities is soon tempered by the formidable forces of The Hiss.

4 Crackdown

The Cyborg Peacekeepers

Experiencing the thrill of playing an unyielding, cybernetically advanced Police Officer character, tasked with restoring order in a metropolis engulfed by lawlessness and chaos, is as exhilarating as it seems. Crackdown offers a genuine superhero environment that prioritizes gameplay over storytelling. As you progress, your abilities are enhanced by exploration; whether it involves gathering orbs to increase your jump height or ultimately lifting a car overhead against an Agent.

Over time, enhancing an Agent’s abilities significantly transforms the player-chosen character. This could mean improving their armor or, in a somewhat peculiar twist, making the character appear older. The game encourages exploration, and the main gameplay mechanics offer a consistently satisfying experience. There is an extensive variety of weapons, vehicles, and creative methods to bring tranquility to the fictional city of Pacific City.

3 Saints Row 4

Former Gang Member Turned Presidential Superhero

In a departure from the Grand Theft Auto-style criminal-ridden open world that once defined the Saints Row series, it’s only fitting that the main character and head of the Third Street Saints ascends to the presidency during an alien invasion scenario, which could be likened to his character in The Matrix.

In the virtual cityscape of Steelport, Saints Row 4 stood out as an exceptional open-world game with a superhero twist during its era. As The Boss, you engage in combat against an alien invasion that has seized control of Earth. Employing diverse abilities like super speed, strength, and telekinesis, you’ll find yourself immersed in a satisfying sandbox experience. The game offers endless opportunities for chaos and entertainment, making it one of the most enjoyable superhero-themed titles available.

2 Prototype

Controlling Biomass Is Cooler Than It Sounds

One of the most prolific settings in gaming, New York, is plagued by a zombie outbreak, and the protagonist, Alex Mercer, is the only one who can stop it. Though Mercer definitely walks the line of an anti-hero, there’s a reason he is frequently mentioned in discussions about the coolest main characters in gaming.

Capable of assimilating and adopting the appearance of anyone nearby, and having the ability to morph different parts of his body into sharp, pointy extremities – it’s evident that Alex Mercer draws influence from Radical Entertainment’s past superhero game, “The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.” While Alex Mercer isn’t as fast as a bullet, he can certainly outrun most things, and scaling tall buildings is just another day in his life. He possesses strength greater than that of a locomotive train.

1 The InFamous Franchise

From Throwing Lightning To Slinging Smoke

In the world created by SuckerPunch Studios, characters like Cole MacGrath, the renowned one, and Desmond Rowe, the graffiti master, have always been central. These individuals possess an extraordinary ability – they can manipulate and control elements, such as transforming into vibrant neon or harnessing electricity itself.

The karma system in this game provides flexibility for players’ decisions to shape the game’s outcomes, and as the narrative unfolds, characters’ skills can become more potent. In other words, whether you prefer a peaceful approach where you shock the bad guys’ ankles or choose a destructive path by setting everything ablaze, there are no limitations on molding your super-powered urban adventure to your liking.

2024-10-29 02:35