In all media forms, long-running franchises develop, either as a reflection of cultural changes or simply to take a new direction for a story. While serials like Tomb Raider and naturally Mario too viscerally tied to their icons for their mainstays to completely move on, plenty of video game franchises have swapped protagonists over the decades. Devil May Cry, Solid metal gearboxand Ninja Gaiden they all relegated their great heroes to secondary or non-existent players.
We have seen a slight increase in the last decade the male-led game series is shifting to female MCsand it looks set to continue God of War Laufey and The Witcher 4. This trend is by no means extremely common and tends to occur after the original hero's story has reached its natural conclusion (for now). Although it is rarer, sometimes the opposite also happens, s Resonant control be a current example.
Let's highlight a few major franchises that decided to give their men a break and introduce a female protagonist, even if the rotation only lasted a game or two.
Pac-Man Ms. Pac-Man
Original male to female switch
Yeah, this trend by no means started in the current century; in fact, the first major mascot-driven franchise gender-bended its protagonist for its very first sequel. Pac Man's legacy is set in stone, paving the way Ms. Pac-Man to the perfection of the formula. With smarter AI and less predictable mazes, the sequel helped broaden the appeal of the games in general and proved to be just as important as the first entry.
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Now, in reality, Ms. Pac-Man is just Pac-Man with a pink bow and lipstick, and they effectively play the same way. Still, she became an icon in her own right and even starred in several stand-alone plays at the turn of the century. Pac-Man has never ceased to be considered the main mascot of the franchise, but his wife's influence on gaming should not be underestimated.
The Walking Dead – Lee To Clementine
It was always Clementine's story
At times these transitions can be a bit clunky, but the absolute best franchises seamlessly integrate the Switch into their stories. the definitive Telltale masterpiece, The Walking Dead, handled the passing of the torch better than any other game series, with Lee effectively devoting all of his time to preparing Clementine for a future without him. Throughout Season 1, Lee (and the players) are constantly making decisions designed to shape her character and turn her into a true survivor, along with creating a very strong emotional connection between the two main characters.
By the time the switch occurs, Clementine is already feeling herself The Walking Dead's protagonist, and she will more than succeed in holding the franchise together for the next few seasons. We see how this scared eight-year-old girl became a hardened survivor, a journey spread over roughly ten years. Fantastic stuff.
The Last of Us – Joel To Ellie
Perhaps the most famous protagonist switch in gaming history
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The last of us part 2
Systems
10/10
- Released
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June 19, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and gore, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language, drug use
Essentially, The last of us followed The Walking Dead's plan as Joel stepped aside to let Ellie take charge. Famously, this transition proved to be a bit polarizing, but that's not really the point of this article. Even in the first game, Ellie is by far the most important character, whose existence serves as the inciting incident as well as the reason for Joel's gradual transformation. It even got its own extended section “Winter”, which happens to be the best chapter in the series, along with a starring role in the brilliant “Left Behind” extension.
The last of us tells perhaps the most popular surrogate father/daughter story in gaming history and Part 2 explores the consequences of this dynamic. Since the reveal and marketing of the sequel, Naughty Dog has put Ellie front and center, showing that she would make it into the lead role. This shift translated into an improved combat system that emphasized agility and stealth over brute force, with the latter reserved for Abby's sections.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
Dishonored – Emily & Corvo
Corvo shares the spotlight with Emily
Okay, let's do something a little different. Corvo will not disappear from the numbered Dishonored records and serves as the sequel's dual protagonist with Emily. Players will soon decide whether to play through the campaign as one or the other, and both have fully developed, unique skill sets that provide endless freedom to approach scenarios.
In terms of gameplay, Corvo and Emily are both completely valid options; story-wise the latter fits just a little better because it has a more personal dynamic with the main villain Delilah. Originally by Arkane Studios, according to this 2016 Mashable article conceived Dishonored 2 as Emily's play, with Corvo appearing as a secondary protagonist anrange.
at this point Dishonored 3 that seems unlikely to happen, although there is always the hope that another entry would take place.
Silent Hill – Harry To Heather
He stepped aside for his daughter
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Silent Hill
Systems- Released
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January 31, 1999
- ESRB
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M Mature 17+ due to animated blood and gore, animated violence
- Engine
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Unreal Engine
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Silent Hill 3
- Released
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August 6, 2003
- ESRB
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M For adults 17+ due to blood and gore, violence
- Engine
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incredible engine
for the most part Quiet Hill he says standalone stories that introduce new protagonists, almost all of whom are male. Konami set Silent Hill 3 unlike the rest of the series in several ways. First, it's a direct sequel to the original game. Second, it moves away from the “everyman” protagonist archetype that established its predecessors. Finally, it is the only entry of the first 7 to feature a female lead.
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Like Harry's daughter who was introduced at the end Silent HillHeather stood out in appearance and demeanor as a relatively realistic 17-year-old girl, which also helped set her apart from Resident Evilfamous female heroes. Her vulnerability infused with horror created an incredibly intense psychological experience full of incredible imagery.
Nier – Gestalt To 2B
Nier:Automata made the series a household name
Every franchise mentioned in this article was already very successful when they made the transition… except Kidney. don't get me wrong Drakengard and the 2010 game earned a cult following, but were certainly nowhere near the big hits.
Then, Nier: Automata arrived and immediately catapulted the series into relative superstardom. 2B became Kidneyface, completely overshadowing both former protagonists. in 2017 Vending machines had has already sold over 2 million copies, which is an absurd amount for what used to be an incredible niche IP. Obviously, this number is much higher these days. The success of the sequel even gave its predecessor a second chance at life thanks to the remake.
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