Ever experienced some sort of deja vu when playing a new game on your PC or gaming laptop about the character you’re controlling? Have you played something similar to him or her? Perhaps, it’s because that video game protagonist falls into one of these five popular stereotype video game characters.
Commoner Who Becomes a Hero
It is very usual to encounter this type of character in fantasy-genre video games. The typical commoner who wakes up one day and discover that he is bound to fulfill a special destiny. We’ve seen it happen in the Legend of Zelda with Link who happens to be the “Hero of Time.” It’s the same case with Jin of Tekken who is a descent from the Mishima bloodline and possesses the Devil Gene. This type of heroes usually is the best one since you get to see their character develop and grow as the story progresses.
The Damsel-in-Distress
From Super Mario’s Peach to Bioshock’s Elizabeth, we’ve usually seen them as the love interest of the male protagonist. They present the helpless female who constantly needs to be saved by the hero from danger. Although their helplessness bothers us, we all know that we need this damsel-in-distress because they are the ones who give the hero a purpose to continue their journey. It’s through their promise of love that the hero endures all the obstacles and problems that come to him.
Noble Warrior Who Wants to Save The Kingdom
This archetype is usually found in old games. This type of character often falls down into three categories: king, prince, or knight. Their plotline usually starts with a villain taking over their kingdom or throne, probably killing their family too in the same process. To save their kingdom, they must go on a journey and meet other compelling characters that will help them with their mission. One example of this stereotype character is The Prince of the popular video game franchise, Prince of Persia.
The Vengeful Character
There is something about tragedy that writers don’t get tired of using on their script or stories. Their tragic backstories make us feel sorry for them and sympathize with their feelings. It helps us understand their sentiments and drive us to finish their story to see if they’re going to get their revenge. Kratos from the God of War is one of the well-written vengeful characters in the history of gaming. He has this unique relationship with a vengeance that makes his story much more interesting.
A Strong Woman Who Fights
Sometimes, we all want to see a woman who can fight on her own. The independent one who refuses to be the damsel-in-distress and doesn’t need a man to save her. One video game character who seems to embody all these characteristics is the famous Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series. In all the game, she was depicted as an intelligent and strong woman who travels around the world, exploring ancient artifacts and saving them from falling into the wrong hands.
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Admit it, you’ve encountered these types of characters video games. Although their concept has been recycled several times, each character in video games has their own backstory and a one-of-a-kind journey all worth discovering.