So games are based on fiction, and every good story needs characters. Maybe, but the characters in games are much different than those in its cousin medias such as movies or videogames. Indeed, the game hero is not just the lead character of the story, but, rather, the representation of the player in the game environment. The relationship that the player can establish with the game hero is, therefore, crucial, as the personality of the hero can draw the player into the game, or rather turn the player away from the whole experience.

While, in many games, there is no specific reflection on the character, other than graphic considerations, some developers have learned to create truly compelling heroes. Heroes "that work" have three dimensions:
 Toys. Players do what they want with them and it’s fun.
 Representations of self, used to take the player into the story.
 Idols. So cool that players develop a fan/idol relationship with them.

Heroes "that work" are excellent in all three dimensions: take Dante from Devil May Cry, or Cloud from Final Fantasy VII. Some other heroes don’t do as well but are still quite attractive. And then some, quite frankly, just don’t cut it, and better design decisions could have saved the game.

Hero as toy

The first videogames were just elaborate toys, and so were their heroes. Just like other aspects of game mechanics, not much thought was put into specific narrative aspects of the games’ main protagonists. They were just tools at the disposition of players.

Honestly, they were more : they were toys. They were fun and enjoyable to watch and to use. Players didn’t really feel as if they were or at least incarnated the character - they didn’t have the emotional substance to do so. Rather, they liked to control that sprite on the screen, just like driving an RC car is fun. Good toys are also versatile and full of surprises. When Nintendo released Super Mario Bros III, their marketing people insisted on the 65 moves that Mario could pull out. Finally, good toys are reliable and responsive - when you want them to do something, this just happens.

Today, heroes and games are much more sophisticated than the blinking pixels of before. Heroes, though, haven’t lost that toy dimension - Daxter, of Jak and Daxter, is certainly fun to watch, Final Fantasy characters, among other RPG heroes, have an arsenal of hundreds of attacks and abilities, which look much cooler than, say, Raccoon Mario, and developers pay a lot of attention to the quality of the controls of games, especially in the ease of use and responsiveness aspects.

Hero as self

This is probably the most important aspect of game heroes, and what distinguishes them most from non-game characters. Heroes are the on-screen representation of the player. The background information the player can get on the hero is a powerful tool to get the player directly in the heart of the story. To foster the relationship between the hero and the player, we should try to find out why would the player want to be the character. There are several answers:
 The hero must be accessible. In other words, there shouldn’t be any barriers that would prevent the player to project themselves as the hero. Why would the player be them? Because they can. Videogames heroes, from Vagrant Story to Prince of Persia, have all kinds of social backgrounds. But before their relationship with the player, they haven’t accomplished much in their life. That’s what makes them pretty ordinary fellows.
 They are freer than the player: they can do things that the player cannot (or shouldn’t) do. In 2002, GameFaqs organised its first "Great Character Battle", in order to pick up the most popular videogame character of all times. GameFaqs members were presented each day with two characters and had to vote for their favorite one. But in fact, many members understood the question as, which character would beat the other one in a duel? The point: players like powerful characters. More precisely: they would like to be in the shoes of these characters because they can do stuff beyond the constraints of the world that the players live in. That can be: being able to unleash devastating magical attacks (RPG characters), ignore the law (GTA and other crime-oriented games characters), perform better than any athlete in recorded history (sport games), move with supernatural ease (Dante from Devil May Cry running on walls, Tony Hawk jumping from one tall building to the next with his skateboard...). What’s interesting is that these heroes don’t do that because they are just powerful (that would restrict the player to a spectator’s role), but because the player is skilled enough to trigger the right sequence of actions. The player may then think that if they were living in this game’s universe, which is a very reasonable hypothesis once the player is "compelled" to the game, they, too, could be able to do that. And that is a very satisfying thought.
 The heroes have values that the players recognize and appreciate. Courage, friendship, honor, loyalty, tenacity, hope. They "do the right thing". Even a trigger-happy gangster like GTA’s CJ is, first and foremost, loyal to his family and friends. Some games offer the players moral choices. In Arcanum, for instance, the hero faces many such alternatives: in one episode, he can save the villagers - or betray them and side with the bandits. This freedom actually facilitates the identification of the player to the hero and their moral system.
 Game heroes also often confronted to personal problems, which symbolize those that the player can have in their real life. Due to the player/character relationship, not only do they share these problems with the player - which also helps to make the characters more accessible, but through their cooperation with the player, they manage to overcome them. For instance, Cloud of FF7 struggles to find his true identity. The player will help him find the truth about his origins. It then turns out that not only Cloud has been fabricated, but that it is considered as a failed experiment that should have been discarded. But the experiment eventually succeeded and led to the creation of the perfect soldier: Sephiroth. Ultimately, Cloud, guided by the player, will defeat Sephiroth in battle. The story of Cloud is similar to that of many teenagers, unsure of who they are and feeling imperfect as they transition from childhood to adult life.
 People care for videogame heroes. They are have a special place in the other character’s heart or in the game society. Is there any medieval RPG where a king has refused an audience to the game hero? Cloud may not know who he is, but he is loved by both Aeris and Tifa (and possibly by Yuffie). Across his journey through San Andreas state, CJ will also meet true friends, from all backgrounds - not people that he will like, but people who will show him that they value him. This recognition from the game world is one of those positive messages that strengthen the identification process.
 Finally, and this is more linked to the game screenplay than to character design proper, some games talk to the character using the second person ("you") or similar process. Many cutscenes, (see, for instance, FFX), involve characters facing the screen when they address the hero, although he, too, has an on-screen representation. Claude, the (then) unnamed hero of GTA 3, won’t say a word throughout the game, so that he wouldn’t develop a personality independent from that of the player. Some games even go further and decree that the hero IS the player, such as the Ultima series - the player is supposed to arrive to the world of Britannia through magical portals - or the Nomad Soul - the player’s soul can possess various bodies.

Hero as idol

This aspect is less important than the two others, but is the one that receives the most attention from game developers, because this is what is most common between creating a videogame hero and a fictional hero. How to make a character "cool" enough so that players will admire them and develop a fan/idol relationship?

Again, there are several answers, rather, several paths to reaching that sort of alchemy: aesthetics, branding, and originality.
 The hero’s looks. Yes, the hero should look good. They don’t have to be extremely beautiful or sexy, but they have to have an appearance that blends well with the style of their gaming world.
 Hero as a brand. Earlier games had very little flexibility when it came to design characters. Each pixel had its meaning, and the core requirement was to make heroes distinguishable from the game environment and other characters. That’s how Mario got his trademark moustache, and Link, his famous green cap. As the game technology evolved, the representation of the characters onscreen became finer, and that’s how those features, which were once just technical constraints, became a permanent characteristic of those two heroes. In exchange, more than twenty years after their creation, they have become strong brands through their specific identities - people have loved the game series so much that they plebiscite their heroes. This phenomenon occurs for many games, mostly series, but not necessarily old ones: although the main character design has nothing exceptional, the passion for the game is reported on the character - players have become fans. They don’t love the character for what they are, but for what they represent.
 Original heroes. In the end, heroes should have (at least) one unique characteristic in their appearance. They should be identifiable. This is somewhat of a paradox because on one hand, heroes should allow players to project themselves in them, and on the other, they should be different.

How about customization?

Character customization is now a common feature in modern games. Originally, early RPGs featured a character creation process, a mandatory step in those games who attempted to mimic their paper cousins. Through this, the player would choose many options such as "race" or "class", and of course, "name". But while in paper RPGs, the narration was performed by a human who could adapt the story to their audience, computer game fictions cannot be infinitely flexible. Therefore, it is difficult, or, rather, costly, to have two equally convincing game experiences, depending on the choices made at the very beginning of the game. As a result, RPGs focussing on narration proposed less and less character creation options (often, only the name of the hero, if that). Deep character customization - which has no impact on the identity of the character - could take place through gameplay choices. Other games, including non-RPGs, maintained that character creation process, and tried to offer a more "generic" story line. While this can certainly work, and even offer added value in some cases, this is always detrimental to the story and the hero identity. A story will be weaker if it can "work" for any protagonist. A hero will be less intense if their identity, background, and other elements are not written by the game developer, and consistent with the story.

And how about villains, and supporting characters?

The rules for creating other game characters are very similar to the ones that apply to heroes, with one twist. Villains or supporting characters don’t require a self-identification process, but it helps if players can relate them to an element of their real life, either negative or positive. For instance, many compared both Bowser and Dr. Robotnik, head villains of Mario and Sonic respectively, to dominant, fatherly figures. The "sidekick" character, very common in games (Daxter vs. Jak, Tails vs. Sonic, etc...) can, likewise, be connected to younger siblings. Game heroes are often associated with a group or team who all seem to care very about them, like a family or a group of friends should behave to the player, whether in their actual or ideal life.

Some characters analysed

In that last section, let’s review some famous or less famous characters of videogames or fiction, and let’s see how well they do the job.

Cloud Strife, from FFVII -Toy, fun to use: Wields a two-ton swords and masters astonishing combat techniques. 8/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. Cloud is really nothing special at the beginning of the game. A mercenary open to any proposition. 10/10.
• Free. With more than 400 combat abilities at his disposal, including its trademark "omnislash", he may well be the strongest character ever featured in an RPG. 7/10.
• Values. plenty of moral dilemmas, that he solves through friendship, loyalty, courage. Bonus: he does save the world, after all. 10/10
• Personal problems overcome: he has more than his share. 10/10
• Others characters care about him: quite. 10/10.
• Use of second person: sometimes to strengthen narration. Also, the player can enter a custom name. 6/10
• Total: 9/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: strong, original design. 9/10.
• Hero as brand: people have been desperately begging Squaresoft for his return for the past 7 years. 10/10.
• Originality: definitely created a class of its own. 10/10
• Total: 10/10

Grand total: 9/10.

Dante, from Devil May Cry
 Toy, fun to use: does everything one could want an action character to do, including stuff never seen before. 9/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. Dante works as a private investigator on esoteric cases. Nothing really special. 10/10.
• Free. He may be the character with the most latitude to move and attack since the invention of videogames. Plus, he can turn into a full-scale demon. 10/10
• Values. Some heroic traits, despite the strong belief that everything can be solved by violence. 6/10
• Personal problems overcome: He his half-demon and has some problems with his father and brother. 8/10
• Others characters care about him: to some extent. 8/10.
• Use of second person: none, but largely irrelevant. N.A.
• Total: 8/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: audacious yet brilliant design. 9/10.
• Hero as brand: very strong. Benefits from the strong aura of the series. 8/10.
• Originality: No one has even tried to copy him, although it’s tempting. 10/10
• Total: 9/10

Grand total: 9/10.

Solid Snake, form the Metal Gear Solid series
 Toy, fun to use: quite, but it’s not his forte. 6/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. Already a hero when the story begins. 4/10.
• Free. although deeply constrained by earthly physics, unlike his colleague Dante, he has an impressive palette of possible moves and techniques. Is there anything he can’t do? 10/10
• Values. This part is quite confusing. But at least, he can almost always avoid violence. 6/10
• Personal problems overcome: they only seem to worsen after each episode. 5/10
• Others characters care about him: Yes, but then, they betray him. 5/10.
• Use of second person: Extensively through the communication devices. 8/10
   Total: 6/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: nothing quite special. 6/10.
• Hero as brand: he is the console seller of both the PS2 and the PS3. Like Dante, he benefits from the excellence of the series. 10/10.
• Originality: not very strong. Does wear a bandanna, though. 5/10
• Total: 7/10

Grand total: 7/10.

Mario, from, well, just about anything Nintendo
 Toy, fun to use: Jump, Mario, Jump! there’s plenty of other stuff he can do, including funny voices. 10/10
 self-identification: despite dozens of games, the background of Mario is still quite confusing. The character wasn’t designed to be a narrative support. The world of Mario may be compelling, but not through Mario himself. 4/10
 Fan potential:

• Hero’s looks: although he’s stuck with the moustache, he survived the 8-bit to 16-bit transition, then the 2D-3D facelift, much better than many. 7/10.
• Hero as brand: Mario means Nintendo and Nintendo means Mario. 10/10.
• Originality: he has acquired some over the years, but he once was just a generic jumping person. 4/10
• Total: 7/10

Grand total: 7/10.

Lara Croft, from Tomb Raider
 Toy, fun to use: Very. Lots of fun and cool moves, and, well, just generally pleasant to see. 9/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. To some extent. Not helped by her aristocratic background, but always thirsty for adventure. 7/10
• Free. She can do whatever, she is a great acrobat and fighter. 9/10
• Values. Honest, hungry for adventure, but also strong and independent, which is rare for a woman in games. 9/10
• Personal problems overcome: Not really. 5/10
• Others characters care about her: Sometimes too much. 8/10.
• Use of second person: not much. (N.A.)
• Total: 8/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: This is what got her famous. 10/10.
• Hero as brand: She is the face of Eidos, but more than that. Even to the non-gaming crowd, she represents videogames. And, the movies based on her were actually OK. 10/10.
• Originality: She definitely has some distinguishing characteristics. 10/10
• Total: 10/10

Grand total: 9/10.

Ico, from, well, Ico
 Toy, fun to use: To some extent. What’s cool is that he cannot die. Many beautiful animations, too. 7/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. Very. As he starts the game, he’s sacrificed by his village because he is different. 10/10
• Free. He doesn’t have many abilities like Cloud or Dante, but what he does, he does well. Towards the end of the game, he is so strong that all monsters flee him. 8/10
• Values. Fights for his right to survive, be himself and save the one he cares for. Who will disagree with that? 10/10
• Personal problems overcome: His curse is materialized by his horns, which he will lose throughout the adventure. 10/10
• Others characters care about her: Most of the adventure is based on his relationship with Princess Yorda - they spend the game saving each other. Plus - when they hold hands, the controller vibrates gently. 10/10.
• Use of second person: not many dialogues, but when characters speak, they do use the second person. Besides, the princess screams for help all the time. 10/10
• Total: 10/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: OK, but nothing spectacular. 6/10.
• Hero as brand: the game was critically acclaimed, but didn’t sell very much. 5/10.
• Originality: A boy with horns. 9/10
• Total: 7/10

Grand total: 8/10.

Harry Potter, from the books, games, movies, etc.
 Toy, fun to use: OK, he’s got a magic wand, a flying broom, but he doesn’t have a strong "toy" dimension. 6/10
 self-identification:

• Accessible. Very. An orphan, ridiculed by his foster family. Learns the truth about his parents when the book/game begins. 10/10
• Free. Can do the very things that children cannot do and dream of doing, like, escaping his dull life, discovering a place of magic, flying through the air, solving great mysteries, etc. 10/10
• Values. Loyal, honest, but always humble. 10/10
• Personal problems overcome: Leaves most of his problems behind when he discovers his magic nature. Will solve the rest as he grows up, along with the reader/player. 10/10
• Others characters care about her: He is the idol of the population for something he did as a baby. His friends believe in him, and he is the school star - without really trying. 10/10.
• Use of second person: not applicable for the book or movie, the game does that, though. N.A.
• Total: 10/10
   Fan potential:
• Hero’s looks: Nothing really exciting. After all, he was created by a writer, not an illustrator. 6/10.
• Hero as brand: Like Mario, the character proper he benefits from the huge success of the series. 10/10.
• Originality: He does have distinguishing features, (scar, glasses). 9/10
• Total: 8/10

Grand total: 8/10.