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Removing this entry because updated content confirms this interpretation.
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** At the end of Chapter 1, it's possible for Akira to kill Barbados. It's implied they feel guilty about how they made Runi promise to spare Barbados, which gave Barbados an opening to sync with Aries and destroy Pon Pon Village, so finishing off Barbados themselves could be their way of atoning and avoiding the same mistake.
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* ''VideoGame/ChildOfLight'': It's ambiguous if [[spoiler:[[TheSociopath Nox]]'s claim that she still [[VillainRespect admires Aurora]] after betraying her and revealing that she had been deceiving her since they first met]] is genuine, or another lie. [[spoiler:Nox's [[SlasherSmile unhinged expression]] as she makes this claim]] only muddies the waters further.
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** Virgo can either become Akira's ally or oppose them, which seems like a branching path with little justification. However, if Virgo is recruited, her bonding event reveals that she was bitter about Akira handing her over to Zetacorp, which likely ruined her trust in Akira even though the latter is now actively opposing Zetacorp. It's implied that Virgo's mentality between the two possible routes is actually mostly the same and that she was on the fence about whether or not to give Akira another chance.
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* One existing interpretation of ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' is that the heroes of the story aren't Alan and Barry, but Tor and Odin Anderson, who wrote a couple of songs ("Children of the Elder Gods" and "The Poet and The Muse") that came true, describing Alan's quest to rescue his wife and defeat the Dark Presence. The entire game is, in this interpretation, an epic bit of Norse-inspired mythology written by the Andersons to defeat the Dark Presence.
* The Faction Leaders from ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. A rare case in that this is ''encouraged'' by the game, and whether the factions are good or bad depends largely on your play style.
* The Faction Leaders from ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. A rare case in that this is ''encouraged'' by the game, and whether the factions are good or bad depends largely on your play style.
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* ''VideoGame/AlanWake'': One existing interpretation of ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' Alan is that the heroes of the story aren't Alan and Barry, but Tor and Odin Anderson, who wrote a couple of songs ("Children of the Elder Gods" and "The Poet and The Muse") that came true, describing Alan's quest to rescue his wife and defeat the Dark Presence. The entire game is, in this interpretation, an epic bit of Norse-inspired mythology written by the Andersons to defeat the Dark Presence.
* ''VideoGame/AlterEgo2018'':
** The Facade, Ego Rex: The representation of the pressure to conform to society or self-control which may not necessarily be a bad thing? They seem to be bent on making Es "conform" which subconsciously affects Es' self-esteem. In their ending, they successfully [[LossOfIdentity made Es deny herself]] which causes her to literally disappear congratulating the player. However, in the True Ending, they concede that the player is not outright making Es to conform but reminds them that they are always there to guide her and the player. At one point in the story, Es asked the player if she should give in to her impulses. The player is given three options, either to let loose herself, conform to society's rules, or taking action on one's impulses depending on the situation. When the player selects the third choice, Es remarks that the answer is better than the Facade any other day.
** Es: Is she a character in a video game becoming more self-aware or just another representation of the player's psyche? The game begins with Es apathetic to the nature of her own nameless world however as the game progresses she questions her self. In all endings, Es decides to read a book entitled Alter Ego with the player which is an allusion to the game itself depicting two wanderers, a little girl (Es) and a wizard (the player). The ID ending might imply Es having a DespairEventHorizon of realizing that she is just a fictional character in a game causing her world to collapse, the ALTER EGO has Es realizing her own identity while still being aware that she and the player live in two different worlds. Or Es (and to the extend the facade) could be a representative of the player themselves. The true ending suggests continued self-discovery for the player and not giving in to their own DespairEventHorizon. Es remarks in the post-completion that the player may one day stop visiting her (read: playing the game) which may allude to the situation of either losing a sense of self or giving in to impulses such as relying on escapist pursuits and vices.
* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'': The FactionLeaders from ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. Leaders. A rare case in that where this is ''encouraged'' by the game, and whether the factions are good or bad depends largely on your play style.
* ''VideoGame/AlterEgo2018'':
** The Facade, Ego Rex: The representation of the pressure to conform to society or self-control which may not necessarily be a bad thing? They seem to be bent on making Es "conform" which subconsciously affects Es' self-esteem. In their ending, they successfully [[LossOfIdentity made Es deny herself]] which causes her to literally disappear congratulating the player. However, in the True Ending, they concede that the player is not outright making Es to conform but reminds them that they are always there to guide her and the player. At one point in the story, Es asked the player if she should give in to her impulses. The player is given three options, either to let loose herself, conform to society's rules, or taking action on one's impulses depending on the situation. When the player selects the third choice, Es remarks that the answer is better than the Facade any other day.
** Es: Is she a character in a video game becoming more self-aware or just another representation of the player's psyche? The game begins with Es apathetic to the nature of her own nameless world however as the game progresses she questions her self. In all endings, Es decides to read a book entitled Alter Ego with the player which is an allusion to the game itself depicting two wanderers, a little girl (Es) and a wizard (the player). The ID ending might imply Es having a DespairEventHorizon of realizing that she is just a fictional character in a game causing her world to collapse, the ALTER EGO has Es realizing her own identity while still being aware that she and the player live in two different worlds. Or Es (and to the extend the facade) could be a representative of the player themselves. The true ending suggests continued self-discovery for the player and not giving in to their own DespairEventHorizon. Es remarks in the post-completion that the player may one day stop visiting her (read: playing the game) which may allude to the situation of either losing a sense of self or giving in to impulses such as relying on escapist pursuits and vices.
* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'': The Faction
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* ''VideoGame/DyztopiaPostHumanRPG'':
** At the end of Chapter 1, it's possible for Akira to kill Barbados. It's implied they feel guilty about how they made Runi promise to spare Barbados, which gave Barbados an opening to sync with Aries and destroy Pon Pon Village, so finishing off Barbados themselves could be their way of atoning and avoiding the same mistake.
** After the player beats Barbados's data in the Battle Lab, Detritus turns out to despise Barbados for mindlessly obeying Zetacorp regardless of the consequences. It's implied that he sees himself in Barbados as a disposable pawn to Zetacorp and doesn't like being reminded of his past loyalty to Zazz.
** Due to Akari referring to humans as parasites as well as her nihilistic desires, it's implied that she expects and hopes for them to ruin the Earth's environment in the pursuit of wealth and resources, making her an OmnicidalManiac. This is supported by Asterisk's disdain for humanity because of the harm they caused to the planet.
** After Akira's party still maintains mixed publicity after Zazz and Morgalia's false flag bombing of Vulcanite, Zazz stops making any real effort to keep Akira from reaching Zetacorp. While this is part of his XanatosGambit to get the Zodiac Stones to the sleeping humans, the fact that he doesn't put up more of a fight implies that he may be hoping to die in battle against Akira, due to his grievances over his immortal life.
** At the end of Chapter 1, it's possible for Akira to kill Barbados. It's implied they feel guilty about how they made Runi promise to spare Barbados, which gave Barbados an opening to sync with Aries and destroy Pon Pon Village, so finishing off Barbados themselves could be their way of atoning and avoiding the same mistake.
** After the player beats Barbados's data in the Battle Lab, Detritus turns out to despise Barbados for mindlessly obeying Zetacorp regardless of the consequences. It's implied that he sees himself in Barbados as a disposable pawn to Zetacorp and doesn't like being reminded of his past loyalty to Zazz.
** Due to Akari referring to humans as parasites as well as her nihilistic desires, it's implied that she expects and hopes for them to ruin the Earth's environment in the pursuit of wealth and resources, making her an OmnicidalManiac. This is supported by Asterisk's disdain for humanity because of the harm they caused to the planet.
** After Akira's party still maintains mixed publicity after Zazz and Morgalia's false flag bombing of Vulcanite, Zazz stops making any real effort to keep Akira from reaching Zetacorp. While this is part of his XanatosGambit to get the Zodiac Stones to the sleeping humans, the fact that he doesn't put up more of a fight implies that he may be hoping to die in battle against Akira, due to his grievances over his immortal life.
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** There is a Website/{{Tumblr}} site called ''Takamagahara Texts'' that takes entries from ''Website/TextsFromLastNight'' and puts them in the mouth of members of the ''[=BlazBlue=]'' cast as if they were said during cutscenes. Most of these use slightly exaggerated versions of the characters' personalities for comedic effect, but some of them have ended up being the go-to for entries on a given subject. As a result, we have Kagura Mutsuki, world's greatest frat boy, Makoto Nanaya, [[AnythingThatMoves nymphomaniac extraordinaire]] and Trinity Glassfille, who's retained her canon kind-heartedness but apparently also does a lot of shrooms. [[labelnote:*]]Also, anything regarding cats will end up somehow involving Nine.[[/labelnote]]
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** There is a Website/{{Tumblr}} site called ''Takamagahara Texts'' that takes entries from ''Website/TextsFromLastNight'' and puts them in the mouth of members of the ''[=BlazBlue=]'' cast as if they were said during cutscenes. Most of these use slightly exaggerated versions of the characters' personalities for comedic effect, but some of them have ended up being the go-to for entries on a given subject. As a result, we have Kagura Mutsuki, world's greatest frat boy, Makoto Nanaya, [[AnythingThatMoves nymphomaniac extraordinaire]] extraordinaire and Trinity Glassfille, who's retained her canon kind-heartedness but apparently also does a lot of shrooms. [[labelnote:*]]Also, anything regarding cats will end up somehow involving Nine.[[/labelnote]]
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* ''VideoGame/{{Chest}}'': Prime Minister Andre threatens to ban all restrooms if Zong refuses to kill the Demon Lord. Since such an action would likely provoke both commoners and aristocrats into retaliating against him, it's ambiguous if he was just bluffing. Then again, if the Demon Lord isn't defeated, the kingdom will be conquered anyways, so he probably figured he had nothing to lose even if he has to deal with the fallout of the restroom ban.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Absinthia}}'':
** Methuselah claims he wants to [[OnlyThePureOfHeart test the party's purity of heart]], though he makes sure to specify that he's referring to the purity of what they intend to do in the future, and not their past. Later, he admits that he was lying about the purity requirement. However, due to the fact that Freya secretly worked with Lilith but is having second thoughts, it's implied that Methuselah secretly knows about Freya's situation and is pushing her to seek redemption.
** In a flashback, Lilith is angered when she hears of the transphobia that Freya endured. It's ambiguous if she's only acting in order to gain Freya's trust or if she's having a genuine EvenEvilHasStandards moment. It's implied to be the latter, since when she spitefully reveals Freya's collusion with her, [[PoliticallyCorrectVillain she]] doesn't out Freya as trans.
** Freya has similarities with Helen from the previous game, being a blonde, heavily-armored LadyOfWar. Due to Lilith's bizarre combination of possessiveness and hate towards Helen, it's possible she started a relationship with Freya because of their similarities.
** Methuselah claims he wants to [[OnlyThePureOfHeart test the party's purity of heart]], though he makes sure to specify that he's referring to the purity of what they intend to do in the future, and not their past. Later, he admits that he was lying about the purity requirement. However, due to the fact that Freya secretly worked with Lilith but is having second thoughts, it's implied that Methuselah secretly knows about Freya's situation and is pushing her to seek redemption.
** In a flashback, Lilith is angered when she hears of the transphobia that Freya endured. It's ambiguous if she's only acting in order to gain Freya's trust or if she's having a genuine EvenEvilHasStandards moment. It's implied to be the latter, since when she spitefully reveals Freya's collusion with her, [[PoliticallyCorrectVillain she]] doesn't out Freya as trans.
** Freya has similarities with Helen from the previous game, being a blonde, heavily-armored LadyOfWar. Due to Lilith's bizarre combination of possessiveness and hate towards Helen, it's possible she started a relationship with Freya because of their similarities.
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** The Shu Kingdom in general. Is it really the sapling for a new world of virtue and benevolence free from the bonds of the old, decadent and corrupt Chinese dynasties? Or are they just a nation of deluded {{Knight Templar}}s who are only interested in glory and conquest? Worth pointing out that for all their talk of benevolence, in the ending of ''Dynasty Warriors Next'', they pretty much do KillEmAll on their defeated enemies, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters much like Wei does]] (Wu, the most openly expansionist and aggressive nation, is interestingly the only one that allows the other warlords to live and even [[DefeatMeansFriendship views them as valued allies with a rightful place in their new kingdom]]). [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Pragmatism]], or a sign of Shu's darker side?
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** The Shu Kingdom in general. Is it really the sapling for a new world of virtue and benevolence free from the bonds of the old, decadent and corrupt Chinese dynasties? Or are they just a nation of deluded {{Knight Templar}}s who are only interested in glory and conquest? Worth pointing out that for all their talk of benevolence, in the ending of ''Dynasty Warriors Next'', they pretty much do KillEmAll on kill their defeated enemies, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters much like Wei does]] (Wu, the most openly expansionist and aggressive nation, is interestingly the only one that allows the other warlords to live and even [[DefeatMeansFriendship views them as valued allies with a rightful place in their new kingdom]]). [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Pragmatism]], or a sign of Shu's darker side?
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** Dante in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 2]]''. With the game's placement at the farthest end of the timeline so that Capcom can continue to conveniently forget the black sheep of the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came along many years later), ''something'' had to have happened to our favorite devil hunter between games to explain the glaring dichotomy [[TheStoic his personality]] presents when juxtaposed against ''every other'' depiction of the character. Perhaps Dante finally mellowed out over the years, but some fans even go as far as to [[SurvivorGuilt offer up]] [[KillEmAll theories of a]] [[SoleSurvivor more cataclysmic nature]]. And the with the retcon to [[AnachronicOrder the timeline]] as of ''[=DMC5=]'' that now places ''2'' before the events of ''4'', a common explanation is that Dante is having a depressive episode as a reaction to the events of the original game (namely [[spoiler:Vergil's death]]), a funk that he doesn't [[HesBack fully recover from]] until [[spoiler:meeting Nero--his nephew--in ''4'']]. (This line of thought is also a popular justification for Dante's less colorful personality in ''[[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]''.)
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** Dante in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 2]]''. With the game's placement at the farthest end of the timeline so that Capcom can continue to conveniently forget the black sheep of the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came along many years later), ''something'' had to have happened to our favorite devil hunter between games to explain the glaring dichotomy [[TheStoic his personality]] presents when juxtaposed against ''every other'' depiction of the character. Perhaps Dante finally mellowed out over the years, but some fans even go as far as to [[SurvivorGuilt offer up]] [[KillEmAll theories of a]] a [[SoleSurvivor more cataclysmic nature]]. And the with the retcon to [[AnachronicOrder the timeline]] as of ''[=DMC5=]'' that now places ''2'' before the events of ''4'', a common explanation is that Dante is having a depressive episode as a reaction to the events of the original game (namely [[spoiler:Vergil's death]]), a funk that he doesn't [[HesBack fully recover from]] until [[spoiler:meeting Nero--his nephew--in ''4'']]. (This line of thought is also a popular justification for Dante's less colorful personality in ''[[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]''.)
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* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'':
** Minsc: kind-hearted, pure good and lovely crazy champion... or [[https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/80612/minsc-is-not-a-good-guy dangerous madman]] that could go berserk in any moment should you defy his expectations?
** Shar-Teel: bloodthirsty and misandric psychopath, or a victim of violence who has only knew suffering and violence as tool to interact with others and defend oneself?
** Tamoko: just a mischievous enemy to dispose off, or an unnecessary conflict since she was just blinded by her love for the BigBad?
** Skie: just the spoiled child of a rich noble who doesn't know anything of the world outside, or does she have the right to seek adventure and a new life of exploration and discovery?
** Ajantis: a competent and righteous servant of justice, or a LawfulStupid paladin who recklessly charges what he deems evil?
** Kivan: is he right in despising Viconia for the evil nature of drows, to the point of attacking her at some point, or is his behavior just pure racism against an outcast that just wants to survive and avoid troubles?
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'':
** Aerie: a good hearted victim who is suffering from a terrible loss, or a source of constant whining that can't accept her new condition and carry on against worse enemies and heavier dangers?
** Nalia: a naive idealistic girl unprepared for the treacheries of the adult world who is basically asking for troubles, a radical chic who acts as a supporter of the poor while still remaining part of the privileged, or just a still inexperienced potential source of change for the betterment of people?
** The Shadow Thieves: just the lesser evil between two despicable forces, an evil equal to their opposing side, or truly those who have the superior moral ground in the guild war as their leader claims?
** Yoshimo: [[spoiler:Just a traitor who deserves nothing but death, or is it understandable that he was forced by a geass to betray the party?]]
** The elves of Suldanesselar: [[spoiler:Were they merciful with the curse they imposed on Irenicus and Bodhi, hoping they would learn the lesson they wanted to teach, or were they at least naive if not self-complacent and careless?]]
** Minsc: kind-hearted, pure good and lovely crazy champion... or [[https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/80612/minsc-is-not-a-good-guy dangerous madman]] that could go berserk in any moment should you defy his expectations?
** Shar-Teel: bloodthirsty and misandric psychopath, or a victim of violence who has only knew suffering and violence as tool to interact with others and defend oneself?
** Tamoko: just a mischievous enemy to dispose off, or an unnecessary conflict since she was just blinded by her love for the BigBad?
** Skie: just the spoiled child of a rich noble who doesn't know anything of the world outside, or does she have the right to seek adventure and a new life of exploration and discovery?
** Ajantis: a competent and righteous servant of justice, or a LawfulStupid paladin who recklessly charges what he deems evil?
** Kivan: is he right in despising Viconia for the evil nature of drows, to the point of attacking her at some point, or is his behavior just pure racism against an outcast that just wants to survive and avoid troubles?
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'':
** Aerie: a good hearted victim who is suffering from a terrible loss, or a source of constant whining that can't accept her new condition and carry on against worse enemies and heavier dangers?
** Nalia: a naive idealistic girl unprepared for the treacheries of the adult world who is basically asking for troubles, a radical chic who acts as a supporter of the poor while still remaining part of the privileged, or just a still inexperienced potential source of change for the betterment of people?
** The Shadow Thieves: just the lesser evil between two despicable forces, an evil equal to their opposing side, or truly those who have the superior moral ground in the guild war as their leader claims?
** Yoshimo: [[spoiler:Just a traitor who deserves nothing but death, or is it understandable that he was forced by a geass to betray the party?]]
** The elves of Suldanesselar: [[spoiler:Were they merciful with the curse they imposed on Irenicus and Bodhi, hoping they would learn the lesson they wanted to teach, or were they at least naive if not self-complacent and careless?]]
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** Is [[IntrepidReporter Piper Wright's]] reporting for the betterment or detriment of the Commonwealth? On the negative side, some of her articles can come across as fear-mongering that only breeds [[ParanoiaFuel paranoia]], focuses on less important subjects related solely to Diamond City and not the entire region, and make baseless accusations (like implying that [[MayorPain Mayor McDonough]], the leader of [[TownWithADarkSecret Diamond City]], is an [[TheMole Institute Synth]]). She's also prone to asking people rather invasive questions in a very abrupt manner that only seem to unnerve them. Complicating matters is that it's implied that the latter-most is more due to her own invasive personality (which she herself doesn't like and is trying to get ahold of), and the answers she gets back are also more than not just examples of her interviewees' stupidity/ignorance. Relatedly, there's the fact that many of her articles ''do'' try to inform, but are held back by the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome limits of available resources in the Commonwealth for journalism]], and that she deliberately tries to write for Diamond City's audience first [[MoneyDearBoy because they have the highest population of literate people in the Commonwealth]] (although she still tries to write some articles focused on other parts of the Commonwealth). Also, [[spoiler: she ''was'' [[TheCassandra actually right]] about Mayor [=McDonough=] being an Institute Synth, and it's possible that further evidence discussing her theory was either planned to be discussed in future editions, or was held back deliberately because of Piper's [[AdultFear very appropriate fear of the Institute/[=McDonough=] retaliating upon her little sister Nat]] if her theory was right]]. There's also the fact that the game actually has some (admittedly subtle) {{Foreshadowing}} for [[spoiler:[=McDonough=]]] being a Synth: When they see [[SitcomArchNemesis Piper]] and yell for them to leave their office, [[spoiler: their voice gains a noticeably mechanical undertone like a malfunctioning computer]].
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** Is [[IntrepidReporter Piper Wright's]] reporting for the betterment or detriment of the Commonwealth? On the negative side, some of her articles can come across as fear-mongering that only breeds [[ParanoiaFuel paranoia]], focuses on less important subjects related solely to Diamond City and not the entire region, and make baseless accusations (like implying that [[MayorPain Mayor McDonough]], the leader of [[TownWithADarkSecret Diamond City]], is an [[TheMole Institute Synth]]). She's also prone to asking people rather invasive questions in a very abrupt manner that only seem to unnerve them. Complicating matters is that it's implied that the latter-most is more due to her own invasive personality (which she herself doesn't like and is trying to get ahold of), and the answers she gets back are also more than not just examples of her interviewees' stupidity/ignorance. Relatedly, there's the fact that many of her articles ''do'' try to inform, but are held back by the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome limits of available resources in the Commonwealth for journalism]], and that she deliberately tries to write for Diamond City's audience first [[MoneyDearBoy because they have the highest population of literate people in the Commonwealth]] (although she still tries to write some articles focused on other parts of the Commonwealth). Also, [[spoiler: she ''was'' [[TheCassandra actually right]] about Mayor [=McDonough=] being an Institute Synth, and it's possible that further evidence discussing her theory was either planned to be discussed in future editions, or was held back deliberately because of Piper's [[AdultFear very appropriate fear of the Institute/[=McDonough=] retaliating upon her little sister Nat]] if her theory was right]].right. There's also the fact that the game actually has some (admittedly subtle) {{Foreshadowing}} for [[spoiler:[=McDonough=]]] being a Synth: When they see [[SitcomArchNemesis Piper]] and yell for them to leave their office, [[spoiler: their voice gains a noticeably mechanical undertone like a malfunctioning computer]].
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* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'', being filled with [[MoralDissonance unintentional]] grey morality, has wildly interpretative characters.
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* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'', being filled with [[MoralDissonance unintentional]] unintentional grey morality, has wildly interpretative characters.
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** Tracer Tong: dangerously naive idealist, or the only one who wishes to bring freedom to humanity? Does he work for the Triads for protection, uses them as his tool, or does he [[MoralDissonance just not care]] about the drug trade and human trafficking?
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** Tracer Tong: dangerously naive idealist, or the only one who wishes to bring freedom to humanity? Does he work for the Triads for protection, uses them as his tool, or does he [[MoralDissonance just not care]] care about the drug trade and human trafficking?
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[[WMG:[[center:[-AlternativeCharacterInterpretation '''[[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGames Main Video Games Subpage]]'''\\
'''A - F''' | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesGToL G - L]] | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesMToS M - S]] | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesTToZ T - Z]]-]]]]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:A]]
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** One main bone of contention is whether Terry Fawles had special needs/mental issues or not. If he does, then [[spoiler:it makes Dahlia even more evil for manipulating him, as he wouldn't have understood that being in love with a 14-year old is squicky. If he doesn't, then many fans would lose sympathy for him completely.]] And if he does have mental deficiencies, that puts a whole new slant on the trial process of the game, since it's never brought up once that he may not be competent enough to stand trial.
** As for [[spoiler:Dahlia herself, there are a few people who think that she has a FreudianExcuse. In-Universe, her sister is among those people; Iris says that they had similar circumstances, but while Iris sees Bikini as a ParentalSubstitute, Dahlia had no one of the sort.]]
** Godot. A BunnyEarsLawyer with deep personal issues, or [[spoiler:a man driven nearly insane by his own guilt who manages to hide it behind a mask of simple eccentricity?]]. Perhaps a KnightInShiningArmor, steadfastly protecting the family of his beloved lady from devious plots that even TheHero was blissfully ignorant of? Or how about a self-righteous, self-pitying hero-wannabe, who [[spoiler: was fine with arranging a murder-risky situation and then blaming said murder on his accomplice (and prosecuting against said person, no less), just so that he could live out his sexist savior fantasy and/or take revenge on long-dead foes]].
** Then there's Phoenix himself. The people who most accept his change in ''Apollo Justice'' are the ones that argue that he's always bent the law in the pursuit of the truth, and that he's always been a bit of a snarky jerk on the inside. Others think that the aforementioned people are going too far in interpreting Phoenix's actions and that he'd never go as far as he did in ''Apollo Justice''. Is he a badass lawyer who managed to win cases which seemed downright impossible through a combination of intelligence and grit? Or is he a [[IdiotHero dumbass]] who simply [[BornLucky lucked his way]] out of everything thrown at him?
** Matt Engarde. [[spoiler:A guy with [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]], or a monster who hid his true nature behind a mask?]]
* One existing interpretation of ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' is that the heroes of the story aren't Alan and Barry, but Tor and Odin Anderson, who wrote a couple of songs ("Children of the Elder Gods" and "The Poet and The Muse") that came true, describing Alan's quest to rescue his wife and defeat the Dark Presence. The entire game is, in this interpretation, an epic bit of Norse-inspired mythology written by the Andersons to defeat the Dark Presence.
* The Faction Leaders from ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. A rare case in that this is ''encouraged'' by the game, and whether the factions are good or bad depends largely on your play style.
** Pravin Lal of The Peacekeeping Forces: Voice of humanitarianism or far too attached to his outdated ideals?
** Prokhor Zakharov of The University of Planet: Bringer of the light of knowledge or ruthless, amoral MadScientist?
** Miriam Godwinson of The Lord's Believers: Dogmatic luddite or OnlySaneWoman in a far-too-rapidly technologically advancing world?
** Sheng-Yi Yang of The Human Hive: Ruthless, self-serving despot or a man with a reasonable vision of Utopia and a firm belief that UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans?
** Corazon Santiago of The Spartan Federation: Defender of humanity against a hostile world or war-crazed gun-nut?
** Deidre Skye of Gaia's Stepdaughters: Advocate of peace and balance, or eco-terrorist with a taste for MindRape?
** Nwabudike Morgan of Morgan Enterprises: Believes in liberty or believes in profit?
* ''VideoGame/{{Antichamber}}'': The black block (the only thing in the game that you could tentatively call a character) is pretty creepy, so it's easy to think of it as an antagonist, [[YankTheDogsChain a tease]], an EldritchAbomination, etc. But you could also interpret it as just...[[spoiler:lost]]. It seems to be [[spoiler:trying to find its way home]]. This also gives us an alternate interpretation of the ''player's'' role — instead of just being "the player", you're [[spoiler:a ''hero'' of sorts. This poor black block can't find its way home, and you swoop in to save the day and personally escort it back to its proper place. With this in mind, the GainaxEnding can feel like a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}]].
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII''[==]'s Shaun Hastings: {{Jerkass}} or SurvivorGuilt?
** Another theory is "half-baked Simon Cowell knockoff." Seems to be the thing these days. Really, is there any other reason for being so rude to someone who ''saved his life''? Even gets a bit of a lampshade in the Carnival Performers file.
** [[TakeAThirdOption Third interpretation]]: a completely normal person with DeadpanSnarker tendencies, put through trauma and under stress, which brings out the more negative aspects of his personality. [[TruthInTelevision Likelier than you'd believe.]]
** Even more possible is pretty severe inferiority complex (Shaun is a historian and analyst, so he may be feeling a bit inadequate in the company of biology and computer specialists) masked by fake cockiness. His complex may be exacerbated by the fact that his female colleagues seem to be focused entirely on Desmond. Even though he is an Assassin, [[NonActionGuy doesn't have much of actual ''assassination'' skills or general self-defense skills compared to the rest...]] He gets spooked on a ''food run'', where the job description of Assassin will have you handle much worse.
** Some have interpreted that Shaun may have secretly harboured feelings for Lucy, so he's jealous of the growing attraction between her and Desmond, hence the reason for his open hostility.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:B]]
* Andrew Ryan from ''VideoGame/BioShock'' has numerous different interpretations, not surprising given his politically charged nature. Its easy to view him as a tragic figure who tried to make a city that championed free will above all else and had to become the evil that he sought to destroy in order to keep the government from his city. He could have also just been trying to create a city where he, and he alone, was allowed to reach his full potential and enjoy unmitigated freedom. From a more objective (hehe) standpoint it seems to be a little of both. While its extremely unlikely that he founded rapture just so he could be its tyrant (after all everything in the city talks about the evils of tyrants and government), he didn't act entirely selflessly and fairly either. How much of his actions are done for the sake of ideology and how much is done for himself alone is still very much up for debate.
* [[LetsPlay AmbisagrusSA]] posted [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7fzhtMZNJs this video]] as an AprilFoolsDay joke. Nevertheless, it's an interesting alternate ending to the ''VideoGame/BitTrip'' series, with [[TheHero CommanderVideo]] being a vain, ignorant fool with many clever allegories hidden in his life.
* Batman in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries''. Is he a deeply traumatized, overprotective father figure to his followers, or a {{Jerkass}} ControlFreak who is in it only for himself, and refuses to trust or acknowledge what his allies are actually capable of? ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' rises more questions due to his [[spoiler: Joker infection. Is the Joker hallucination fueled by his own mindset, is it the Joker's fault, or are his followers, while certainly capable, liabilities that keep getting themselves captured?]]
* There are many interpretations available for each ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' cast, but the biggest one for the moment would be Litchi Faye-Ling, especially [[spoiler:after her FaceHeelTurn]]. Is she a genuinely kind person cornered in a completely bad situation [[spoiler:that as much as she didn't like it, she would have to join NOL/Hazama while juggling her morality if she wants a shot at survival and the cure for the person she loves]]? Or is she a completely selfish woman who is obsessed at Arakune [[spoiler:that will join ANY faction who can offer the cure for Arakune, even if it is even worse than NOL/Hazama, completely disregarding her morality]]?
** There is a Website/{{Tumblr}} site called ''Takamagahara Texts'' that takes entries from ''Website/TextsFromLastNight'' and puts them in the mouth of members of the ''[=BlazBlue=]'' cast as if they were said during cutscenes. Most of these use slightly exaggerated versions of the characters' personalities for comedic effect, but some of them have ended up being the go-to for entries on a given subject. As a result, we have Kagura Mutsuki, world's greatest frat boy, Makoto Nanaya, [[AnythingThatMoves nymphomaniac extraordinaire]] and Trinity Glassfille, who's retained her canon kind-heartedness but apparently also does a lot of shrooms. [[labelnote:*]]Also, anything regarding cats will end up somehow involving Nine.[[/labelnote]]
* Xion from the ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'' series officially isn't evil; when not possessed by one of a handful of floating spirits, he's a fairly boring neutral. Given, however, that he's spent the majority of the games possessed and trying to directly harm the planet or the heroes, most people consider him inherently twisted.
* ''VideoGame/BombermanLand'' has a few.
** Cute Pink a sweet cute girl or a slut?
** Is Racer Bomber TheGenericGuy or a really rabid YaoiFanboy?
* Handsome Jack, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', gets quite a bit of this. There's no question he's a villain, but there's debate on whether he's just a petty monster hiding under a thin veneer of civility or a WellIntentionedExtremist suffering from some really bad cases of MoralMyopia and EvilFeelsGood.
** Some people interpret the events of ''VideoGame/BorderlandsThePreSequel'' to argue that Jack was initially a decent person, but was pushed into villainy by the actions of Moxxi, Roland and Lilith. But paying closer attention to his behavior throughout the game, and remembering Angel's timeline as established in the previous game, makes it clear that Jack was ''never'' a decent person. He'd imprisoned his Siren daughter to exploit her powers for his own benefit long before the events of the Pre-Sequel, and within the actual game, he [[ThrownOutTheAirlock spaced]] [[MoralEventHorizon the scientists]] before he was "betrayed" by the Vault Hunters. The events of the game don't turn Jack evil; they force him to reveal the evil that was already there.
* ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'':
** Is Arianna a whiny, entitled brat who wants to destroy everything that doesn’t meet her impossible standards, or is she merely a scared girl lashing out at an unfamiliar world with a power she can’t handle? Was she acting mainly out of jealousy, a sense of betrayal, or a fear of the unknown? What about her relationship with [[MechanicalAbomination STORM]]? Is she the one controlling it, or is it somehow controlling her? And what would she have been like if she hadn’t found it to begin with?
** After her last support conversation, Tyalie is ripe for this. Just how much of her GenkiGirl behavior is an act? Does it start out genuine, and then become an act as the game gets closer to ending? If it is an act, then what is she really like? And does she reach out to the player because she’s genuinely thankful for what they’ve done, or is she just trying to ensure that she won’t be forgotten?
*** She stresses the idea that all fiction is equally true, so aren’t all of these interpretations right? Whatever you believe about Tyalie, then that’s canon for the version of her living in your mind.
** Anonymous. Is he a {{Jerkass}} who’s only helping to save the world ForTheLulz, and because Catie is his MoralityChain? Or does he truly [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold have a good heart]] that he hides for fear of looking uncool? Similarly, is Til’s harshness towards him justified, or is she being excessively mean?
* In ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' fanon, the Greasers are often portrayed as nice guys -- when in the game they're the misbehaving students (next to the actual bullies) like you see in every school. Gary is often portrayed as a JerkassWoobie and Jimmy Hopkins is... the title's sake, a {{Jerkass}} bully.
** Some signs to show that [[EvenEvilHasStandards even if Jimmy is a bully, he has standards]] when he tries to bring order back to the school, tells the bullies to stop picking on weaker kids, and is storyline-wise never shown being mean to a girl or young kid. (In fact; harassing girls and kids, especially ''beating them up'', is considered among the worst things you can do.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:C]]
* The Chronology Nut [[http://chronologynut.tumblr.com/post/2552036913/belmonts-revenge-story-notes offers up the theory that]] the "Revenge" in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIBelmontsRevenge'' refers to [[FlatCharacter Soleiyu]]'s revenge ''[[AntagonisticOffspring on his father]]'' for forcing him to take up the Belmont clan's responsibility (all the while stuck in Christopher's shadow) without any regard to [[RefusalOfTheCall Soleiyu's personal interests]], escalating Dracula's hold on him from mere DemonicPossession to WillingChanneler and a DealWithTheDevil.
-->"Belmont's Revenge, in my opinion, refers to Soleiyu's revenge against his father, against his bloodline, and against his hated destiny. Given that it causes the resurrection of Dracula and sends his father out on another death-defying adventure to stop the world's ultimate evil, that's a pretty good teenage angst scheme. There's all sorts of metaphors for growing up and accepting your situation in the world here, if you look hard enough." (''{{beat}}'') [[LampshadeHanging "Or maybe I'm just looking harder than the developers did."]]
* Most characters in ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' are prone to have many different interpretations due to most of them having strange accents and short screen time, especially the minor characters. Many fanfic authors either modify or remove the strange accent that belongs to a character.
** Serge is a silent protagonist in the game, but in fanfics, many authors let him talk.
** Guile speaks with SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, but many authors make his speech more casual in fanfics.
* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'': Practically every single player has a different take on each Affinity choice due to personal preference and roleplaying style. The general question is each Affinity radical, conservative or willing to TakeAThirdOption, but some of the more common interpretations are:
** Supremacy: {{Science Hero}}es willing to defy traditional taboos and dogma to secure humanity's place in a cold, uncaring universe? {{Machine Worship}}pers with their own varying degrees of dogma from GoodShepherd to KnightTemplar? Are they blindly rushing down the ScaleOfScientificSins and preparing to become [[Franchise/StarTrek The Borg]] by another name? Is Supremacy really about creating a society they believe humanity has always wanted [[CannotTellFictionFromReality based on skewed ideas of surviving science fiction stories]]?
** Harmony: {{Nature Hero}}es [[TheAtoner taking the harsh lesson of the Great Mistake at heart]], and making sure that [[GreenAesop humanity co-exists gracefully with the new planet so they don't destroy it again]]? Hedonists willing to forsake dreams of galactic conquest in favour of creating an {{Arcadia}} of simple pleasures and living in communion with their new home? Or a bunch of misguided [[GaiasVengeance eco-terrorist]] fools who are willingly or perhaps even [[UnwittingPawn unwittingly]] giving in to the corrupting influence of a HiveMind? Are Harmonists actually being played for suckers by the planet into [[LetsYouAndHimFight exterminating their fellow humans]] and allowing their biology to devolve to the point where they're just another one of the planet's organisms?
** Purity: [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Men]] protecting humanity's identity and culture while [[TranshumanTreachery everyone else rushes off to become cyborgs and mutants]]? Well-intentioned but otherwise proud and foolish individuals clinging to the past? Or EvilLuddite SpaceRomans [[ANaziByAnyOtherName fundamentally devoted to the idea that cyborgs and mutants]] [[NoTranshumanismAllowed should not exist]]? Does Purity's opposition to transhumanism stem from FantasticRacism, or [[ItWillNeverCatchOn simple belief that it's an unsustainable future for humanity]]?
* ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersUndying'': Due to the fairly confusing ending and inconsistencies with [[spoiler: the game's manual]], there is some dispute over the motivation of [[spoiler: Jeremiah.]] TheReveal involves [[spoiler: Jeremiah stating that he has been DeadAllAlong and EvilAllAlong and that he used Patrick to kill off his siblings so that he could use the power of the Undying King for himself.]] However, the [[spoiler: journal entries written by him in the manual after his "death" in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI are written as though his "cover story" was true]] meaning that there are two general explanations: [[spoiler: Jeremiah was telling the truth in TheReveal and the journal entries were misinformation- which leads to some FridgeLogic-]] or [[spoiler: Jeremiah chose to lie to some degree during TheReveal and was trying to goad Patrick into killing him for an unknown reason.]]
** Alternatively, [[spoiler:some part of the old Jeremiah still survived and wrote the diary but, ultimately, the evil undead counterpart took over completely. As for goading Patrick into killing him with the Scythe, that was the point, to be final sacrifice for the Undying King to awake - the last Covenant was needed and Patrick couldn't have been a replacement.]]
*** That might even be too optimistic. [[spoiler: Consider that, upon realizing the Undying King is about to break free, Jeremiah asks for help from Galloway, an old war buddy. How did the Undying King get sealed away originally again? By burying a warrior alive at the standing stones.]]
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSeries'': Is Kane just a megalomanical madman bent on dominating the globe by manipulating countless millions of followers to destroy his enemies, or does he honestly care about humanity and earnestly believe in his purported quest to help mankind evolve and ascend? (Kane's depiction varies considerably from game to game. The writers promised to answer the questions with the release of [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight C&C4]]. They didn't. Not even one of them.)
* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'': It's hard to tell with the bosses since all you do is fight them, but not all of them seem inherently evil. After all, Cuphead and Mugman lose their souls to [[{{Satan}} the Devil]] and aren't evil. At least some of the debtors probably aren't evil, but they are none too keen to lose their souls so all of them resolve to go down fighting.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:D]]
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' invites this with every character, but most notably with the Primordial Serpents, Frampt and Kaathe.
** Frampt, [[spoiler:who's willing to use deception to allow the Age of Fire to persevere, is either a WellIntentionedExtremist, or he simply wants he and/or his allies in Gwyn's family to maintain their power.]]
** Likewise, Kaathe [[spoiler:could be honest in his intention to give rise to mankind by ushering in the Age of Dark, or he's being just as deceitful as Frampt, and that the Age of Dark will not be good for any mortal]].
** In the [[spoiler: Dark Lord ending, both Frampt and Kaathe pledge to serve you. Does this mean that they were always working together to play both sides?]]
** Gwyndolin gets hit with this pretty hard. [[spoiler: Is he the true villain of the game who drove away the other gods so he could rule Anor Londo himself? Is his desire to continue the Age of Fire at the expense of the player make him the ultimate enemy of mankind? Is he a fiend who uses deception to rule and manipulate others merely to benefit himself? Is he a pragmatist who is aware of how disastrous the coming darkness will be for everyone, not just the gods and realizes that some sacrifices must be made? Is his status as the last deity in Anor Londo not something he actually intended? Is his use of the illusory Gwynevere a sign of vulnerability rather than manipulation? Is he secretly Velka, the black haired witch goddes of sin?]]
** Griggs is unambiguously a spy for Vinheim. Is he really the NiceGuy he appears to be?
** Abysswalker Artorias; [[spoiler: Did he become a monsters by succumbing to darkness or was he convinced by Kaathe that the Age of Fire needs to end, and that the Age of Darkness, of Humanity must begin? Was his covenant with the Darkwraiths an alliance of convenience with Kaathe, so that he could gain the power to easily hunt the Darkwraiths? Find out in the [[UpdatedRerelease PC version!]] ([[StoryBreadcrumbs Or not.]]) ]]
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'': Much the same as its predecessor, several characters' motivations are hard to pin down exactly.
** The Emerald Herald[[spoiler:/Shanalotte]]: [[spoiler:Is she an AntiHero, AntiVillain, or a straight-up ManipulativeBastard acting on a ZerothLawRebellion? Her dialogue, character design and role lead the player to trust her right from the beginning. By the end, however, it becomes clear that she guided you through this whole ordeal herself. While her gameplay function is similar to [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls The Maiden in Black]], her role in the story places her far closer to [[VideoGame/DarkSouls Gwyndolin and Frampt]]. [[AllThereInTheManual Supplementary materials]] even reveal that she was even the old woman from the opening. [[MindScrew Somehow]]. She ''may'' have done it [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the right reasons]] and (depending on the AmbiguousEnding), [[TheExtremistWasRight it might've even worked]]. Really, though, all we know is that she told several random shmucks that the cure for the Undead Curse is in Drangleic ([[ILied it isn't]]) so she could pull them into a conflict that really wasn't their problem.]]
** Queen Nashandra: [[spoiler: Though apparently out for power over the Throne of Want, and by extension the First Flame, some of her motives are a bit harder to pin down. Was she a queen of a differen kingdom before she came to Drangleic? Was her warning about the Giant invasion just a lie to stir up trouble, or were the Giants indeed planning invasion and she turned the situation to her advantage? How much of the Undead curse was her doing? Is her desire to make the Undead hero "one with the Dark" simply [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness the removal of an unneeded chess piece]], or a [[MercyKill kinder fate than Shanalotte intended]]? What would she have done with the Throne's power if she had gotten it?]]
** Duke Aldia: [[spoiler: A genius sorcerer, brother to King Vendrick, whose mansion is full of his horrific experiments. Was he a WellIntentionedExtremist or a MadScientist who loved PlayingWithSyringes ForScience? Was his desire to [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans save Drangleic]], or simply to [[ImmortalitySeeker become immortal, whatever the cost to others]]? Did he [[DeadAllAlong die before the game began]], or is he [[WasOnceAMan the true identity of the "Ancient" Dragon]]?]]
*** [[UpdatedRerelease Scholar of the First Sin]] casts some light on a few of these, most pertaining to Aldia: [[spoiler:he isn't the Ancient Dragon, but he IS the titular Scholar, and has become an EldritchAbomination to boot]]. However, it raises many others. [[spoiler:What is his purpose for guiding the player on their journey? Does he wish to preserve the Age of Fire, or is he trying to usher in the Age of Dark? Does he seek [[TakeAThirdOption a different outcome entirely]]? Or is he simply interested in seeing what the player will decide for themselves and doesn't really care about the outcome? Is he related in some way to the Bed of Chaos as his appearance seems to suggest? What is exactly is the First Sin and what connection does it have to the balance of Light and Dark?]]
* ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition'':
** Thomas [=MacLaine=]. [[spoiler:Was he simply homosexual and enjoyed dressing up as a woman or is he actually a transsexual woman?]] Players are divided between the first and second option, though the game neither denies or admits either option. Quite the opposite, it gives enough evidence for ''both'', while remaining ambiguous.
** Strangely enough, Kaysen's dog, Willie, was talked a lot about. Then WordOfGod kicked in. [[spoiler:Since Willie was clearly more than just a regular dog, it was figured he was likely a deity. But was he benevolent or evil? According to the creators, Willie is the latter. He is Kaysen's keeper, his connection to the Red World and giving him information.]]
** The original Raincoat Killer, a complete monster or more a mercy killer? [[spoiler:When Harry recollects the events, the Raincoat Killer comes across as a beast, who killed anyone who came too close and even attacked his own son. Then, when the player actually experiences the events from the Raincoat Killer's point of view, he appears more like his killing the villagers was a mere act of ending their suffering the fastest way, when he realized that he couldn't stop the purple fog anymore.]]
* The Illuminati and Morgan Everett in ''VideoGame/DeusEx''. Are the Illuminati against [=MJ12=] because [=MJ12=] controls the U.N., so, is in the position where the Illuminati want to be? Or is it because they believe that [=MJ12=] aren't doing what is best for the world? Is Morgan's hypocrisy a sign that he is no better than [=MJ12=] or that he needs to be the lesser of two evils? Given the fact there are sign of both sides, the answer's a guess at best.
** Tracer Tong: dangerously naive idealist, or the only one who wishes to bring freedom to humanity? Does he work for the Triads for protection, uses them as his tool, or does he [[MoralDissonance just not care]] about the drug trade and human trafficking?
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
** [[EvilTwin Vergil]] is ostensibly a power-hungry villain, but some fans believe this hunger developed from being too weak to save his (and Dante's) mother from demons when they were younger. His bio in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]'' seems to support [[FailureKnight this]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain view]].
** The apparent split between Dante's playful stunt-pulling and his serious side has led to certain fans postulating that he might be using either ObfuscatingStupidity or a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass triggered by demons.
** It's possible, however unlikely, that Dante as depicted in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 DMC4]]'' is actually something of a GeniusDitz, spitting out cliche one-liners and corny catchphrases while at the same time dishing out obscene amounts of punishment to the damned in the most stylish fashion imaginable.
** It's been shown that Dante's usual opponents are demons who are, at least on a base power level, far stronger than he is. However, Dante is no slouch himself, and has the advantage of appearing human. So he acts like a jerk in order to piss off the demons, goading them into making stupid mistakes (thinking he is just a human with a big mouth) and then thrashing them with his unexpected strength in their moment of weakness. Dante has been shown to be extremely efficient when he is sure of what he is up against (see the opening of ''[=DMC4=]'', not a pun made, just wham bam blast the old man) or when he knows his opponent has his measure (like Vergil).
** Dante's final line (complete with a CheshireCatGrin) in ''[=DMC3=]'' right before he and Lady team up to kick demon ass ("Well bring it on! I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!") makes him look like a bit of a BloodKnight when it comes to demon hunting. However, when you consider all of the crap he had to deal with in no more than the span of a day or two (never mind Dante [[spoiler:mourning Vergil's "death"]] not too long before that moment), it wouldn't be out of the question to interpret this as a physically and emotionally exhausted guy ''[[StepfordSmiler forcing]]'' himself to enjoy this fight. It's not even completely incongruent with Dante's LetsGetDangerous moments across the board or his spiel to Trish in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 the first game]] that he's in the business with the hopes of eventually [[YouKilledMyFather hitting the jackpot and avenging his family]].
** Dante in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 2]]''. With the game's placement at the farthest end of the timeline so that Capcom can continue to conveniently forget the black sheep of the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came along many years later), ''something'' had to have happened to our favorite devil hunter between games to explain the glaring dichotomy [[TheStoic his personality]] presents when juxtaposed against ''every other'' depiction of the character. Perhaps Dante finally mellowed out over the years, but some fans even go as far as to [[SurvivorGuilt offer up]] [[KillEmAll theories of a]] [[SoleSurvivor more cataclysmic nature]]. And the with the retcon to [[AnachronicOrder the timeline]] as of ''[=DMC5=]'' that now places ''2'' before the events of ''4'', a common explanation is that Dante is having a depressive episode as a reaction to the events of the original game (namely [[spoiler:Vergil's death]]), a funk that he doesn't [[HesBack fully recover from]] until [[spoiler:meeting Nero--his nephew--in ''4'']]. (This line of thought is also a popular justification for Dante's less colorful personality in ''[[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]''.)
** For a character who has been described as little more than [[DisposableWoman "human bride of Sparda, mother of Dante and Vergil,"]] the ([[HesJustHiding maybe]]) [[PosthumousCharacter late]] Eva isn't safe from this either, particularly where Dante's descriptions of her in the first game are concerned. Eva looks like a kindly housewife and loving ([[MamaBear if not fiercely protective]]) mother with SilkHidingSteel vibes at a first glance, but Dante's comment to [[ActionGirl Trish]] that she lacks Eva's fire and his recount of her HeroicSacrifice [[ActionMom might say otherwise]]. Accepting elements from the non-canonical ''[=DMC2=]'' novel and ''[=DMC3=]'' manga and counting [[VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe two]] [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} other]] games by the original ''DMC''[='s=] [[Creator/HidekiKamiya creator]] as part of the ''DMC'' mythos infinitely complicates things.
** There is a lot of interpretation in regards to [[spoiler:V, [[LiteralSplitPersonality the human part of Vergil]] seen in ''5'',]] and their motivations. They appeared [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone genuinely remorseful of]] [[IHatePastMe their past actions]] but did not hesitate to [[spoiler:re-merge with the defeated Urizen to become whole again]]. Was it their goal the entire time to [[spoiler:regain their power]] and take revenge on Dante while [[TheChessmaster subtly manipulating the protagonists to help them achieve that]]? Or was it a simple act of [[spoiler:self-preservation as V's body was breaking apart]]? Or that in the long run, [[spoiler:Vergil's resurrection was a better outcome than having [[TheUnfettered Urizen run around unchecked]]]]? Given their eventual fate, we may never know the answer.
** Nero gets a degree of this in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5''. Is he challenging Urizen because the latter took his arm? Or is this a way for Nero to prove himself to Dante? Or was this out of guilt of losing Yamato and indirectly enabling the demon invasion? The fact that Urizen easily defeated Dante only a month ago suggested that Nero knows he has little chance of winning but continues to press forward. Is Nero recklessly overestimating his abilities, borderline suicidal or simply desperate and running out of time given the threat Urizen poses?
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG2zaSVvG84 This]] ''VideoGame/DigDug'' video.
* ''VideoGame/Dishonored2'':
** Delilah claimed that when they were children, [[spoiler: Jessamine]] broke something and blamed her for it, leading Delilah to be beaten and her mother being fired and both of them being thrown out to the streets. Was [[spoiler: Jessamine]] that cruel or was Delilah lying or rewriting history in her own mind?
*** Another interpretation is that [[spoiler: Jessamine]] was a child who made a simple innocent mistake and might have been horrified by the unintended consequences. It is noted that the then-Spymaster and the guard-captain were the ones to violently beat Delilah and dismissed Delilah's mother. It also might be possible that Delilah's father was looking for an excuse to kick Delilah and her mother out as he had been uncomfortable with Delilah's insistence on being acknowledged and brought to court. So the above events all happened because Delilah's father wanted them gone.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'':
** Doomguy: OneManArmy fighting to save the universe, or BloodKnight extraordinaire?
** All of the demons attacking Mankind: Either they're out to [[KillAllHumans kill humanity]] or [[BloodKnight challenging its greatest warriors]] to endless combat?
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'':
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'':
*** In other games that feature them, both the Hero and Princess Lora are seemingly interchangeable with their Kenshin/Swordmaster versions. The Kenshin hero at least wears the armor of the original's artwork sometimes, but the Kenshin Lora has been given bright scarlet-pink hair and an elaborate gown compared to her redheaded (soft purple in some art), gold-dressed original.
*** Princess Lora has also been interpreted as Yandere for her tendency to say "But Thou Must!!" if you answer no to any of her questions. Thus, she forces you to carry her around, say you love her, and marry her.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'': In Japan, the Prince of Sumaltria/Cannock is said to be "a slacker, a drinker, and an overall really fun guy". Overseas, he is a "studious young man immersed in his studies" and "easy-going", "doesn't like to hurry", and "[makes] side-trips".
** On the surface, Debora of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is a shallow, conceited, self-absorbed RichBitch, a sharp contrast with her pampered sweet little sister Flora. Nearly everything she says makes it clear that in her view, [[ItsAllAboutMe it's all about her]]. However, she can also be read as an extremely '''TSUN-TSUN''' {{Tsundere}}, a DefrostingIceQueen who fights to keep any vulnerabilities safely hidden behind a veneer of all-consuming {{Pride}}. Despite being [[SpoiledBrat spoiled rotten]], it's made clear that she's TheUnfavorite compared to her dear, gentle, sweet sister, who's loved by everyone while Debora herself is regarded with dismay. And if at least part of her attitude is a front, then the next question is: how much of it is an act, and how much is simple self-confidence?
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'': Terry. Is he a selfish asshole who only comes around after being [[spoiler:beaten silly by the party]], or is he a Hurting Hero whose desire to become the greatest swordsman is fueled by the trauma of [[spoiler:seeing his sister kidnapped (and not for the first time, either)]], and only acts like a jerk in an effort to push potential friends away so he doesn't lose them too? Also, was his [[spoiler:Deal with the Devil with Dhuran]] a selfish act of spite just to gain more power, or an act of desperation after the party unknowingly crushed his lifelong dream by [[spoiler:finding the Sword of Ramia before he could]]?
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'':
*** Given Yangus is willing to toss aside his pride for Red and they wind up [[spoiler:Walking the Earth as traders]] in the ending, he probably has a crush on her and is too shy to admit it.
*** Marcello. Manipulative, self serving Jerkass? Well-Intentioned Extremist? A little bit of both?
*** Just how much influence the Scepter has over its wielders isn't explicitly established, leading to some speculation on how much of the original personality remains intact.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'': Patty is generally depicted in one of two ways. From the her introduction up to taking her position at the bar in the Quester's Rest, she's vigorous, forceful, and blunt bordering on rude, but the rest of the time she's sultry and prone to lounging, as she appears in some official art and the game's opening movie.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'':
*** Was Hendrik telling the truth to Jasper about [[spoiler:always feeling inferior to him]], or was he just telling [[spoiler:his former friend what he wanted to hear so that Jasper could die]] happily?
*** Is Jasper's envy directed toward Sylvando as well as Hendrik? In act two [[spoiler:Jasper wields the Silver Orb, which was taken from Don Rodrigo's villa some years before the game's events, according to a book in the mini medal academy. When the party face him at the Fortress of Fear, the collar of his costume evokes a flower -which are used in a number of Sylv's abilities and Pep Powers- and contains the very same heart symbol that is most likely Don Rodrigo's -and by extension Sylvando's- family crest. The very same heart pattern can be seen on The Don outfit, as well as the outer gates of Puerto Valor. It can be assumed he "stole" from Sylv because to Jasper, he was the person who took Hendrik away with the training in Puerto Valor, along with any chances he had of surpassing his old friend]].
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
** Loghain Mac Tir. Was he [[spoiler: a tyrant drunk on power and willing to do anything, including betray his principles, his country and his own family, rather than lose that power and who sat idly by, fixating on a personal obsession with Orlais and those he paranoidly insists are in cahoots with them while the darkspawn rampaged unchecked across Ferelden? Or a true patriot honouring a lifetime of work in ensuring Ferelden's culture and freedom, no matter the cost?]] In both game-universe and among the fans, this is a hotly debated matter.
** Arl Eamon Guerrin. [[spoiler: Is he the BigGood, trying to unite Ferelden before it's too late to stop the darkspawn and insisting on putting Alistair on the throne to preserve the royal bloodline and Fereldan tradition? Or an opportunist using a boy he cast aside as a political tool to both get rid of a family of upjumped commoners with no claim to the throne and set himself up in a position of great power as chief advisor to the new king?]]
** Queen Anora. [[spoiler: Is she the HighQueen, willing to do all that's necessary to preserve and protect Ferelden's people? Or like her father, is she just so accustomed to her power and her position, she would do anything, including betray her father and allies, to keep her position? And is her refusal to rein in Loghain's excesses until the very end simply unwillingness to act against her own father, or to try and scare a recalcitrant and hostile nobility into line?]]
* "This game stars multi-billion dollar rich fuck [=Scrooge McDuck=] on an intercontinental quest to become even richer. Now, imagine flying into someone else's country, [[InferredHolocaust killing them with a cane and then taking all their treasure]]. Well, he's Scrooge [=McDuck=], and I guess he can do [[ScrewTheRulesIhaveMoney whatever the fuck he wants]]. [[SpoofAesop And remember: No matter how much money you got, it is always worth killing people with a cane for just a little bit more]]." (''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' reviews ''VideoGame/DuckTales'')
* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'', being filled with [[MoralDissonance unintentional]] grey morality, has wildly interpretative characters.
** Is General Gaius a genocidal warmongerer who only cares about [[FantasticRacism his kind]]? Or a patriot who's JustFollowingOrders and risks [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight his own life]] to save a friend ([[spoiler:Dust/Cassius, the amnesiac protagonist]]) from brainwashing? (In particular, his dialogue conflicts a lot with the Moonbloods' portrayal of him.)
--->"But [[spoiler:Cassius]] is gone...as is the world we once loved. Cherish it."
* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms the work it is based on]] has a crapton of this. These are mostly on the Shu side, but to make it short...
** Is Liu Bei really a noble ruler and warrior? Or is he just a naive and ambitious warlord who is not so different from his rivals and deluded by his ideals?
** Is Zhuge Liang really a brilliant honourable strategist who wishes to see justice brought back to the world? Or is he just in it for his own prestige and fame?
** Liu Shan. Is he really just a moron or even outright mentally handicapped? He was dropped on his head as a baby. Or is he actually a BrilliantButLazy[=/=]BookDumb leader who employs ObfuscatingStupidity to get the upper hand?
** The Shu Kingdom in general. Is it really the sapling for a new world of virtue and benevolence free from the bonds of the old, decadent and corrupt Chinese dynasties? Or are they just a nation of deluded {{Knight Templar}}s who are only interested in glory and conquest? Worth pointing out that for all their talk of benevolence, in the ending of ''Dynasty Warriors Next'', they pretty much do KillEmAll on their defeated enemies, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters much like Wei does]] (Wu, the most openly expansionist and aggressive nation, is interestingly the only one that allows the other warlords to live and even [[DefeatMeansFriendship views them as valued allies with a rightful place in their new kingdom]]). [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Pragmatism]], or a sign of Shu's darker side?
[[/folder]]
[[folder:E]]
* Loads of this in the Disney game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey''.
** Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, for example, has gone from a character similar in personality to Mickey Mouse, to Mickey's bitter and distrustful older half-brother. Although, being abandoned by Walt Disney, being replaced by Mickey, and living in a world of darkness and suffering for a few years might make this particular example a JustifiedTrope.
** In several continuities, the Blot's just a crook who aspires world domination, but in Epic Mickey, he's an EldritchAbomination made of Ink and Thinner, with the possible goal of erasing everything.
* [[BigBad The Institute]] in ''VideoGame/Fallout4''. Are they true {{Science Hero}}es, doing [[IDidWhatIHadToDo whatever is necessary]] for the future of mankind? Deeply flawed but redeemable [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well-Intentioned Extremists]] with admirable goals who just need guidance from an InternalReformist leader to help the synths and repair relations with the Commonwealth? Intelligent and well-intentioned scientists held back by a corrupt government, [[BelievingTheirOwnLies cultural indoctrination]], [[WeakButSkilled lack of resources]], and a particularly nasty case of BystanderSyndrome? Cowardly {{Insufferable Genius}}es and slavers ranging from myopic to sociopathic, hiding behind their vastly superior tech to avoid a well-deserved retribution from the surface? Or [[KnowNothingKnowItAll arrogant posers]] whose technology and scientists are merely stolen and imitated, kept shiny with a hearty helping of slave labor?
** There's also [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Elder Arthur Maxson]], the new leader of the [[BadassArmy East Coast]] [[TheOrder Brotherhood of Steel]]. Is he a [[FantasticRacism racist]] demagogue [[GodGuise pretending to be a god]] that relies on [[FakeUltimateHero faked victories]] [[MilesGloriosus to keep his power]] and is only concerned with turning the Brotherhood into a fascist dystopia that he can use to [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out all non-human life]]? Is he a [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-intentioned]] [[WarriorPrince warrior king]] whose racism is, [[KickTheDog while cruel]], [[FreudianExcuse somewhat sensible]] considering his childhood in the [[DeathWorld Capital Wasteland]]? Is he a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold kind man with a gruff exterior]] [[HeroicBSOD who's seen too many of his fellow soldiers]] [[WarIsHell die horrifically in battle with mutated life]], and his current crusade in the Commonwealth is [[TheAtoner him desperately trying to make up]] [[MyGreatestFailure for his past mistakes]]? Or is [[AChildShallLeadThem he still a child at heart]], who, after the ''hellish'' [[TraumaCongaLine upbringing]] he suffered through after the deaths of the [[ParentalSubstitute Lyons]] [[PrecociousCrush family]] and near-collapse of his entire homeland, is [[TheDeterminator trying to do his damndest]] to keep his loved ones alive and (supposedly) save the world from what he sees as monsters ([[JerkassHasAPoint which commonly are]]) while [[NobleBigot fighting against his internalized racism]] ''and'' being in '''way''' [[HonorBeforeReason over his head]] [[BornUnlucky to a near-laughable extent]]?
** Is [[IntrepidReporter Piper Wright's]] reporting for the betterment or detriment of the Commonwealth? On the negative side, some of her articles can come across as fear-mongering that only breeds [[ParanoiaFuel paranoia]], focuses on less important subjects related solely to Diamond City and not the entire region, and make baseless accusations (like implying that [[MayorPain Mayor McDonough]], the leader of [[TownWithADarkSecret Diamond City]], is an [[TheMole Institute Synth]]). She's also prone to asking people rather invasive questions in a very abrupt manner that only seem to unnerve them. Complicating matters is that it's implied that the latter-most is more due to her own invasive personality (which she herself doesn't like and is trying to get ahold of), and the answers she gets back are also more than not just examples of her interviewees' stupidity/ignorance. Relatedly, there's the fact that many of her articles ''do'' try to inform, but are held back by the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome limits of available resources in the Commonwealth for journalism]], and that she deliberately tries to write for Diamond City's audience first [[MoneyDearBoy because they have the highest population of literate people in the Commonwealth]] (although she still tries to write some articles focused on other parts of the Commonwealth). Also, [[spoiler: she ''was'' [[TheCassandra actually right]] about Mayor [=McDonough=] being an Institute Synth, and it's possible that further evidence discussing her theory was either planned to be discussed in future editions, or was held back deliberately because of Piper's [[AdultFear very appropriate fear of the Institute/[=McDonough=] retaliating upon her little sister Nat]] if her theory was right]]. There's also the fact that the game actually has some (admittedly subtle) {{Foreshadowing}} for [[spoiler:[=McDonough=]]] being a Synth: When they see [[SitcomArchNemesis Piper]] and yell for them to leave their office, [[spoiler: their voice gains a noticeably mechanical undertone like a malfunctioning computer]].
** Is [[SealedEvilInACan Lorenzo Cabot]] ''really'' as evil as his son [[BadassBookworm Jack]] says he is? First and foremost, there's the fact that [[spoiler: ''[[PoweredByAForsakenChild Lorenzo's]]'' {{Alien Blood}} is the source of the immortality serum that Jack and the rest of his family utilize, which keeps them [[TheAgeless eternally young]] and superior to baseline humanity]]. That can't help but color their relationship, as Jack will likely [[spoiler: want to keep his father alive in some form so he and his family can reap the [[LivingForeverIsAwesome benefits of immortality]]]]. Additionally, many of the Sole Survivor's Good-aligned companions [[CryForTheDevil pity Lorenzo's plight]], and actually ''approve'' of the Survivor freeing him. Lorenzo, after being released, then proceeds to [[spoiler:[[PaterFamilicide ruthlessly kill his entire family]]... which is ''kinda'' justified considering he's been [[AndIMustScream locked up in a small room for over four centuries]]]]. If freed, Lorenzo will also stay [[AffablyEvil unfailingly polite]] to the Sole Survivor, and will even offer him [[spoiler:vials of his blood]] whenever the player asks (and [[spoiler:Lorenzo's blood is one of '''the''' most useful items in the entire game]]) afterward. Most notably, [[HollywoodPsych Lorenzo isn't nearly as crazy as Jack tries to make him come across]], as he's never portrayed as being psychotic and is perfectly lucid -- just [[TheUnfettered utterly ruthless]].
*** However, in support of Jack, there's the fact that not only is Jack Cabot (and his family in general) one of the [[NiceGuy nicest persons]] the Sole Survivor will come across in post-apocalyptic Boston, but that [[spoiler:[[{{Determinator}} he's been struggling for every moment]] of those four centuries trying to develop a cure for his father's [[AxCrazy Ax-Craziness]]]]. Additionally, if a cure for Lorenzo's insanity ''was'' developed, it's made clear that it would've been able to [[spoiler: still preserve Lorenzo's immortality (and, by extension, the rest of the Cabot family's)]]. Jack also seems to be [[spoiler:[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone genuinely horrified to be forced to]] [[SelfMadeOrphan kill his own father]]]], and he and the rest of his family are clearly [[spoiler: wracked with grief for a long time afterwards, suggesting that they don't ''only'' see him as a free supply of immortality serum]]. The source of Lorenzo's insanity -- [[spoiler:the alien artifact fused to his head]] -- is also shown to make Lorenzo an [[OneManArmy exceptionally dangerous person]]: he has [[spoiler:[[MindOverMatter powerful telekinesis]], [[SuperToughness more health than a Deathclaw and skin tougher than a full suit of Combat Armor]], and [[CharmPerson can charm "weak-minded" people to his will]], with an entire tribe of [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Raiders]] worshiping him as a DarkMessiah]]. In addition, Lorenzo's still [[LackOfEmpathy a rather cruel man]] (one of the first things the Sole Survivor will find Lorenzo doing after being released is [[KickTheDog brutally killing a group of innocent Ghoul settlers]] [[MadScientist because he was interested in how Ghoul physiology differed from baseline humanity's]]). The above being considered, and it's hard not to see [[TooPowerfulToLive Lorenzo as too dangerous to keep living]] (especially since his ending in the related quest [[KarmaHoudini will let him keep]] [[spoiler:his alien artifact]], meaning that he ''stays'' AxCrazy. Finally, while many of the Sole Survivor's Good-aligned companions approve of ''freeing'' Lorenzo, just as many approve of ''killing'' him.
** As with any good RPG protagonist, the [[PlayerCharacter Sole Survivor]] falls into this. Aside from the "new" personalities that the player(s) is able to imprint upon them, there's their [[SuddenlyVoiced vocal responses]] to people. Is their somewhat understated voice acting, occasionally awkward facial animations, stilted and shortened sentences, and [[DeadpanSnarker near-constant bitter sarcasm]] just limitations of the game's technology and part of the game's writing, or representative of how (after the [[TraumaCongaLine nightmarish opening sequence]]) they're continually suffering through a HeroicBSOD combined with SurvivorGuilt and are [[KnightInSourArmor trying to use sarcasm as a coping mechanism]]? Further complicating matters is the fact that the [[AllThereInTheManual canon backgrounds]] for the male and female Sole Survivors (respectively) are a retired combat veteran-turned-househusband that fought in the Battle of Anchorage (one of the most horrific conflicts during the Resource Wars) and a retired military lawyer-turned-housewife that recently gave birth. Both of those origins mean that it's more than possible for the male Sole Survivor to be suffering from shell-shock, and the female Sole Survivor is suffering from a form of post-partum depression.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:F]]
* ''VideoGame/FatalFrameIICrimsonButterfly'':
** Mayu can be viewed several different ways. Is she a sweet, helpless girl who the main antagonist has taken particular interest in and who [[VideoGameCaringPotential you want to keep safe at all times]]? Is she an irritating little wimp who [[TheLoad you need to keep safe at all times]]? Or is she [[spoiler: an obsessively crazy young woman who deliberately fell off a cliff just to guilt Mio into staying with her forever?]]
** There's an in-universe example that appears to apply to Ayako:
--->'''Sakuya''': That child goes around with an air of evil and fear around her, but I know she is really very gentle and vulnerable.
* Alma, of ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R]]'': is she a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds with a major FreudianExcuse, or is she an evil, crazy, ghost of an evil, crazy, girl with psychic powers who does terrible things for no reason, and was was killed off for the good of the world?
* Due to the vague nature of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' and [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the sequel]], the characters are interpreted differently:
** Mike Schmidt/Jeremy Fitzgerald is either the child murderer, an innocent guy who is desperate for money, or someone who takes the job on purpose to find out the truth behind the restaurant's past.
** The Phone Guy is either the real villain, someone who worked with the true villain, or someone who's just trying to help out the night guards.
** The manager is either someone who honestly wants the pizzeria to be successful or is the true villain.
[[/folder]]
----
'''A - F''' | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesGToL G - L]] | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesMToS M - S]] | [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/VideoGamesTToZ T - Z]]-]]]]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:A]]
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** One main bone of contention is whether Terry Fawles had special needs/mental issues or not. If he does, then [[spoiler:it makes Dahlia even more evil for manipulating him, as he wouldn't have understood that being in love with a 14-year old is squicky. If he doesn't, then many fans would lose sympathy for him completely.]] And if he does have mental deficiencies, that puts a whole new slant on the trial process of the game, since it's never brought up once that he may not be competent enough to stand trial.
** As for [[spoiler:Dahlia herself, there are a few people who think that she has a FreudianExcuse. In-Universe, her sister is among those people; Iris says that they had similar circumstances, but while Iris sees Bikini as a ParentalSubstitute, Dahlia had no one of the sort.]]
** Godot. A BunnyEarsLawyer with deep personal issues, or [[spoiler:a man driven nearly insane by his own guilt who manages to hide it behind a mask of simple eccentricity?]]. Perhaps a KnightInShiningArmor, steadfastly protecting the family of his beloved lady from devious plots that even TheHero was blissfully ignorant of? Or how about a self-righteous, self-pitying hero-wannabe, who [[spoiler: was fine with arranging a murder-risky situation and then blaming said murder on his accomplice (and prosecuting against said person, no less), just so that he could live out his sexist savior fantasy and/or take revenge on long-dead foes]].
** Then there's Phoenix himself. The people who most accept his change in ''Apollo Justice'' are the ones that argue that he's always bent the law in the pursuit of the truth, and that he's always been a bit of a snarky jerk on the inside. Others think that the aforementioned people are going too far in interpreting Phoenix's actions and that he'd never go as far as he did in ''Apollo Justice''. Is he a badass lawyer who managed to win cases which seemed downright impossible through a combination of intelligence and grit? Or is he a [[IdiotHero dumbass]] who simply [[BornLucky lucked his way]] out of everything thrown at him?
** Matt Engarde. [[spoiler:A guy with [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]], or a monster who hid his true nature behind a mask?]]
* One existing interpretation of ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' is that the heroes of the story aren't Alan and Barry, but Tor and Odin Anderson, who wrote a couple of songs ("Children of the Elder Gods" and "The Poet and The Muse") that came true, describing Alan's quest to rescue his wife and defeat the Dark Presence. The entire game is, in this interpretation, an epic bit of Norse-inspired mythology written by the Andersons to defeat the Dark Presence.
* The Faction Leaders from ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. A rare case in that this is ''encouraged'' by the game, and whether the factions are good or bad depends largely on your play style.
** Pravin Lal of The Peacekeeping Forces: Voice of humanitarianism or far too attached to his outdated ideals?
** Prokhor Zakharov of The University of Planet: Bringer of the light of knowledge or ruthless, amoral MadScientist?
** Miriam Godwinson of The Lord's Believers: Dogmatic luddite or OnlySaneWoman in a far-too-rapidly technologically advancing world?
** Sheng-Yi Yang of The Human Hive: Ruthless, self-serving despot or a man with a reasonable vision of Utopia and a firm belief that UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans?
** Corazon Santiago of The Spartan Federation: Defender of humanity against a hostile world or war-crazed gun-nut?
** Deidre Skye of Gaia's Stepdaughters: Advocate of peace and balance, or eco-terrorist with a taste for MindRape?
** Nwabudike Morgan of Morgan Enterprises: Believes in liberty or believes in profit?
* ''VideoGame/{{Antichamber}}'': The black block (the only thing in the game that you could tentatively call a character) is pretty creepy, so it's easy to think of it as an antagonist, [[YankTheDogsChain a tease]], an EldritchAbomination, etc. But you could also interpret it as just...[[spoiler:lost]]. It seems to be [[spoiler:trying to find its way home]]. This also gives us an alternate interpretation of the ''player's'' role — instead of just being "the player", you're [[spoiler:a ''hero'' of sorts. This poor black block can't find its way home, and you swoop in to save the day and personally escort it back to its proper place. With this in mind, the GainaxEnding can feel like a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}]].
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII''[==]'s Shaun Hastings: {{Jerkass}} or SurvivorGuilt?
** Another theory is "half-baked Simon Cowell knockoff." Seems to be the thing these days. Really, is there any other reason for being so rude to someone who ''saved his life''? Even gets a bit of a lampshade in the Carnival Performers file.
** [[TakeAThirdOption Third interpretation]]: a completely normal person with DeadpanSnarker tendencies, put through trauma and under stress, which brings out the more negative aspects of his personality. [[TruthInTelevision Likelier than you'd believe.]]
** Even more possible is pretty severe inferiority complex (Shaun is a historian and analyst, so he may be feeling a bit inadequate in the company of biology and computer specialists) masked by fake cockiness. His complex may be exacerbated by the fact that his female colleagues seem to be focused entirely on Desmond. Even though he is an Assassin, [[NonActionGuy doesn't have much of actual ''assassination'' skills or general self-defense skills compared to the rest...]] He gets spooked on a ''food run'', where the job description of Assassin will have you handle much worse.
** Some have interpreted that Shaun may have secretly harboured feelings for Lucy, so he's jealous of the growing attraction between her and Desmond, hence the reason for his open hostility.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:B]]
* Andrew Ryan from ''VideoGame/BioShock'' has numerous different interpretations, not surprising given his politically charged nature. Its easy to view him as a tragic figure who tried to make a city that championed free will above all else and had to become the evil that he sought to destroy in order to keep the government from his city. He could have also just been trying to create a city where he, and he alone, was allowed to reach his full potential and enjoy unmitigated freedom. From a more objective (hehe) standpoint it seems to be a little of both. While its extremely unlikely that he founded rapture just so he could be its tyrant (after all everything in the city talks about the evils of tyrants and government), he didn't act entirely selflessly and fairly either. How much of his actions are done for the sake of ideology and how much is done for himself alone is still very much up for debate.
* [[LetsPlay AmbisagrusSA]] posted [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7fzhtMZNJs this video]] as an AprilFoolsDay joke. Nevertheless, it's an interesting alternate ending to the ''VideoGame/BitTrip'' series, with [[TheHero CommanderVideo]] being a vain, ignorant fool with many clever allegories hidden in his life.
* Batman in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries''. Is he a deeply traumatized, overprotective father figure to his followers, or a {{Jerkass}} ControlFreak who is in it only for himself, and refuses to trust or acknowledge what his allies are actually capable of? ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' rises more questions due to his [[spoiler: Joker infection. Is the Joker hallucination fueled by his own mindset, is it the Joker's fault, or are his followers, while certainly capable, liabilities that keep getting themselves captured?]]
* There are many interpretations available for each ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' cast, but the biggest one for the moment would be Litchi Faye-Ling, especially [[spoiler:after her FaceHeelTurn]]. Is she a genuinely kind person cornered in a completely bad situation [[spoiler:that as much as she didn't like it, she would have to join NOL/Hazama while juggling her morality if she wants a shot at survival and the cure for the person she loves]]? Or is she a completely selfish woman who is obsessed at Arakune [[spoiler:that will join ANY faction who can offer the cure for Arakune, even if it is even worse than NOL/Hazama, completely disregarding her morality]]?
** There is a Website/{{Tumblr}} site called ''Takamagahara Texts'' that takes entries from ''Website/TextsFromLastNight'' and puts them in the mouth of members of the ''[=BlazBlue=]'' cast as if they were said during cutscenes. Most of these use slightly exaggerated versions of the characters' personalities for comedic effect, but some of them have ended up being the go-to for entries on a given subject. As a result, we have Kagura Mutsuki, world's greatest frat boy, Makoto Nanaya, [[AnythingThatMoves nymphomaniac extraordinaire]] and Trinity Glassfille, who's retained her canon kind-heartedness but apparently also does a lot of shrooms. [[labelnote:*]]Also, anything regarding cats will end up somehow involving Nine.[[/labelnote]]
* Xion from the ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'' series officially isn't evil; when not possessed by one of a handful of floating spirits, he's a fairly boring neutral. Given, however, that he's spent the majority of the games possessed and trying to directly harm the planet or the heroes, most people consider him inherently twisted.
* ''VideoGame/BombermanLand'' has a few.
** Cute Pink a sweet cute girl or a slut?
** Is Racer Bomber TheGenericGuy or a really rabid YaoiFanboy?
* Handsome Jack, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', gets quite a bit of this. There's no question he's a villain, but there's debate on whether he's just a petty monster hiding under a thin veneer of civility or a WellIntentionedExtremist suffering from some really bad cases of MoralMyopia and EvilFeelsGood.
** Some people interpret the events of ''VideoGame/BorderlandsThePreSequel'' to argue that Jack was initially a decent person, but was pushed into villainy by the actions of Moxxi, Roland and Lilith. But paying closer attention to his behavior throughout the game, and remembering Angel's timeline as established in the previous game, makes it clear that Jack was ''never'' a decent person. He'd imprisoned his Siren daughter to exploit her powers for his own benefit long before the events of the Pre-Sequel, and within the actual game, he [[ThrownOutTheAirlock spaced]] [[MoralEventHorizon the scientists]] before he was "betrayed" by the Vault Hunters. The events of the game don't turn Jack evil; they force him to reveal the evil that was already there.
* ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'':
** Is Arianna a whiny, entitled brat who wants to destroy everything that doesn’t meet her impossible standards, or is she merely a scared girl lashing out at an unfamiliar world with a power she can’t handle? Was she acting mainly out of jealousy, a sense of betrayal, or a fear of the unknown? What about her relationship with [[MechanicalAbomination STORM]]? Is she the one controlling it, or is it somehow controlling her? And what would she have been like if she hadn’t found it to begin with?
** After her last support conversation, Tyalie is ripe for this. Just how much of her GenkiGirl behavior is an act? Does it start out genuine, and then become an act as the game gets closer to ending? If it is an act, then what is she really like? And does she reach out to the player because she’s genuinely thankful for what they’ve done, or is she just trying to ensure that she won’t be forgotten?
*** She stresses the idea that all fiction is equally true, so aren’t all of these interpretations right? Whatever you believe about Tyalie, then that’s canon for the version of her living in your mind.
** Anonymous. Is he a {{Jerkass}} who’s only helping to save the world ForTheLulz, and because Catie is his MoralityChain? Or does he truly [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold have a good heart]] that he hides for fear of looking uncool? Similarly, is Til’s harshness towards him justified, or is she being excessively mean?
* In ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' fanon, the Greasers are often portrayed as nice guys -- when in the game they're the misbehaving students (next to the actual bullies) like you see in every school. Gary is often portrayed as a JerkassWoobie and Jimmy Hopkins is... the title's sake, a {{Jerkass}} bully.
** Some signs to show that [[EvenEvilHasStandards even if Jimmy is a bully, he has standards]] when he tries to bring order back to the school, tells the bullies to stop picking on weaker kids, and is storyline-wise never shown being mean to a girl or young kid. (In fact; harassing girls and kids, especially ''beating them up'', is considered among the worst things you can do.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:C]]
* The Chronology Nut [[http://chronologynut.tumblr.com/post/2552036913/belmonts-revenge-story-notes offers up the theory that]] the "Revenge" in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIBelmontsRevenge'' refers to [[FlatCharacter Soleiyu]]'s revenge ''[[AntagonisticOffspring on his father]]'' for forcing him to take up the Belmont clan's responsibility (all the while stuck in Christopher's shadow) without any regard to [[RefusalOfTheCall Soleiyu's personal interests]], escalating Dracula's hold on him from mere DemonicPossession to WillingChanneler and a DealWithTheDevil.
-->"Belmont's Revenge, in my opinion, refers to Soleiyu's revenge against his father, against his bloodline, and against his hated destiny. Given that it causes the resurrection of Dracula and sends his father out on another death-defying adventure to stop the world's ultimate evil, that's a pretty good teenage angst scheme. There's all sorts of metaphors for growing up and accepting your situation in the world here, if you look hard enough." (''{{beat}}'') [[LampshadeHanging "Or maybe I'm just looking harder than the developers did."]]
* Most characters in ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' are prone to have many different interpretations due to most of them having strange accents and short screen time, especially the minor characters. Many fanfic authors either modify or remove the strange accent that belongs to a character.
** Serge is a silent protagonist in the game, but in fanfics, many authors let him talk.
** Guile speaks with SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, but many authors make his speech more casual in fanfics.
* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'': Practically every single player has a different take on each Affinity choice due to personal preference and roleplaying style. The general question is each Affinity radical, conservative or willing to TakeAThirdOption, but some of the more common interpretations are:
** Supremacy: {{Science Hero}}es willing to defy traditional taboos and dogma to secure humanity's place in a cold, uncaring universe? {{Machine Worship}}pers with their own varying degrees of dogma from GoodShepherd to KnightTemplar? Are they blindly rushing down the ScaleOfScientificSins and preparing to become [[Franchise/StarTrek The Borg]] by another name? Is Supremacy really about creating a society they believe humanity has always wanted [[CannotTellFictionFromReality based on skewed ideas of surviving science fiction stories]]?
** Harmony: {{Nature Hero}}es [[TheAtoner taking the harsh lesson of the Great Mistake at heart]], and making sure that [[GreenAesop humanity co-exists gracefully with the new planet so they don't destroy it again]]? Hedonists willing to forsake dreams of galactic conquest in favour of creating an {{Arcadia}} of simple pleasures and living in communion with their new home? Or a bunch of misguided [[GaiasVengeance eco-terrorist]] fools who are willingly or perhaps even [[UnwittingPawn unwittingly]] giving in to the corrupting influence of a HiveMind? Are Harmonists actually being played for suckers by the planet into [[LetsYouAndHimFight exterminating their fellow humans]] and allowing their biology to devolve to the point where they're just another one of the planet's organisms?
** Purity: [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Men]] protecting humanity's identity and culture while [[TranshumanTreachery everyone else rushes off to become cyborgs and mutants]]? Well-intentioned but otherwise proud and foolish individuals clinging to the past? Or EvilLuddite SpaceRomans [[ANaziByAnyOtherName fundamentally devoted to the idea that cyborgs and mutants]] [[NoTranshumanismAllowed should not exist]]? Does Purity's opposition to transhumanism stem from FantasticRacism, or [[ItWillNeverCatchOn simple belief that it's an unsustainable future for humanity]]?
* ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersUndying'': Due to the fairly confusing ending and inconsistencies with [[spoiler: the game's manual]], there is some dispute over the motivation of [[spoiler: Jeremiah.]] TheReveal involves [[spoiler: Jeremiah stating that he has been DeadAllAlong and EvilAllAlong and that he used Patrick to kill off his siblings so that he could use the power of the Undying King for himself.]] However, the [[spoiler: journal entries written by him in the manual after his "death" in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI are written as though his "cover story" was true]] meaning that there are two general explanations: [[spoiler: Jeremiah was telling the truth in TheReveal and the journal entries were misinformation- which leads to some FridgeLogic-]] or [[spoiler: Jeremiah chose to lie to some degree during TheReveal and was trying to goad Patrick into killing him for an unknown reason.]]
** Alternatively, [[spoiler:some part of the old Jeremiah still survived and wrote the diary but, ultimately, the evil undead counterpart took over completely. As for goading Patrick into killing him with the Scythe, that was the point, to be final sacrifice for the Undying King to awake - the last Covenant was needed and Patrick couldn't have been a replacement.]]
*** That might even be too optimistic. [[spoiler: Consider that, upon realizing the Undying King is about to break free, Jeremiah asks for help from Galloway, an old war buddy. How did the Undying King get sealed away originally again? By burying a warrior alive at the standing stones.]]
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSeries'': Is Kane just a megalomanical madman bent on dominating the globe by manipulating countless millions of followers to destroy his enemies, or does he honestly care about humanity and earnestly believe in his purported quest to help mankind evolve and ascend? (Kane's depiction varies considerably from game to game. The writers promised to answer the questions with the release of [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight C&C4]]. They didn't. Not even one of them.)
* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'': It's hard to tell with the bosses since all you do is fight them, but not all of them seem inherently evil. After all, Cuphead and Mugman lose their souls to [[{{Satan}} the Devil]] and aren't evil. At least some of the debtors probably aren't evil, but they are none too keen to lose their souls so all of them resolve to go down fighting.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:D]]
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' invites this with every character, but most notably with the Primordial Serpents, Frampt and Kaathe.
** Frampt, [[spoiler:who's willing to use deception to allow the Age of Fire to persevere, is either a WellIntentionedExtremist, or he simply wants he and/or his allies in Gwyn's family to maintain their power.]]
** Likewise, Kaathe [[spoiler:could be honest in his intention to give rise to mankind by ushering in the Age of Dark, or he's being just as deceitful as Frampt, and that the Age of Dark will not be good for any mortal]].
** In the [[spoiler: Dark Lord ending, both Frampt and Kaathe pledge to serve you. Does this mean that they were always working together to play both sides?]]
** Gwyndolin gets hit with this pretty hard. [[spoiler: Is he the true villain of the game who drove away the other gods so he could rule Anor Londo himself? Is his desire to continue the Age of Fire at the expense of the player make him the ultimate enemy of mankind? Is he a fiend who uses deception to rule and manipulate others merely to benefit himself? Is he a pragmatist who is aware of how disastrous the coming darkness will be for everyone, not just the gods and realizes that some sacrifices must be made? Is his status as the last deity in Anor Londo not something he actually intended? Is his use of the illusory Gwynevere a sign of vulnerability rather than manipulation? Is he secretly Velka, the black haired witch goddes of sin?]]
** Griggs is unambiguously a spy for Vinheim. Is he really the NiceGuy he appears to be?
** Abysswalker Artorias; [[spoiler: Did he become a monsters by succumbing to darkness or was he convinced by Kaathe that the Age of Fire needs to end, and that the Age of Darkness, of Humanity must begin? Was his covenant with the Darkwraiths an alliance of convenience with Kaathe, so that he could gain the power to easily hunt the Darkwraiths? Find out in the [[UpdatedRerelease PC version!]] ([[StoryBreadcrumbs Or not.]]) ]]
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'': Much the same as its predecessor, several characters' motivations are hard to pin down exactly.
** The Emerald Herald[[spoiler:/Shanalotte]]: [[spoiler:Is she an AntiHero, AntiVillain, or a straight-up ManipulativeBastard acting on a ZerothLawRebellion? Her dialogue, character design and role lead the player to trust her right from the beginning. By the end, however, it becomes clear that she guided you through this whole ordeal herself. While her gameplay function is similar to [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls The Maiden in Black]], her role in the story places her far closer to [[VideoGame/DarkSouls Gwyndolin and Frampt]]. [[AllThereInTheManual Supplementary materials]] even reveal that she was even the old woman from the opening. [[MindScrew Somehow]]. She ''may'' have done it [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the right reasons]] and (depending on the AmbiguousEnding), [[TheExtremistWasRight it might've even worked]]. Really, though, all we know is that she told several random shmucks that the cure for the Undead Curse is in Drangleic ([[ILied it isn't]]) so she could pull them into a conflict that really wasn't their problem.]]
** Queen Nashandra: [[spoiler: Though apparently out for power over the Throne of Want, and by extension the First Flame, some of her motives are a bit harder to pin down. Was she a queen of a differen kingdom before she came to Drangleic? Was her warning about the Giant invasion just a lie to stir up trouble, or were the Giants indeed planning invasion and she turned the situation to her advantage? How much of the Undead curse was her doing? Is her desire to make the Undead hero "one with the Dark" simply [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness the removal of an unneeded chess piece]], or a [[MercyKill kinder fate than Shanalotte intended]]? What would she have done with the Throne's power if she had gotten it?]]
** Duke Aldia: [[spoiler: A genius sorcerer, brother to King Vendrick, whose mansion is full of his horrific experiments. Was he a WellIntentionedExtremist or a MadScientist who loved PlayingWithSyringes ForScience? Was his desire to [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans save Drangleic]], or simply to [[ImmortalitySeeker become immortal, whatever the cost to others]]? Did he [[DeadAllAlong die before the game began]], or is he [[WasOnceAMan the true identity of the "Ancient" Dragon]]?]]
*** [[UpdatedRerelease Scholar of the First Sin]] casts some light on a few of these, most pertaining to Aldia: [[spoiler:he isn't the Ancient Dragon, but he IS the titular Scholar, and has become an EldritchAbomination to boot]]. However, it raises many others. [[spoiler:What is his purpose for guiding the player on their journey? Does he wish to preserve the Age of Fire, or is he trying to usher in the Age of Dark? Does he seek [[TakeAThirdOption a different outcome entirely]]? Or is he simply interested in seeing what the player will decide for themselves and doesn't really care about the outcome? Is he related in some way to the Bed of Chaos as his appearance seems to suggest? What is exactly is the First Sin and what connection does it have to the balance of Light and Dark?]]
* ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition'':
** Thomas [=MacLaine=]. [[spoiler:Was he simply homosexual and enjoyed dressing up as a woman or is he actually a transsexual woman?]] Players are divided between the first and second option, though the game neither denies or admits either option. Quite the opposite, it gives enough evidence for ''both'', while remaining ambiguous.
** Strangely enough, Kaysen's dog, Willie, was talked a lot about. Then WordOfGod kicked in. [[spoiler:Since Willie was clearly more than just a regular dog, it was figured he was likely a deity. But was he benevolent or evil? According to the creators, Willie is the latter. He is Kaysen's keeper, his connection to the Red World and giving him information.]]
** The original Raincoat Killer, a complete monster or more a mercy killer? [[spoiler:When Harry recollects the events, the Raincoat Killer comes across as a beast, who killed anyone who came too close and even attacked his own son. Then, when the player actually experiences the events from the Raincoat Killer's point of view, he appears more like his killing the villagers was a mere act of ending their suffering the fastest way, when he realized that he couldn't stop the purple fog anymore.]]
* The Illuminati and Morgan Everett in ''VideoGame/DeusEx''. Are the Illuminati against [=MJ12=] because [=MJ12=] controls the U.N., so, is in the position where the Illuminati want to be? Or is it because they believe that [=MJ12=] aren't doing what is best for the world? Is Morgan's hypocrisy a sign that he is no better than [=MJ12=] or that he needs to be the lesser of two evils? Given the fact there are sign of both sides, the answer's a guess at best.
** Tracer Tong: dangerously naive idealist, or the only one who wishes to bring freedom to humanity? Does he work for the Triads for protection, uses them as his tool, or does he [[MoralDissonance just not care]] about the drug trade and human trafficking?
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
** [[EvilTwin Vergil]] is ostensibly a power-hungry villain, but some fans believe this hunger developed from being too weak to save his (and Dante's) mother from demons when they were younger. His bio in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]'' seems to support [[FailureKnight this]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain view]].
** The apparent split between Dante's playful stunt-pulling and his serious side has led to certain fans postulating that he might be using either ObfuscatingStupidity or a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass triggered by demons.
** It's possible, however unlikely, that Dante as depicted in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 DMC4]]'' is actually something of a GeniusDitz, spitting out cliche one-liners and corny catchphrases while at the same time dishing out obscene amounts of punishment to the damned in the most stylish fashion imaginable.
** It's been shown that Dante's usual opponents are demons who are, at least on a base power level, far stronger than he is. However, Dante is no slouch himself, and has the advantage of appearing human. So he acts like a jerk in order to piss off the demons, goading them into making stupid mistakes (thinking he is just a human with a big mouth) and then thrashing them with his unexpected strength in their moment of weakness. Dante has been shown to be extremely efficient when he is sure of what he is up against (see the opening of ''[=DMC4=]'', not a pun made, just wham bam blast the old man) or when he knows his opponent has his measure (like Vergil).
** Dante's final line (complete with a CheshireCatGrin) in ''[=DMC3=]'' right before he and Lady team up to kick demon ass ("Well bring it on! I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!") makes him look like a bit of a BloodKnight when it comes to demon hunting. However, when you consider all of the crap he had to deal with in no more than the span of a day or two (never mind Dante [[spoiler:mourning Vergil's "death"]] not too long before that moment), it wouldn't be out of the question to interpret this as a physically and emotionally exhausted guy ''[[StepfordSmiler forcing]]'' himself to enjoy this fight. It's not even completely incongruent with Dante's LetsGetDangerous moments across the board or his spiel to Trish in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 the first game]] that he's in the business with the hopes of eventually [[YouKilledMyFather hitting the jackpot and avenging his family]].
** Dante in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 2]]''. With the game's placement at the farthest end of the timeline so that Capcom can continue to conveniently forget the black sheep of the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came along many years later), ''something'' had to have happened to our favorite devil hunter between games to explain the glaring dichotomy [[TheStoic his personality]] presents when juxtaposed against ''every other'' depiction of the character. Perhaps Dante finally mellowed out over the years, but some fans even go as far as to [[SurvivorGuilt offer up]] [[KillEmAll theories of a]] [[SoleSurvivor more cataclysmic nature]]. And the with the retcon to [[AnachronicOrder the timeline]] as of ''[=DMC5=]'' that now places ''2'' before the events of ''4'', a common explanation is that Dante is having a depressive episode as a reaction to the events of the original game (namely [[spoiler:Vergil's death]]), a funk that he doesn't [[HesBack fully recover from]] until [[spoiler:meeting Nero--his nephew--in ''4'']]. (This line of thought is also a popular justification for Dante's less colorful personality in ''[[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]''.)
** For a character who has been described as little more than [[DisposableWoman "human bride of Sparda, mother of Dante and Vergil,"]] the ([[HesJustHiding maybe]]) [[PosthumousCharacter late]] Eva isn't safe from this either, particularly where Dante's descriptions of her in the first game are concerned. Eva looks like a kindly housewife and loving ([[MamaBear if not fiercely protective]]) mother with SilkHidingSteel vibes at a first glance, but Dante's comment to [[ActionGirl Trish]] that she lacks Eva's fire and his recount of her HeroicSacrifice [[ActionMom might say otherwise]]. Accepting elements from the non-canonical ''[=DMC2=]'' novel and ''[=DMC3=]'' manga and counting [[VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe two]] [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} other]] games by the original ''DMC''[='s=] [[Creator/HidekiKamiya creator]] as part of the ''DMC'' mythos infinitely complicates things.
** There is a lot of interpretation in regards to [[spoiler:V, [[LiteralSplitPersonality the human part of Vergil]] seen in ''5'',]] and their motivations. They appeared [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone genuinely remorseful of]] [[IHatePastMe their past actions]] but did not hesitate to [[spoiler:re-merge with the defeated Urizen to become whole again]]. Was it their goal the entire time to [[spoiler:regain their power]] and take revenge on Dante while [[TheChessmaster subtly manipulating the protagonists to help them achieve that]]? Or was it a simple act of [[spoiler:self-preservation as V's body was breaking apart]]? Or that in the long run, [[spoiler:Vergil's resurrection was a better outcome than having [[TheUnfettered Urizen run around unchecked]]]]? Given their eventual fate, we may never know the answer.
** Nero gets a degree of this in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5''. Is he challenging Urizen because the latter took his arm? Or is this a way for Nero to prove himself to Dante? Or was this out of guilt of losing Yamato and indirectly enabling the demon invasion? The fact that Urizen easily defeated Dante only a month ago suggested that Nero knows he has little chance of winning but continues to press forward. Is Nero recklessly overestimating his abilities, borderline suicidal or simply desperate and running out of time given the threat Urizen poses?
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG2zaSVvG84 This]] ''VideoGame/DigDug'' video.
* ''VideoGame/Dishonored2'':
** Delilah claimed that when they were children, [[spoiler: Jessamine]] broke something and blamed her for it, leading Delilah to be beaten and her mother being fired and both of them being thrown out to the streets. Was [[spoiler: Jessamine]] that cruel or was Delilah lying or rewriting history in her own mind?
*** Another interpretation is that [[spoiler: Jessamine]] was a child who made a simple innocent mistake and might have been horrified by the unintended consequences. It is noted that the then-Spymaster and the guard-captain were the ones to violently beat Delilah and dismissed Delilah's mother. It also might be possible that Delilah's father was looking for an excuse to kick Delilah and her mother out as he had been uncomfortable with Delilah's insistence on being acknowledged and brought to court. So the above events all happened because Delilah's father wanted them gone.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'':
** Doomguy: OneManArmy fighting to save the universe, or BloodKnight extraordinaire?
** All of the demons attacking Mankind: Either they're out to [[KillAllHumans kill humanity]] or [[BloodKnight challenging its greatest warriors]] to endless combat?
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'':
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'':
*** In other games that feature them, both the Hero and Princess Lora are seemingly interchangeable with their Kenshin/Swordmaster versions. The Kenshin hero at least wears the armor of the original's artwork sometimes, but the Kenshin Lora has been given bright scarlet-pink hair and an elaborate gown compared to her redheaded (soft purple in some art), gold-dressed original.
*** Princess Lora has also been interpreted as Yandere for her tendency to say "But Thou Must!!" if you answer no to any of her questions. Thus, she forces you to carry her around, say you love her, and marry her.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'': In Japan, the Prince of Sumaltria/Cannock is said to be "a slacker, a drinker, and an overall really fun guy". Overseas, he is a "studious young man immersed in his studies" and "easy-going", "doesn't like to hurry", and "[makes] side-trips".
** On the surface, Debora of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is a shallow, conceited, self-absorbed RichBitch, a sharp contrast with her pampered sweet little sister Flora. Nearly everything she says makes it clear that in her view, [[ItsAllAboutMe it's all about her]]. However, she can also be read as an extremely '''TSUN-TSUN''' {{Tsundere}}, a DefrostingIceQueen who fights to keep any vulnerabilities safely hidden behind a veneer of all-consuming {{Pride}}. Despite being [[SpoiledBrat spoiled rotten]], it's made clear that she's TheUnfavorite compared to her dear, gentle, sweet sister, who's loved by everyone while Debora herself is regarded with dismay. And if at least part of her attitude is a front, then the next question is: how much of it is an act, and how much is simple self-confidence?
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'': Terry. Is he a selfish asshole who only comes around after being [[spoiler:beaten silly by the party]], or is he a Hurting Hero whose desire to become the greatest swordsman is fueled by the trauma of [[spoiler:seeing his sister kidnapped (and not for the first time, either)]], and only acts like a jerk in an effort to push potential friends away so he doesn't lose them too? Also, was his [[spoiler:Deal with the Devil with Dhuran]] a selfish act of spite just to gain more power, or an act of desperation after the party unknowingly crushed his lifelong dream by [[spoiler:finding the Sword of Ramia before he could]]?
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'':
*** Given Yangus is willing to toss aside his pride for Red and they wind up [[spoiler:Walking the Earth as traders]] in the ending, he probably has a crush on her and is too shy to admit it.
*** Marcello. Manipulative, self serving Jerkass? Well-Intentioned Extremist? A little bit of both?
*** Just how much influence the Scepter has over its wielders isn't explicitly established, leading to some speculation on how much of the original personality remains intact.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'': Patty is generally depicted in one of two ways. From the her introduction up to taking her position at the bar in the Quester's Rest, she's vigorous, forceful, and blunt bordering on rude, but the rest of the time she's sultry and prone to lounging, as she appears in some official art and the game's opening movie.
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'':
*** Was Hendrik telling the truth to Jasper about [[spoiler:always feeling inferior to him]], or was he just telling [[spoiler:his former friend what he wanted to hear so that Jasper could die]] happily?
*** Is Jasper's envy directed toward Sylvando as well as Hendrik? In act two [[spoiler:Jasper wields the Silver Orb, which was taken from Don Rodrigo's villa some years before the game's events, according to a book in the mini medal academy. When the party face him at the Fortress of Fear, the collar of his costume evokes a flower -which are used in a number of Sylv's abilities and Pep Powers- and contains the very same heart symbol that is most likely Don Rodrigo's -and by extension Sylvando's- family crest. The very same heart pattern can be seen on The Don outfit, as well as the outer gates of Puerto Valor. It can be assumed he "stole" from Sylv because to Jasper, he was the person who took Hendrik away with the training in Puerto Valor, along with any chances he had of surpassing his old friend]].
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
** Loghain Mac Tir. Was he [[spoiler: a tyrant drunk on power and willing to do anything, including betray his principles, his country and his own family, rather than lose that power and who sat idly by, fixating on a personal obsession with Orlais and those he paranoidly insists are in cahoots with them while the darkspawn rampaged unchecked across Ferelden? Or a true patriot honouring a lifetime of work in ensuring Ferelden's culture and freedom, no matter the cost?]] In both game-universe and among the fans, this is a hotly debated matter.
** Arl Eamon Guerrin. [[spoiler: Is he the BigGood, trying to unite Ferelden before it's too late to stop the darkspawn and insisting on putting Alistair on the throne to preserve the royal bloodline and Fereldan tradition? Or an opportunist using a boy he cast aside as a political tool to both get rid of a family of upjumped commoners with no claim to the throne and set himself up in a position of great power as chief advisor to the new king?]]
** Queen Anora. [[spoiler: Is she the HighQueen, willing to do all that's necessary to preserve and protect Ferelden's people? Or like her father, is she just so accustomed to her power and her position, she would do anything, including betray her father and allies, to keep her position? And is her refusal to rein in Loghain's excesses until the very end simply unwillingness to act against her own father, or to try and scare a recalcitrant and hostile nobility into line?]]
* "This game stars multi-billion dollar rich fuck [=Scrooge McDuck=] on an intercontinental quest to become even richer. Now, imagine flying into someone else's country, [[InferredHolocaust killing them with a cane and then taking all their treasure]]. Well, he's Scrooge [=McDuck=], and I guess he can do [[ScrewTheRulesIhaveMoney whatever the fuck he wants]]. [[SpoofAesop And remember: No matter how much money you got, it is always worth killing people with a cane for just a little bit more]]." (''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' reviews ''VideoGame/DuckTales'')
* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'', being filled with [[MoralDissonance unintentional]] grey morality, has wildly interpretative characters.
** Is General Gaius a genocidal warmongerer who only cares about [[FantasticRacism his kind]]? Or a patriot who's JustFollowingOrders and risks [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight his own life]] to save a friend ([[spoiler:Dust/Cassius, the amnesiac protagonist]]) from brainwashing? (In particular, his dialogue conflicts a lot with the Moonbloods' portrayal of him.)
--->"But [[spoiler:Cassius]] is gone...as is the world we once loved. Cherish it."
* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms the work it is based on]] has a crapton of this. These are mostly on the Shu side, but to make it short...
** Is Liu Bei really a noble ruler and warrior? Or is he just a naive and ambitious warlord who is not so different from his rivals and deluded by his ideals?
** Is Zhuge Liang really a brilliant honourable strategist who wishes to see justice brought back to the world? Or is he just in it for his own prestige and fame?
** Liu Shan. Is he really just a moron or even outright mentally handicapped? He was dropped on his head as a baby. Or is he actually a BrilliantButLazy[=/=]BookDumb leader who employs ObfuscatingStupidity to get the upper hand?
** The Shu Kingdom in general. Is it really the sapling for a new world of virtue and benevolence free from the bonds of the old, decadent and corrupt Chinese dynasties? Or are they just a nation of deluded {{Knight Templar}}s who are only interested in glory and conquest? Worth pointing out that for all their talk of benevolence, in the ending of ''Dynasty Warriors Next'', they pretty much do KillEmAll on their defeated enemies, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters much like Wei does]] (Wu, the most openly expansionist and aggressive nation, is interestingly the only one that allows the other warlords to live and even [[DefeatMeansFriendship views them as valued allies with a rightful place in their new kingdom]]). [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Pragmatism]], or a sign of Shu's darker side?
[[/folder]]
[[folder:E]]
* Loads of this in the Disney game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey''.
** Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, for example, has gone from a character similar in personality to Mickey Mouse, to Mickey's bitter and distrustful older half-brother. Although, being abandoned by Walt Disney, being replaced by Mickey, and living in a world of darkness and suffering for a few years might make this particular example a JustifiedTrope.
** In several continuities, the Blot's just a crook who aspires world domination, but in Epic Mickey, he's an EldritchAbomination made of Ink and Thinner, with the possible goal of erasing everything.
* [[BigBad The Institute]] in ''VideoGame/Fallout4''. Are they true {{Science Hero}}es, doing [[IDidWhatIHadToDo whatever is necessary]] for the future of mankind? Deeply flawed but redeemable [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well-Intentioned Extremists]] with admirable goals who just need guidance from an InternalReformist leader to help the synths and repair relations with the Commonwealth? Intelligent and well-intentioned scientists held back by a corrupt government, [[BelievingTheirOwnLies cultural indoctrination]], [[WeakButSkilled lack of resources]], and a particularly nasty case of BystanderSyndrome? Cowardly {{Insufferable Genius}}es and slavers ranging from myopic to sociopathic, hiding behind their vastly superior tech to avoid a well-deserved retribution from the surface? Or [[KnowNothingKnowItAll arrogant posers]] whose technology and scientists are merely stolen and imitated, kept shiny with a hearty helping of slave labor?
** There's also [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Elder Arthur Maxson]], the new leader of the [[BadassArmy East Coast]] [[TheOrder Brotherhood of Steel]]. Is he a [[FantasticRacism racist]] demagogue [[GodGuise pretending to be a god]] that relies on [[FakeUltimateHero faked victories]] [[MilesGloriosus to keep his power]] and is only concerned with turning the Brotherhood into a fascist dystopia that he can use to [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out all non-human life]]? Is he a [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-intentioned]] [[WarriorPrince warrior king]] whose racism is, [[KickTheDog while cruel]], [[FreudianExcuse somewhat sensible]] considering his childhood in the [[DeathWorld Capital Wasteland]]? Is he a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold kind man with a gruff exterior]] [[HeroicBSOD who's seen too many of his fellow soldiers]] [[WarIsHell die horrifically in battle with mutated life]], and his current crusade in the Commonwealth is [[TheAtoner him desperately trying to make up]] [[MyGreatestFailure for his past mistakes]]? Or is [[AChildShallLeadThem he still a child at heart]], who, after the ''hellish'' [[TraumaCongaLine upbringing]] he suffered through after the deaths of the [[ParentalSubstitute Lyons]] [[PrecociousCrush family]] and near-collapse of his entire homeland, is [[TheDeterminator trying to do his damndest]] to keep his loved ones alive and (supposedly) save the world from what he sees as monsters ([[JerkassHasAPoint which commonly are]]) while [[NobleBigot fighting against his internalized racism]] ''and'' being in '''way''' [[HonorBeforeReason over his head]] [[BornUnlucky to a near-laughable extent]]?
** Is [[IntrepidReporter Piper Wright's]] reporting for the betterment or detriment of the Commonwealth? On the negative side, some of her articles can come across as fear-mongering that only breeds [[ParanoiaFuel paranoia]], focuses on less important subjects related solely to Diamond City and not the entire region, and make baseless accusations (like implying that [[MayorPain Mayor McDonough]], the leader of [[TownWithADarkSecret Diamond City]], is an [[TheMole Institute Synth]]). She's also prone to asking people rather invasive questions in a very abrupt manner that only seem to unnerve them. Complicating matters is that it's implied that the latter-most is more due to her own invasive personality (which she herself doesn't like and is trying to get ahold of), and the answers she gets back are also more than not just examples of her interviewees' stupidity/ignorance. Relatedly, there's the fact that many of her articles ''do'' try to inform, but are held back by the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome limits of available resources in the Commonwealth for journalism]], and that she deliberately tries to write for Diamond City's audience first [[MoneyDearBoy because they have the highest population of literate people in the Commonwealth]] (although she still tries to write some articles focused on other parts of the Commonwealth). Also, [[spoiler: she ''was'' [[TheCassandra actually right]] about Mayor [=McDonough=] being an Institute Synth, and it's possible that further evidence discussing her theory was either planned to be discussed in future editions, or was held back deliberately because of Piper's [[AdultFear very appropriate fear of the Institute/[=McDonough=] retaliating upon her little sister Nat]] if her theory was right]]. There's also the fact that the game actually has some (admittedly subtle) {{Foreshadowing}} for [[spoiler:[=McDonough=]]] being a Synth: When they see [[SitcomArchNemesis Piper]] and yell for them to leave their office, [[spoiler: their voice gains a noticeably mechanical undertone like a malfunctioning computer]].
** Is [[SealedEvilInACan Lorenzo Cabot]] ''really'' as evil as his son [[BadassBookworm Jack]] says he is? First and foremost, there's the fact that [[spoiler: ''[[PoweredByAForsakenChild Lorenzo's]]'' {{Alien Blood}} is the source of the immortality serum that Jack and the rest of his family utilize, which keeps them [[TheAgeless eternally young]] and superior to baseline humanity]]. That can't help but color their relationship, as Jack will likely [[spoiler: want to keep his father alive in some form so he and his family can reap the [[LivingForeverIsAwesome benefits of immortality]]]]. Additionally, many of the Sole Survivor's Good-aligned companions [[CryForTheDevil pity Lorenzo's plight]], and actually ''approve'' of the Survivor freeing him. Lorenzo, after being released, then proceeds to [[spoiler:[[PaterFamilicide ruthlessly kill his entire family]]... which is ''kinda'' justified considering he's been [[AndIMustScream locked up in a small room for over four centuries]]]]. If freed, Lorenzo will also stay [[AffablyEvil unfailingly polite]] to the Sole Survivor, and will even offer him [[spoiler:vials of his blood]] whenever the player asks (and [[spoiler:Lorenzo's blood is one of '''the''' most useful items in the entire game]]) afterward. Most notably, [[HollywoodPsych Lorenzo isn't nearly as crazy as Jack tries to make him come across]], as he's never portrayed as being psychotic and is perfectly lucid -- just [[TheUnfettered utterly ruthless]].
*** However, in support of Jack, there's the fact that not only is Jack Cabot (and his family in general) one of the [[NiceGuy nicest persons]] the Sole Survivor will come across in post-apocalyptic Boston, but that [[spoiler:[[{{Determinator}} he's been struggling for every moment]] of those four centuries trying to develop a cure for his father's [[AxCrazy Ax-Craziness]]]]. Additionally, if a cure for Lorenzo's insanity ''was'' developed, it's made clear that it would've been able to [[spoiler: still preserve Lorenzo's immortality (and, by extension, the rest of the Cabot family's)]]. Jack also seems to be [[spoiler:[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone genuinely horrified to be forced to]] [[SelfMadeOrphan kill his own father]]]], and he and the rest of his family are clearly [[spoiler: wracked with grief for a long time afterwards, suggesting that they don't ''only'' see him as a free supply of immortality serum]]. The source of Lorenzo's insanity -- [[spoiler:the alien artifact fused to his head]] -- is also shown to make Lorenzo an [[OneManArmy exceptionally dangerous person]]: he has [[spoiler:[[MindOverMatter powerful telekinesis]], [[SuperToughness more health than a Deathclaw and skin tougher than a full suit of Combat Armor]], and [[CharmPerson can charm "weak-minded" people to his will]], with an entire tribe of [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Raiders]] worshiping him as a DarkMessiah]]. In addition, Lorenzo's still [[LackOfEmpathy a rather cruel man]] (one of the first things the Sole Survivor will find Lorenzo doing after being released is [[KickTheDog brutally killing a group of innocent Ghoul settlers]] [[MadScientist because he was interested in how Ghoul physiology differed from baseline humanity's]]). The above being considered, and it's hard not to see [[TooPowerfulToLive Lorenzo as too dangerous to keep living]] (especially since his ending in the related quest [[KarmaHoudini will let him keep]] [[spoiler:his alien artifact]], meaning that he ''stays'' AxCrazy. Finally, while many of the Sole Survivor's Good-aligned companions approve of ''freeing'' Lorenzo, just as many approve of ''killing'' him.
** As with any good RPG protagonist, the [[PlayerCharacter Sole Survivor]] falls into this. Aside from the "new" personalities that the player(s) is able to imprint upon them, there's their [[SuddenlyVoiced vocal responses]] to people. Is their somewhat understated voice acting, occasionally awkward facial animations, stilted and shortened sentences, and [[DeadpanSnarker near-constant bitter sarcasm]] just limitations of the game's technology and part of the game's writing, or representative of how (after the [[TraumaCongaLine nightmarish opening sequence]]) they're continually suffering through a HeroicBSOD combined with SurvivorGuilt and are [[KnightInSourArmor trying to use sarcasm as a coping mechanism]]? Further complicating matters is the fact that the [[AllThereInTheManual canon backgrounds]] for the male and female Sole Survivors (respectively) are a retired combat veteran-turned-househusband that fought in the Battle of Anchorage (one of the most horrific conflicts during the Resource Wars) and a retired military lawyer-turned-housewife that recently gave birth. Both of those origins mean that it's more than possible for the male Sole Survivor to be suffering from shell-shock, and the female Sole Survivor is suffering from a form of post-partum depression.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:F]]
* ''VideoGame/FatalFrameIICrimsonButterfly'':
** Mayu can be viewed several different ways. Is she a sweet, helpless girl who the main antagonist has taken particular interest in and who [[VideoGameCaringPotential you want to keep safe at all times]]? Is she an irritating little wimp who [[TheLoad you need to keep safe at all times]]? Or is she [[spoiler: an obsessively crazy young woman who deliberately fell off a cliff just to guilt Mio into staying with her forever?]]
** There's an in-universe example that appears to apply to Ayako:
--->'''Sakuya''': That child goes around with an air of evil and fear around her, but I know she is really very gentle and vulnerable.
* Alma, of ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R]]'': is she a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds with a major FreudianExcuse, or is she an evil, crazy, ghost of an evil, crazy, girl with psychic powers who does terrible things for no reason, and was was killed off for the good of the world?
* Due to the vague nature of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' and [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the sequel]], the characters are interpreted differently:
** Mike Schmidt/Jeremy Fitzgerald is either the child murderer, an innocent guy who is desperate for money, or someone who takes the job on purpose to find out the truth behind the restaurant's past.
** The Phone Guy is either the real villain, someone who worked with the true villain, or someone who's just trying to help out the night guards.
** The manager is either someone who honestly wants the pizzeria to be successful or is the true villain.
[[/folder]]
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