History TheHero / VideoGames

** Sora was TheHero but not TheLeader of his original ThreeAmigos PowerTrio. That position went to TheLancer, Riku, who was [[TooCoolToLive older, bigger, stronger]], and [[JumpedAtTheCall more adventurous]]. It was Riku's idea to build a raft and leave their home behind to visit other worlds. If Riku hadn't been [[AmbitionIsEvil a little]] ''[[AmbitionIsEvil too]]'' [[AmbitionIsEvil eager]] to seek his destiny, he might have become the ''de facto'' leader of TheTeam, with Sora and [[TheHeart Kairi]] functioning as the team's heart and conscience. Sora might lead with his heart and by example, but Riku would have led with his head and from the front. Even after Sora formed a new PowerTrio with [[TheSmartGuy Donald]] and [[TheBigGuy Goofy]], ''[[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck Donald]]'' was initially more the {{leader}} due to his drive and seniority.

*** Yuna takes up this role in the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2 sequel]]. Very interesting considering that she was TheChick in the previous game. She even fights like Tidus and uses one of his swords in her Warrior dressphere.

** Sora was TheHero but not TheLeader of his original ThreeAmigos PowerTrio. That position went to TheLancer, Riku, who was [[TooCoolToLive older, bigger, stronger]], and [[JumpedAtTheCall more adventurous]]. It was Riku's idea to build a raft and leave their home behind to visit other worlds. If Riku hadn't been [[AmbitionIsEvil a little]] ''[[AmbitionIsEvil too]]'' [[AmbitionIsEvil eager]] to seek his destiny, he might have become the ''de facto'' leader of TheTeam, with Sora and [[TheChick Kairi]] functioning as the team's heart and conscience. Sora might lead with his heart and by example, but Riku would have led with his head and from the front. Even after Sora formed a new PowerTrio with [[TheSmartGuy Donald]] and [[TheBigGuy Goofy]], ''[[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck Donald]]'' was initially more the {{leader}} due to his drive and seniority.

* Devlin [=McCormack=] from ''VideoGame/TheOrionConspiracy''. Unlike a lot of games out there, he is different. How so? For starters, he is a middle-aged guy who has a number of issues. He was not a good father or a good husband. He does feel bad about it. His son and wife are both dead. He fought as a soldier in the Corporation War. However, the game demonstrates that he seems to prefer using his brains and guile rather than a gun and physical combat. He also engages in lying, petty larceny, blackmail and some ShootTheDog moments. TheChick is also not attracted to him. With all that said, he does lead the charge more than once in the game.

* Played straight in most of ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}} 3'', but subverted in four of the five add-ons (''Broken Steel'' being a continuation of the main storyline, very heroic, and something of an AuthorsSavingThrow for the original ending). The main game revolves around one man's dream to bring free, radiation-free water to the Wasteland, and how his child either achieves or subverts that dream.

* From ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 of the Spartan-[=IIs=]. Not the strongest, fastest, smartest of the Spartans, or the best at any category at all, except in leading the others and always getting the job done. He is so unbelievably Mario in comparison that even though there is at least one Spartan that can do something better than him, he wins everything because there is nothing he is bad at. Nothing. And he knows it. That's why he was made TheLeader of the rest. Although Cortana says he has one thing the rest didn't: LUCK.\\
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Another thing he is the best at is being the Bravest with a capital B, as said by Dr. Halsey herself. Spartans are by definition extremely brave and invulnerable (latter mostly as symbolism, but also proven with them having the best survival rate per engagement). However John takes it to the pure insane, combining it with his luck and courage to do the pure impossible even by Spartan standards.

* Sora from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' was TheHero but not TheLeader of his original ThreeAmigos PowerTrio. That position went to TheLancer, Riku, who was [[TooCoolToLive older, bigger, stronger]], and [[JumpedAtTheCall more adventurous]]. It was Riku's idea to build a raft and leave their home behind to visit other worlds. If Riku hadn't been [[AmbitionIsEvil a little]] ''[[AmbitionIsEvil too]]'' [[AmbitionIsEvil eager]] to seek his destiny, he might have become the ''de facto'' leader of TheTeam, with Sora and [[TheChick Kairi]] functioning as the team's heart and conscience. Sora might lead with his heart and by example, but Riku would have led with his head and from the front. Even after Sora formed a new PowerTrio with [[TheSmartGuy Donald]] and [[TheBigGuy Goofy]], ''[[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck Donald]]'' was initially more the {{leader}} due to his drive and seniority.

* Rush Sykes of ''VideoGame/TheLastRemnant''.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': Link is an incarnation of this trope. In most of the core {{Canon}}, Link is specifically titled "Hero" of something: of Hyrule in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', of Time in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', of Winds in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', Chosen Hero of the Gods in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', Hero of Legend in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', and Hero Eternal in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds''. In the non-canon ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'' his title is simply The Hero.

* From the ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' series, we have [[VideoGame/EarthboundBeginnings Ninten]], [[VideoGame/EarthBound Ness]], and [[VideoGame/{{MOTHER3}} Lucas]], although it takes Lucas a bit of time before he becomes the hero of his game.

* In ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'', Sly is the hero even though he's a thief. Even though he's considered a criminal because he steals, he only steals to save the world from criminals who actually are evil and have devious intentions.

* Tidus from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' is clearly the main character to the player, but he's a late-comer to the other characters, who already composed the rest of TheTeam before he showed up.
** Yuna takes up this role in the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2 sequel]]. Very interesting considering that she was TheChick in the previous game. She even fights like Tidus and uses one of his swords in her Warrior dressphere.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', Ashe, while not the [[SupportingProtagonist protagonist]], is probably the most standard hero in the series.
* ''VideoGame/{{Final Fantasy XIII}}''
** Lightning Farron. Let us see; TheRedMage (equal in Strength and Magic -- her magical abilities are spread between [[BlackMage Black Magic]] and [[WhiteMage White Magic]])/JackOfAllStats, elemental affinity is lightning -- [[MeaningfulName it's all in the name]] -- and she uses a sword -- that morphs into a gun, no less!
** Snow Villiers ''thinks'' he's the hero and refers to himself as such. Lightning finds him irritating (at first) but he's closer to the IdealHero than she is.
** Her sister (his finance) Serah functions very similarly in the sequel (majors in Ravager, Commando and Saboteur roles, wields a Bow-sword) except she's elementally inclined to both fire ''and'' lightning.

** Lightning Farron. Let us see; TheRedMage (equal in Strength and Magic - her magical abilities are spread between [[BlackMage Black Magic]] and [[WhiteMage White Magic]])/JackOfAllStats, elemental affinity is lightning - [[MeaningfulName it's all in the name]] - and she uses a sword- that morphs into a gun, no less!

* One for each game in the ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series. It's worth noting that all the protagonists subvert the usual alignment in ElementalPowers - TheHero always uses [[DishingOutDirt Earth-based]] abilities, while TheLancer instead will have [[PlayingWithFire Fire-based]] abilities (reflecting a subversion of the usual RedOniBlueOni dynamic).

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'': Each of the main characters is heroic and selfless. However, a few — Ophilia and Olberic, in particular — are more genuine traditional heroes, whereas characters like Therion and Primrose are more of an Anti-Hero, willing to break the law and/or kill people if the situation requires it.

* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'': Unsurprisingly, the main protagonist titled as the Hero (though his canon name is Devon Aidendale) is this trope by profession. Though he can pursue any class from FighterMageThief and ThePaladin, the whole series is about becoming more virtuous and heroic as it progresses.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesZeroNoKiseki and Ao no Kiseki'' follows Lloyd Bannings who aspires to be a policeman and also wants to know who and why his brother was killed on duty.

* Sora from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' was TheHero but not TheLeader of his original ThreeAmigos PowerTrio. That position went to TheLancer, Riku, who was [[TooCoolToLive older, bigger, stronger]], and [[JumpedAtTheCall more adventurous]]. It was Riku's idea to build a raft and leave their home behind to visit other worlds. If Riku hadn't been [[AmbitionIsEvil a little]] ''[[AmbitionIsEvil too]]'' [[AmbitionIsEvil eager]] to seek his destiny, he might have become the ''de facto'' leader of TheTeam, with Sora and [[TheChick Kairi]] functioning as the team's heart and conscience. Sora might lead with his heart and by example, but Riku would have led with his head and from the front. Even after Sora formed a new PowerTrio with [[TheSmartGuy Donald]] and [[TheBigGuy Goofy]], ''[[DonaldDuck Donald]]'' was initially more the {{leader}} due to his drive and seniority.

%%* The PlayerCharacter in almost every {{RPG}} ever written. The Jedi protagonist and the Exile in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 1'' and ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords 2]]'' respectively, the Spirit Monk in ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'', the Hero of Neverwinter and Drogan's Pupil in VideoGame/NeverwinterNights, the Kalach-Cha in VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2, Commander Shepard in Franchise/MassEffect [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 1]], [[VideoGame/MassEffect2 2]] and [[VideoGame/MassEffect3 3]], etc, etc, etc. There's nothing stopping the character being an AntiHero or even a Villain Protagonist. Shepard stands out though in that s/he actually talks, giving him/her a more fleshed out personality (though you can still choose that personality).

** In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'', [[spoiler:the ''true'' [[TheChosenOne Legendary Hero]] turns out to be The Hero's ''son'']].

* From ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', Mario. He names the franchise, is the main playable character, is the JackOfAllStats, etc., etc. Also Luigi, being Mario's brother and sidekick, can be considered to be this.