History TheHero / VideoGames

* Baldur in ''VideoGame/TooHuman'' is the Æsir GodOfGood and the main protagonist.

* 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.

* Deconstructed '''hard''' in ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine''. [[spoiler: Captain Walker's desire to be a hero is what causes him to kill American soldiers, drop white phosphorous on innocent civilians and generally sentence every person in Dubai to certain death.]]

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': While each and single main protagonist can be played in anyway the player wants, whether as an IdealHero or even as a VillainProtagonist, they all go through similar trials and patterns displayed in the [[http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/The_Hero_Cycle Hero Cycle]].
** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena'': The Eternal Champion, who escaped from prison in search for the Staff of Chaos in order to save [[BigGood Emperor Uriel Septim]] from his EvilChancellor Jaghar Thern, who has usurped his throne.
** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall'': The Agent, an blades operative sent to Daggerfall to investigate a king's death and becomes embroiled in a quest that would change all of northern Tamriel.
** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'': The Nerevarine, the (possible) {{reincarnation}} of [[FolkHero Indoril Nerevar]] sent as a prisoner to the titular land who ends up saving it from Dagoth Ur. The Nerevarine also tangled with mad living gods and survived Daedric Lord Hircine's trial of the hunt in Solstheim.
** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'': The Champion of Cyrodiil is an interesting subversion. They are the playable character, but in the main quest's narrative, the actual hero is [[HeroicBastard Martin Septim]] since he is TheChosenOne who can light the dragonfires and close the gates of Oblivion, while the Champion serves as the SupportingProtagonist. The Champion would save Tamriel again when they recovered the Divine Crusader's artifacts to stop Umaril the Unfeathered and travelled to the Shivering Isles to halt the Greymarch from destroying it.
** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'': The Dragonborn, the prophesied ChosenOne that would save Tamriel from [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Alduin, the World Eater]], recovered an Elder Scrolls related to a vampire plot to blot out the sun and journeyed to Solstheim to stop the return of Miraak, the [[HerosEvilPredecessor First Dragonborn]].

* The ''VideoGame/KisekiSeries'' has a few.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel First Chapter and Second Chapter'' has Estelle Bright as the main protagonist of the game and the heroine of the story, who starts off her adventures as a bracer.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel The Third'' has Kevin Graham who was a party member in ''SC'' and ends up being the hero of his own game as he struggles with his mistakes and failures, and learns to accept them.
** ''VideoGame/ZeroNoKiseki 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.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel I, II, and III'' follows Rean Schwarzer on his quest to find his true purpose in life by attending a military academy.
* ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'': [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Sophitia]] was canonically the one who defeated Cervantes and destroyed Soul Edge at the end of the first ''Soul'' game. Later games would put Sophitia as a supporting character in favour of [[GenkiGirl Xianghua]] (''Calibur''), [[TheAtoner Siegfried]] (''Calibur II, III and IV'') and [[LamarckWasRight Sophitia's son]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Patroklos]] (''Calibur V''). Sophitia however has the most in common with traditional fighting game heroes, being the balanced, newbie-friendly character.

* ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'': [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Sophitia]] was canonically the one who defeated Cervantes and destroyed Soul Edge at the end of the first ''Soul'' game. Later games would put Sophitia as a supporting character in favour of [[GenkiGirl Xianghua]] (''Calibur''), [[TheAtoner Siegfried]] (''Calibur II, III and IV'') and [[LamarckWasRight Sophitia's son]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Patroklos]] (''Calibur V'').

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

* From ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', Mario. He names the franchise, is the main playable character, is the JackOfAllStats, etc., etc.

* Dean Stark from ''VideoGame/WildArms5''. [[CatchPhrase You can do anything as long as you don't give up]]

* 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.

* Rosalyn from ''VideoGame/{{Okage}}'' is another case of the hero not being the player character, generally being a superb Hero's Guild Member and overshadowing [[SupportingProtagonist Ari.]] But then, everyone does that last bit.
* Each [[RedIsHeroic red-haired]] protagonist from the main ''VideoGame/{{Lufia}}'' games fits the bill. Being the only one without a clear CanonName, the manual of ''VideoGame/LufiaAndTheFortressOfDoom'' refers to the main character as simply "the Hero".

** [[spoiler:Rashid]] from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' also qualifies. [[spoiler:While Ryu delivers the final blow on Bison, Rashid is ultimately the guy who saves the day by stopping Bison's doomsday machine. Rashid also has more storyline fights than anybody else and he is the character given the most screentime, by far.]]

* Jumptor from ''VideoGame/ArcadiaOrderOfTheBit''

* Crono from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''

* ''VideoGame/FearEffect'' has Hana Tsu-Vachel/Mei Yun in this role.

* 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.
** 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.

* ''VideoGame/SepterraCore'' has Maya as this.

* Fox [=McCloud=] of ''VideoGame/StarFox''.

* The PlayerCharacter in almost every {{RPG}} ever written. The Jedi protagonist and the Exile in KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 1 and 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).

* While Ryu may be the main character of the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series, [[SupportingProtagonist he isn't the actual hero]]. While he has served as a LivingMacGuffin for both M. Bison and Seth to obtain because of his [[KillingIntent Satsui no Hadou]] potential, he doesn't actively oppose them. The honor of being TheHero actually goes to Chun-Li, who has always opposed Shadaloo from the time of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' to the time ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', and she continues to oppose the new evil organization, the Illuminati, in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII''.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series, three characters are suitable to this role:

** Jun Kazama is officially this for ''VideoGame/Tekken2'', beating Devil and all.
** Her son, Jin Kazama (from ''VideoGame/Tekken3'') fulfills this role in ''3'' and ''5''. And [[spoiler:judging by his actions at the end of ''7'', he's set to return to this role when ''8'' rolls around]].
** Lars Alexandersson seems to be taking over this role in ''VideoGame/Tekken6'', what with Jin Kazama going on a rampage.

* In ''Sly Cooper'', 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.

** [[spoiler:Rashid]] from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' also qualifies. [[spoiler:While Ryu delivers the final blow on Bison, Rashid is ultimately the guy who saves the day by stopping Bison's machine. Rashid also has more storyline fights than anybody else and he is the character given the most screentime, by far.]]

** [[spoiler:Rashid]] from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' also qualifies. [[spoiler:While Ryu delivers the final blow on Bison, Rashid is ultimately the guy who saves the day by stopping Bison's machine. Rashid also has more storyline fights than anybody else and he is the character given the most screentime, by far.]]

** Her son, Jin Kazama (from ''VideoGame/Tekken3'') fulfills this role in ''3'' and ''5''. And [[spoiler:judging by his actions at the end of ''7'', he's set to return to this role when ''8'' rolls around.

* Kazuya Mishima ''was'' TheHero of the first ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', and his looks and background somewhat supports it. However he [[BaitTheDog proves otherwise in the second series and forward.]]

* [[BruceLeeClone Liu Kang]] originally served this role (with Raiden as the BigGood) in the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series, being the canon victor of the first four games and his title as Champion of Earthrealm, notably the only character in the first game whose finisher didn't actually kill his opponents, which set him apart from other kombatants. However, as time went on, he fell out of focus and [[OurHeroIsDead even got killed]] in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance'', with his role being filled in the next games by [[DittoFighter Shujinko]] (whose [[MeaningfulName name literally means "main protagonist"]] in Japanese) in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' and the Edenian demigod [[SemiDivine Taven]] in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'' (both of which don't do exactly a [[FailureHero spectacular job in the "hero" department]]). In the [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX most recent game]], Liu Kang has turned into a FallenHero and the position is now filled by [[ActionGirl Cassie Cage]], who leads a new generation of kombatants and [[spoiler:manages to defeat the main villain Shinnok at the end]].
* ''{{VideoGame/Darkstalkers}}'' is a bit complicated about it: Demitri Maximoff was supposed to be the actual protagonist of the series, until Morrigan Aensland took over his place, but neither of them fit the traditional heroic archetype since they are morally ambiguous of varying degrees and motivated by power and hedonism, respectively. [[VampireHunter Donovan Baine]] is the closest one to qualify due to being motivated to hunt evil monsters and he is the one to confront [[BigBad Pyron]] in the OVA.
* While some protagonists in ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' veer into anti-heroic territory, they do display heroic qualities:
** Altair in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' starts out as an ArrogantKungFuGuy, but his humbling leads to becoming TheAtoner. He evolves into the BigGood later on his life.
** Ezio Auditore in his trilogy is a story how he moves from this trope all the way up to BigGood as well.
** Connor in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' is a tragic desconstruction of this trope: he embarks on his quest to save his tribe and avenge his mother who was killed by a fire started by the Templars, and ends up sympathizing with the Colonists' side in the Revolution. However, it turns out nothing as simple as his world views presumed and as [[spoiler:he succeeds in killing all his opponents, he fails to protect his people and ends up having to kill his father Haytham when he tried to murder him. And oh, it was the Colonists who gave the order to attack his tribe and not the Templars, meaning he has been assisting the side that ends up driving them away]].

* Although there's the possibility of it being too obvious to be worth listing here, the majority of the main characters in every ''Franchise/DragonQuest'' game serve as the Hero, to the point that in ''Dragon Quest VIII'' the hero's default name '''is''' Hero. Nearly all of them have balanced abilities and use (or have the option of using) swords, and many of them have lightning and/or fire in their selection of attack magic. One of the only exceptions is the Hero from ''Dragon Quest II'', who learns no magic at all and serves as the physical fighter of the party.

* [[BruceLeeClone Liu Kang]] originally served this role (with Raiden as the BigGood) in the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series, being the canon victor of the first four games and his title as Champion of Earthrealm, notably the only character in the first game whose finisher didn't actually kill his opponents, which set him apart from other kombatants. However, as time went on, he fell out of focus and [[OurHeroIsDead even got killed]] in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance'', with his role being filled in the next games by [[DittoFighter Shujinko]] (whose [[MeaningfulName name literally means "main protagonist"]] in Japanese) in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' and the Edenian demigod [[Taven in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'' (both of which don't do exactly a [[FailureHero spectacular job in the "hero" department]]). In the [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX most recent game]], Liu Kang has turned into a FallenHero and the position is now filled by [[ActionGirl Cassie Cage]], who leads a new generation of kombatants and [[spoiler:manages to defeat the main villain Shinnok at the end]].
* ''{{VideoGame/Darkstalkers}}'' is a bit complicated about it: Demitri Maximoff was supposed to be the actual protagonist of the series, until Morrigan Aensland took over his place, but neither of them fit the traditional heroic archetype since they are morally ambiguous of varying degrees and motivated by power and hedonism, respectively. [[{{Dhampyr}} Donovan Baine]] is the closest one to qualify due to being motivated to hunt evil monsters and he is the one to confront [[BigBad Pyron]] in the OVA.

* Liu Kang originally served this role (with Raiden as the BigGood) in the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series, being the canon victor of the first four games and his title as Champion of Earthrealm, notably the only character in the first game whose finisher didn't actually kill his opponents, which set him apart from other kombatants. However, as time went on, he fell out of focus and [[OurHeroIsDead even got killed]] in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance'', with his role being filled in the next games by Shujinko (whose [[MeaningfulName name literally means "main protagonist"]] in Japanese) in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' and the Edenian demigod Taven in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'' (both of which don't do exactly a [[FailureHero spectacular job in the "hero" department]]). In the [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX most recent game]], Liu Kang has turned into a FallenHero and the position is now filled by [[ActionGirl Cassie Cage]], who leads a new generation of kombatants and [[spoiler:manages to defeat the main villain Shinnok at the end]].