Recently, I’ve been diving into various story-focused games, and it’s got me thinking about how game designers create main characters. What are the essential features that contribute to effective character design in narrative-driven games? I’m especially curious about how aspects like character looks, personality traits, and visual details come together to enhance the story. Are there common design rules that successful story games tend to use for their main characters? I’d really appreciate insights from anyone knowledgeable in game design or who has noticed trends in protagonist design across different narrative games. Also, sharing some examples of outstanding main character designs would be great.
Silent protagonists like Link work because you fill in their personality yourself.
Joel from The Last of Us nails it with how his face shows all that exhaustion and loss. You can tell he’s been through hell just by looking at him.
Kratos nails it - his design perfectly matches his journey from rage-filled god to protective dad.
Commander Shepard is a great example. The voice acting and animations really bring them to life, and you have the freedom to shape their story as you see fit. They strike a balance of being relatable enough that anyone can see themselves in that role while still being memorable. Mass Effect would have been a lot less engaging with a faceless character as the lead.
Character designs that resonate really stick with you. Take Geralt from The Witcher 3 - he’s not the typical hero. He’s shown as worn and flawed, and that makes him relatable. His scars and rough look reveal so much about his past without needing dialogue. That’s the difference between great design and just another cookie-cutter character.