Creating A Likable Video Game Hero

In the past I have looked at how games create likable companions and villains, so now it is time to talk about creating a likable video game hero.

Endslate Song: Retro Gone Viral - Taokuoh

[razbuten]

I am currently working on the next Gaming for A Non-Gamer. This one is going to be a little more similar to the very first one in that it features my wife (also known as the lady I live with) playing multiple games (if you were paying close attention in this video, you may have noticed one of them). Beyond that, I've got a handful of things in production, and they will come out at sometime eventually. I appreciate you all so much, and I hope you enjoyed this one.

[abdlhmdx]

“Spider-man”
Ay, who’s that?
“...from spider-man”
Oh, NOW I know him!

[colts]

"hearing the same voice lines over and over again can be really annoying"
"damn youre ugly"
"winds howling"
"how do you like that silver"

[joeyv.]

“It really makes you FEEL like Batman”

[donottaptheglass]

I play my real life from a first-person perspective and don’t see myself that often. Is this why I don’t like me?

[STJebus]

Animations are so key. In BotW when Link does a dope backflip dodge, it makes him feel like a badass. Like you're playing a character capable of getting shit done. If you believe the character is capable you are more likely to trust that character, in turn making them more likable.

[Raycevick]

Excellent video, and subject, mainly because it's something that's always evolving as more games get made. Not to mention, the power of preference.
It was very interesting to hear you talk about Wolfenstein: TNO, and how its endearing to see BJ be so down to earth when one expects him to just be a muted murder machine. Because I preferred Old Blood where you never leave his eyes until the very end. Not only did it make for more consistent presentation - with story segments always being in-engine - but it also made me feel like I really got into the character's head and relate to what he's feeling whether its uplifting or demoralizing. Though there's almost certainly cutscenes in TNO that would be more difficult to present effectively in first-person, so it's very much a matter of what the game's goals are.

[nexter]

And then there's DOOM SLAYER, the one guy who's constantly showing off his dominance.

[CynicBlaze]

I had no clue that Spiderman added a Razbuten suit! Congrats!

[bhuvaneshrooney]

When I saw the title, I immediately thought of Kiryu from yakuza 0. He is one of the most likable heroes in any game and i think everyone who played the game will agree. The main story shows his motives of what it means to be a yakuza but the side missions humanized him. Which in turn made me like him even more.

[RealRanton]

My favorite game protagonists are Niko Bellic, kratos from god of war 2018, Dante from Dante's inferno, John Marston & Arthur Morgan and more I can't think of right now. I think what makes a great protagonist is seeing them go through great struggles. Great video 👍

[babyyoda]

This has quickly become one of my all time favorite channels

[weebtrash]

I like how you color coded the hero, villain, and companion videos
It reminds me of the legend of zelda
Link(hero) - green
Zelda(companion, kinda) - blue
Ganondorf(villain) - red
I just really had to mention this

[RhysClark]

3:55 i mean, its weird, concidering how everyone spends their days in first person you would think they would get better at showing how someone expresses themselves introspectively from a first person point of view, DOOM (2016) did this best, almost all his body language showing that gives him character is usually when he is on his own, not around others, makes his actions geniune, and once you get to know how he acts alone, seeing him get to act the same around people in the gameplay trailers for DOOM Eternal makes me excited, he is honest, trustworthy.

[sanitarymailbox-]

I think one of my favorite video game protagonists ever has to be Arthur Morgan from RDR2. Watching him go from a bastard to somebody who tries to do the right thing in the face of his entire world falling down around him is really endearing, and being able to read through his journal and understand his thoughts and know what he is going through makes it that much easier to relate to him. Plus, he's a stud

[vivillonenthusiast]

"hearing the same voice lines over and over again can be really annoying"

Counterpoint: *I AM FERDINAND VON AEGIR*

[afroarchitect]

The trilogy of videos is complete from one of the most likable YouTubers.

[aliminator]

For me, Luigi is an AMAZING example of this! He is VERY CLEARLY depicted as a SNIVELING COWARD, yet he is CONSTANTLY shown having to fight the things he fears most, not for a princess, like Mario does, but FOR MARIO, for his BROTHER, BECAUSE he cares THAT much about him. The third game REALLY ramps up the stakes by having his other friends be kidnapped as well, showing that his love for others goes FAR beyond family members! While Mario DOES care about Peach, and vice-versa, we don't know enough about EITHER one to really form a connection, aside from both being nice people.

[duchi]

If Razbuten is a playable character
then he'd be my most liked Video Game character

[fightingdan]

See even by the end I found Joel to be a protagonist I liked because I understood his actions and his goals. That may be because I empathize more with his needs than the needs of humanity overall