Aside from the excellent selection of games we were graced with in 2014, we were also given a host of interesting protagonists that were unique in several different ways, be it the way they dress, their idiosyncrasies, or simply their actions throughout their respective games. They’re all awesome in their own way, and here are three of our favorite mold-breakers this year.
1. Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)
Everyone’s favorite Umbra Witch, also known as Cereza, is her own woman and she’s not afraid to let you know. While everyone decries Bayonetta 2 and the original game for being sexist, fans will know that she’s never been a damsel — not even once. She’s sleek, stylish, and full of sass, and she has very quickly made a name for herself in the realm of action hack-and-slash titles by showing off some fabulous moves. Plus, she looks fantastic doing it. We’re all clamoring for a third installment in the Bayonetta series now, and for good reason.
2. Vibri, Vib-Ribbon (PlayStation)
After an agonizingly long wait, Vib-Ribbon — a seminal rhythm game classic for the original PlayStation — made its way to North America, finding a home on the PlayStation Network as a PSone Classic. Your job is to dance along the ribbon itself, which is a white line running along a black void. Vibri must hop over obstacles and avoid them as they come down the line, all to the tune of several awesome songs included with the game or your own favorite tunes. Vibri may not speak often, but shows off a surprisingly big personality on several occasions, especially if you include the tutorial, which is one of the most awesome moments in rhythm gaming.
3. Bigby Wolf, The Wolf Among Us (PlayStation 4)
Bigby Wolf is the kindhearted yet no-nonsense hero of the Telltale Games-curated The Wolf Among Us saga, and while he gives us plenty of moments of nail-biting suspense and cavalier badassitude, he also serves up some devastating realness as one of the only voices of reason left in a town of Fables gone mad. While he technically made his first appearance before 2014, his subsequent roles throughout the episodic point-and-click adventure series were hardly forgettable, giving him depth and some of the most interesting moments in Telltale history. And that’s why we love him!
Who were your favorite protagonists of 2014? Who tickled your fancy in a way no other character could? Let us know in the comments below!
Uhhh… Bayonetta WAS a damsel in the first one… that’s why you played as Jean… you had to rescue Bayo…
I do completely agree with the idea that she broke the mold, but you can’t say “she’s never been a damsel — not even once.” when she has been.
Being a damsel is much, much different than needing help. There’s a very clear distinction there.
I would totally agree with Bigby as a fantastic protagonist. I might also throw in Fiona and Rhys from Tales From The Borderlands and Athena and Nisha from Borderlands The Pre Sequel who are both badass women!
Other games with protagonists who broke the mold:
Valiant Hearts, Child of Light, Captain Toad, The Binding of Isaac, Alien Isolation, Transistor, Broken Age Act 1…
and it’s at this point that you realize there was no mold for 2014 and that the idea of the gun toting, muscle bound space marine doesn’t exist anymore.
Even in a shooter like Far Cry 4 the main protagonist is a nuanced and deeply wounded young man and an average guy at that…