In all media forms, long-running franchises evolve, be it as a reflection of cultural changes or simply to take the story in a fresh direction. While series like Tomb Raider and, naturally, Mario are too intrinsically tied to their icons for their mainline entries to completely move on, plenty of video game franchises have swapped protagonists over the decades. Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid, and Ninja Gaiden all relegated their cool-as-heck heroes to secondary or non-existent players.
In the last decade or so, we have seen a slight increase in male-led game series shifting to female MCs, and it seems set to continue with God of War Laufey and The Witcher 4. This trend isn’t extremely common by any means, and it tends to occur after the original protagonist’s story reaches a natural conclusion (for the time being). Although rarer, the reverse also occasionally happens, with Control Resonant being a current example.
Let’s highlight a few major series that decided to give their men a rest and introduce a woman protagonist, even if the substitution just lasted for a game or two.
Pac-Man To Ms. Pac-Man
The Original Male For Female Switch
Yeah, this trend by no means started in the current century; in fact, the first big mascot-driven franchise gender-bended its protagonist for its very first sequel. Pac-Man‘s legacy is cemented in stone, paving the way for Ms. Pac-Man to perfect the formula. With smarter AI and less predictable mazes, the sequel helped broaden gaming’s appeal in general, proving to be just as important as the first entry.
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Now, in truth, Ms. Pac-Man is just Pac-Man with a pink bow and lipstick, and they effectively play in the same way. Still, she became iconic in her own right, and she even starred in a few standalone games around the turn of the century. Pac-Man never really stopped being regarded as the franchise’s primary mascot, but his wife’s impact on gaming shouldn’t be discounted.
The Walking Dead – Lee To Clementine
It Was Always Clementine’s Story
Occasionally, these transitions can be a bit clunky, but the absolute best franchises seamlessly integrate the switch into their narratives. Telltale’s definitive masterpiece, The Walking Dead, handled the passing of the torch better than any other game series, with Lee effectively dedicating all his time preparing Clementine for a future without him. Through season 1, Lee (and players) constantly make choices designed to shape her character and turn her into a true survivor, along with establishing a very strong emotional connection between the two leads.
By the time the switch happens, Clementine already feels like The Walking Dead‘s protagonist, and she more than succeeds in carrying the franchise for the next few seasons. We get to see this terrified 8-year-old girl become a hardened survivor, a journey spread over roughly a decade. Fantastic stuff.
The Last of Us – Joel To Ellie
Maybe The Most Famous Protagonist Switch In Gaming History
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The Last of Us Part 2
Systems
10/10
- Released
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June 19, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Essentially, The Last of Us followed The Walking Dead‘s blueprint as Joel stepped aside to let Ellie take charge. Famously, this transition proved to be a bit polarizing, but that’s not really the point of this article. Even in the first game, Ellie is by far the most important character, with her existence serving as the inciting incident and, also, the reason behind Joel’s gradual transformation. She even gets her own extended section, “Winter,” which happens to be the best chapter in the series, along with starring in the brilliant “Left Behind” expansion.
The Last of Us tells maybe the most beloved surrogate father/daughter story in gaming history, and Part 2 explores the aftermath of that dynamic. From the sequel’s reveal and marketing, Naughty Dog put Ellie front and center, showing that she would be stepping into the lead role. This shift translated to an improved combat system that emphasized agility and stealth over brute strength, with the latter being left for Abby’s sections.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Dishonored – Emily & Corvo
Corvo Shares The Spotlight With Emily
OK, let’s go with something a bit different here. Corvo doesn’t disappear from the numbered Dishonored entries, and he serves as the sequel’s dual protagonist with Emily. Early on, players decide whether to play the campaign as one or the other, and both come with fully developed, unique skill sets that grant endless freedom in how to approach scenarios.
Gameplay-wise, Corvo and Emily are both completely valid options; story-wise, the latter fits just a little bit better due to having a more personal dynamic with the main villain, Delilah. According to this 2016 Mashable article, Arkane Studios initially conceived Dishonored 2 as Emily’s game, with Corvo acting as the secondary protagonist to anextent.
At this point, Dishonored 3 seems unlikely to happen, although there’s always hope that another entry would materialize.
Silent Hill – Harry To Heather
Stepping Aside For His Daughter
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Silent Hill
Systems- Released
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January 31, 1999
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
- Engine
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Unreal Engine
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Silent Hill 3
- Released
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August 6, 2003
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Engine
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unreal engine
For the most part, Silent Hill tells standalone stories that introduce new protagonists, with nearly all of them being male. Konami set Silent Hill 3 apart from the rest of the series in a couple of ways. Firstly, it is a direct sequel to the original game. Secondly, it moves away from the “everyman” protagonist archetype that grounded its predecessors. Finally, it is the only entry out of the first 7 to feature a female main character.
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As Harry’s daughter, who was introduced at the end of Silent Hill, Heather stood out due to looking and acting like a relatively realistic 17-year-old girl, which also helped set her apart from Resident Evil’s famous female protagonists. Her vulnerability supercharged the horror, creating an incredibly intense psychological experience filled with incredible imagery.
Nier – Gestalt To 2B
Nier:Automata Made The Series Into A Household Name
Every franchise mentioned in this article was already very successful when they made the switch… except Nier. Don’t get me wrong, Drakengard and the 2010 game had earned a cult following, but they certainly weren’t anywhere close to being big hits.
Then, Nier:Automata arrived and instantly launched the series into relative superstardom. 2B became Nier‘s face, completely overshadowing the two former protagonists. In 2017, Automata had already sold more than 2 million copies, an absurd amount for what used to be an incredible niche IP. Obviously, that figure is much higher nowadays. The sequel’s success even gave its predecessor a second chance at life courtesy of a remake.
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