Within the scope of a game’s plot, there can be an abundance of narrative parameters dealing with a character’s background. The most fascinating variation on this is the one where such is fuzzy, and this has underwritten the plot of many a game. Here’s some of them:
1. Slayn Wilder
Whether of the life-like or soap opera variety, amnesia is a great way to spruce up a game’s plot. In Growlanser III: The Dual Darkness, this mystery silver-haired man is christened Slayn Wilder by his finder Annette. His story concludes with the revelation that he is the manifestation of unearthly assassin Dark Lord, and he is given the choice to live on or die in peace.
2. Adol Christin
This guy’s gotta be the unluckiest character in all of video gaming history. Starting off as a person with no past, he ends up in situations far beyond his control and which end in implausible outcomes for him. Notwithstanding that, his adventures continue, and Adol the Red wanders the earth.
3. Fei Fong Wong
You’ve probably heard of reincarnation before. From Buddhist tr aditions to New Age esoterics, it’s an idea very much integrated into the popular consciousness. But it’s not just an idea, rather a reality for Fei. This Xenogears hero keeps pulling a Kenny (s/o to South Park!) and ending up with the same woman, Elly. Don’t worry, there’s going to be a happy ending for his love life later on in the game.
4. Serge
Chrono Cross is officially one of the most mind-boggling games ever made. Especially considering the fact that the Internet wasn’t around yet to look stuff up on! In the game, Serge is a time traveller who shifts between dimensions. He finally ends up in a state of fragmented shadows of the memories of his travels through… the Twilight Zone.
5. Tidus
Zanarkand. Rightly dubbed the Singapore of its world, its resources are zapped by the ongoing Machina War with arch-nemesis Bevelle. Deciding to exercise the nuclear option, Zanarkand President Yu Yevon sacrifices the physical forms of his fellow citizens and retains only their consciousnesses in a plot worthy of Black Mirror’s San Joaquin episode. The Zanarkand Dream is created as a consciousness data-bank.
Enter Tidus. This easy-going blitzball champ becomes embroiled in an attempt to restore Zanarkand to its former (physical) glory. How does it go? Find out by playing Final Fantasy X today!
6. Adam Jensen
Being the main character of Deus Ex, you just know you’re gonna end up with some Bionic Woman-type shit with this dude. Jensen is a security consultant who is injured in the line of duty, necessitating hella cybertronic implants. Further in the game, it turns out he was the product of a Project Brazil-type genetic engineering pilot called White Helix, making him the perfect candidate for augmentation.
7. Cmdr. Sheppard
IT’S FUCKING SHEPPARD DO YOU SERIOUSLY NEED A FUCKING EXPLANATION JUST GO FUCKING PLAY MASS EFFECT (Not Andromeda tho) ALREADY YOU FUCKING TABARNAKS
8. [Insert Name Here]
Well, this one is pretty self-explanatory. I mean, you get to create your own character, so obviously there’s hardly any background to them! (Except for the one you make up yourself, of course.)
