The Most Epic Protagonists of the Last 5 Years

Any creative project – a movie, animation, video game, or slot machine – is rarely without its main characters. And it doesn’t matter whether this person existed in the real world or was invented in the comics. The main thing is that this character was able to influence the perception of the product, make it recognizable and loved by the audience.  

The character does not necessarily have to hold a clear positive or negative role. Often both sides can be seen in one person, manifesting themselves depending on the situation. But the main advantage of such characters is that they evoke emotions, become world celebrities and favorites of the audience. 

The developers of video games and online slots often use already known characters in their projects, which gives a certain head start to the new product over its counterparts. For example, in the case of online gambling, developers often offer to play pokies for free, play pokies for free in order to get to know a new character better. There is nothing new or surprising in this, the main thing is to adhere to copyright laws and exploit a high-profile name legally.

In the last five years, there have been many new names associated with the world of video games and they have gained popularity with a wide audience around the world. We bring to your attention the brightest personalities, who are remembered for their charisma, ambiguous character, and interesting history. They may not all have been key characters, but they have become in many ways iconic and recognizable.

ALOY (HORIZON ZERO DAWN)

This is the only character you can play as. The warrior girl from the Nora tribe is somewhat reminiscent of the well-known Lara Croft, only from a different era. Aloy is well versed in cars and technology. She uses them to skillfully assemble new types of weapons for the battle with the machines that have taken over the world. She opposes the defective AI that destroyed the world with the Plague of Faro. Gaia, who controls the artificial intelligence of the New Dawn, has restored life on Earth, but the evil AI wants to reactivate the plague and destroy everyone again.   

By nature, Aloy is a genetic clone created by Elisabeth Sobek. The years that the heroine spent away from her tribe changed her attitude towards people – she is kind to them and tries to protect everyone. At the same time, Aloy gradually finds out about her origin and does not abandon the search for his mother.

In terms of appearance, she is a blond girl of medium height, with red hair and freckles. She is physically well-prepared and skillfully confronts enemies. The action in Horizon Zero Dawn takes place in the 30th century, to be exact – in 3020. She is born into the world and ends up with the Nora tribe, but they see her as a threat and send her to be raised by outcast Rast. Together with him she becomes the same outcast but demonstrates strong technical abilities.

CALLIE AND MARIE, SQUID SISTERS (SPLATOON SERIES)

A unique and extraordinary game by Nintendo has conquered more than one million hearts around the world. Here you have to paint over as much territory as possible in your color or the color of the team, depending on the selected mode. Some of the most charismatic characters you can play are the sisters Callie and Marie, they are very cheerful and positive, they can sing and bring a special atmosphere to the gameplay. 

The game was released in 2015, the second part has already been released, and the third is being scheduled for 2022. Gamers may expect that the loved squid sisters will not disappear in subsequent developments but will stay to delight their fans. To feel the atmosphere of what is happening on the display, you should launch SPLATOON on the Wii U console at least once.

EDITH FINCH (WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH)

The game by Giant Sparrow Studios was released by Annapurna Interactive. It tells a very mysterious and unusual story about the Finch family. Edith is the only living member. The girl takes an interest in what really happened in the old family home, and why she was left alone while the rest of her family members passed away against their will. The game is by no means a detective but is aimed at the narrative, a philosophical view of the fact that a lot of things, objects, and other traces remain after each person. They can be used to learn about the person’s entire life.

Edith Finch was named after her great-grandmother, Edie, who had laid the foundation of the family. She was an artist and had an unconventional sense of humor. Edie refused to leave her home after a series of unfortunate events. And when she was informed of the arrival of staff from the nursing home, she decided to commit suicide. The player discovers all of these and many other details on behalf of Edith’s character, Edie’s granddaughter, and delves deeper and deeper into the game’s atmosphere getting to know each individual member of the family.

DALILA (FIREWATCH)

It is an invisible hero of the game by FIREWATCH. She will appear only at the end and only for a few seconds. But this fact in no way diminishes her role in the whole storyline, as Dalila has constant conversations with the main character Henry. They share a job at the towers in the Wyoming Shoshone Forest –  they must keep watch from there, and prevent fires. The more dialogue the characters have, the better Dalila’s personality is revealed. 

Main character traits include:

• she is a strict, confident woman who at the same time suffers from loneliness and often drowns her sorrows in alcohol;
• she was once a coach at Leader’s School and adored nature;
• after breaking up with her boyfriend, she goes to guard the forest, but not as an ordinary worker, rather as a supervisor-dispatcher because she is used to managing and commanding.

As mentioned, Dalila is not the main character but plays an important role in all events, supplying Henry with items he needs, and giving valuable advice. The two people are surrounded by hundreds of miles of forests where very strange events take place. As the game progresses, new secrets and mysteries are revealed, by which it is easy to determine the main character traits of both participants. Having solved all the mysteries and made it to the end of the game, one might be upset by the clichéd ending. However, the game has won the Golden Joystick Awards, BAFTA, D.I.C.E., and other awards for a reason, so it deserves the attention of the users.

CATHERINE DE MEDICI (Civilization 6)

The sixth part of Civilization by Firaxis Games was released in 2016. It used to receive regular updates and expansions until it reached its intended final form. However, as of late, new improvements have been announced, expanding the gameplay possibilities. Players should expect 8 updates soon and test them in the game. 

Civilization 6 offers several nations to choose from:

• Japan;
• France;
• Maya tribe;
• Portugal;
• Persia;
• Mongolia;
• Korea;
• Macedonia, and more than four dozen other nations. 

The choice determines the direction, activities, type of map, and other features of development. One of the most notable destinations in France and its queen Catherine de Medici. She is a strong-willed and in some cases cruel queen who knows how to rule the country and accumulate resources. Born into a wealthy family of bankers, she ascended the throne and skillfully holds the position of the Valois, which at that time was very unstable. Thanks to Catherine, the country’s diplomatic and cultural development reaches the necessary heights in the game.

Summary

Every year there are a lot of new characters and names that leave an imprint on the history of the game industry. It is impossible to become a legend in five years, but it is quite realistic to win the love of the audience, and bring profit to the development companies. To become a part of history – you can try to play and see for yourself all the advantages and disadvantages of these epic heroes.