With all of 2021’s major video games having finally released, it’s easy to admit that this was an unpredictable year in regard to video game storytelling. While previous years have been headlined by major, cinematic story-based titles, 2021 was a year aboutrefining storytelling methods already introduced, and as a result video game narratives were more dependant than ever on strong characters to make an impression on players.
With that in mind, here are thebest video game charactersof 2021, keeping in mind that this list prioritizes characters introduced in video games released this year. While some characters are inspired by depictions in previous media or games, their representation in a title this year made them stand apart from past incarnations and breathed new life into them. Some characters on this list are also considered to be spoilers for the games that they originate from, so be prepared.
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Crow - Death’s Door
Crow is the lovable, silent bird protagonist ofDeath’s Door. He’s a different sort of character, perhaps the most unique on this entire list.Death’s Door’s Crow is comparable toThe Legend of Zelda’s Linkin mannerisms and gameplay style, really giving the Crow his own charm. Players, as Crow, working for the bureaucratic Reaping Commission, led by the Lord of Doors. His mannerisms when dealing with other characters, as a result, bring the most out of them, and at the end of the day, he’s a pretty cool, vibing little bird.
Colt - Deathloop
Deathloopis a game that has walked away with many accolades on the way out of 2021, and for good reason. One of those reasons is undoubtedly its main protagonist, Colt Vahn, played excellently by Jason E. Kelly. Colt isa unique vessel for the player throughoutDeathloop, mainly because he is just as confused as to what is going on at Backreef Island as the player. He awakens on the island to find himself an amnesiac, trapped in an endless time loop that more often than not results in him being killed by a woman who claims to know him, Julianna Blake.
What keeps Colt’s confusion regarding his surroundings and the people inhabiting itso engaging throughoutDeathloopis the hilarious dialogue, which is once again performed wonderfully by Jason E. Kelly and helps even the slowest moments of what can sometimes be a repetitive game feel worthwhile.
Queen - Deltarune Chapter 2
In a series full of loveable, internet humor-injected characters, it’s a wonder that by the time Queen, or Serial Number Q5U4EX7YY2E9N, rolled around,Deltarunecreator Toby Fox was somehow able to tell a joke fans have heard a million times by now and make it sound even funnier. Queen is a character who is not breaking any new ground for characters introduced in theUndertale/Deltaruneuniverse, a naive and often adorable antagonist who seems less interested in manipulating the cast ofDeltarunethan she does genuinely convincing them that she’s right. It’s just somehow surprising that the character is so instantly loveable, and thatFox is able to write such effortlessly endearing villaincharacters even six years removed fromUndertale.
Queen is a rare villain that is impossible to hate or even disagree with, this is often because most of the justification for her actions is simply that she is uninformed. She is not an evil person, nor is she trying to enact evil; she just simply does not know what she is doing and, like othergreat characters fromUndertaleandDeltarune, the witty method in which the game conveys her ignorance through meta-humor and visual gags left a major impression on fans this year, making her one of the best characters of 2021.
Savathun - Destiny 2
With games that have been around as long asDestiny 2has, it’s hard to imagine that it is still possible for Bungie to outdo itself with story content even almost five years out from launch, but somehow that seems to be the case. Nobody embodies the growth ofDestiny’s story more than Savathun, who is very possibly the game’s best villain yet. While she isn’t slated to take center stage fully yet untilDestiny 2: The Witch Queenin 2022,2021 gave fans an early peek as to what to expect from Savathunand she is a force to be reckoned with.
Glimpses of Savathun seen in season 15 ofDestiny 2imply that she is a master of deception, one who has been pulling the strings in theDestinyuniverse from the shadows for years. This is also the most effort Bungie has put into making fans realize the scale of a villain, teasing her almost a year before she appears in the next big expansion. This newestDestinyvillain undeniably has paved the way for some of the most exciting story content the series has seen yet.
Yuffie - Final Fantasy 7 Remake: InterMISSION
With thesomewhat controversial matter in whichFinal Fantasy 7 Remakewrapped up, many fans were confused regarding where the series would go next in regards to introducing beloved characters not present in the first part’s Midgar focused reboot/remake. With the sequel likely years away still, it makes total sense that Square Enix would choose to introduce the next major character, Yuffie Kisaragi, with a DLC episode detailing her unseen introduction to the events of the originalFinal Fantasy 7.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: InterMISSION’s Yuffie Kisaragi is, like many of the versions found in theRemakeseries so far, a wonderful reimagining of the optional party member that fans fell in love with almost 25 years ago.InterMISSIONreintroduces the character in a more sympathetic mannerthan the original by trading her sneaky Materia stealing with a heartfelt story of her involvement in the political war between the Wutai government and Shinra. It also details her relationship with fellow Wutai ninja Sonon that will likely have major implications on the future of theFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeseries.
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Drax - Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
One of the biggest concerns withMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxybefore its release was that the game’s cast was going to havea tough time competing with the well-establishedMarvel Cinematic Universedepictions of the characters. As it turns out, Eidos Montreal’s versions of the characters often manage to give theMCUa run for its money, and nowhere is this more present than in the video game’s depiction of Drax.
Most of Drax’s set up in the game is the same as in other media. His wife and daughter were killed by Thanos and he’s still not great with the whole sarcasm thing, but as with most of the Guardians, the game takes a moment to shine a light on the trauma and grief the character deals with following the loss of his family and newfound hope within the Guardians. In one of the game’s most memorable moments, Drax falls victim to the enemies and betrays the Guardians when he is offered the chance to reunite with his deceased family. The emotion depicted when he is forced to leave this illusion behind is truly heartbreaking and depicts the emotional powerEidos Montreal’s vision of theGuardians of the Galaxyhas over any other version out there.
Pilot - Halo
Approaching the launch ofHalo Infinite, fans had very little to go off in regard to how the story would handle the fallout ofHalo 5: Guardians' ending and the future of Master Chief and Cortana’s relationship. One thing that was certain was that Echo-216, also known as The Pilot (and later named as Fernando Esparza),was going to be an interesting addition toHalo Infinite’s relatively small cast. Accompanying Master Chief and The Weapon, Echo-216 is a scared, cowardly soldier that wants nothing more than to leave the crumbled Zeta Halo and return to his wife and daughter back on Earth.
As the game progresses, fans quickly learn that things aren’t that simple for The Pilot, and there is a reason that despite all his fears, he stays with Master Chief and ultimately becomes a driving force in helping Chief with his mission. The Pilot, like many standard marines in theHaloseries, could have been a simple throwaway character meant simply to move the story forward, but ultimately he ends up being the empathic weight that completes many ofHalo Infinite’s most powerful moments and brings out the humanity in the Chief.He is an exciting addition to theHalouniverseand one that is hopefully developed upon further in time.
Dr. Hakim - It Takes Two
Ultimately, withIt Takes Two, it seems that many fans feel one of two ways with the boisterous Book of Love, Dr. Hakim. Love him or hate him,Hakim is one of the standouts ofIt Takes Two. Taking the stage as the marriage counselor tasked with repairing Cody and May’s relationship, Dr. Hakim is often ignorant of the pair’s actual concerns with each other, but somehow ends up repairing their relationship bit by bit by forcing them into situations that highlight each of their shortcomings.
While his ethics are questionable at best and his characterization can be eccentric at times, Dr. Hakim is undeniably fun to watch and adds a level of humor toIt Takes Twothatstops the game from edging too far into the seriousness of its subject matter.
Kena - Kena: Bridge of Spirits
In a time where video games are action-packed and violence-heavy, it’s refreshing tohave games that embellish in mellow tones likeKena: Bridge of Spirits, and no character embodies the somber ambiance of the game more than its titular character, Kena. WhileKena: Bridge of Spiritsis not a game that often puts its narrative at the forefront, it’s hard not to want it to thanks to its gorgeously animated cutscenes. Kena carries this herself, who is one of the most genuinely kind-natured and pleasant characters of the year.
Kena is a spirit guide who works with small creatures known as the Rot to rid the land of corruption that has consumed many forests and controls much of the wildlife, while also helping to guide wandering spirits to the afterlife. She is a character of few words but one that is very clearly empathetic to the spirits in which she is aiding and kind-hearted to a fault, making her one of the most effortlessly captivating characters of 2021 andone of the best parts ofKena: Bridge of Spirits.
Alex Chen - Life is Strange: True Colors
There was understandably a lot of skepticism going intoLife is Strange: True Colorsfor series fans. The game wasBefore the Stormdeveloper Deck Nine’s first attempt at an original story, one that seemed to have a lot of parallels to the first game at a glance, leaving many fans to worry that the series may be retreading ground. Just a few minutes in the shoes ofLife is Strange: True Colors' though, Alex Chen proved that not only is Deck Nine’s new take on the series incredibly refreshing,but Alex might be the series' best protagonist yet.
Levying the power of empathy, Alex is one of the most vulnerable protagonists the series has ever seen, but that helps make her instantly relatable. Alex is able to take on the emotions of the people surrounding her which, coupled with her own troubled upbringing, leaves her an emotionally damaged individual.However, all of these flaws give Alex strength, as she is also able to easily connect with people, and features one of the purest moral compasses in a video game character this entire year.
