Video games have almost always had protagonists plastered on their covers and trailers, revealing exactly who they are and how awesome it would be to play through their stories in their respective titles. However, gaming also has its fair share of mysterious characters who are enigmatic enough to sometimes become even more popular than their respective games’ protagonists. In fact, some of these characters are so enigmatic that no one even knows what they look like.
While a lot of these gaming characters with no faces are relegated to the roles of rivals and villains, some of them end up becoming side characters and even outright protagonists. Just who are some of gaming’s most iconic characters who never reveal their faces?
10 Master Chief (Halo)
Perhaps the most recognizable masked character in gaming goes to Master Chief, ever the valiant protagonist of the Halo franchise. Donning his trademark SPARTAN Armor, Master Chief has taken the fight to the Covenants and other extraterrestrial forces to try and conquer Earth.
While he does reveal his face in the Halo series, Bungie did viewers a favor of not ever revealing a face behind the helmet, allowing players to both become the Chief and witness him always try to choose the greater good across the franchise.
9 Shy Guy (Mario)
Granted, the Shy Guys in the Mario franchise aren't necessarily main character material, but they still remain one of the most recognizable side characters out there. Forever characterized by their shyness and their trademark masks, Shy Guys have always been common denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom as well as one of Mario's most common foes.
First appearing in Super Mario Bros 2., Shy Guys are known to walk continuously but turn around when touching (for Red variants) or near (for Blue variants) ledges or obstacles. While it’s shown that they are wearing masks due to the straps around their masks, it’s also implied that their masks might be their faces after all.
8 Vivi Ornitier (Final Fantasy 9)
Throughout the Final Fantasy franchise, Black Mages are characterized by wearing blue robes and large brown hats that obscure much of the views of their faces, revealing only yellow orbs that signify their eyes. And as it turns out, it’s incredibly hard to see their faces, and Black Mage Vivi of Final Fantasy 9 never reveals theirs.
With FF9 being a homage to the more traditional Final Fantasy games, it makes sense for Vivi to be one of the most skilled Black Mages in the world of Gaia. A part of Zidane’s crew, Vivi is a prototype Black Mage created out of the technology discovered by antagonist Kuja.
7 Faust (Guilty Gear)
A niche fighting franchise, Guilty Gear continues to wow fans with its signature blend of fast-paced combat and brutal techniques, boasting characters that affect the battlefield in vastly different ways. Faust is no exception, and his masked nature is a reflection of his rather wild playstyle. Characterized primarily by a paper bag over his face and his scrub suit, the very few details known about Faust would probably be his nature as a doctor and his desire to help save the world to atone for his sins.
Interestingly enough, it’s never mentioned just who was behind Faust’s mask in the Guilty Gear games, but is heavily implied to be Dr. Baldhead – a doctor who succumbed to madness in the first game. Regardless, players love Faust for his unique toolkit, characterized by strange movements and even randomized attacks.
6 Ethan Winters (Resident Evil)
Resident Evil is beloved among horror fans, be it for its suspenseful first games, its action-packed era, or its slate of protagonists that seem to save the world over and over again against zombies. As such, it was such a surprise that Resident Evil introduced Ethan Winters in its seventh installment. And it’s thanks to the eyes of this newcomer that Resident Evil got a much fresher view befitting its new FPS slate.
Throughout this new story, Ethan Winters is a seemingly-ordinary house husband thrust into the horrific world of bioterrorism when his wife Mia has seemingly contacted him after being presumed dead, and after that their child Rosemary has become embedded in the middle of a conspiracy. Interestingly enough, while fans have unearthed Ethan Winters’ look in both promotional material and in-game files, the character never reveals his face throughout his appearances – forever preserving the chance for players to rely on him as their “viewing lenses” toward the Resident Evil universe.
5 Jack Of Blades (Fable)
While players of Fable begin as the Hero of Oakvale whose alignment they can change throughout their story, their rival and antagonist forever remains the same: the enigmatic and masked Jack of Blades. Throughout the game, the Jack of Blades is an ancient being originally thought of as a legend. It’s through his influence that the darkness starts to engulf the known world, affecting the lives of the Hero of Oakvale and those around him.
Interestingly enough, despite being defeated, the Jack of Blades never got to reveal his true face. It’s soon exposed in Fable that the Jack of Blades is less a person and more an entity, existing within the mask that all his avatars wear.
4 Vile (Mega Man X)
Mega Man has had his own fair share of rivals across the games, with some versions sharing the same character or some other transformation. For instance, the original Mega Man had Proto Man as his mysterious rival and Bass as an enemy of equal strength. Meanwhile, Mega Man X had swordsman Zero as his partner and Proto Man equivalent, with weapon master Vile serving as the Bass analog.
In Mega Man X, Vile joins Sigma’s rebellion as a former Maverick Hunter with a penchant for mercilessness, outright killing rogue Reploids instead of sparing them for reprogramming. Unlike X who can “copy” the weapons of his allies, Vile has a more expanded arsenal, possessing gatling guns, rockets, missiles, and weapons tailored to fight various Reploids.
3 Noob Saibot (Mortal Kombat)
During Scorpion’s quest for vengeance for the death of himself and his clan, the Shirai Ryu shinobi-specter has dedicated himself to the destruction of Sub-Zero. However, Mortal Kombat soon reveals that the Sub-Zero he’s challenged isn’t the one who killed his clan, but rather his younger brother. It’s this older brother that decimated Shirai Ryu, with sorcerer Quan Chi resurrecting him as a specter within death and giving him a new identity: Noob Saibot.
Contrary to the cryomancer Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat, Noob Saibot now possesses power over death and the shadows. Wielding his trademark sickle, Noob Saibot is almost immortal due to his nature, with his attacks specializing in using the shadows and darkness to create shadow clones, teleport across the battlefield, and catch his opponents unawares.
2 Skull Kid (The Legend Of Zelda)
Recognizable for their bird-like faces and horrific masks, Skull Kids have become recurring characters throughout The Legend of Zelda, particularly in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. In both games, a Skull Kid is seen interacting with Link, first as an ally before transitioning to have a more villainous role in the Zelda sequel.
It’s first implied that Skull Kids are probably children who got lost in the forest, transitioning into Skull Kids as they slowly forgot their identities. In the next game, a Skull Kid develops an affinity for mischief, to the point of wanting to wreak havoc over the world of Terminus by bringing down the Moon.
1 Ghost (Call Of Duty)
While not necessarily a protagonist across the Call Of Duty series, Simon “Ghost” Riley is probably one of the most recognizable characters in the franchise. Characterized by his balaclava with a prominent skull print, Ghost remains one of the most competent members of Task Force 141 of the Call Of Duty series, particularly the Modern Warfare installments.
Although Ghost does reveal his face in the comics, Ghost never gets to show his true face throughout the games. Unlike other characters in the franchise, his persistent masked nature gives him an air of mystery that allows him to remain iconic.