Highlights

  • PlayStation is home to iconic anti-hero characters, adding depth and complexity to the gaming experience.
  • From Sully's cunning to Delsin's rebellious nature, anti-heroes navigate morality in unique ways.
  • Characters like Kratos and Ellie showcase a range of emotions, motives, and actions, making them unforgettable.

PlayStation holds an impressive library of exclusive games to their consoles, and an impressive cast of characters, ranging from different backgrounds and moralities that make them interesting and memorable. Some of the best PlayStation characters don’t just exist in a realm of black and white, good vs evil, some go beyond that concept and exist as anti-heroes.

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PlayStation anti-hero characters might not exhibit all of the traits seen in a hero or a villain, as they may commit some questionable acts, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t do the right thing every now and then. PlayStation has presented some iconic antihero characters throughout the years, leading to some memorable games.

8 Victor Sullivan

A Thief In Uncharted Who’s Desire Often Outweighs His Morality

Victor Sullivan sits in a chair with his signature cocky grin and cigar, dressed sharply in a tuxedo.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection

Platform(s)
PS4
Released
October 9, 2015
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure , Third-Person Shooter

Victor Sullivan wasn’t always Nathan Drake’s best friend. In fact, pretty early into the Uncharted series, he would often betray Nate, only to come back to his side towards the end. Whilst this little stint was often short, and Sully’s character evolved into a caring mentor and father figure, that doesn’t mean that Sully is all good.

Sully is pretty much an anti-hero, and he’s not afraid to steal, cheat, or kill anyone who is in his way. Whilst he prefers to be a small talker, he’s not averse to some action, especially if it threatens the people he cares about, but in comparison to other characters, Sully’s deeds, and body count, don’t stack to the rest.

7 Jin Sakai

Ghost Of Tsushima’s Protagonist Forsakes Honor For Liberty

Ghost of Tsushima Jin Sakai With Sword Drawn and Crouching
Ghost of Tsushima

Platform(s)
PS4 , PS5 , PC
Released
July 17, 2020
Developer(s)
Sucker Punch
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

Jin Sakai was once a noble samurai and the future prospect of House Shimura. Yet, the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima showed him that to win this war, Japan did not need honorable samurai to face these battles, but a Ghost, one that could sneak through the shadows, and eliminate the Mongolian invaders in darkness.

Using tactics that are seen as dishonorable, Jin Sakai poisoned Mongols, killed them with their backs turned, and became a dishonorable fighter amongst the samurai, all for the sake of freeing his people. Jin Sakai is a hero to the people, but a criminal to his government.

6 Joel Miller

A Broken Man In The Last Of Us Who Will Kill For Those He Cares About

last of us 2 joel playing guitar
The Last of Us Part I

Platform(s)
PS5 , PC
Released
September 2, 2022
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure

Joel Miller has been through some horrors in The Last of Us. After losing his young daughter, Sarah, on Outbreak Day, he has lived with nothing but resentment and disinterest in the lives of others, going forward only with survival instincts. That was until he met Ellie, a young girl who was immune to the infection that ravished the world. Throughout The Last of Us, Joel remembers what it’s like to be a father, and his paternal instincts help take Ellie across America to create a cure.

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Yet, Joel’s past is uncovered, and the terrors of his background reveal that he’s not a righteous man, and what he does is for survival, not for heroism. It’s his last act in the game that solidifies this, as he forsakes humanity, killing the Fireflies and the potential for a cure, just so Ellie does not die. A controversial act that is still talked about to this day, Joel’s action was as a father, so is that really villainy?

5 Delsin Rowe

InFamous Second Son Provides A Rebellious Conduit With Seattle

Delsin in inFamous Second Son
inFAMOUS Second Son

Platform(s)
PS4
Released
March 21, 2014
Developer(s)
Sucker Punch
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

When Delsin Rowe discovers his powers, he’s ecstatic to show them off. That is, until he realizes that humanity doesn’t take kindly to Conduits, and the strict anti-conduit government of Seattle has Delsin fearing his safety, and the lives of those he cares about, even after he finds out that he is not alone, and many conduits do exist within Seattle.

Delsin is faced with many choices across the game, on whether or not he should do the right thing, potentially exposing himself and those he cares for, just to save people. It’s a hard choice, but ultimately, Delsin does what the player decides, and his anti-hero antics come from his ability to kill the just and unjustly alike.

4 Sly Cooper

The Titular Thief Who Steals For Those With Less

Sly Cooper protagonist artwork
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Platform(s)
PlayStation 3
Released
February 5, 2013
Developer(s)
Sanzaru Games
Genre(s)
Platformer , Stealth , Adventure , Fighting , Puzzle

Sly Cooper has a funny way of showing morality, as despite this righteous behavior of not taking from working citizens, he still steals, and thievery isn’t exactly a noble act. Nevertheless, this humanoid raccoon does it for a living, and it’s been a tradition for his family for years, so much so that he even has his friends in on his schemes.

Whilst Sly Cooper is a friendly and beloved character, he’s not exactly a hero due to his behaviors and thievery, even if his self-righteous nature does come into play more so than his own acts of criminal activity.

3 Cole MacGrath

InFamous’ Electrifying Conduit With A Dark Side

infamous 2 grinding
Infamous

Platform(s)
PS3
Released
May 26, 2009
Developer(s)
Sucker Punch
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure

A bike courier who became a superhuman due to the devastating explosion in Empire City, Cole must navigate the now destroyed and depressing city, using his newfound powers against those who threaten him as he attempts to find his girlfriend and discover just what happened to him, and what mysterious parcel he was set to deliver that caused this entire thing.

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InFamous does something interesting, where players can make choices that drastically alter the protagonist and the world. Yet, even in a canon playthrough, Cole is considered an anti-hero, as he uses his powers to kill many, deserving or otherwise.

2 Ellie Williams

A Woman On A Revenge Odyssey In The Last Of Us Part 2

Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2
The Last of Us Part 2

Platform(s)
PS4
Released
June 19, 2020
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

Ellie’s journey through The Last of Us series has been without innocence. From her introduction, she is forced to fight and kill her way through to a better life that never comes. Yet, she really comes to shine in The Last of Us Part 2, where she takes the stage as the protagonist, seeking vengeance against those who murdered Joel.

Ellie’s character takes a dark turn in this game, where she is struck with grief, going through complex emotions that cause her to take an odyssey steeped in revenge, where she kills anyone in her way, regardless of their relationships, their aspirations, or even if they are pregnant with child.

1 Kratos

The God Of War Who Will Kill Through Vengeance, Rage, & Necessity

Dragon's Dogma 2 Player Builds Kratos in the Game
God of War (2018)

Platform(s)
PS4 , PC
Released
April 20, 2018
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

Kratos is by far the best anti-hero in a PlayStation game. Hailing as the lead in all God of War titles, Kratos began his journey as a Spartan, to the God of War himself, usurping Ares, and venturing across the Greek pantheon out of vengeance for what they did to him, only to end up in the Norse realm in an effort to break the cycle with his own son and not genocide an entire populous of gods once more.

Kratos is a tragic character, and he is often consumed by rage and guilt surrounding his actions. Kratos has killed many, some deserving, many who were not. Yet, Kratos’ road to redemption has been long and winding for the character, but perhaps soon he will lead not as the God of War, but as the God of Hope.

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