No one needs to tell gamers that video games do not reflect real life. People do not act like they are in a world one can only interact with using a certain set of defined mechanics. Shooting a gun in real life is nothing like playing an FPS, driving is not like a racing game, and fights never play out like turn-based RPGs.
Still, some aspects of the medium give people pause every once in a while. Many of gaming's favorite protagonists turn out to be way younger than most people realize. Some of the characters below are so young, it genuinely makes gamers worry for their safety. Then, others are so young it is surprising to see how jaded and old they feel and present themselves to be.
6 Noa From Legend Of Legaia Is 12 Years Old
Legend of Legaia is one of the forgotten greats of Japanese PS1 JRPGs. The unique gameplay has players create combos with every turn through a combination of punches and kicks they put in to initiate their attack. The playable party only includes three protagonists, Van, Noa, and Gala.
The middle party member is a peppy young girl who was raised by a wolf and thus has little knowledge of how humans work. In the instruction manual, she is said to only be 12 years old, which is very hard to believe. Someone would need more than that many years of training to fight as well as she does. The game's two other heroes also seem too young for their demeanors. Gala in particular feels like he should be in his mid-20s when he is only 16.
5 Jill Valentine Was 24 In Resident Evil 1
Of all the characters on this list, Jill Valentine is perhaps the most believable, except for the fact that women were not accepted into Special Forces in the 1990s. She was born in 1974 and her debut entry in the Resident Evil series takes place in 1998.
To have such an accomplished military career and then become a police officer and go into another elite unit is quite a feat to do in any lifetime. While on the topic of Jill Valentine and S.T.A.R.S. it feels weird that a small-town police department even has such an elite group of cops.
4 Solid Snake Was 27 When He Retired
If one is not a fan of Metal Gear Solid, one might not realize that Solid Snake is not actually that old in Metal Gear Solid 4. His rapid aging is a result of him being a clone. He was born in 1972 so he was only 42 during the events of his final starring role. As far as soldiering goes, 42 is not a bad age to retire.
However, this is actually the second time he called it quits. The second game in the series, 1990's Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake took place in 1999 and ends with him retiring at 27. He was only brought out of retirement six years later for Metal Gear Solid.
3 Pokemon Trainers Are All Kids About 10 And 11 Years Old
The Pokemon games have been ruling the world since 1996. The main goal of each game has largely been the same: players start their career as a Pokemon trainer and try to complete the Pokedex and defeat all the gym trainers throughout the region.
The format changes and evolves, though whether the evolutions in gameplay are satisfactory is up to the individual player. One thing remains, though. The trainer players control and those who they fight against are always really young. In fact, one might say they are too young to be running around on their own. Maybe the world of Pokemon is significantly safer for kids so parents do not worry about them running around alone.
2 CJ From San Andreas Is 24 Years Old
While life outside the law should keep one young and agile, in practice it tends to age people fast. This is certainly the case with Carl Johnson from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He often talks as if he has spent a whole lifetime as a gang member on Grove Street before leaving it behind.
He is just 24 years old. People are generally just out of college or still in grad school at this age, and CJ acts like he has lived several lifetimes already. At the same time, he probably has seen a lot more and been through a lot of tough trials most people his age have not seen.
1 Cid Highwind Is 32 Years Old
Cid Highwind is the old grouch of the Final Fantasy 7 party. He is a scientist who is bitter about losing his dream of going into space. He also likely drinks a lot, walks around with a cigarette in his mouth, and treats his wife Shera poorly. This type of dead-end misery is something players would expect from someone in their late 40s and 50s.
The character is only 32 years old. This is more than enough time to pick up the pieces of one's life and find another dream to accomplish. In addition to his scientific pursuits, he is also well-practiced in the art of combat.