Being the main star in a video game isn't an easy job. The protagonist may have the honor of getting ample screen time, but in order to persevere and shine, there first must be difficult obstacles to overcome. While things could be as simple as solving a puzzle or cooking a nice meal, other games force players to face much more dire circumstances.
In order for the player to be tested, the protagonist must deal with some messy situations for the sake of the story. Some protagonists may have it easy but others sure don't. Here are some of the most unlucky protagonists in video games.
Spoilers will be included for each entries' respective games.
10 Leon S. Kennedy
- Game Titles: Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil 4
By Resident Evil 4, the famous Leon Kennedy is already a seasoned operative, accustomed to fighting his way through the infected. However, Resident Evil 2 is a look into Leon's first day on the job, and it goes without saying that it doesn't go very well.
The job of a police officer isn't often an easy one but no one could have expected the horrors that Leon had to endure the day Raccoon City was overtaken by zombies. First day on the job and the rookie cop is already scrambling to find where in the handbook it says how to handle lickers and tyrants.
9 Lee Everett
- Game Titles: Telltale'sThe Walking Dead
Surviving a zombie apocalypse is difficult enough, but for Lee, sometimes human beings can be just as much of a threat as the undead. Lee's life was already not going too well before the outbreak as the beginning of the series shows him being arrested for an unspecified offense.
Once the flesh-eating walkers entered the picture, Lee found himself in the middle of every conflict and the head of every big decision. In a situation as dire as Lee's, there are going to be decisions that have to be made that prove how impossible it is to please everyone.
8 Nathan Drake
- Game Titles: Uncharted 1-4
The case of Nathan Drake is a curious one as there isn't any real need to pinpoint one specific moment that showcases how unlucky the treasure hunter is. Perhaps his terrible luck stems from his profession, but either way, it seems that wherever Drake goes, misfortune may follow.
The nature of Nate's job is a dangerous one, so depending on one's perspective, Nate could be the pinnacle of misfortune or the luckiest man alive.
7 Raziel
- Game Titles: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Legacy of Kain: Defiance
Longtime Soul Reaver fans may remember Raizel for his iconic blue wraith appearance, but he didn't start off that way. Raziel was once a vampire, and before that, a mortal man. Vampire Raziel served as Kain's lieutenant/second-in-command, but once he had evolved to surpass Kain's abilities, all went south.
Raziel was cast into the Lake of the Dead where he was left to burn alive, in an act of jealousy ordered by Kain himself. He miraculously survived but was left with withered wings and the loss of his jaw. It was then that he was brutally transformed into a wraith, left to feast on souls of his prey, rather than blood.
6 Raiden
- Game Titles: Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, Metal Gear Rising: Revengance
Raiden's long list of unlucky mishaps includes (but aren't limited to) finding out his wife was secretly a spy, getting his limbs sliced off on multiple occasions, being forced to run around on a mission completely naked, and of course, slipping on bird poop.
The unlucky cyborg ninja served as the butt of many jokes within the Metal Gear fandom (looking at you, Raikov), but eventually, Raiden was rewarded with his very own spin-off game to salvage some of his good name.
(Although Raiden does get his arm sliced off again within minutes of that game's opening, letting out an irritated, "not again!")
5 Booker DeWitt
- Game Title: Bioshock Infinite
Former soldier turned private investigator, Booker, finds himself in Columbia in search of a young woman named Elizabeth, not understanding the true gravity of his presence in that timeline.
Before his journey, Booker already carried the traumatic experience of having his wife, Annabelle, die during childbirth, which lead him to a deep depression and alcoholism. It was then that he decided to sell his only child, Anna, in order to rid himself of his gambling debt.
After many jumps through time and space through the Tears into alternate timelines, the helpless Booker realizes that for Elizabeth to truly be happy and free (along with the rest of the world), he must sacrifice himself no matter what.
4 Venom Snake
- Game Title: Metal Gear Solid 5
Forget all of the difficult missions, decisions, and heartbreaking loss Venom Snake has endured during all of Metal Gear Solid 5, the biggest misfortune the protagonist has on his list is the moment he woke up and took on the role of Big Boss.
The Phantom Pain's true ending reveals that the Big Boss known in previous titles isn't the man that fans had been with the entirety of the game. Venom Snake was once a simple combat medic for the Militaires Sans Frontieres who was thrust into a position of greatness.
Going into a coma as a combat medic one day and being forced to act as the mercenary commander of the Diamond Dogs the next isn't exactly the promotion most are looking for. To call Venom Snake "underqualified" may be the biggest understatement one could make.
3 Isaac Clarke
- Game Titles: Dead Space 1-3
Believe it or not, Dead Space protagonist, Isaac Clarke, originally started out as a simple engineer. On his way to the Ishimura in Dead Space 1, he discovered that the entire crew of the ship had turned into terrifying creatures called necromorphs.
On top of the terrifying ordeal of zombie-like creatures, the whole reason Isaac agreed to visit the Ishimura was to see a long-time girlfriend, Nicole, who had secretly been dead the entire time. By Dead Space 2, Isaac found a new love, but just as things were looking brighter for the poor guy, by Dead Space 3, they had already called it quits due to all the mental trauma Isaac had sustained from the deadly Markers.
It seems necromorphs are bad for the mind and the heart.
2 Ethan Winters
- Game Titles: Resident Evil 7 & 8
Ethan's misfortunes began at the Baker residence where he was attacked by his wife that he intended to save, got his hand chainsawed off by said wife, and had his leg chopped off by a crazed Jack Baker, among other disgusting things he had to fight his way through to escape the hell house. After that endeavor, things only got worse for Ethan as everything he held dear was quickly taken away from him.
Multiple severed limbs, witnessing his daughter's kidnapping, the (supposed) death of his wife, and being hung through hooks in his hands were some of the things Ethan had to endure, just to meet his untimely end before being happily reunited with his family again.
1 Isaac
- Game Title: The Binding of Isaac, (Afterbirth, Afterbirth+, Repentance)
Isaac, a mere boy, is subjected to an isolated life; no toys, no friends, and even no clothes. Isaac's mother had even taken his drawings away and shaved his hair. In fear of his overbearing mother and her willingness to sacrifice her own son, Isaac flees in order to survive this fate, just to be faced with more terrifying obstacles.
Not only is Isaac forced to fight, but even after completing the game, the poor boy is left to suffocate in a toy chest in his attempt to escape. However, not all hope is lost for poor Isaac as the Repentance DLC finally allows the boy to achieve the happy ending he truly deserves. It also reveals the ending to be a story Isaac drew himself and his father narrating it, ultimately making the character's story a happy one instead.