To be bitter is to feel or show anger, hurt, or resentment because of bad experiences. Many characters in fiction have a show of being relentlessly bitter, to the point where their actions and behavior are affected by those around them. Being bitter may be a flaw, but some characters have a good reason or excuse it with cool action.
There exist plenty of bitter characters in video games, some that further the goal of the protagonist by being a worthy villain, or some that are the protagonist, and the player gets to experience the story that made them bitter and lead to their redemption.
8 Geralt – The Witcher 3
Geralt of Rivia has led quite the life. From joining the Wild Hunt to being killed and losing his memories. Geralt had his life stolen from him as he was mutated for the Witcher Trials, making him a monster in the eyes of man.
When audiences reconnect with Geralt in The Witcher 3, his bitterness is subsided due to his returned memories. Although, Geralt is more serious than ever, because his daughter, Ciri, is being pursued by The Wild Hunt and the Emperor of Nilfgaard.
7 Joel Miller – The Last Of Us
As the protagonist of The Last of Us, Joel Miller presents a life filled with misery. Joel lost his civilized life when the Cordyceps virus ravaged humanity. The very first chaos of the outbreak made Joel lose his daughter, who died in his arms. Joel was full of bitterness through the aftermath of the outbreak and even resorted to killing and scavenging off innocent people until he received a job as a smuggler.
Joel was tasked with smuggling and protecting Ellie Williams across America, whom he discovered was the key to mankind’s survival. Forming a strong bond, Joel rediscovered his humanity, but his bitterness about losing a daughter remained.
6 Mr. Resetti – Animal Crossing: New Leaf
No one takes their job more seriously than Mr. Resetti. This cranky mole appears in the Animal Crossing games. His job is to ensure that the player saves continuously throughout gameplay, and does not reset the game or turn the power off without saving.
The amount of people Resetti has dealt with has made him bitter, and beyond furious. He shouts so much abuse at the player if they dare turn off their console without saving, and will continue to do so no matter how many times it happens.
5 Trevor Philips – Grand Theft Auto 5
As one of the three protagonists in Grand Theft Auto 5, Trevor Philips is the more unhinged character of the three and the founder of Trevor Philips Enterprises. Trevor is a dangerous man, not just for his dealings in crime and drugs, but his ability to snap at the slightest thing and cause mayhem to anyone in his path.
Trevor Philips became bitter after a life of poverty and being unloved. His best friend, Michael, faked his death to retire from a criminal life. When Trevor discovered he was alive, his bitterness grew into an unhealthy and intense confrontation.
4 Psycho Mantis – Metal Gear Solid
Few characters want to see the suffering and lack of happiness in fellow humans more so than Psycho Mantis. As a psychic member of FOXHOUND, Psycho Mantis assisted his team in taking over Shadow Moses Island. Psycho Mantis believed that humans were not designed to bring each other happiness, but to bring each other pain and misery.
His bitterness comes from his powers. In Metal Gear Solid, he can read people’s thoughts. These invasive thoughts would force themselves into his mind, which he would need a special gas mask to prevent.
3 Scorpion – Mortal Kombat
In a life of suffering, Scorpion had his entire family and clan murdered, and then was led to believe it was Sub-Zero, not Quan Chi. This led to Scorpion sabotaging the Mortal Kombat Tournament by killing the original Sub-Zero and furthering himself as a violent and fierce warrior that will stop at nothing for revenge.
Scorpion became a specter from hell-spawn, and in the Mortal Kombat series, killed a great number of characters. Scorpion had a long road to redemption, and the rebuilding of his clan, but his bitterness halted his progress.
2 Shadow – Shadow The Hedgehog
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Created as the Ultimate Life Form, Shadow had quite the expectations to live up to. Shadow was an experiment, released fifteen years after his creation to help Dr. Eggman conquer the world. Shadow’s goals came from the bitterness of revenge for the death of Maria, a woman killed by the military.
Shadow the Hedgehog holds a sharp wit, and a strong sense of purpose. In his game, Shadow the Hedgehog, he is seen fighting with demons, and with real-life guns. He’s a character that prides himself on his bitterness.
1 Kratos – God Of War
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
After losing his brother, his warriors, his family, and his Pantheon, no one can be more bitter than Kratos from the God of War series. Kratos’ bitterness spurred his revenge against the Greek gods and helped fuel his desire to murder his father, Zeus. Kratos even took his own life to give humanity a chance.
When Kratos returned to the video game scene in 2018, he is stricken with grief over the loss of his new wife, and the doubt about being able to raise a son without a mother, for Kratos has not forgiven himself for his past.