Gameplay may determine whether a game is fun, but stories are what make games interesting. No matter how the story is told, whether it's through interactions, a grandiose or small-scale plot, or through environments in a world left behind, characters are at the heart of every story. They are the driving force of every story beat, with characters like Red Dead Redemption's John Marston, Mass Effect's Shepard, or Final Fantasy's Sephiroth burning the games into fans' memories. Some of the best video games are those with timeless stories, great protagonists, lovable support characters, and challenging antagonists.
And 2022 has no shortage of stories, characters, and more for players to explore, with games like God of War Ragnarok, Elden Ring, and even something like Stray giving fans new characters to meet and love. In no particular order, here are the best video game characters of 2022.
Potential Spoilers AHEAD
Amicia - A Plague Tale: Requiem
Amicia is the definition of a child thrust into adult responsibilities far too soon, and witnessing her journey to protect Hugo throughout A Plague Tale: Innocence and Requiem can be painful to bear. Yet, feeling pain for the fate and role of a character shows how well they pull that off. Amicia's role as Hugo's protector is elevated in this year's sequel, yet is just as painful as ever. Watching her struggle to make the right decisions and be willing to do whatever it takes to protect her Brother is as endearing as ever, and yet, the game knows how to twist this knife just right. It will raise players up, just to knock them back down, and that emotional roller coaster is only so compelling because of Amicia and the other characters encountered in A Plague Tale: Requiem.
Glenn - Chained Echoes
Glenn is a character defined by his mistakes, and all too often, his mistakes in Chained Echoes are disastrous for everyone around him. Instead of throwing in the towel though, he is hellbent on righting his wrongs. The game isn't afraid to let him fail, time and again, but he dusts himself off, gets back up, and tries again. He's not a simple self-insert as seen in many JRPGs, nor is he a generic goody two shoes or avatar. Because of his mistakes, the PSTD and Survivor's Guilt he suffers, and the mysteries tied into his character, Chained Echoes players will find themselves invested in Glenn quickly and they won't want to let go.
Ranni - Elden Ring
The narrative of Elden Ring is one that can be difficult to parse together, especially given the game's "show; don't tell" approach, but that allows players to invent their own interpretations in a way. This is done by how players meet and understand the various characters of Elden Ring, and Ranni is no exception. In fact, she may be the definition of player interpretation in a story, as players slowly learn more and more about her, may or may not get sucked into her plans, and could or could not share her beliefs regarding the Greater Will and Outer Gods' influence on The Lands Between. There's a lot to unpack, but every encounter with Ranni is a memorable one. Her brief introduction as Renna, encountering her again early on, and subsequent quest line (where players become her consort) all root the rule of cool into every fiber of her being. Her Age of Stars ending in Elden Ring is often considered the best one, and given she's one of the best characters in the game, that simply makes sense.
Atreus - God of War Ragnarok
While someone could throw a dart in God of War Ragnarok and find an interesting character, the fact remains that it is Atreus' story, and he leads it well. Grown, mostly, now from the annoying kid fans meet in God of War, Atreus sets out on a journey of self-discovery, one that so happens to coalesce with stopping Ragnarok. His heart is always in the right place, even if this means he comes to odds with his father from time to time. Still, the two standing side by side is a sight to see, especially given Kratos' popularity. Through plenty of twists, realizations, and heartfelt moments, seeing Atreus grow into a worthy warrior, a good man, and a 'better' god is as impactful for players as it is for Kratos. Indeed, his growth throughout the game makes a strong argument for an Atreus-led God of War sequel, especially after Ragnarok comes to a close.
Kratos - God of War Ragnarok
Standing firmly alongside his son is Kratos, easily one of the most deserving video game dads of all time. Coming hot off the Greek games, God of War (2018) showed that a more mature and wise Kratos had a place in the upper echelons of gaming. God of War Ragnarok takes all of that and puts it to the test, with Kratos dominating every scene he's in. He may be a man of few words, but he embodies the idea of speaking softly but carrying a big stick. He's always ready to go to bat for his family, sets aside his personal beliefs for others, understands the pain he inflicts and takes accountability, and is willing to go so far as to give himself up for the greater good. The ending to God of War Ragnarok is a heartfelt moment for Kratos, one that has been a long time coming, and the realizations he has, the choices he makes, and the actions he takes up until then keep players rooted in his story.
Brother Piero - Pentiment
Sometimes the best characters aren't those who lead a game, but those who support the player through the good and bad. Brother Piero is that character in Pentiment. His eternal support for protagonist Andreas Maler, the wisdom of his years, and his understanding of the changing world around him mean that every time he speaks, players just want to listen. His hope, kindness, and helpfulness shine through the darkest moments of Pentiment's early story. Even when everything seems grim, Piero has accepted the world around him and his would-be fate, and he holds no grudges or malice within his heart. He doesn't stop Andreas from his investigation, but at the same time, he continues to put Andreas first. This means when Act 1 of Pentiment comes to an end, players will have endured but one roller coaster within the game.
Protagonist - Sifu
The either male or female protagonist of Sifu may not have a name, nor do they speak much, but the journey they take players on is an emotional and somewhat spiritual one. Players will learn of their close relationship with Yang, seek to take vengeance on him, and learn throughout it all about the concept of Wude. Player choices, actions, and mastery of gameplay, just like the protagonist's mastery of martial arts, coalesce beautifully in a way that self-injecting one's self into the protagonist is easy as they come. This means each of Sifu's endings that players achieve feels equally earned by the player as the protagonist.
Cat - Stray
Characters don't have to be human to elicit an emotional response from players, and from the moment the main cat of Stray falls into the city below, players are invested. They are able to live out their cat-like dreams by knocking over NPCs, knocking stuff off of shelves, and meowing whenever they sit fit, for whatever reason that suits them. The story of Stray is based on environmental storytelling and experiencing everything it has to offer from a non-human perspective, while learning what happened to humans, dealing with the Zurks, adventuring with B-12, and more means players will likely return to this role of a cat for years to come.
Dragon Lord - Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Caught in a cycle, the Dragon Lord at first appears to be Tiny Tina's most evil creation, one that has grown legs and challenged her role as Bunker Master time and again. His quest to conquer the Wonderlands is thwarted, constantly, by Queen Bull Stallion and her heroes, but learning of his motivations, his background, and more show how this particular run of Bunkers & Badasses is different. What happens is players get emotionally attached to the Dragon Lord, in the best and worst of ways. He may not be Handsome Jack-levels of villainy as in Borderlands, but he's unforgettable and that's all a good story needs out of an antagonist.
Noah - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
As one of Xenoblade Chronicle 3's playable characters, Noah's personality, self-exploration, and understanding of war make for a compelling story. His interpretation of a war he is compelled to take part in, as well as his feelings regarding the opposing Agnians, show how complicated such situations are. His ability to stand by his ideals, keep a kind heart in the face of adversity, and yet do what must be done show a certain level of complexity that only great video game storytelling can get right.