Most video games put you right in the center of the action, making you the “chosen one”, the prophesied warrior, the last hope for humanity, etc. But sometimes, the most interesting stories are when you’renotthe main character.
Instead of being the center of attention, these games let you be just one small piece of a larger story.
These games let you experience the world from a smaller, sidelong perspective, supporting the real protagonist in their journey while still making a meaningful impact.
Whether you’re helping a hero fulfill their destiny or are just trying to survive in someone else’s ridiculously grand adventure,these games prove that being in the background doesn’t mean being unimportant.
You may not play a starring role, but the story still wouldn’t be the same without you.
Some entries contain spoilers about who the real protagonist is.
A Mother’s Story, a Son’s Journey
Venbaisa short but emotionally charged narrative cooking gameset in the 1980s.
At first glance,Venbaseems like a game where you’d play as the titular character, as you play the part of an Indian mother living as an immigrant in Canada.
But while you may see the world through her eyes, the true protagonist of the story is her son, Kavin.
The game’s entire narrative revolves around his growth, his struggles, and even his eventual distance from his cultural roots.
All the while, you, as Venba, continuously attempt to do right by him and guide him along his journey to adulthood, making her more of a guiding force in his life than the central character.
Through storytelling and a lot of cooking, it’s up to you to shape Kavin’s upbringing, but at the end of the day, it’s his choices and his decisions that define the journey.
In the final stretch of the game, the perspective switches from Venba to Kavin entirely, allowing players to assume the perspective of the child they helped raise, revealing his identity as the game’s true protagonist.
8Healer’s Quest
The Unsung Hero of Every RPG Party
In most RPGs, healers are often the most overlooked characters—right up until the party finds themselves on the brink of death, that is.
No one can argue their importance to the party, but once the battle’s over, they’re always glossed over in favor of the real warriors, the conquering heroes that dealt the final blow.
Well, in this RPG, the story finally goes a bit differently (not really). You play the part of a competent healer traveling with a band of incompetent adventurers, saving their butts time and time again.
Despite all your hard work, they’re always the ones that take all the credit, with their flashy weapons and flamboyant attacks.
While they take all the glory, you’re the real reason they survive each battle, constantly patching up their reckless (and often bloody) mistakes.
You don’t get any flashy attacks or heroic moments; instead, you manage mana, strategize heals, and endure endless complaints from your ungrateful team.
Despite this, the game’s comedic themes and twisted humor provide endless hours of entertainment.
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The game brilliantly flips the script ontraditional RPG roles, proving that without a healer, there reallyis no quest. If you’ve ever felt underappreciated as the support character in an RPG, then you need to get your hands on this game!
7Wandersong
The Apocalypse, Sung by a Bard
Wandersong
In most adventure games, you’d expect to play as the mighty hero destined to save the world. But inWandersong, that esteemed role belongs to someone else.
Instead,you play as a cheerful, non-threatening bard who’s about as far from the chosen one as it gets; you’re just some guy who was presented with a problem and became determined to help, no matter what.
While the true hero is out trying to fulfill their destiny in all the wrong ways, you travel the world using music to solve problems and bring people together.
Instead of jumping into battles with hordes of enemies or clawing against the forces of evil,you communicate through song, proving that heroism isn’t just swinging a sword at the problem.
Along the way, you’ll stumble upon the real hero, and find out that she’s not exactly the heroic type. While she attempts to save the world through violence and impure intentions, you try your best to show her the light, helping her on her journey to become the true chosen one before it’s too late.
6Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor
Lost in the Background of a Busy Galaxy
Diaries Of A Spaceport Janitor
If you’re at all familiar with playing sci-fi games, then you’re probably already used to their dystopian, “you’re the only one who can save us” narrative.
InDiaries of a Spaceport Janitor, however,you’re neither a daring space explorer nor a fearless bounty hunter; instead, you’re just a lowly janitor, picking up the messes left behind by the real heroes.
Your days are spent cleaning up trash, struggling to make ends meet, and navigating the overwhelming chaos of an alien city that barely notices you exist.
There’s no grand destiny waiting for you, no universe-altering choices to make, just the quiet,often frustrating grind of daily life.
Though you may dream of one day becoming a famous adventurer, for now, you’ll have to settle for adventuring through bathrooms and back alleys in search of garbage.
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No Gods, No Masters!
As a self-proclaimed “anti-adventure game”,Diaries of a Spaceport Janitoris one of the most entertaining RPGs you’ll ever play, even if you’re not technically the hero of the story.
5What Remains of Edith Finch
Twisted Stories Shown Through Another’s Eyes
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finchis a narrative-driven adventure that explores the strange and tragic history behind the Finch family, a family cursed by premature deaths for as long as anyone can remember.
These stories are told from the perspective of Edith Finch, one of the last few members of her family.
At first, it might seem like Edith is the main protagonist inWhat Remains of Edith Finch—after all, it’sherfamily home you’re walking through, and it’s from her perspective that you relive all of her family’s last moments.
In reality, she isn’t the final recipient of this tale, and she isn’t the last Finch left; her son is. The entire game is told through a journal that she left behind, meant for her child to read one day.
It’s throughhiseyes that the stories unfold, and because of this, he is the true protagonist of the game, the hero who his family must live on through.
As you explore the Finch family’s past, you experience Edith’s memories and thoughts, but the real impact comes from the fact that she’s writing all of this for someone else.
Her son, not Edith, is the true protagonist—the one who will carry the weight of his terrible family history forward.
4Pokémon Sun & Moon
Lillie’s Journey, Your Support
In mostPokémongames, the hero is always undeniably the player character, defeating evil organizations, saving the world from corruption, and all that jazz. But inPokémon Sun & Moon, that title of “hero” truly belongs to Lillie.
Lillie is Professor Kukui’s mysterious assistant who, for much of the game, always seems to know just a little bit more than she should.
Though you may be battling and collecting badges, the real heart of the story is in Lillie and her determination to take a stand against the Aether Foundation’s exploitation of Ultra Beasts.
In reality, you’re only ever there to support her in her quest for justice; sure, you help her battle when needed, but ultimately,she’s the one making all of the tough decisions and driving the story forward.
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Your journey may lie in “becoming the best that no one ever was”, but Lillie’s is all about independence, courage, and fighting for what’s right.
3FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster
She’s Everything… And He’s Just Tidas.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Though this entry is actually just aboutFinal Fantasy X, it includes two games, since the only widely available way to play the originalFinal Fantasy Xgame is to purchase the 2016 HD remaster ofFinal Fantasy XandX-2.
X-2does also fit the description of “games where you’re a supporting character”, but this entry will primarily focus onFinal Fantasy X, as it fits the mold just a little bit better.
Final Fantasy Xfollows the story of Tidus, a star blitzball player who chooses to journey with a beautiful summoner named Yuna.
Yuna is on an epic quest to save the world of Spira from an unending cycle of chaos and destruction from the colossal menace, Sin. Appropriately named, I know.
While she’s burning up with the red-hot fury of justice, you’re just kind of… there.I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re integral to the story, and she definitely wouldn’t have been able to save the world without you, but like,you’re kind of just a stray dog that she picked upon her way to stop armageddon.
Tidus may be the character that you play, but when you step back, it becomes clear that the true hero of this tale is Yuna. She’s the one who carries the immense burden of saving Spira, knowing full well that her journey will likely end in sacrifice.
While Tidus plays a crucial role in supporting her, he isn’t the one making the hardest choices or bearing the weight of an entire world’s expectations.
In the end, his only purpose is to aid Yuna, protect her, and ultimately help her break Spira’s inevitable destruction.
2Wytchwood
If there are any games out there that love reminding you that you’re not the main character, it’sWytchwood.
Wytchwoodis an explorative RPG set ina fantasy world filled to the brim with fairytale-inspired characters; among Little Red Riding Hoods and Big Bad Wolves, however,you’re just some grumpy old witch who loves to meddle.
While all of these storybook characters are out there living their predestined adventures, you can’t help but butt in. Conveniently for you, over a dozen characters have problems that need solving, and you’re just the swamp witch for the job!
You’ll run around doing errands, fixing mistakes, and solving problems for a diverse cast of characters, all while collecting the set of evil souls needed to awaken a mysterious, sleeping maiden.
You may not be the knight in shining armor in this game, but you are the support that keeps it moving.
Whether you’re helping (or cursing) various villagers, guiding lost souls to the afterlife, or uncovering salacious lies, your role isn’t to be the hero, but instead, to set things in motion for those who are.
1The Last of Us - Part 1
The Last of Us Part I
The first part of the critically acclaimed seriesThe Last of Ushas to be the best example of a game where you’re the supporting character that I’ve ever seen.
In Part 1, you play as a weary and hardened survivor named Joel, who has been hired to smuggle a 14-year-old girl, Ellie, from a military quarantine zone.
What was supposed to be a risky but quick job ended up turning into a cross-country nightmare, with hordes of the undead following both of you at every turn.
You might think that Joel would be the hero of this story, but he’s actually just a supporting character to Ellie, the true hero of the franchise.
Joel’s entire purpose is to protect Ellie from harm and make sure she gets to her destination safely, no matter the cost.
Though you primarily play as Joel, you occasionally get to catch glimpses into Ellie’s perspective during certain events within the game; this foreshadowsThe Last of Us Part 2, where she is revealed to be the actual main character of the series.
InThe Last of Us Part 2, it’s revealed that Ellie is immune to the zombie virus, and she isthe key to saving all of humanity. Though Joel’s unwavering and dedicated support in the first game allowed her to survive, Ellie was the real main character of the whole thing.
Once you’ve played them both and begin to look back, Part 1 was always laying the groundwork for Ellie’s ultimate journey, making Joel less the hero of the story and more the supporting character in hers.
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