Games That Open With The Protagonist's Death

Protagonists are the driving force of whatever piece of media they are starring in. They give audiences someone to explore the world and story through, to root for, and even to control in the world of video games. As such, it is rare to see developers kill the hero of the game. If they do, however, these deaths normally only take place at the end of a game's story.

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By  Mark Hospodar

Watching the protagonist of a video game die shortly into the title's opening scenes is certainly one way to grab the player's attention. A way to keep it is then to continue the story past said character's death. Whether it is a flash-forward, an introduction to the afterlife, or another matter entirely, it is still a brave way to open a game, and it tend to pay off.

6 Before Your Eyes

Embark On A Unique Journey To The Afterlife

Before Your Eyes is truly a unique and innovative video game, not just because of its premise but also its gameplay. The game uses eye-tracking mechanics to reconstruct the protagonist's memories to see if the Gatekeeper deems him worthy of admission into paradise. The character communicates to the ferryman by blinking, which is how the player will interact with everything throughout the world.

But the story of death and moving on are just as equally worthy of attention. So many games focus on life and staying alive that playing a game exploring what comes after is truly special and unique. The game will recount Benny's memories from childhood to his death, showing an ordinary life that most people could likely relate to, making it all the more impactful.

5 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Become One Of White Wolf's Legendary Vampires

Bloodlines is an RPG with a very troubled past but one of the most dedicated and passionate fanbases of all time. Based on the TTRPG Vampire: The Masquerade, Bloodlines begins with the player character unknowingly being turned into a vampire and thrust into the world of darkness without mercy. The Camarilla Prince executes their sire and tasks them with proving their worth.

Players navigate the world as a vampire, doing their best to hide their undead nature from others as they complete the tasks given to them, having occasional run-ins with hostile vampires, hunters, and more. Seeing LA through the eyes of a blood-drinker is certainly a novel, fun, yet flawed experience that many gamers are certain to appreciate.

4 Murdered: Soul Suspect

A Murdered Detective Must Solve His Own Murder

Detectives are adept at solving murders, and after a few years on the job, there is probably very little that they have not seen before. But detective Ronan O'Connor can definitely boast a career first when he has one final job to do posthumously--finding the one responsible for murdering him.

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The serial killer known as Bell Killer makes detective O'Connor one of his victims when he manages to track the killer down and now remains stuck as a ghost on earth until he finishes this one last job. Playing as a ghost is certainly an interesting and fresh idea that opens the doors for new styles of gameplay, such as teleportation and possession. In most games that involve ghosts, the norm is to control a living being that must flee from or confront the undead entities. Thus, it is refreshing to see the inverse being experimented with.

3 MediEvil

Dan Was Brought Down By The First Arrow In The Fight For Gallowmere

The PS1 classic MediEvil is known for having a skeletal player character by the name of Dan, but of course, he wasn't always a skeleton. Daniel faced against an army of undead, and false rumors spread of his chivalry in battle and how he was responsible for the victory, even killing the undead leader. Unfortunately, poor Dan barely even got to fight, as he died from the first arrow that was loosed.

It is a rather amusing and shameful death, but Dan is given a chance at redemption, as he is resurrected after Zarok casts a spell to create an eternal night and raise more restless dead for his armies. Dan is returned as a skeleton and becomes Gallowmere's only hope to defeat the evil Zarok, save the land, and, if possible, ascend to the hall of heroes after his dishonorable death denied him entry.

2 Vampyr

Jonathan's Journey Begins At His End

Dontnod was previously known for Life is Strange but broke away from time travel gimmicks and teen drama in favor of Vampyr, a melancholic and gothic tale of vampires in early 20th century London. Though the vampire mythos changes in each iteration, there is one constant: Every person dies during the transition, returning as an undead creature with a thirst for blood.

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And this is also the case in Vampyr, with the opening scene showing Jonathan returning home after surviving the war only to die in his homeland at the hands of a supernatural creature. Thus begins the afterlife of Jonathan Reid, which sees him battling between his hunger for blood and the hippocratic oath he took when he became a doctor. The idea of a vampire doctor seems almost contradictory, but this inner conflict is part of what makes the game so interesting.

1 Mass Effect 2

The Second Installment Starts With A Bang

The second installment in the Mass Effect series ups the ante from the first, introducing players to Cerberus and the Collectors. The game opens in a way players are sure to never forget, as the Normandy comes under attack from a mysterious vessel that forces the crew to evacuate. Ever the hero, Shepard makes sure everyone else escapes first, and as a result, they never make it into an escape pod, suffocating in space instead.

Rather than introducing a new character, Cerberus painstakingly reconstructs Shepard's body and brings them back to life to fight against the Collectors. Shepard's death and subsequent resurrection has an impact on previous friends, love interests, and even further consequences in Mass Effect 3.

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