Summary
- Multiple playable characters in horror games offer a strong connection with fascinating protagonists.
- Dead Island, Fear Effect, and Until Dawn showcase unique and engaging character choices.
- Series like Fatal Frame, Resident Evil, and Alone in the Dark continue to expand with amazing characters.
The horror genre has been a part of video games nearly since its inception, with spooky interactive adventures dating back to the 1980s. But for all of its explorations of monsters, creatures from the darkness, and even the horrors of humanity itself, one aspect of horror gaming that is rather prevalent is titles offering multiple playable characters. It's something that classic games like Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil were famous for, while modern titles like the Dark Pictures Anthology have continued that tradition.
6 Horror Games Where The Main Character Dies
Not everyone gets a happy ending, and that's especially true of the horror genre, where death seems as assured as the fright and gore.
The concept of having multiple lead characters isn't unique to horror, but it has made room for some of the best games in the history of the genre. It allows for characters to shine and breathe, as putting the focus on them during tense moments can lead to a stronger connection. Horror games may benefit from multiple playable protagonists more than any other genre, as the intimate nature of horror lends itself well to crafting some truly fascinating characters.
1 Dead Island
Offers Four Playable Survivors To Kill Zombies On The Island Of Banoi
Dead Island
Dead Island was initially teased with an emotionally charged trailer that wasn't quite what the final game turned out to be, as the finished product leaned into a more campy tone. But despite all that, one of Dead Island's greatest strengths was its characters, as it presented four playable characters to choose from.
Dead Island 2: 13 Things To Do After Beating The Story Quests (Post-Game Content)
After beating Dead Island 2 main story quests, players can take on these interesting missions.
Whether it was Sam B., Xian Mei, Logan Carter, or Purna Jackson, Dead Island offered some fantastic choices for the player. And thanks to the game's co-op nature, anybody could pick whatever character they wanted and see them interact in fun ways. The clashing personalities make for some great drama, and the way they come together in the end in the prison is excellent.
2 Fear Effect
Cyberpunk Survival Horror Presents Three Mercenaries To Control
Fear Effect
- Released
- February 24, 2000
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Survival Horror
In the wake of Resident Evil and its massive success on the PS1, developers were looking for ways to capitalize on the survival horror trend. But some games were looking to do more, by taking the skeleton of what RE is and expanding on it, which is exactly what developer Kronos did with Fear Effect. This futuristic survival horror game featured three playable characters, putting the spotlight on Hana, Deke, and Glas.
With its striking art direction, which features flat-shaded 3D models over 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, and a slick, cyberpunk world, Fear Effect is one of the most incredible games on the PS1. All three playable characters are incredible, and it is still one of the best games one can find on the platform. Unfortunately, a remake was canceled in 2023, which leaves this unique game sadly left behind.
3 Until Dawn
Tells The Story Of Eight Main Characters
Until Dawn
- Released
- August 25, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Platform(s)
- PS4
- Genre(s)
- Horror
After working on various bits of DLC for other games, developer Supermassive was finally able to step out of the shadows and make their own game. The result was Until Dawn, a stunning horror title that took full advantage of the PS4, and ultimately led to the creation of the Dark Pictures Anthology series.
10 Story-Heavy Horror Games To Play If You Loved Until Dawn
Fans of story-driven horror titles such as Supermassive's Until Dawn should check out these terrifying games the next time they want a good scare.
Until Dawn features a total of eight playable characters, as their harrowing journey to survive and escape from Blackwood Mountain, all while trying to uncover a mystery steeped in folklore and mythology. The cast of Until Dawn is incredible, with some truly fantastic actors bringing these characters to life. Swapping between them at appropriate times, and making choices that can determine their fates, it's a spectacular game.
4 Fatal Frame
Players Control Multiple Protagonists Across The Series
Fatal Frame
- Released
- December 13, 2001
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PC, Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Horror games were off and running by the time of the sixth generation of game consoles, and it was already experimenting with new and fun ways to scare the player. And no game represented that ideal more than Fatal Frame, which saw developer Koei Tecmo create a frighteningly unique vision of horror with the Camera Obscura, a device that could see and defeat spirits. It was a brilliant concept, one backed by an excellent cast of playable characters.
As the series progressed, it started to expand even more as each title offered a bigger number of playable characters. It's a wonderful and unique franchise that has thankfully been getting the remaster treatment lately, with the fourth and fifth mainline entries being released for modern platforms.
5 Alone In The Dark
Showcases Numerous Protagonists Over The Decades
Alone in the Dark
As one of the forerunners of the survival horror genre, Alone in the Dark was one of the first games in that style to create one of the staples of that type of game by offering more than one playable character. Players can choose between Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood, while later games continued this tradition with the duo being once again front and center in Alone in the Dark 3.
Every Alone In The Dark Game, Ranked
The Alone in the Dark franchise paved the way for survival horror and includes some memorable entries as well as some forgettable ones.
Later on, the series would re-introduce this concept with Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, where Edward is once again playable alongside Aline Cedrac. It's so ingrained into the series, that the recent remake of the very first game retained this feature by having Edward and Emily playable once again.
6 Resident Evil
Features An Expansive Roster Of Amazing Characters
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Resident Evil came out of the gate swinging in 1996, allowing players to choose between Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. This debut entry in the long-running survival horror franchise featured two playable leads, while its sequel would introduce two more in the form of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. These characters have since gone on to become some of the most iconic in the industry, as their charming personalities and ongoing development through several games were an absolute joy to experience.
Later in the series, the franchise would continue by introducing Sheeva as a companion to Chris in Resident Evil 5 and blow the roof off by having four campaigns and a total of six playable characters in Resident Evil 6. It's a series that has continued to impress in this regard, as even contemporary entries like Resident Evil 7 and Village have introduced new playable characters.
The Scariest Resident Evil Games, Ranked
Few game franchises match the sheer awe and horror exhibited in the chilling Resident Evil titles, but which games are the scariest?