Summary
- Unlucky protagonists in horror games face internal and external challenges beyond their control.
- From being set up to fail to making life-changing decisions, these characters deal with tragic circumstances.
- Despite their misfortunes, these protagonists show resilience and determination in facing their grim fates.
Whether a player character is likable or not, most gamers become invested in their progression, sharing the excitement of victories and commiserating when something goes awry. The best narratives often have their fair share of challenges for the protagonist, be they physical or internal, that they must overcome.
Unfortunately, the nature of horror games means that the main character almost never has it easy. While some perils the protagonist can take a certain amount of accountability for, other events are entirely out of their control — a matter of unfortunate circumstances that can't be blamed on anything other than bad luck. These are some of the unluckiest protagonists in horror games.
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There are definitely unluckier characters in the following games, but this list focuses on the playable protagonists.
Spoiler Warning: each entry in this article discusses major in-game events and plot twists.
10 Nick (The Quarry)
A Matter Of Bad Timing
The Quarry
- Released
- June 10, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Co-Op
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
As interactive games with numerous playable protagonists, many of Supermassive's titles have a roster of characters that find themselves in sticky situations. One that stands out in particular is Nick, from the developer's interesting take on the werewolf legend, The Quarry.
As well as being caught in the middle of Emma and Jacob's relationship drama, Nick also ends up getting bitten and transforming into a werewolf. Beyond the obvious physical turmoil, this also causes further tensions in the group and strains his potential with Abigail. Despite the unlucky turn of events, Nick (like the other playable characters) can be saved.
9 Jack (Bioshock)
The Illusion Of Free Will
BioShock
- Released
- August 21, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
Sometimes a person is simply set up to fail from the moment they were born or, in the case of Bioshock's Jack, from the moment they were conceived. Leading a seemingly normal life until making his way to the Rapture, Jack's true identity is much more complicated.
Actually the son of the city's creator and tycoon Andrew Ryan, he was sold as an embryo, eventually becoming a slave to Ryan's power-hungry rival, Frank Fontaine. Implanted with false memories and manipulated into doing others' bidding, Jack never had the chance to make his own way in life. That said, there are two possible endings in Bioshock, one of which is considered good.
8 Fang Ray Shin (Detention)
Dealing With Unforeseen Consequences
Detention
- Released
- January 12, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Detention tells a tragic story of personal and political struggle. After reporting a list of banned books to military officer Bai, protagonist Ray ends up getting the school's entire book club arrested and her counselor-slash-lover executed.
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Although she believed herself to be doing the right thing, albeit reacting to hurt from a perceived betrayal, Ray's naivety meant she was unaware of the consequences. Despite her ignorance, she still has to face purgatory, reliving her mistakes over and over again until she can face her guilt.
7 Isaac Clarke (Dead Space)
Subjected To All Kinds Of Unexpected Horrors
Dead Space
- Released
- October 14, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Franchise
- Dead Space
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Dead Space' s Isaac Clarke is an interesting character that players have to witness cope with all of his trauma across the games, from denial to grief to rage and emptiness. In the first game, Isaac's trip into space gets him a lot more than he bargained for.
Not only must he confront the death of his girlfriend Nicole's death, he also gets his brain scrambled by the Marker. All that, alongside becoming involved in a cult vs state conflict and a Necromorph invasion, makes it hard to believe luck was ever on this space engineer's side.
6 Ellie Williams (The Last Of Us)
Caught Between Family And Politics
The Last of Us Part 2
- Released
- June 19, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Franchise
- The Last of Us
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
It is safe to say that Ellie was unlucky from the beginning of The Last of Us. Despite having the gift of immunity, this proves to be a huge burden that leads her to be wanted by the Fireflies and, indirectly, causes Joel's murder (which she witnesses).
Further down the line, these events put a strain on Ellie's relationship with Dina and her son, who eventually end up leaving. Torn between an un-ignorable desire for revenge and a duty to her family, it's unlikely that Ellie could be content whichever she prioritized.
5 Simon Jarrett (SOMA)
Faces Some Major Revelations
SOMA
- Released
- September 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Simon Jarrett is the protagonist of SOMA, and one character that apparently cannot catch a break. From being the victim of a car crash (which his girlfriend doesn't survive) to having his home planet destroyed by a comet and being unwillingly pitted against hostile robots in an underwater facility, luck doesn't seem to be a familiar concept for Jarrett.
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SOMA in general is a very interesting game, delving into concerns around artificial intelligence, identity, and consciousness. How Simon deals with his bad lot only adds more meat to conversations about what being human means.
4 Clementine (The Walking Dead)
Forced To Make Life-Changing Decisions
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
- Released
- September 10, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Skybound Games
- Franchise
- The Walking Dead
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mobile
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure, Horror
As a child thrown alone into a world overrun with zombies, Clementine's misfortune in The Walking Dead is just that: a matter of bad luck which she, more often than not, has no control over. In an unfortunate turn of events, she not only ends up losing Lee, but also finds her parents zombified, making the whole purpose of their journey in vain.
As well as these monumental losses, Clementine ends up losing a leg after being bitten herself. On top of all the difficult encounters and decisions that players must make throughout the game, it's easy to see that fate has no soft spot for this survivor. Regardless, Clementine is a strong character who powers through whatever is thrown at her.
3 Ethan Winters (Resident Evil 7 & 8)
The Price Of Unwavering Loyalty
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
Ethan Winters' goal in Resident Evil 7 is to save his wife, but in the process, he stumbles upon a murderous family infected by mold who want to initiate him into their brood. It also turns out that he happened to marry a member of the Connections, a crime syndicate dabbling in bio-weaponry.
Surviving brutal killers, mutant mold monsters, and a psychic bioweapon obsessed with having a family of her own, Ethan once again ends up in peril when he is abducted in Resident Evil Village. In this sequel, he is on a mission to save his daughter, eventually having to make the ultimate sacrifice in exchange for his family's survival.
2 Blake Langermann (Outlast 2)
Escaping A Cult Wasn't In The Job Description
Outlast 2
- Released
- April 25, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Being in cahoots with an investigative journalist is bound to have its share of danger and risk, no doubt something that Blake Langermann was prepared for in Outlast 2. But Blake and his wife Lynn had no intention of landing in the middle of an abusive cult deluded with premonitions of the birth of the antichrist.
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When Lynn is abducted, Blake has no interest in digging deeper, only in finding her and escaping. Despite his best efforts, he continually finds himself in trouble. Aside from being maimed, hunted, crucified, Blake also loses his wife after she gives birth to a baby that, as it turns out, wasn't even real.
1 Heather Mason (Silent Hill 3)
An Ordinary Teenager Becomes Part Of A Much Bigger Conspiracy
Silent Hill 3
- Released
- August 6, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Franchise
- Silent Hill
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Heather Mason, the protagonist of Silent Hill 3, quickly became a fan-favorite in the franchise, not just because of her humor and personality, but because of her inspiring bravery and determination. Doing her best to grow up as a normal teenage girl, Heather all of a sudden comes face-to-face with the knowledge that she is in fact a reincarnation of Alessa Gillespie, a victim of The Order cult who was chosen to birth their God that has promised Paradise via the destruction of humanity.
If that wasn't overwhelming (and downright traumatizing) enough, she also ends up facing the horrors of Silent Hill, losing her adoptive father in the process. If being compelled to abandon a normal-ish life only to become an unwilling vessel for a malevolent deity isn't a turn of bad luck, then nothing is.
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