Games

The Best Redemption Arcs in Video Games

Published

2 months ago

October 16, 2024

Christoph Rediske

three characters with best redemption arcs in games 1

Key Takeaways

Even the most evil video game characters can find redemption through actions, truths, or befriending foes.
Iconic redemption arcs in video games include Revan, Knuckles, Kratos, Riku, and Arthur Morgan.
Abby from The Last of Us Part 2 has one of the most divisive redemption arcs in video gaming.

One of the most important facets of a video game’s story is its characters, and watching their journey play out across the time players spend with them is a big reason certain games are so beloved. There’s always been a fascination with the bad guy, often becoming more popular than the protagonist in certain cases.

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Many characters who start off being bad end up finding redemption through their actions, whether after learning the truth about those they serve, seeing the error of their ways, or befriending those they thought were always the enemy. Regardless of the reasons, redemption arcs exist in different forms and enrich the story they are a part of.

10 Revan

From Light To Dark Then Back Again

Released: July 15, 2003
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Star Wars has plenty of redemption arcs across its rich history, but one such character that stands above them all is Revan. Once a Jedi Knight, Revan turns to the dark side after war changes him, forming an army to battle both the Jedi and the Galactic Republic.

After being reprogrammed by the Jedi, players control Revan with no memory of his dark past in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. While he may not have chosen to see the light again, he remembers who he is and becomes instrumental in destroying the dark armies he once created.

9 Knuckles

Manipulation Leads To Realization

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Released: February 2, 1994

Sonic the Hedgehog wasn’t always friends with Knuckles the Echidna. Believing Sonic was behind the theft of the Master Emerald in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Knuckles’ manipulation at the hands of Doctor Robotnik sees him fight his former blue enemy multiple times.

Realizing he had been lied to by Eggman, Knuckles teams up with Sonic to stop him, and the rest, as they say, is history. From there on out, the two become good friends, but there are seldom redemption arcs as iconic as the one belonging to Knuckles.

8 Kratos

Even Gods Have Consciences

God of War

Systems

Before 2018’s God of War, Kratos was a man who wouldn’t think twice about killing his enemies, becoming twisted by all the violence, a slave to the blood on his hands, and the actions he so willingly performs, regardless of caring what the outcome would be.

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Now with a son to care for and the weight of the world on his shoulders, Kratos starts to care for others while trying to do everything he can to make up for his past mistakes. The biggest moment of realization comes when he reflects on his past in the closing moments of God of War Ragnarök.

7 Riku

Battling The Demons Within

Systems

Released: September 17, 2002

While Sora is the antithesis of good, Riku was always more of the anti-hero of the Kingdom Hearts series. He wants to explore the worlds that exist outside his home and become a Keyblade Master, and when the Darkness comes along, he embraces it to try and use it for his own desires.

Riku develops into an enemy of Sora, but after fighting with his inner demons, he eventually fights back against them, being someone who retains some of that darkness to mold him into the hero he ends up becoming and sacrificing himself to save his friends.

6 Arthur Morgan

An Outlaw With A Big Heart

Released: October 26, 2018
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Few games hold the emotional heft that Red Dead Redemption 2 does, and it is mainly down to the redemption arc Arthur Morgan goes through. In the beginning, he’s an outlaw who commits crimes without little thought to anyone else or the repercussions of his actions.

As the story progresses, players see Arthur start to show how big his heart is, whether teaching Jack how to fish or taking Lenny out for drinks to calm him down. His big moment comes when he sacrifices himself so that John Marston can live on, bringing many players to tears.

5 GlaDOS

AI Enemy-Turned Ally

Portal

Released: October 10, 2007

In Portal, GlaDOS is evil to Chell, tormenting her through various puzzles, and delivering comically menacing lines as the protagonist tries to escape the Aperture Science facility. She hates Chell, and despite being likable, she seems far beyond redemption.

When Wheatley, another rogue AI takes over in Portal 2, GlaDOS becomes an ally to Chell, even warming to her former enemy. By the end of the game, she saves Chell, and in her own twisted way, decides to spare her life because she isn’t worth the hassle of killing.

4 Arbiter

Surprising Savior Of Humanity

Systems

Released: September 4, 2004

The journey Thel ‘Vadam goes on is nothing short of legendary. Once a sworn enemy of humanity, he was the Supreme Commander of the Covenant, assisting in the deaths of billions throughout the war against humans, as well as the fall of the UNSC world of Reach.

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After having his eyes opened to the true intentions of the Covenant, he ends up teaming with Master Chief in Halo 3 to wipe out both the Covenant and the Flood, helping to save billions of lives in the process and redeeming himself in the eyes of humanity.

3 Yuri

Standing Up For What’s Right

Released: November 8, 2011

Once a member of Vladamir Makarov’s ultranationalists, Yuri saw his leader kill over 30,000 people in a nuclear detonation. After failing to stop the infamous airport massacre from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, he defects to those hellbent on stopping Makarov.

He eventually teams with Captain Price and Captain “Soap” MacTavish to help end World War 3. Going from an accomplice of a war criminal to a hero, Yuri’s redemption comes full circle when he is forgiven by Price, highlighting his journey throughout the series.

2 Galen Marek

Betrayal Leads To A Rebellion

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Released: September 16, 2008
OpenCritic Rating: Weak

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed gave us one of the most powerful characters to ever exist within the Star Wars universe in Galen Marek. An assassin who took orders without question from Darth Vader, ended up being betrayed by his master.

Eventually teaming up with the Rebel Alliance, Marek is given a chance to fight back against those who utilized him as a tool of war, making amends for his past transgressions by sacrificing himself to save the Republic in the game’s final moments.

1 Abby

A Misunderstood Hero

Systems

Released: June 19, 2020
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

The Last of Us Part 1 introduced players to Joel and Ellie, and by the time it ended, many players had fallen in love with the game’s protagonists. Watching Joel die at the hands of Abby at the beginning of The Last of Us Part 2 made everyone feel a deep dislike of her, and rightly so.

What follows is the story of why she killed Joel, and that she was just seeking revenge for the death of her father, helping others while struggling with her own demons. In the final moments of the story, it is easy to see Ellie as the villain and Abby as a misunderstood hero, with Naughty Dog creating something truly special.