Video games have an interesting relationship with the term "protagonist." While it should be obvious who the main character of a game is, sometimes it's a little ambiguous. In this video essay, we'll look at three games that challenge out notions of what a protagonist can be.

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Games Discussed:

Stray (2022) - Developed by BlueTwelve Studio, Published by Annapurna Interactive, Directed by Koola and Viv (Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Action, Adventure, Puzzle, Story-Rich, Cyberpunk

Hi-Fi Rush (2023) - Developed by Tango Gameworks, Published by Bethesda / Microsoft Game Studios, Directed by John Johanas, Produced by Shinji Mikami (Xbox Series X, Playstation 5, PC) / Character Action Game, 3D Fighter, Brawler

Wandersong (2018) - Developed and Directed by Greg Lobanov, Published by Humble Bundle (Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC) / Puzzle, Adventure, Narrative, Subversive, Indie

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Games Referenced (In Order of Appearance)

Demon's Souls (Remake) (2020) - Developed by BluePoint Games, Originally Developed by FromSoftware, Directed by Hidataka Myazaki Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 5) / Action, RPG, Soulslike

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021) - Developed by Insomniac Games, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 5) / Third-Person Shooter

Hroizon: Forbidden West (2022) - Developed by Guerilla Games, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment (Playstation 4, Playstation 5) / Open-World, Action, Adventure

Hitman 3 (2021) - Developed and Published by IO Interactive (Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC) / Stealth, Suspense, Spy, Thriller

Pikmin 3 (2013) - Developed and Published by Nintendo, Produced by Shigeru Miyamoto (Wii U, Nintendo Switch) / Real-Time Strategy, Puzzle

Alan Wake II (2023) - Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Published by Epic Games, Directed by Sam Lake (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Horror, Thriller, Third-Person Shooter, Psychological Thriller

The Last of Us Part II - Developed by Naughty Dog, Published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Directed by Niel Druckmann (Playstation 4, Playstation 5) / Narrative, Stealth, Shooter, Horror, Survival Horror

Fallout 4 (2016) - Developed and Published by Bethesda, Directed by Todd Howard (Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC) / Open-World, RPG, First-Person, Role Playing, 1950s

Resident Evil 4 (Remake) (2023) - Developed and Published by Capcom, Directed by Shinji Mikami (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / Action, Adventure, Horror, Survival Horror, Classic

Bioshock (2007) - Developed by 2K Boston, Published by 2K Games, Directed by Ken Levine (Xbox 360, Playstation 3) / First-Person Shooter, Retro Futurism, Magic, Role Playing, Satire, Narrative

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) - Developed by Infinity Ward, Published by Activision Blizzard (Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, PC) / First-Person Shooter, Military Shooter, Multiplayer, Online

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Additional Works Referenced:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby (2013 Film) - Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 Film) - Directed by Sidney Lanfield, Starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce

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Topics Discussed:
Video game protagonist, main character, literary analysis, main character, cat, cats, orange cat, orange cat behavior, flame point Siamese, Jackson galaxy, cat expert, feline, cat video, housecat, robots, artificial intelligence, ai, technology, narrative devices, Playstation 5 reveal, Sony state of play, game announcement, video game announcement, new video games coming soon, game awards, summer game fest, English class, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, superwholock, British, video essay, essay, video game essay, video game review, short video essays, game recommendations, breakdown, iceberg, music, original soundtrack, ost, rock music, guitar, robots, spy, anime, comic book, BookTok, style, cel shaded, animation style, Nine Inch Nails, The Evil Within, Ghostwire Tokyo, vibes, aesthetic, witch, magic, singing, music, music game, rhythm game, choral music, music composition, tenor, alto, soprano, bard, traveling musician, hero, combat, hero's journey, subversion, travel, adventure, dance, dancing, video game secrets, video game challenges, indie game, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Beastieball, GameMaker Studio, musical, emotional, three act structure, storytelling frameworks, independent