It’s common in a video game for you to start as a relative nobody and build a legacy over the course of a game. For example, you begin several Call of Duty games as a typical soldier, and most Assassin’s Creed titles have you controlling an ordinary guy in the beginning. Yet, not every game does this.
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A lot of these heroes are just completely unbelievable in their ability to save the day. They’re the most unlikely candidates for the job.
Some titles immediately put you into the shoes of a legend. So, you’re already a big deal during the prologue. Perhaps you’re a legendary hero, a legendary thief, or a legendary adventurer. Whatever it is, you don’t have to build up your fame, as you already have it in the following games.
8
Yakuza
Kazuma Kiryu
Action-Adventure
Beat ‘Em Up
- Released
-
September 5, 2006
- Developer(s)
-
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Kiryu changes in several ways during the Yakuza (aka Like A Dragon) series, including increasing his reputation among the Yakuza. However, he’s already a bit of a legend when the story begins. After all, he is already a high-ranking member of the Tojo Clan, and he’s gained the nickname Dragon of Dojima.
These things aren’t provided to every random rookie who gets involved in the Yakuza. He had already worked his way up before the story began. In fact, some of his feats are shown in Yakuza 0, which is a prequel that came out long after the original title.
7
Batman Arkham Asylum
Batman
Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Released
-
August 25, 2009
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
A superhero game may seem obvious when it comes to games where you start as a legend. However, one of these titles could start with you being an up-and-coming hero. For example, TellTale’s Batman game features a version of the Caped Crusader that isn’t an iconic hero yet.
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With great power comes great superheroes attached to it. These comic book superheroes are the best of the best.
That is not the case in Arkham Asylum, though. In this title, Batman is already a vastly experienced crime fighter. All his rogues already know who he is, and the Police respect what he does for the city of Gotham. His reputation doesn’t stop a litany of villains from starting a ruckus around the facility known as Arkham Asylum.
6
Knights Of The Old Republic
Revan
- Released
-
July 15, 2003
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Violence
In Knights of the Old Republic, you don’t initially know that you’re controlling a legend. In fact, the character themselves doesn’t know as they’ve lost their memory. You discover later that your character is actually called Revan, who used to be a Jedi. However, they pulled away from the order when the Jedi didn’t want to get involved in the Galactic Republic’s war with the species known as Mandalorians.
Revan inserted themselves into the conflict and really made an impact. Then, they joined the dark side, as they became a Sith Lord. This was when their legend grew further, even if it wasn’t a heroic legacy they were building. By the time the game begins, Revan is a famous but feared name in the galaxy.
5
Gears Of War
Marcus Fenix
Gears of War
- Released
-
November 7, 2006
- Publisher(s)
-
Microsoft Game Studios
- ESRB
-
m
You don’t exactly feel like a legend at the beginning of the original Gears of War game since you’re locked in a cell. This is because your character Marcus Fenix was court-marshaled for refusing an order to leave his father behind, who was about to get killed by the enemy.
Before that, though, he earned a reputation as a legendary soldier. This is mainly due to his performance during what was called the Pendulum Wars. In that conflict, he earned the Embry Star, which is a very impressive military medal that is one of the highest honors in the COG army.
4
Alan Wake
Alan Wake
Alan Wake
Third-Person Shooter
Survival Horror
- Released
-
February 16, 2012
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
In Alan Wake, you play as the titular character, who just so happens to be a bestselling novelist. He’s known for writing a series of crime-thriller novels called Alex Casey. So, he’s very famous right from the beginning.
At the start of the game, though, he’s struggling with writer’s block. Things get much worse for him when his wife disappears, and strange supernatural things begin to happen. Being a best-seller doesn’t really help him in these situations.
3
Baldur’s Gate 3
Wyll
- Released
-
August 3, 2023
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you plenty of options as your protagonist, including preset origin characters. One of the origin options is Wyll. Choosing him as the protagonist provides a unique experience where you get to play as a living legend.
This is because Wyll is known as the Blade of Frontiers, a local hero who battles injustice and slays all sorts of beasts to protect civilians. There is more to know about the character, mainly that he sold his soul to a devil-like creature, but that isn’t common knowledge for people in the game. They know him as a hero.
2
Grand Theft Auto 5
Michael De Santa
- Released
-
September 17, 2013
- Developer(s)
-
Rockstar North
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
You play as three different characters in Grand Theft Auto 5. Michael is the one that can be considered a legend in the criminal world. It isn’t like he’s a household name, but he is famous enough that bringing him down heavily benefitted the career of Government agent Dave Norton.
So, he’s a pretty big deal from a career criminal standpoint. Of course, he wasn’t actually taken out by Norton, as the two made a deal that allowed Michael to escape the criminal life. Yet, during GTA 5, he returns to his old ways and shows why he was such a great criminal in the first place.
1
Mass Effect
Commander Shepard
- Released
-
November 20, 2007
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence
During the events of the first three Mass Effect games, Commander Shepard becomes a very famous hero, as they’re leading the fight in the war against the invading force known as The Reapers. The protagonist isn’t quite to that level at the start of the original title, but they’re still already a legend.
This is because, during the character creation stage, you get to choose a back story for your Shepard. There are a few different options. Each one is an impressive feat that others in the military hear about. It also assists in Shepard becoming the first human Spectre, which is a position reserved for only the most highly-regarded combatants in the entire galaxy.
