Storytelling in Theory - The Game Maker's Companion: Game Development - page 191

Hero
The hero is of course the most important archetype. This is the central character that the story
revolves around. The word hero is Greek and means “to protect and to serve” and this implies
that a hero is one who is willing to sacrifice his own needs in favor of the common good. In
games, this is usually the character that the player controls and so needs to identify with the
most. The hero is the epicenter of the story and as he travels through the 12 stages, he grows and
changes on an inner level just as much as he changes the world around him.
There are several types of heroes from which to choose. Choose a type of hero that fits nicely
into your story and then, with the help of that type, you can define his character traits. A few that
are really useful to know in games are as follows.
Willing Hero
This guy steps up to the challenge. He knows what is expected of him and is eager to fulfill his
fate. Good examples would be King Arthur or Buzz Lightyear (he is the hero in his own story).
Unwilling Hero
This hero is being dragged kicking and screaming to perform. He doesn't want the role, but
circumstances force it upon him. Bilbo from The Hobbit is an unwilling hero.
Cynical Anti-Hero
He has given up on the world and usually works purely for his own interest. This hero can still do
great deeds, but his motivation is to help himself first of all. The player characters in Grand Theft
Auto are usually anti-heroes, and so is Han Solo from Star Wars .
Loner Hero
This is a very common one in games. The loner sets out to right the world. He is usually a bit of a
misfit, but can nevertheless have a heart of gold. Good examples are Guybrush Threepwood from
Monkey Island or John McClane from Die Hard .
Catalyst Hero
The catalyst breaks a few of the rules of the myth. He doesn't actually change himself as the story
progresses, but acts as a catalyst for changes in the people around him. We most often see this
hero in serial stories. Sherlock Holmes is a catalyst, not changing much himself. The catalyst is
very useful in games too. In fact, you could say that all the games that do not focus heavily on
story have a catalyst hero. Mario never changes, and neither does Crash Bandicoot.
The Rest of the Crew
Usually there is only one hero. They often have friends and allies with them on their journey, but
one person takes center stage. When looking at the rest of the cast, bear in mind that you do not
have to confine each character to a certain role. Think of the different archetypes in the next few
sections as masks that the characters can wear when they're needed in the story.