Top Ten Replacement Protagonists

This is something new that I'm going to try. Maybe it will become a regular thing.

Often, a successful game is given a sequel. Usually, that sequel continues the first game's story. But sometimes that requires a new protagonist. Many of these characters are hated, but some are loved. For what it's worth, here are my personal Top Ten Replacement Protagonists.

Number 10: Malcolm Somerset (7 Days a Skeptic)
Trilby, Trilby, Trilby. 5 Days a Stranger introduced us to this gentleman thief who found himself in a classic horror setup. The sequel, 7 Days s Skeptic, however, gives us Doctor Malcolm Somerset, the psychologist on a spaceship several hundred years in the future. While Malcolm himself is a rather shallow character, he did give us a rather unintentionally funny line, which has become a minor meme:
"I JUST WANTED TO GO INTO SPAAAAAAAAACE!!"
And good times were had by all.

Number 9: Leon Kennedy (Resident Evil 2)
Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike Chris or Jill at all. But giving Chris two fewer inventory slots in a game filled with item-based puzzles gave those of us who prefer male characters a harder time playing the game. Resident Evil 2's Leon Kennedy, however, didn't have that problem. Plus, Leon reappeared in 4, and we all know what a great game that was.

Number 8: Ezio Auditore da Firenze (Assassin's Creed II)
I love you, Altair, I really do. But Ezio is just a far more detailed character. Assassin's Creed II shows us his slow shift from innocent young man to vengeful assassin, and we really get to know the guy over the course of the game. This kind of depth created one of the best characters ever to grace an action game.

Number 7: Haseo (.hack//G.U.)
Haseo is perhaps my favorite Jerk-with-a-Heart-of-Gold of all time. Much of his development is, admittedly, not in the games themselves, but in the tie-in anime, .hack//ROOTS. But after both watching the anime and playing the three games, one can look at the full story of Haseo's experience in "The World." They paint a rather detailed picture of the boy's rise, fall, and redemption. We get to see him start off as a kind, naive teen, spiral down into madness after losing everything, and then return from that madness, stronger than ever.
For all that Kite was a fun guy, Haseo has a lot more depth and development to him.

Number 6: Roxas (Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days)
358/2 Days is an interesting case. It starts off with a very happy, feel-good plot, but then it falls and finishes with one of the most tragic endings I've ever seen in a game. Simply getting to know Roxas makes the tragedy all the more pronounced. With the ability to read his journal, and know his innermost thoughts, I found that I came to understand him far more than Sora himself.

Number 5: Trevor Belmont (Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse)
While I don't much care for Trevor himself, I can't deny his importance to the Castlevania series as a whole. It was the switch from previous hero Simon to his ancestor Trevor in III that started the detailed series timeline that spans over a millennium. By changing protagonists between games, Castlevania was able to innovate and evolve, creating some fantastic gameplay features, such as Soma's Tactical Souls or Shanoa's Glyphs. We have Trevor to thank for that.

Number 4: Adell (Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories)
It's tough to beat Disgaea protagonist Laharl as a character. He's a kindhearted demon prince who wants nothing more than to be the most evil bastard ever, and he fights his way through Hell, Earth, and Heaven to do so. He's awesome. Adell somehow managed to be a worthy follow-up. Why? Let me put it this way:
Adell is, in fact, a damned genius. So why is he more concerned with honor than acting smart? He doesn't act stupid to be crafty; he just thinks it's more fun to solve problems with his fists. I don't know about you, bit I think that's hilarious.

Number 3: Nero (Devil May Cry 4)
Dante is a fun, great character (which is why his re-imagining by Ninja Theory pisses me off so much). But Nero is just so much more admirable. The boy's entire motivation is to protect his childhood friend cum love interest, Kyrie. Nero fights his way through a city filled with demons. He gets stabbed, shot, beaten, and otherwise brutalized. He punches out a physical god. All to save her. That is dedication to one's love. And that is impossible to resent.
The demonic arm doesn't hurt, either.

Number 2: Raiden (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty)
I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but hear me out. The only reason that no one liked Raiden is that they never gave him a chance. No, he isn't Snake, but he isn't supposed to be. Sure, he starts out playing just like our main hero, but that changes later. Once Raiden gets his hand on his sword later in the game, the entire gameplay style changes. The overarching theme is Raiden finding his own identity, and tying that into the gameplay was a brilliant move. Snake is great and all, but Raiden has his own special place in my heart.

And the Number 1 Replacement Protagonist: James Sunderland (Silent Hill 2)
I don't think I need to explain my reasoning for this here, but I will anyway.
Silent Hill introduced us to Harry Mason, an everyman who went to extraordinary lengths to save his daughter. Admirable in the manner of Nero, above. But the sequel shifts its focus to James, a tragic hero with a dark history, and numerous psychological problems. Through the game, we get to live his denial and psychosis. This is the kind of thing that great horror is made of: psychology.
Peeling back not only the layers of illusion created by the town itself, but James' delusion as well, to find the truth, creates a very compelling narrative. And as any fan of Silent Hill 2 will tell you, the narrative is where the game truly shines. James is complex, tragic, and most of all, believable: we all have our demons to deal with. But it takes a special kind of inner turmoil that brings those demons to life, and that is what makes James number one on this list.

I hope you enjoyed this Top Ten, and maybe the next time your favorite series is given a new hero, you'll be more inclined to give him a chance.

--Kotaro