Asvideo games evolve during their development, so do their characters. What starts as a basic concept can transform into a fully-fledged,complex persona, bursting with personality and depth. There are times when the developers decide that the old concept simply isn’t working, or find a new exciting idea that overshadows the previous version.
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It might be difficult to imagine a world where Sonic is a human boy in a blue shirt, or Lara Croft is an Indiana Jones lookalike, but all of those things could have happened if the creators had not altered their initial plans. For better or for worse, many characters that players know and love today havegone through drastic changes over the development process.
8Kratos - God Of War
During the development of theGod of Wargames, Kratos went through several significant changes that shaped his character and the overall direction of the series. For example, in the early stages of development for the first game, Kratos was envisioned as an even more straightforward and violent character without muchdepth beyond his desire for revenge.
However, as the game’s development progressed, the team behind the game began to explore Kratos' backstory and motivations more deeply, which led to a more nuanced portrayal of the character. And as the series continued, Kratos was evolving further, taking a new direction entirely with the last two entries in the series.
7Shepard - Mass Effect
To this day, Shepard remains to be one of the most iconic protagonists in the RPG genre. This is especially fascinating since the players get to choose exactly what Shepard looks like, as well as the gender of the protagonist. Players around the world got toexperience the epic space sagaas their very own and personal Commander.
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However, the option to switch Shepard’s gender wasn’t always the plan, as one of the developers revealed that at some point in the production, Shepard was envisioned as a female protagonist. In addition to the gender change, Shepard’s character was fleshed out with a detailed backstory, including their military service and personal relationships.
6Zagreus - Hades
Zagreus is the protagonist ofHades, the amazing roguelike that came out in late 2018. But he wasn’t always meant to be the protagonist, or eveninthe game at all. Initially, the game wassupposed to be revolving around Theseus,and his escape through the ever-changing Minotaur Labyrinth.
The creators were finding it difficult to pinpoint the exact design for Theseus, struggling between making him too generic or too different from his identity. In the end, they decided to keep him in the game, but focus the main story around a different character altogether. Being a lesser-known minor god in Greek mythology, Zagreus was a great fit for the game.
5Ellie - The Last Of Us
Ellie, the beloved character from the hit video gameThe Last of Us, has captured the hearts of gamers all around the world. One of the key reasons for this is the amazing performance by Ashley Johnson, who not only voiced Ellie but also performed the motion capture for the character.
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But Johnson’s contributions to Ellie’s development didn’t stop there. She also convinced the game’s creators to make her a stronger and more capable character in her own right, rather than a simpler sidekick to the game’s protagonist. As a result, Ellie has evolved into a powerful, independent, andmemorable character that fans know and love today.
4Sonic
Sonic is easily one of the most recognizable characters in the history of video games. Known for his super speed and sleek, sharp design, he has gone through many changes over the years. From new powers to variations to his look,the fan-favorite hedgehog has seen it all.
Not everyone knows, however, that the iconic hedgehog wasn’t always imagined this way. In fact, one of the earlier concepts that were considered for him was a young boy, wearing Sonic-colored clothes. It’s hard to imagine if that character would have taken off as much, but in the end, the final result has stood the test of time, giving him the absolute legendary status he deserves.
3Samus Aran - Metroid
In the originalMetroidgame released in 1986, the protagonist Samus Aran was not revealed to be female until the end of the game. This has shocked many gamers, who believed the protagonist to be male due to the armor and look of the character. The designers of the game intentionally created this ambiguity to surprise players with the reveal at the end.
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But at some point, it was a surprise even to the developers themselves. The idea that Samus was female came to them while they were already working hard on the game, but they loved the idea so much that they implemented it as soon as possible,creating the iconic Samus.
2Ratchet And Clank
The beloved video game duo, Ratchet, and Clank were not always thefurry Lombax and robot fans know today. After the success ofSpyro, the team responsible for it began looking for a new world and concept entirely. They began working on Girl With A Stick, a game about a female warrior with a magical staff, but the studio wasn’t excited with the concept, and it was soon scrapped.
But even the initial concepts of Ratchet and Clank were different from their current looks, as Ratchet was supposed to be more of a reptilian, while Clank resembled a childish version of C-3PO fromStar Wars.
1Lara Croft
In the early stages of development for the originalTomb Raidergame, Lara Croft was not always the female protagonist fans know today. The game’s creator initially envisioned the lead character as a maleIndiana Jones-type character. However, the team felt that the character lacked depth and was too similar to other action heroes of the time.
It wasn’t until the game’s lead artist, Toby Gard, created the design for a female character named Lara that the team found their breakthrough. Despite initial resistance from publishers who thought a female lead would not be successful, the team pushed forward, and the game was a smash hit upon release in 1996. Lara Croft has since become an iconic figure in the gaming industry, with multiple successful sequels, movies, and merchandise.
