The first video game character of all time is widely considered to be Pac-Man, introduced to the world in 1980. The following year, Mario came alive alongside his universe family. It wasn’t until 1987, however, that the first Black protagonist entered the gaming world. Cyborg puts players into the shoes of the titular main character.
Things are certainly different than they were four decades ago. Video game creators have developed Black video game characters who embody their culture and identity without racial stereotypes, though it wasn’t an easy road to get here. This Black History Month, we looked back at some of our favorite Black video game characters since Cyborg. Here are 10 video game characters that make their video games worth a revisit in honor of the month as it comes to a close.
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Aveline de Grandpré — Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation (2012)
It is very easy to forget about Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation. It was released on the same day as the critically acclaimed Assassin’s Creed III, where you take on the role of Connor, a half-Native American man who takes on the Templars (and his father) in the American colonies. Connor remains near the top of my list for best playable characters in the franchise.
However, the often-forgotten Aveline de Grandpré is also one of the most notable characters in the series. Set during the same period as the first half of AC III, the assassin Aveline is fighting to take New Orleans from Templar control following the end of the French and Indian War.
Aveline is headstrong, often disobeying orders from her Assassin leader to follow her moral compass. Toward the latter half of the game, she commits herself to liberating enslaved people. Like many other characters in the Assassin’s Creed series — particularly the earlier ones — Aveline faces extensive loss, including her family and mentor, the latter of whom died by suicide after thinking she betrayed him. She is also the first female playable character in the franchise and refuses to bend to gender norms.
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At this time, France still owned the territory known today as Louisiana, and the story is set within that colonial era. AC III: Liberation incorporates several Black historical leaders into the game, including Haitian Maroon commander François Mackandal. While the game faced backlash, feeling it was limited in scope by being labeled a spin-off to the original story, it is worth the revisit for Aveline.
Lee Everett — The Walking Dead (2012)
While Telltale Games had somewhat popular titles released before 2012, none made a statement quite like The Walking Dead. The game offered a compelling story during the height of the original television show’s popularity, combining standout graphics that are more apt to call artwork and a nondetermined storyline where choices matter. However, none of these alone would have mattered without Lee Everett.
Lee is the first playable character in the series, and he immediately makes a statement as a protector and leader. He is the first person we meet in Season 1, riding in the back of a police car. We later learn he was convicted of the murder of a state senator who slept with his wife, adding to his complexity. After the apocalypse frees him from a life in prison, he meets the little girl Clementine, for whom he becomes a surrogate father.
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While his personality depends on the player’s decisions, he is smart and resourceful overall, prioritizing Clementine and the group. He made sure to teach Clem how to defend herself in case he was ever not around, which proved crucial. Lee dies to protect Clementine, getting stabbed while fighting the antagonist, Bishop, to keep him away from her. He slowly bleeds out in front of her, creating an incredibly tear-jerking scene showing the extent of his love for her.
Clementine — The Walking Dead (2012)
It would be remiss not to add Clementine to this list alongside Lee. She becomes a playable character throughout the last three seasons of Telltale’s The Walking Dead video game. She serves as its main character in Season 2 and Season 4. Naturally, as she is given more time to grow, she gets more development than her surrogate father.
When we first meet her, she is reserved and terrified, a mere 8-year-old girl facing the loss of her parents and the end of the world. However, Lee is determined to protect her and teach her to survive. Soon, she becomes a force, making critical decisions for the group’s survival and fighting her own battles.
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After Lee’s death, Clementine becomes more independent and has lost some faith in humanity. She can become more aggressive, should players choose so, and can blackmail and fight, being cold to those who do her wrong. However, she can also choose to see the better in people and appeal to their better nature. Overall, Clementine is perceptive, self-aware, confrontational and mature. She is a complex character, a mere child giving advice and leading adults well beyond her years.
Franklin Clinton — Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Rockstar Games has faced some backlash for their portrayal of minority characters in their Grand Theft Auto series. The games are centered around gang violence and crime, and many of the Black characters in the games are easily categorized as just “thugs.” However, in Grand Theft Auto V, Franklin Clinton stands apart.
Franklin is one of the three playable characters in the 2013 game, alongside his mentor Michael and hillbilly widecard Trevor. While he is certainly within the thug lifestyle — fighting rival gangs and committing major heists — he is portrayed beyond this one-dimensional characterization. He wants more than just to be part of a gang, aspiring for money and to win over the woman he loves.
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Admittedly, Franklin does maintain some Black stereotypes, growing up with a single mother and an absent father. However, he also shows some of the struggles of being Black, people assuming he is committing crimes or being violent, representing the reality that marginalized groups still face today.
Miles Morales —Spider-Man 2 (2023)
Peter Parker was once the only beloved Spider-Man amongst the average Marvel fan who didn’t know about the Spider-Verse. However, the 2018 animated movie brought Miles Morales to the forefront, and his popularity was built upon in last year’s Spider-Man 2.
Morales stands out on this list because of his reliability and dedication to helping his fellow New Yorkers. His mixed African-American and Puerto Rican heritage enhances his identity. Despite his youth, he is passionate and extremely intelligent, with a love for science.
His eagerness to help others, even when it puts him in a dangerous position, reinforces his place as an emerging superhero.
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Sgt. Major Avery Johnson — Halo (2001-2007)
The Halo series, developed by 343 Industries Bungie, dates back decades and is beloved by many video game fans. In the 2001 game Halo: Combat Evolved, Sgt. Major Avery Johnson was introduced, albeit in a much flatter capacity than what he eventually evolved into. Now, he is one of the most iconic characters in the entire series.
First and foremost, Sgt. Johnson is known for his leadership, giving moving and outlandish speeches while remaining comedic. He was part of the ORION Project, or the first supersoldier program, and has clear characteristics of a Marine, caring deeply for his troop’s lives. Joining the military at just 19 years old, being a soldier is more than a role he fills — it’s a crucial part of his identity. Though he dies in Halo 3, Sgt. Johnson’s legacy lives on. The Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science was named in his honor, a school where members of the SPARTAN -IV super soldier program practice.
His reputation was that of an energetic, passionate leader who humanized those around him. He was dedicated to the defense of humanity. His most attractive quality, however, was by far his humor and charisma.
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Barret Wallace — Final Fantasy VII (1997, Remake in 2020)
There are 16 Final Fantasy games, all with similar names, which makes them really easy to blend together in my eyes. However, one character from Final Fantasy VII stands out despite so many characters and storylines. Barret Wallace is the leader of a terrorist group, trying to prevent Shinra Electric Power Company from using his planet’s life force for energy. A loving father and devout leader, Barret is more than just a mindless fighter.
Similar to other soldiers on this list, Barret is passionate, offering speeches to motivate his team. He is driven by his emotions and can become reckless in his fight against Shinra. Though he tries to hide it, his effort to fight the company is not just out of benevolence — he is full of anger. As the game progresses, he works to come to terms with this. He is way over his head at the game’s beginning, but he grows, and though he may appear bullish at the start, his cracks start to show early.
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Before being a soldier, Barret is first a father. He is attached to his daughter Marlene and can struggle to balance both responsibilities. To protect her, he must defend the planet she lives on and realize the mission is far greater than just his own anger and desire. In all, Barret is a strong character with a strong heart and is a great character to play throughout the year.
Sheva Alomar — Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Though it is a series traditionally dominated by male playable characters, Resident Evil does have memorable women throughout each of its games. One of its best is Sheva Alomar, a versatile fighter in the Resident Evil 5 game, assisting Chris Redfield in fighting against Bioterrorism. She joins him in West Africa to take on a parasitic outbreak, taking advantage of her experience in firearms and her flexibility to take on Umbrella Corp.
Sheva is loyal, similar to Chris, and her priority is clear. She works to protect those who are most vulnerable from bio-weaponized outbreaks, hence why she operates in West Africa. Beyond a partnership, she considers Chris a close friend and tries to talk him out of continuing his mission in Africa for his safety. But when she learns that his older partner is still alive and in the country, she commits to helping him.
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A fiercely loyal friend and incredible fighter, Sheva is a great addition to a somewhat sub-par Resident Evil game. It isn’t particularly scary or intense in the same way as other games in the series. However, it has a great dynamic of main characters, and that is largely in part due to Sheva.
Cere Junda – Star Wars Jedi Series (2019-2023)
While the Star Wars Jedi games may follow Cal Cestis in his fight against the Empire, his mentor cannot be overlooked. Jedi Master Cere Junda takes care of Cal in his journey to learn to wield the Force and is a deeply complex character. While she may appear the benevolent, ideal leader at first, her flawed past shines through. Somehow, that makes her a more enjoyable character to play beside.
Cere Junda is one of the first characters players meet in Star Wars Jedi, and she is a bit unconventional. She is wise and caring while stern and has some issues with Jedi traditions. Some of it, in her eyes, contradicted itself. For example, Jedis are meant to disregard accolades and live a life dedicated to peacekeeping. However, Taron Malicos grew famous and accustomed to glory. That being said, she still worked diligently to restore the Jedi Order.
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Junda’s character becomes most flawed upon the revelation she betrayed her former Padawan. In a moment of weakness, she succame to torture by Darth Vader and reveals her apprentice’s location. She then had to use the dark side of the Force to escape. Upon her freedom, she was filled with such guilt that she cut herself off from the Force completely. It took years and Cal’s coaxing to repair her connection to the Force. It is a heartwarming moment in the game for a character who has worked so hard to better herself after her failures. Her death in the game is one of its most moving parts, as she takes on Darth Vader to protect the Jedi Archives.
Marcus Holloway — Watch Dogs 2 (2016)
Anyone with a nickname like “Retr0” is bound to be cool. Marcus Holloway, the main protagonist of Watch Dogs 2, definitely is, using his affinity for technology and coding to take down Blue and CTOS 2.0 on behalf of DedSec.
Thanks to his high intelligence and incredible hacking ability, Holloway can hack effectively any kind of tech. Before the storyline of the game, Halloway was falsely accused of a robbery crime. Despite being proven innocent, he faced discrimination from his community and became disillusioned by the sociopolitical system. As a result, he began hacking local government officials and leaking incriminating documents.
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Halloway is a renegade, rebelling against a system that worked against him despite committing no crime. Yet, somehow, he remains optimistic. He’s not trying to get vengeance or do undo harm to others. He is tackling serious issues of racism and systemic inequality while remaining humorous and positive.
In all, he remains the best protagonist in the Watch Dogs series and a great character to revisit this Black History Month and beyond.
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