7 Best Games With Dual Protagonists

Basing a story around dual protagonists isn’t anything in the world of video games, but it seems that they’re becoming more popular than ever these days. With the likes of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Grand Theft Auto 6 splitting their stories up between dual protagonists, it feels like developers are now much more confident in telling a story through two separate characters at the same time which, while difficult to pull off, can end up adding a lot to the narrative, while also just being a lot of fun for players to toy around with in-game.

Of course, having two protagonists means they both need to share the spotlight, rather than one character hogging all the screentime. It can also help make the gameplay more interesting when the protagonists have different attacks and abilities, so that they can handle situations in their own unique way to help keep things fresh and fun. Here are the games that do the best job at incorporating dual protagonists into their gameplay and stories.

7 Resident Evil 2 Remake

A Fresh Take On The Dual Protagonist System That Encourages Subsequent Playthroughs

Resident Evil 2, and by extension its remake, handles the dual-protagonist mechanic in quite a unique way. Rather than switching between both characters in a single playthrough, players will be able to choose a protagonist upon booting up the game to experience that character’s own specific adventure. Though both Leon and Claire will visit the same areas throughout the game, their stories are quite different, and they can acquire plenty of different weapons and resources that are specific to their playthroughs.

While Leon’s story is more based around him getting to the root of the outbreak and uncovering who is responsible for it all, Claire’s is a more personal journey where she is tasked with protecting a young girl, Sherry, from the humans and monsters who want her dead. Not only does this mechanic introduce two characters at the same time who would go on to become fan favorites, but it also adds a ton of replay value to the game, as it encourages players to once again experience the Raccoon City incident, but from a vastly different perspective.

6 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Syndicate’s Twins Are Emblematic Of The Series’ Differing Gameplay Directions

By the time that Assassin’s Ceed Syndicate launched in late 2015, fans were starting to get worried that the series was seemingly moving away from its stealth and espionage roots to become something more action-packed. To address these anxieties, Ubisoft decided to split up Syndicate’s story between two characters, twins in fact, who are emblematic of these two different gameplay directions.

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Assassin’s Creed boasts a wealth of protagonists across its games, each telling their own unique tales and leaving lasting memories with fans.

While Jacob is a close-quarter brawler who almost plays like a hack n’ slash protagonist, Evie is an assassin through and through who sticks to the shadows and uses her gadgets and abilities to sneak around her enemies to take them out without raising an alarm. Switching between the two can be done with the press of a button, which, back in 2015, was virtually unheard of for a triple AAA game, but it helps to keep players immersed in the game without needing to wait through several long loading screens. Assassin’s Creed Shadows may also be bringing in dual protagonists with different playstyles, but it was Syndicate which first kicked off this trend for the series.

5 Devil May Cry 4

Nero Adds A Nice Touch Of Variation To Dante’s Loose-Cannon And Explosive Fighting Style

It may be hard to believe nowadays, but when Devil May Cry 4 first launched in 2008, many longtime fans of the series weren’t too thrilled about Nero as a character. He came across as the Devil May Cry equivalent of Raiden – a side-character who was stealing the spotlight from the protagonist everyone grew to know and love in previous entries. However, just like with Raiden, many people came to eventually appreciate Nero as they progressed through the game because of how different his fighting style was in comparison to Dante.

For example, Nero is able to rev up his Red Queen sword, which allows him to unleash more powerful attacks, adding a lot of variety to combo potential, but he also comes with a Devil Bringer which is able to parry, grab, or pull enemies towards him. Dante is more or less untouched from Devil May Cry 3 and still has his four signature Styles to flick between, but he can now also switch between more than two weapons at a time which, needless to say, can lead to some chaotic and exhilarating encounters. While Dante is more of an experimental loose cannon who has a plentiful arsenal of weapons at his disposal, Nero is a lot more focused and easier to use, but still a blast to play as.

4 Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 Presents Two Gripping Storylines Focusing On The Series’ Most Recognizable Characters

Though developers Ryu Ga Gotoku could have easily made Yakuza 0 a prequel based entirely around Kiryu, they instead made the bold decision to split half of the game between another important character within the Yakuza universe, “The Mad Dog” Goro Majima. Because many players know how psychotic Majima becomes in later games, it honestly adds a lot of emotional weight to this game witnessing how he got there after going through so much hardship in his life.

This doesn’t take anything away from Kiryu’s own personal story though, which chronicles his early years in the Yakuza, and his struggles with trying to stay loyal to the family, while also trying to clear his name after being framed for murder. It’s a miracle that Ryu Ga Gotoku managed to make both stories so compelling, to the point where it almost feels like they could each have an entire game dedicated to them.

3 The Last Of Us Part 2

The Last Of Us Part 2 Uses Two Protagonists To Explore Its Themes Of Revenge And Perception

Though many people had suspected that the sequel to The Last of Us would feature dual protagonists, many believed that this would be between Ellie and Joel, since they are both the stars of the first game. While the game does feature two protagonists, one of which being Ellie, the other is Abby, a character who initially is set up to be the “villain” of the game, only for players to step into her shoes roughly halfway through the story.

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Abby goes through quite the personal journey throughout The Last Of Us Part 2, and during that time, she lets out some very impactful quotes.

The Last of Us Part 2 uses its dual protagonist system to feed into its larger story, and more specifically, the theme of revenge that lies at the heart of the narrative. By making players take control of Abby, it allows them to see that this individual isn’t as malicious or violent as she may have seemed, and it does a great job at showing how these characters are supposed to be real humans with genuine emotions, not just AI enemies who are programmed to act as a hero or villain. Ellie and Abby also play a little differently from one another, with Abby’s larger stature making her much more suited to melee combat, which helps to add some variation to the gameplay.

2 A Way Out

A Memorable And Lighthearted Co-Op Experience Which Places A Big Emphasis On Its Protagonists

A Way Out is a game which pushes the boundaries of what is possible with co-op games that feature dual protagonists in their stories. The narrative revolves around Vincent and Leo, two men who begrudgingly team up to escape a prison, before then embarking on a chaotic adventure which is packed full of twists and turns, along with plenty of exciitng gameplay segments and casual minigames. The game is almost always shown to be split-screen so that players can keep track of both characters at the same time, even when playing online, and there are many areas which will require players to use this to their advantage when moving through certain areas.

Alongside the creative gameplay mechanics, A Way Out also dedicates a lot of time to establishing its dual protagonists and reminding players that, even though these two guys have become friends, they’re still very different people with their own personal goals, which could end up tearing them apart in the end. A Way Out is an utterly unique co-op experience like no other that incorporates the idea of dual-protagonists into its gameplay incredibly well.

1 Spider-Man 2

Both Peter And Miles Are Just Different Enough To Make Them Unique, While Still Sharing Several Similar Qualities

Spider-Man 2’s open world is roughly twice the size of the one seen in the previous game, and players are free to explore New York City at their web-swinging leisure, whether it be everyone’s favorite Peter Parker, or the new kid on the block, Miles Morales. Thanks to the PlayStation 5’s lightning-fast technology, switching between Peter and Miles can be done instantly, and it’s something players will be doing a lot, since the two have their own unique missions that will further their personal stories.

While Peter comes face to face with the Symbiote and forms an uneasy relationship with Harry Osbourne, Miles is forced to face some familiar enemies from his past, alongside also trying to keep Peter in-check before he goes off the rails with his newfound power. Though both Spider-Men are able to swing around the city, or fly through it with their brand new Wing Suits, they actually have some notable differences in combat. Peter is more hard-headed and will be more aggressive with his attacks, especially when utilizing the Symbiote, while Miles relies on his agility and electrical powers to catch enemies off guard before taking them out for good, such as with his “Warp Strike” for example, which allows him to close the gap on a foe in no time at all.

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