Key takeaways
- Representation in gaming matters.
- Games like Celeste and Overwatch feature disabled main characters.
- Titles like Pulse and Hellblade show diverse representations of disabilities.
Gaming is often an escape for us – we turn to video games to get away from real life and go on adventures or try something new. However, most of us like to see ourselves in our video games.
For disabled gamers, it can be difficult to find representation in the gaming world. Although there are some iconic side characters (Joker, I'm looking at you) and some memorable NPCs, incompetent main characters are few and far between. Here are some of the best ones we found.
9 Yaga
Inspired by Slavic folklore, Yaga follows the lovelorn, hapless Ivan, a blacksmith who loses his arm in an accident before the play begins. The Tsar chooses him to complete tasks, and must complete them while being attacked by monsters and beaten by his grandmother (he wishes he had found a wife).
Every choice you make in this game enhances one of your character's personality traits, so there are endless ways to play the game. As you explore the forest to find the mysterious Baba Yaga, you learn how Ivan manages to blacksmith and fight with one hand.
8 Celeste
Madeleine is the protagonist of Celeste (although you can change her name at the beginning of the game if you want). In this beautiful, crazy platformer, you'll learn more about her mind as she works her way to the top of Mount Celeste.
One of Celeste's main themes is mental health. Without spoilers, we can say that Madeleine's mental health problems hinder her path, but ultimately become one of the reasons she is able to succeed in her mission.
7 Overwatch
Overwatch is the type of game where you can choose which character to play, so not every character has the same abilities (or disabilities). However, this live, team-based first-person shooter game features a diverse cast of characters, including an international criminal and the physically disabled Junkrat.
Junkrat has prosthetic legs, but that doesn't stop him (or the players controlling him) from being a great choice as a damaged character. He is a popular playable character for teams that need a destroyer, and a great addition to a diverse team.
6 pulse
Although there have been many games with blind protagonists, many are horror games and focus on the inability to be blind with monsters around. Pulse takes a different spin: Eva, the main character, uses sound to confidently find her way.
Pulse is a small indie game and has a relatively short runtime. It is comfortable and has stunning views. Most of all, you'll fall in love with little Eva and how well she understands the world around her.
5 the owl
Otus, the protagonist of Owl, is a young non-verbal boy who struggles with life as an owl. He must defeat enemies, help friends, and save his family from sky pirates while discovering the secrets of his world in the sky.
Owlboy is a new platformer game, so it's a good start if you're frustrated with difficult games (we're looking at you, Celeste). It combines classic platform gaming with flying and Metroidvania elements, and it's a fun story.
4 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Senua suffers from psychosis since Hellblade. This dark fantasy game is based on Norse mythology and features creatures and gods from Northern European folklore. You play as Senua, a young woman who hears voices and must deal with the effects of her mental health while trying to achieve her goals.
Hellblade deals with some serious mental health issues, and the developers include mental health resources as part of the game's information and website. Senua's struggles are portrayed with compassion and honesty and add a level of depth to the game (which is already great).
3 Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
The Deux Ex series of games revolves around a series of heroes, but Human Revolution and Mankind focuses on Adam Jensen. Jensen is a security guard who is seriously injured in an attack, who is later implanted with cyber technology to save his life.
Throughout the series, Jensen must adjust to his new augmented body and how it affects his daily life as he battles the Illuminati and tries to find out who attacked him in the first place.
2 eyes out
Beyond Eyes focuses on a young girl, Ray, who has recently lost her sight in an accident. The main feature of this game is the visuals – at first, the entire screen is white, but when Rae touches or hears things burst into color.
The lightness and colors of Beyond Eyes are beautiful, and the game is marketed as a “modern fairy tale”. Throughout the story, you learn more about Rae's friends and family and what it's like adjusting to sudden blindness. This indie game is amazing and definitely worth downloading.
PTSD and phantom pain are often experienced by soldiers returning from combat. In Metal Gear Solid V, many of the underlying themes focus on the aftermath of war and how it affects those who survive. PTSD is also associated with physical disabilities in this particular sport.
Venom Snake, a playable character, has shrapnel in his brain and lost his arm in an explosion. He also has Bigg Boss's iconic eye patch (scholars are wild out there – you'll have to play the games to find out). Venom Snake has a prosthetic arm and is able to switch weapons without issue, but the mental toll of his injuries is evident throughout the game.
