Indie games have forged themselves a place alongside more famous triple-A titles, and the same can be said for their characters. Most indie games are created by smaller teams, meaning sacrifices often have to be made, leading developers to focus on specific areas of the game, whether that be narrative, characters, or gameplay.
For these games, it’s the main characters who shine through - they’re women who are courageous, whether they’re overcoming personal struggles or taking on challenging foes, and strong-willed, sticking to their values no matter the odds. As the lead characters, these women are the heart of their respective games, helping to reinforce the narrative themes.
8 Family Ties: Edith Finch (What Remains Of Edith Finch)
This game centers around Edith Finch as she visits the Finch House, a property she inherited as the last surviving heir. Edith’s ancestry is afflicted by a curse, as each member of her family died in untimely and unusual ways.
Edith explores the house, and you find out more about the family’s history through glimpses into the past and Edith’s narration. It’s revealed that Edith is writing about the Finch family and her own experiences in a diary addressed to her unborn son, to be given to him after she passes away. While Edith and her family’s lives are shadowed by tragedy, Edith keeps a positive outlook for her son, and chooses to be grateful for the life she had.
7 Determined Mechanic: Robin (Iconoclasts)
Robin is the protagonist of Iconoclasts, a platformer where you use Robin’s tools to solve puzzles and fight off enemies. Iconoclasts’ world is under the rule of the One Concern, an organization controlling society. Even though she’s unlicensed, Robin practices as a mechanic without the One Concern’s approval.
Despite the dangers, Robin is dedicated to her profession and has a cheerful disposition regardless of the situation she’s in. Her hobby is also incorporated into the gameplay - for example, Robin’s wrench has multiple uses, including attacking enemies and controlling machines.
6 Caring And Courageous: Kena (Kena: Bridge Of Spirits)
The titular protagonist of Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Kena, is searching for the Sacred Mountain Shrine. Along the way, she helps lingering spirits, some of which become dangerous if they stay in the physical world for too long. That's why Kena has to appease all the spirits she comes across on her journey.
The developers of the game, Ember Labs, are known for the incredible animation in their short film Majora’s Mask - Terrible Fate, and this high level of quality is also seen in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, bringing Kena’s charming character to life. As a whole, she’s caring and brave, willing to risk her life to rescue the corrupted spirits and help them to pass on.
5 Troubled Teen: Alex (Oxenfree)
The protagonist of Oxenfree, Alex visits Edwards Island alongside Ren, Jonas, Clarissa, and Nona. On Edwards Island, you not only learn more about the island’s past, but also more about Alex’s motivations as a character and the tragic event that changed her life. Alex herself has a rather unruly personality, skipping tests in school and even stealing a car in the past.
As she’s the character you control, it’s up to you to influence the decisions Alex makes, affecting her relationships with the other characters and the ending you receive. These decisions play into the different aspects of Alex’s character - will she hold onto her resentment, or move past her grief?
4 Refuses To Give In: Red (Transistor)
In Transistor, you control Red, a talented vocalist who’s attacked by the Camerata - she escapes with her life but, unfortunately, loses her voice. After this incident, Red joins forces with a voice residing in the Transistor to stop the Process, a group of murderous robots, from taking over the city after the Camerata loses control of them.
As a character, Red is strong-willed and determined. Even after losing her voice, which was extremely important to her as a singer and performer, Red continues to persevere when others might give in.
3 Full Of Spirit: Stella (Spiritfarer)
Stella is the protagonist of Spiritfarer, a game where you ferry spirits to the Everdoor after easing their worldly regrets and taking care of them on your boat. As a new-found Spiritfarer, Stella and her pet cat travel across the world, picking up stray spirits along the way.
By helping the spirits aboard Stella’s ship, you form close bonds with them and learn more about them and Stella’s past. While she might seem like a vessel to learn more about the other characters at first, she soon fills the protagonist role, leading to a heart-wrenching ending to her story.
2 All About Inner Strength: Madeline (Celeste)
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In Celeste, you play as Madeline, a young woman who visits Celeste Mountain in the hopes of reaching the summit. Madeline’s struggles as a character are captured in each of Celeste’s chapters; the harshness of the mountainous terrain, which becomes even more dangerous as she progresses, reflects Madeline’s personal journey.
While the game heavily relies on metaphor for its story, Madeline is a realistic character, and her journey in Celeste is one that many people can relate to, especially as she must accept even the parts of herself that she doesn’t like.
1 Best Bandmate: Mae Borowski (Night In The Woods)
The protagonist of Night in the Woods, Mae Borowski drops out of college and moves back to her hometown after suffering symptoms of dissociation and derealization. Throughout Night in the Woods, you play as Mae, visiting multiple locations in Possum Springs and interacting with various characters, including Mae’s bandmates.
As a main character, Mae is incredibly well developed - you gain an insight into her personal struggles, both her dissociative disorder and how she deals with being a young adult. Despite the game carrying heavy themes, Mae is also a lively character who’s fun to play as - she can walk along telephone wires (instead of just the sidewalk) and even plays bass guitar in her band, which you can control during minigames.