For a few years now, the narrative in video games has changed to show us a more human side of those heroes who seemed invincible and immortal. And one thing that is extremely human is making mistakes. And our heroes really know how to mess up big time and with style, for whatever reason they may have. From Joel in The Last Of Us to Captain Martin Walker in Spec Ops: The Line, their mistakes have a catastrophic reach. But only a few accept their mistakes, and very few seek redemption.
But… what is Redemption? According to our ultra-reliable, faithful, and accurate source of information (Wikipedia XD), redemption is the release, through an act or action, from pain, hardship, or adversity. In other words, if you did wrong and your tamale has already gone bad, do good next time so you can eat the tamale. But… do good with those you disappointed, so the tamale will taste better… do you understand?
So, digital legends, today we are going to study a bit about those characters who came to our consoles a bit broken, with things they still had to learn to grow, and who messed up until they were left without a leg. Are you ready for this adventure full of emotions? I hope you have a tissue handy because it’s going to be exciting!
God Of War
How can we talk about redemption if we don’t talk about the god of redemption? (Formerly known as the god of beatdowns) In the previous installments of God Of War, when reaching the credits, we felt excitement because we had finally reached the end, because we kicked asses, aunts, and grandmas tirelessly, and the revenge was quite satisfying, but it didn’t go beyond that.
I had never shed a tear at the end of a video game until this GOW came into my hands, and it really surprised me. I expected the same amount of broken bones over and over again, but what the hell…? We have Kratos… with the blessing… Unlike the first GOWs that were beatdowns everywhere and shamelessly doing it with Aphrodite, this GOW (which, yes, has beatdowns everywhere) also has that something that was missing before because let’s be clear: Kratos lacked humanity; he only wanted revenge.
It’s easier to connect with Kratos in these installments, in his paternal phase because, despite being a god who kicks ass left and right, we see him for the first time being concerned about someone else. We see him face his fears, the pain of losing something valuable again: his son.
This truly made me empathize with Kratos and see him as a character who, despite being very serious, stoic, and wrathful, also feels, also fears the worst, and is more human. My way of playing completely changed; it was no longer a count of how many beatdowns I could chain. This time I was worried about him, felt intrigued by his reaction to the situations he experienced with Atreus, felt empathy when Atreus fell ill, and he became desperate to find someone to help him.
We guide Kratos, from our controllers, through this adventure that means educating Atreus and fulfilling the promise he made to Faye to take her remains to the highest peak of the realms. And during this journey, we can see him being a father who is still learning, who, although he does not show affection, is willing to give his life for his son, and who makes his greatest effort so that Atreus does not become like he was before.
And then I started doing something I had never done before: playing through the dawn. I couldn’t leave this adventure aside; I needed to reach the end, needed to see Kratos grow and heal his wounds, and so I accompanied him until the end of Ragnarok, until that final scene where Kratos finally finds what his heart had never had in Greece due to his thirst for revenge: the worship of an entire people, and above all, the love of his son.
Kratos, by wishing that Atreus would be better than he ever was and always guiding him on the path of goodness, could redeem the guilt he carried on his shoulders and finally free himself from the torment that his past represented.
Final Fantasy XV
Then I played Final Fantasy XV… and here, I cried even more. Noctis is a young prince who doesn’t want the responsibility imposed on him. His father, King Regis, sends him to Altissia to marry Lunafreya in a politically convenient marriage, and Noctis bids him farewell (barely) and sets off with his retinue (who are also his friends) in search of his future wife.
At that precise moment when it seems that Noctis is about to “enjoy” a road trip, everything explodes. Life as he knew it no longer exists, and he only has his friends to save all of Eos. Noctis, through his adventure, sees how his friends sacrifice and hurt themselves so that he can achieve the great task that has fallen upon him as the heir to the throne of Lucis.
Through the chapters that Final Fantasy shows us, we see how little by little Noctis becomes cautious, to the point of not wanting to use the powers granted to him because he doesn’t want to see his friends get hurt, especially after Ignis lost his sight in the battle of Altissia. But in reality, what happens here is that Noctis is afraid, a fear so great of losing those he loves that it prevents him from moving forward. And we can see how Gladiolus, who knows from the beginning of his service as a bodyguard that he must sacrifice his life for Noctis, becomes frustrated because Noctis doesn’t have the courage to sacrifice himself for the people of Eos.
However, when the crucial moment arrives, and when he finally realizes the shady activities carried out in Niflheim, and that Ardyn has much stronger powers than he could imagine, Noctis gathers courage and confronts his fears. Finally, he assumes the role given to him since his birth, not to rule, but to bring light to his land. Then comes that scene where everyone is sitting by the campfire, about 10 years later, grown up and with beards, gathered for one last camp together.
It is there that Noctis finally tells them that it is hard for him to give his life, knowing that they will too… because they are simply the best people he has ever known. Finally, after 13 chapters in the game, Noctis tells them how he truly feels (how can one not cry with that, then they throw in Stand By Me, and you end up with snot dripping on the controller).
You’ve grown so fond of these characters that seeing them say goodbye in the final battle tears your soul apart, especially knowing that none of them will survive. Noctis bids them farewell with a phrase you’ll never forget, “walk tall, my friends.” Something his father Regis also told him when saying goodbye.
Red Dead Redemption 2
And how can we not talk about redemption without mentioning the game that literally has the word in the title? But unlike RDR 1, where the path to redemption is mandatory, in RDR2 redemption is optional, and the fact that it is optional makes it more sincere.
As is customary in every Rockstar game, we start RDR2 as complete idiots, committing misdeeds to everyone, not caring at all about what morality or honor means. Because in every Rockstar game, having fun means acting without much logic. And so we lead Arthur Morgan, following Dutch’s orders simply because he’s the leader of the gang.
One day, Herr Strauss sends us to collect money from a farmer to whom he lent money, and whom we happen to know in the town of Valentine. And we, as good members of the gang, agree to go as thugs, to beat up the farmer, whom we don’t know is sick. And then we continue our lives, still not caring about that honor bar.
We continue in Red Dead, following a Dutch who charms with words but messes up every plan he comes up with, until we must visit the farmer again, who still owes us money. When we arrive, it turns out he is dead, and his wife and son end up giving us everything they have at the cost of their own survival. And we, without hesitation, take it, without caring about this poor family fallen into disgrace.
That’s what we are, thieves, it’s what the game tells us we are, it gives us the possibility to be better, but we still choose to be bad, because that’s where the fun is. After seeing how some gang members die in Dutch’s failed plans, Arthur suspiciously starts coughing and gets worse as we progress in the story.
Later on, the loyalty we had with Dutch begins to wane when he is influenced by Micah; we can see how Dutch loses his sanity, and Micah rises as the right hand of the leader. So, we join other more trustworthy members like Charles, John, and Sadie.
And it’s with Sadie that we discover the worst: Arthur has tuberculosis. By Chapter Six, the game allows us to choose what will happen with Arthur’s remaining time—whether to continue being complete outlaws without morals or honor, or to choose redemption. And the best part is that it’s not imposed; we decide redemption.
This path leads us to closely watch that honor bar and to heal the acts of the past. In one of those missions, we can return to the wife of that sick farmer and give her and her son a dignified life. We can also help Arthur fulfill his mission: giving John a chance to have a new life with his wife and son, and the game lets us choose this.
At the end of the game, if we have chosen redemption, we can see Arthur bidding farewell to the world, fatally wounded but with a peaceful soul because we helped him do good, after all.
Redemption will always be a choice.
When a character’s adventure is about their quest for peace, we can be sure it’s an adventure that will take us through very delicate themes, whether they have to face their fears, accept themselves as they are, or be kinder to those around them. It won’t be an easy path, but we’ll traverse each obstacle with them.
Characters act as an extension of us; we make decisions for them and live alongside them, facing the consequences of our actions, as if we were an important part of their consciousness. We love these heroes, not for their designs or badass abilities; we love them because we go through hell and chaos with them, confront fears and traumas to reach the end of the adventure and have that peace they long for, and part of that peace, for many of them, comes from redemption.
These character arcs are extremely enriching, and once at the end of the road (sad or not), they always leave us with a sense that we did the right thing. But have you ever thought about… your own arcs?
Undoubtedly, the world can be tough, constantly highlighting our mistakes, listing the times we’ve messed up compared to our achievements, and everyday life can be overwhelming. But all those mistakes we made, for which we are pointed at, we can always fix them; we can always seek solutions and be better. Admitting our mistakes can be difficult, and it requires a lot of courage, taking off the armor and acknowledging that we messed up, especially with those close to us. But there’s a great reward in leaving ego behind and being more honest with ourselves.
Many times, all we need is for someone to tell us that everything will be okay, that we can also be strong and brave to face our fears, that, just like our heroes went through hell to have that moment of peace, we too can end the day knowing we did the right thing and that we could redeem our mistakes, no matter how difficult the path was.
In their own journeys, they will make countless mistakes, and that only makes them human. But when we seek to heal and repair the damage we caused, only then do we become heroes, the true legends of our story.
The other night, I stole a piece of cake from Gabriel, it was there in the fridge… and I don’t regret it. But you, digital legends, don’t do it; keep your honor high.
If you know any other video games that give you the opportunity to redeem yourself, don’t hesitate to leave it in the comments. I’d love to know which video game made you reflect.
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What’s up, gamers! I’m Andrea Villasmil, the one weaving magic behind Joystick Latino. From the glorious era of Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 to today’s RPGs, video games have me hooked. Besides being the boss around here, I’m an editor and translator on this wonderful website. I’m also a music teacher, delving into the world of dubbing and voice acting.
Between psychological thrillers, RPG sessions, and delicious pasta dishes, I have a great time sharing my obsession for games on Joystick Latino. See you in the game, friends!
