While reading Brian Keene's Dead Sea (I recommend the book to fans of the Zombie genre) some of the characters in the book were discussing Joseph Campbell's heroic archetypes.  For those of you who didn't know, George Lucas based the story of Star Wars around Campbell's ideas and archetypes.

I did some research on the subject (that sounds so much more intellectual than "I searched the internet and found an article or two"), and got this list from Tami Cowden's website.  I found this pretty interesting, hopefully so will you.

The Eight Heroic Archetypes - With Examples From Video Games:

  • The Chief - He might have been born to lead, or perhaps he conquered his way to the top, but either way, he’s tough, decisive, goal-oriented and inflexible.  Captain David Anderson from Mass Effect, or the Overlord from Overlord
  • The Bad Boy - The rebel from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s bitter and volatile, but also charismatic and street smart.  Marcus Fenix from Gears of War
  • The Best Friend - He's kind, responsible, and decent - a regular Mr. Nice Guy.  He doesn't enjoy confrontation and can sometimes be unassertive because he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  Kameo from Kameo Elements of Power
  • The Charmer - He’s fun, irresistible, and a smooth operator.  He's also not too dependable. He's doesn’t commit to a woman easily.  The "L" shaped piece from Tetris Evolution and Tetris Splash (it's a Fun Piece, but it's not reliable)
  • The Lost Soul - Tortured, secretive, brooding, and unforgiving - he's also vulnerable.  He might be a wanderer or an outcast.  Jack from BioShock
  • The Professor - Analytical, he knows every answer. He’s logical, introverted, and inflexible, but genuine about his feelings.  Gordon Freeman from Half-Life 2
  • The Swashbuckler - Mr. Excitement, he wants action, action, and more action.  Fearless, he’s a daredevil, or an explorer.  He needs thrills and chills to keep him happy.  The Prince from Prince of Persia
  • The Warrior - A noble champion, acting with honor.  He always sticks up for the underdog.  If you need a protector, he’s your guy.  Master Chief from Halo 3

When you play games, do you look for characters from a specific archetype above, or do you look for someone you can relate to?

Special thanks to Captain Safety's Website for the photo.