Video games featuring disabled characters?

[StaceyPowers]

Are there any video games that prominently feature disabled characters—particularly any where you have to play around their disability?

[killamch89]

If I remember correctly, there was Joker from Mass Effect 2 but he wasn't that prominent of a character. Honestly, it's difficult to name any because the disabled characters tend to be side characters or NPCs. Unlike me who doesn't mind playing as one if it created a unique experience, there's not a lot of appeal for characters like that in the traditional gaming market and companies tend to follow the money so most won't put in the effort to include one.

[Withywarlock]

I'd mostly be trying to recall and theorise from my own perspective as an autistic person, and there's a lot of speculations within my social circles that mute characters might be non-verbal autistic, especially in those where the game makes a point of saying the character doesn't speak much (i.e Half-Life's Gordon Freeman). I think even Yahtzee Croshaw has joked about the character being autistic because of his... perculiar actions during the game. However, when it comes to mental disability I can only recall one character who doesn't suffer the generic bad guy madness that afflicts most Warcraft villains, and that's Senua, of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. I'm told her depiction of psychosis and episodes of that nature are painfully accurate.

The only physically disabled characters that come to mind are those without an arm. Adam Jensen of Deus Ex (whether augmentation is a disability or not is a conversation I'm not qualified to partake in), Billie Lurk of Dishonored, Khârn the Betrayer was missing an arm from Warhammer 40,000: Dark Nexus Arena (there's no lore explanation I've seen for this), and Sekiro of his namesake game.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Withywarlock

[Crazycrab]

19 minutes ago, Withywarlock said:

The only physically disabled characters that come to mind are those without an arm. Adam Jensen of Deus Ex, Billie Lurk of Dishonored, Khârn the Betrayer was missing an arm from Warhammer 40,000: Dark Nexus Arena (there's no lore explanation I've seen for this), and Sekiro of his namesake game.

 

I'm not sure if they even really count. Yeah they might be missing an arm or whatever but most of them have artificial limbs or implants that if anything make them stronger.

 

That's kinda sums up the problem with disabled characters in games.  For the sake of gameplay you want to feel empowered not restricted.  I'm all for diversity in games but, and I'm sure @The Blackangel will testify to this, it ain't fun being disabled in real life so it won't be fun in a game either.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Crazycrab

[Heatman]

16 hours ago, StaceyPowers said:

Are there any video games that prominently feature disabled characters—particularly any where you have to play around their disability?

Does a character with a robotic patch up for his or her lost body parts fall in such disabled character categories? 

[The Blackangel]

4 hours ago, Crazycrab said:

That's kinda sums up the problem with disabled characters in games.  For the sake of gameplay you want to feel empowered not restricted.  I'm all for diversity in games but, and I'm sure @The Blackangel will testify to this, it ain't fun being disabled in real life so it won't be fun in a game either.

You're absolutely right. I have no interest in playing a character that is confined to a wheelchair. Games need to be an escape. Can anyone imagine if you had to play as a character in TLOU who was in a wheelchair? Or how about Skyrim? I'm willing to bet that both of those games would have flopped instantly.

I'm a Family Guy fan. I love the show. But I still don't want to play as Joe Swanson. If he's the only character available to me, then I'll flat out pass. Even those of you who are able-bodied would probably find it at the very best, boring as hell to play someone who wasn't able-bodied. I get enough time in a wheelchair IRL. I don't need it when I let my world vanish when I'm playing a game.

Another thing, is that unless the ones that create the game in every last aspect, they could never get any part of it right. They won't be able to script a character that is miserable because they can't walk. They won't be able to show the right kind of anguish on the characters face, or the despair that makes so many commit suicide. I know. I've tried. They don't know what it's like to feel like a complete burden simply because of the chair.

And to put all that into a game, simply to have a character in a wheelchair, is not only pointless, but insulting as well.

[killamch89]

12 hours ago, Crazycrab said:

I'm not sure if they even really count. Yeah they might be missing an arm or whatever but most of them have artificial limbs or implants that if anything make them stronger.

That's kinda sums up the problem with disabled characters in games.  For the sake of gameplay you want to feel empowered not restricted.  I'm all for diversity in games but, and I'm sure @The Blackangel will testify to this, it ain't fun being disabled in real life so it won't be fun in a game either.

That's why I didn't mention Adam Jensen from the Deus Ex series because it's not like he's even missing any of his function. As a matter of fact, they made him even faster and stronger. 

[The Blackangel]

9 hours ago, The Blackangel said:

Another thing, is that unless the ones that create the game in every last aspect, they could never get any part of it right. They won't be able to script a character that is miserable because they can't walk. They won't be able to show the right kind of anguish on the characters face, or the despair that makes so many commit suicide. I know. I've tried. They don't know what it's like to feel like a complete burden simply because of the chair.

I did it again. I left out information that would make that whole paragraph make sense. I meant to say that unless the creators were disabled themselves that they wouldn't get it right.

I....need a proofreader.

Hey @DC maybe I'll start submitting all my posts to you so you can let me know what information I've left out before I post them.😉

[Shagger]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:47 AM, The Blackangel said:

I did it again. I left out information that would make that whole paragraph make sense. I meant to say that unless the creators were disabled themselves that they wouldn't get it right.

I....need a proofreader.

Hey @DC maybe I'll start submitting all my posts to you so you can let me know what information I've left out before I post them.😉

 

Don't worry about it @The Blackangel. If you make an error and it's too late to edit it out yourself, report your post or DM me and I'll consider making the alterations for you. I obviously won't edit posts to drastically alter what one has posted and the meaning in principle, that would be unethical, but a simple mistake I will certainly help out.

 

Same goes for everyone.

 

On topic, as much as I am for inclusion and want to see people represented in media, playing as someone who's handicapped is problematic for a video game. And as @The Blackangel, even then that attempt such things, it rarely done well. I remember the pretentious disaster that was "The Quite Man" from a few years ago.

 

 

The only game I've played that get's right right was was Hellblade: Sauna's Sacrifice where play as someone who is severely mentally ill, if that counts. Other than that, it might work better in a integrative narrative style similar to Life is Strange or Tell me Why. In fact, I think Dontnod may be the only developer I'd trust to get this right, so if anyone else was to try it, I'd like it to be them.

Edited September 4, 2021 by Shagger

[Heatman]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:47 AM, The Blackangel said:

I....need a proofreader.

If you are going to pay well, I'd be submitting my application for the job 😂. 

Don't fret it mate, it's something that's very normal when it comes to trying to catch up with a long fast flowing discussion.