6 Best Open-World Games With Middle-Aged Protagonists

Most open-world games will feature a young and plucky protagonist whose naivety and lack of knowledge of the world around them allows them to learn more about their environments alongside the player. However, some developers have instead decided to make their protagonists a little older, making them much wiser and more experienced as a result, which can be a nice breath of fresh air in the open-world market.

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Having a middle-aged protagonist also means they almost always have plenty of fascinating stories to tell, along with an intriguing backstory that can be revealed throughout the game. Younger heroes may have been the go-to for video games back in the 90s and 2000s, but these days, a protagonist can be anyone who’s brave enough to explore the big and games-biggest-maps/”>expansive open-world set out before them, with these games and characters below being prime examples of this.

6 Dead Rising 4

Frank West (Age: 52)

When Frank first appeared in the original Dead Rising, he was games-that-let-you-play-as-a-journalist/”>a fun and bubbly journalist who only cared about one thing; getting the latest scoop. After finding himself trapped inside a mall packed full of flesh-hungry zombies though, he manages to barely escape with his life intact, becoming a very different person by the time he next appears. When Frank shows back up in Dead Rising 4, he still retains his endless charisma and cheeky one-liners that he’s become so well-known for, but the mall outbreak has also clearly had an effect on him.

Frank is shown to be very pragmatic, and a little too obsessed with containing the outbreak, which often puts him at odds with other characters like Vick. Dead Rising 4’s open world is a lot bigger than previous games, being packed full of fun activities to participate in and, of course, a plethora of makeshift weapons and items that Frank can use to help take down the zombie hordes.

Big Boss (Age: 49)

By the time Big Boss shows up in Metal Gear Solid 5, it’s fair to say that he’s been through quite the emotional rollercoaster throughout his life. After being forced to kill his own mentor in Operation Snake Eater and gradually avoiding a nuclear war from kicking off in Operation Peace Walker, Boss had become a living legend and a shining role model for soldiers all across the world. Before he becomes the big bad villain seen in Metal Gear though, Boss is sent on one final escapade in Metal Gear Solid 5 to develop Mother Base and enact revenge on the mysterious organization who took everything from him nine years ago.

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As players explore the open worlds based in Afghanistan and Africa during their playthrough, they’ll be tasked with seeking out useful soldiers, equipment, and even animals which can all be sent back to Mother Base to help out with the mission. The variety in the environments helps to keep the game fresh from beginning to end, and the gunplay is some of the best ever seen in an open-world title. Although there is a pretty big twist at the end of the game, the fact that the character assumes the role of Big Boss and possesses mostly all of his attributes and skills still means it might as well be him in the flesh who’s playing the leading role.

4 Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Ichiban & Kiryu (Age: 42 & 50)

While Infinite Wealth is an RPG at its core, it does still feature two pretty massive open-world areas in the form of Yokohama, a sprawling city set in the dense streets of Japan, and Honolulu, a lush and luxurious Hawaiian getaway. As would be expected from a game in this long-running franchise, both these areas are packed full of side-activites and optional tasks to enjoy, and these are made all the more fun because of the two protagonists who play the leading roles; Ichiban and Kiryu. All the chaotic adventures Kiryu has been through have made him a stoic and wise older man who’s also shown to be very introspective because of his sudden illness.

Ichiban on the other hand, despite only being a few years younger than Kiryu, is as excitable and vibrant as ever, always looking for a new adventure to take part in. Lucky for him, Infinite Wealth is sprawling with things to do, and when paired with an excellent turn-based combat system and a large cast of lovable characters, it’s no wonder why the game is already so beloved by fans of the series.

3 Assassin’s Creed Revelations

Ezio Auditore da Firenze (Age: 50)

There’s a reason why Ezio is often considered to be one of the greatest protagonists of all time, and it’s because of how believable and well-written his character arc is throughout his respective games. Starting out as somewhat of a spoiled playboy in Assassin’s Creed 2, Ezio comes to take on the responsibility of becoming an assassin after the death of his father and brother by the end of the game. In Brotherhood, he’s a lot more mature but still has that tongue-in-cheek edge to him, but when Revelations rolls around, Ezio is shown to be much older and more dedicated to his mission of learning the secrets of the hidden library.

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Still, while he may be in his 50s when he arrives in Constantinople at the beginning of Revelations, he’s still just as dangerous as ever, and if anything, is even more formidable in combat now than he’s ever been. Speaking of Constantinople, the beautiful Turkish city is a lot bigger than the smaller open areas that appeared in previous games, and thanks to the improved parkour system, navigating across this gorgeous environment is a ton of fun.

2 Grand Theft Auto 5

Michael/Trevor (Age: 48 & 49)

Because Michael and Trevor are quite a few years older than games-with-multiple-perspectives/”>Grand Theft Auto 5′s third protagonist Franklin, it leads to some hilarious and even emotional scenes being shared between the three. Both Michael and Trevor did a lot of things when they were younger that they aren’t too proud of, and as a result, they’re always trying to warn Franklin about not following in their footsteps, while at the same time, being dragged back into their past lives over the course of the story.

While Grand Theft Auto 5 does have a very humorous tone to it with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, there is a very personal story to both Trevor and Franklin which revolves around their dissatisfaction with everyday life. Their constant hunger for thrills and excitement compliments the vast open world of Los Santos, which is one of the most visually stunning and content-rich environments ever seen in a video game.

1 Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan (Age: 36)

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game full of memorable and iconic characters, but at the heart of the narrative and its central themes is games-best-playable-characters/”>Arthur, a man who tries to redeem his past sins after living the life of an outlaw. Arthur’s loyalty to his mentor started back when Dutch van der Linde rescued him while he was still a young delinquent with nothing to lose. Ever since, he’s been following Dutch’s every order, which often involves a lot of killing and stealing, but Arthur slowly comes to realize that this is no way to live, and instead dedicates himself to helping others escape by the end of the game.

Arthur also slowly begins to open up about his past life as he interacts with more people throughout the story, mentioning his late son who he loved dearly, and his father, whom he seems to have a deep underlying hatred for. As players assume control of Arthur, they’ll be free to explore a vast open-world at their leisure, with hundreds of NPCs and side-missions to seek out which complement the already outstanding main storyline. There’s a lot to love about Red Dead Redemption 2, but Arthur’s character and the emotional personal journey he goes through take the experience to a whole new level for a lot of people.

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