Video games have a way of uniting us in one way or another. They can bring together people from diverse backgrounds with the ability to connect over our shared interests. After all, what is more human than the need to relax and unwind after a long, hard day? The type of media we consume, whether books, TV shows, or video games, should represent the type of world we want to see.
In an effort to highlight titles that feature substantial and well-developed Black main characters, I omitted all games with a character creation menu. I have also avoided the fighting games where there are 30+ characters, and three Black characters got thrown in. With all that being said, this is a fantastic list of some of the best games featuring Black main characters.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
We couldn’t start a list without the game that truly sparked my love for video games. GTA: San Andreas is an action/adventure game we all know and love. CJ Johnson and the Grove Street gang introduced me to the vast universe of open-world gaming, and I never looked back. If you don’t get “two number 9s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45s, one with cheese, and a large soda” with Big Smoke, are you even living?
Prototype 2
Prototype 2 is another action/adventure game where you play as Sergeant James Heller, who can shapeshift and assume other people’s identities. Players move through three distinct zones with a new batch of shape-shifting powers that you can mix and match to meet your needs.
Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer survival horror game where one player takes on the role of a Killer and the other four players act as Survivors. My first foray into horror games, Dead by Daylight, is spooky and gory. As for Black characters, there is Claudette Morel, David Tapp, Adam Francis, Elodie Rakoto, and Gabriel Soma, in the Survivors option list – who vary only in appearance – and The Wraith, The Hag, The Doctor, and The Houndmaster in the Killer options list, who have unique abilities. As a Survivor, you must restart five of seven generators scattered throughout the map before the Killers find and, well, kill you.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is an action role-playing game that follows six playable characters. With the unique Ouroboros linking feature, characters can fuse together to create larger, more invincible forms. If you love anime story cliches, you are in for a treat with lengthy cutscenes and delightful dialogue.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an action/adventure shooter game that lets you play as one of eight members of the Suicide Squad, including Deadshot. When playing solo, players can switch between Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark. Multi-player mode lets you choose which character you want to play. Full disclosure, I turned to this game after watching Peacemaker and wanted more Waller in my life while I awaited the second season.
Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats To Match-3 To
Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats To Match-3 To is a puzzle adventure game made by indie developer Soft Not Weak, available on Steam. The colorful graphics pair beautifully with the Lo-Fi music. You play as Samar, a Spirit Swapper who has to find out why spirits are flooding your town. You do this via Swapping, matching rows and columns of colorful spirit blocks. Gamers have likened this game to being a puzzle game, a visual novel, and a dating sim all in one.
FragPunk
FragPunk is a first-person shooter that showcases a fun, vibrant art style. You pick one of 13 Lancers, based on ability. Broker boasts skill damage, vision control, and trap placement while being a maverick financial genius, a natural-born leader, and a fervent fan of fireworks and explosions. On one hand, it’s a tactical shooter, and on the other hand, it’s a frantic experience allowing you to select game modifiers to create bizarre, hilarious, and sometimes completely broken mechanics.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is an action/adventure game that is the 14th installment in the Assassin’s Creed series. Yasuke is one of the playable samurai in this dual protagonist storyline. For Assassin’s Creed lovers, this feudal Japan setting is as fun as it is beautiful. Gamers have said they even spent the first few hours walking in-game and looking at scenery.
South of Midnight: A Journey into Southern Folklore
South of Midnight: A Journey into Southern Folklore is an action/adventure game set in the fictionalized American Deep South. You play as Hazel, a young woman searching for her mother after a hurricane wrecked their town. The last of the Weavers, Hazel can wield magic to see through the material plane into a world shrouded in shadow and spiritual essence. The story has been lauded as “epic,” and one reviewer even said they would walk into a theater to watch the story in movie form if it were available.
F1 25
F1 25 is a racing simulation based on the 2025 Formula One and Formula Two championships. Credited with furthering Formula One’s global support by appealing to a broader audience, it’s no surprise Sir Lewis Hamilton has been on the cover so many times. Those who love racing games will love the track maps, reverse tracks, improved MyTeam feature, and new Decal Editor. EA’s path tracing and use of LIDAR are sure to make for a more immersive experience.
Civilization VII
Civilization VII is a 4X turn-based strategy game. You can now choose Harriet Tubman to lead your civilization in the list of commanders. Lovers of the previous Civilization games will appreciate the warfare overhaul. Via its three-Age system – Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern – each phase now holds its own set of victory conditions. This one is sure to win the hearts of both veterans and newcomers.
Directive 8020
Directive 8020 is a survival horror game as part of The Dark Pictures Anthology. Two Black main characters, Brianna Young and Nolan Stafford – voiced by Lashana Lynch and Danny Sapani, respectively – are included in the cast of five that the player can choose to play as. In this sequel, the Cassiopeia astronauts are trying to find a new world for humanity. As a horror game lover, this one is on my wish list!
There were so many games I wanted to include in this list, but I aimed to only bring you the best. From action adventure to turn-based strategy, there’s surely a game in this list that appeals to you. Representation matters in all forms of media, and video games are no exception. Whether you’re looking for new games to play or want to be more intentional about your game choices, this list of Black main characters is sure to appeal to all types of gamers!
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