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Video Games And The Hero’s Journey

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Last night, I was a hero. I led brothers-in-arms to victory against a formidable foe. It wasn’t easy. Life, death and the fate of the universe were on the line. I got shot and even died a few times. At times, all odds seemed against me, but I led my army to victory in the end.

No, this isn’t a metaphor for spiritual warfare. I was playing video games.

Does that sound pathetic? If not, it might after you learn that I’m in my 30s with a pregnant wife, two dogs, a Ph.D. and a mortgage. My life has all the telltale signs of adulthood. I’m a responsible, educated, married man, but I still felt like a hero last night in a way that I seldom do. Of course, the feeling vanished 30 seconds after I turned off my Xbox. Then I had to take out the trash. By the time I got back in the house, I was no longer The Man Who Saved the World.

The naysayers and worried mothers of the world write off video games as nothing but time-suckage for a generation with short attention spans, but there’s something else at work. Video games now make more money than movies or music. The industry has spawned multimillon-dollar companies dedicated to creating new software and hardware to keep up with the hunger for something new. But technology isn’t the only driving force behind games. Gamers also want good stories and compelling characters. A little yellow guy gobbling up dots doesn’t cut it anymore. Game companies recruit writers, even best-selling novelists such as Clive Barker, to create characters and plotlines with complexity and depth. Their job is to make the gamer feel like a hero, whether a gun-wielding vigilante, a superstar athlete or a hedgehog with superior jumping skills. People don’t play video games just to light up their bored synapses; they do it to become someone extraordinary.

Joseph Campbell, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces , describes the classic hero cycle as a process of transformation. A man or woman is in the midst of an ordinary life when a crisis disrupts their world and takes them someplace faraway. In this new, bizarre, often frightening place, they go through trials, gain wisdom and learn new skills. They use these new abilities to confront evil. If they emerge victorious, they return home a more mature person with new responsibilities. They return a hero. You see this in the life of Moses, David, St. Paul and, the ultimate hero, Jesus. The hero cycle also shows up in the myths of antiquity—from Gilgamesh to Perseus—and most great literature—from Crime and Punishment to The Lord of the Rings. And it’s hard to imagine a popular film that doesn’t include the hero’s journey. Everything from Sideways to Star Wars features a hero struggling, changing and growing, whether they’re touring vineyards or blowing up death stars.

The classic hero cycle also fits the storyline of every video game I’ve played. In Halo , it’s another routine day for Master Chief until The Covenant attack, changing everything he knows about the universe. Lara Croft is doing research in a library when a stranger arrives with a compelling mystery. Half-Life’s Gordon is working on his doctorate at MIT when The Combine invades, turning him into the geek version of James Bond. And don’t get me started about the Marine in Doom 3 . He’s just a typical grunt on Mars before the minions of hell get an attitude, and he keeps them in line with a shotgun and a rocket launcher. Now that’s spiritual warfare.

The games I mentioned are violent, but to a purpose. The combat highlights the suffering, sacrifice and conflict that create a hero. Video games write the hero story in bold capital letters. There’s little subtlety and no mistaking that the main character’s job is to save the world. Yes, there are plenty of games, like Manhunt and the Grand Theft Auto series, where violence is an end in itself. But, most of the time, the violence serves to remind us that the stakes are high. Life and death are on the line.

It’s exactly what we need. We need to see the consequences of evil and the rewards of bravery. We need an opportunity to save the world. We need to be reminded who a hero is and what a hero does, because our own heroic journey is much harder to observe and define. Our chance to be a hero comes at home, school and work. The challenges we face show up in relationships and responsibilities. The real heroic journey is hard to see because it’s slow and the stakes don’t seem high. We feel ordinary and boring. We don’t see how small decisions, like letting someone else take a parking space or being patient with a person who annoys us, have grand consequences in our formation as a hero for God.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings , Frodo says, “Take any [tale] you’re fond of. You may know, or guess, what kind of a tale it is, happy-ending or sad-ending, but the people in it don’t know.” True heroes don’t realize they’re being heroic. They don’t see that they’re on a path that will change them and everyone around them. They often feel inconsequential and alone. They don’t see their deeds as having divine, eternal consequences. Yet, if they act with courage and honor in even the smallest of matters, they’re heroes.

The great stories—whether in a book, a movie or a video game—remind us of our heroism. They give us insurmountable odds and dire consequences as a dark backdrop that makes the heroism easier to see. But if we pay attention, they remind us that we’re called to our own heroic struggle. A book, a movie or a video game can help us recover a clear perspective on our own heroic quest. We can remember that we are in a battle that’s more important and more difficult than the toughest first-person shooter you’ve ever played. We’re called to be like Christ, to be a hero, in a fallen world. Fighting the gigantic demon at the end of Doom 3 is a cakewalk compared to loving your neighbor as yourself. Overcoming fears about relationships, finances and career is far more difficult than rounding a dark corner in a video game. But a heroic story, even a video game, reminds us of our calling in real life. Some people use video games to escape life, but I think most people play them to remind them of the hero they’re meant to be.

Video games are safer than life because we know the game will have a happy ending. And if you make a mistake, you can start over. Real life seems more frightening, but it shouldn’t. God has promised us a happy ending, and He’s always willing to give us a second chance.

So, go play a video game. See, you’re a hero, but you might have forgotten what it feels like. Spend a couple hours remembering. Blow away some monsters and save the world. Maybe it was a spiritual metaphor when I felt like hero last night. Maybe God wanted me to remember who I really am: I’m a hero, and so are you.

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the hero's journey in video games

The Hero’s Journey and Monomyth: Does it work for all games?

Monomyth and the hero's journey in video games

Game Development

Monomyth. Image: Billy Dent

When a cartoonish bat monster called me a ‘qualling beef-witted miscreant’, I felt the knife of shame cut deep, but I pressed forward with the wisdom of my TV-headed mentor echoing in my heart – “My friends love me”. Those bats might have called me a pompous bone box (and perhaps there’s a sliver of truth to that), but their words couldn’t stop me from claiming the elixir I needed in order to… well, the reasons were unclear.

Still, I had been called to adventure and I wouldn’t back down. 

If you’re a seasoned veteran of critical literary analysis (or if you read the title), you may have already recognized a famous narrative structure at work. During my time with Monomyth , featured during Parallels: the Freeplay 2021 Showcase , I had been heckled by bats, guided by a TV mentor and I was apparently seeking a nebulous, but undoubtedly magical, elixir. These are all classic stages in the Hero’s Journey, and according to proponents of the theory, they have occurred in every story humanity has told throughout the years. 

Monomyth hero's journey

I spoke with Jacqueline Moran – a PhD student who has written her thesis on the Monomyth in video games – to gain a more solid understanding of the Hero’s Journey. As it turns out, popular understanding of the Hero’s Journey is rife with misattribution and unclear details. A cursory search for information might tell you that the Hero’s Journey is Joseph Campbell’s narrative structure in which a protagonist goes through 12 linear stages that form a story, but many of these details are inaccurate.

The Hero’s Journey is often attributed to Joseph Campbell, who instead identified commonalities in numerous myths, folktales and rituals, which led to him conceive the concept of the Monomyth. 

When I asked about the origins of the Hero’s Journey, Moran told me, “Everyone who talks about the Hero’s Journey always bring up Campbell’s name. But I think so much of it is Chrisopher Vogler, who broke it down into those really clear 12 stages” .

The Monomyth became the source of inspiration for Christopher Vogler who, as Moran explained, coined and popularised the Hero’s Journey, a clear 12-stage structure that could be used as a guide for screenwriters, helping them to write and analyse narratives more efficiently within film and television.

Created by Billy Dent, Monomyth is a beat-for-beat recounting of Vogler’s 12-stage model of the Hero’s Journey. To provide a little more context, here are those stages for you:

  • Ordinary World
  • Call to Adventure
  • Refusal of the Call
  • Meeting with the Mentor
  • Crossing the First Threshold
  • Tests, Allies & Enemies
  • Approach to the Inmost Cave
  • The Road Back
  • The Resurrection
  • Return with the Elixir

Film and literature are the most common forms of media to receive critique through the lens of Vogler’s model of the Hero’s Journey. Films like the original Star Wars trilogy, Moana, or even Shrek are a fairly clear beat-for-beat example of the Hero’s Journey, while books like The Hobbit or The Name of The Wind similarly follow the narrative structure. 

Monomyth hero's journey

Video games, on the other hand, are quite a different form of media in comparison to films or literature. They’re interactive, and that presents a whole new set of possibilities and challenges when it comes to following a step-by-step narrative structure. Obviously, some games can follow the Hero’s Journey, but it’s supposed to be the universal myth. So the question I had to ask was…

Can every video game fulfill the Hero’s Journey?  

Games like Harvest Moo n, Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing present a clear obstacle, as they have little in the way of true plot, and the narrative is largely player-defined. But while Vogler’s 12-stage Hero’s Journey isn’t an obvious fit, we can find the answer in Joseph Campbell’s original model of the Monomyth. 

When I asked Moran, she described Campbell’s model a s “based around the idea that there’s a goal at the centre of the hero’s journey, and the entire hero’s journey is just trying to get there, whether you succeed or fail.”

Rather than a rigid 12-stage linear model, Campbell’s model is “being defined by what the goal is, rather than defining the Hero’s Journey according to the events that happened.” With this in mind, the interactive nature of video games gives us another way to fulfill the Hero’s Journey.

When we play a non-linear game like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing , the narrative is player-defined. We may not have an end-state enforced by the game, but most people will play these games with a goal in mind, an objective they wish to complete. 

The idea of hero's journey can apply to Stardew Valley.

Perhaps you want to complete the Community centre in Stardew Valley , or create an island with only cat villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons .

In defining your goal, evaluating the game and how you can work to achieve it, you are undertaking your own form of a Hero’s Journey according to Campbell’s model, even if your goal in playing the game is just to have fun.

So really, every game can fulfil the Hero’s Journey. 

This guided me to two realizations. First, Vogler’s 12-stage linear Hero’s Journey is a blessing for video game creators, as it’s a structure designed specifically to create compelling narratives. It has a built-in framework that guides pacing, and it practically guarantees a coherent narrative. 

Campbell’s Monomyth model is also applicable to games, particularly ones without strong narratives, but it’s also applicable to life in general.

All that Campbell’s model truly requires is a goal, and for the protagonist to take actions driven and defined by that goal. In games, a goal is provided by a developer or the player, and is vital in giving us a reason to play. In life, goals are just as vital, no matter how large or small they are.

The hero's journey can also apply to Animal Crossing

So, if you’re designing a new house for yourself in Minecraft , you’re committing to exercising more often, or even if you’re trying not to cry because a cartoon bat in a game said you were nothing like Tifa Lockhart, you’re answering the call to adventure of your very own Hero’s Journey. 

…And what does that bat know anyway? You probably punch really good, and look cool in suspenders, and you could join an ecological resistance movement if you really wanted t- .

This piece was commissioned as part of the 2021  Wordplay games writing mentorship program , a partnership between GamesHub and Melbourne International Games Week. Special thanks to mentors Dan Golding, Rae Johnson, Brendan Keogh, Alice Clarke, Jini Maxwell, and Edmond Tran.

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the hero's journey in video games

Percy Ranson

Percy Ranson is a non-binary writer based in Melbourne. They have no choice but to critically analyse their favourite media, due to years of gaming, theatre, and Creative Art studies. They can be found on Twitter at @Manarethan

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How Games take the Player through The Hero’s Journey: Part 1 – Departure

On this blog I mostly write about games. I love playing games, but that is only one of my passions. Other than games, my biggest hobby is watching films. I have written some articles in the past that combine these two loves, such as analyzing Ready Player One from a game design perspective or looking at two categories of games I like to refer to as “movies” and “toys” . But, in the nearly two years that this blog has been running I have never taken the time to analyze the difference between these two mediums in terms of storytelling.

To do this, I am going to be taking a look at an ancient storytelling structure known as The Hero’s Journey. If you have ever read a book, watched a movie or heard a fairytale, you are probably already familiar with the Hero’s Journey, even if you don’t know it. The Hero’s Journey has been around for thousands of years, and this structure has been used in countless stories throughout the ages.

In this article and the next I am going to be looking at the Hero’s Journey in depth, but I’ll start off with a brief summary. Although this story structure has been around for thousands of years, the term “The Hero’s Journey”, and the 17 steps were codified by literature professor Joseph Campbell in his 1949 book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”.

herowithathousandfaces

Many of my favorite films of all time use this structure, ranging from The Odyssey to The Lord of the Rings, and even more modern stories such as Iron Man. However, there is probably no film that provides a better example of The Hero’s Journey than Star Wars: A New Hope. George Lucas was a student of Joseph Campbell’s, and when writing the script for the original Star Wars he hit every single point on the list. Because of this, Star Wars will be the primary film used for comparison in these next three articles.

Like any storytelling medium, games are also capable of telling stories that use The Hero’s Journey structure. The thing that sets games apart from any other medium, however, is the way that they make the player feel like they are going through this journey. The Hero’s Journey story structure is one that naturally resonates with people, and one that every player experiences with pretty much every new game that they play.

How do games make players feel like they are going through The Hero’s Journey? To answer this question, in these next few articles I am going to be looking at all 17 stages of the Hero’s Journey, show how it is used in film, and then show how games take players through that experience.

Note: Some stories may not use all 17 steps, and occasionally some of the steps are combined or presented is a different order. The order I am listing them is the order they were presented in Campbell’s book, but may not hold for every story.

Stage 1 – Call to Adventure

The first step of The Hero’s Journey is designed to transport the hero from their normal, mundane life in the real world to a fantastic new world of adventure. This step usually involves an event known as the “inciting incident” that forces the hero to abandon their ordinary life and go on an extraordinary quest.

Bilbo_meets_Gandalf

In the Star Wars example, the Call to Adventure comes when Luke finds R2D2 and C3PO in the desert and receives R2D2’s message from Princess Leia. This event spurs him on to find Obi-Wan Kenobi and kicks off the entire Star Wars saga. Without this call to action, Luke may have remained a humble moisture farmer for the rest of his life, but this life-changing event calls him to become something more.

Similarly, many games themselves contain Calls to Adventure, ranging from Navi waking Link at the beginning of Ocarina of Time to Kratos being attacked by Baldur spurring on the events of the new God of War. However, in some ways the game itself could also be considered a Call to Adventure. Simply by choosing to play a game, players are choosing to step away from their ordinary lives and enter the imaginative world of the game. The Call to Adventure is not just for the character, but for the player as well.

Stage 2 –Refusal of the Call

After receiving the Call to Adventure, sometimes the hero would prefer to stay in their ordinary lives rather than go on a journey into an unknown world. This refusal may be due to fear, satisfaction with their lives, or believing that they are not worthy of the task. The hero tries to go back to their normal routine, but find themselves unable to. Maybe they simply have trouble resisting the call, or perhaps some event occurs that changes their mind and causes them to embark upon the adventure.

In Star Wars, Luke originally refuses to go with Obi-Wan and save Princess Leia. It is only after the Storm Troopers burn down his house and kill his Aunt and Uncle that Luke decides he must join Obi-Wan and fight the empire.

There are a few ways this refusal could be represented in games. If the desire to play the game is the Call to Adventure, there are many reasons why players would refuse to heed this call. For example, there are numerous games that I have been wary of playing because I know that if I begin I will spend all my time on it for weeks and not get much else done.

Another example could be refusing the call of the main quest-line. I often do this in open-world games – I may be presented with the primary quest right away, but I usually spend the early parts of the game doing various side-quests and becoming acquainted with the world before I progress any further.

Step 3 – Supernatural Aid

After the hero decides to embark upon the quest, the hero will meet a person or people that will help them along their journey. This person will provide the player with knowledge and items that they will use to complete their quest. This stage is also commonly referred to as “meeting the mentor”. Usually the mentor takes the form of a wise, elderly individual that can grant the player useful advice and guidance.

In Star Wars, this stage occurs in a somewhat different position, as he actually meets Obi-Wan before he actually refuses the call. Obi-Wan tells him about the Jedi, some lies about his father (or perhaps not, from a certain point of view), and offers him his father’s lightsaber. However, it is not until after his Aunt and Uncle were killed that Luke accepts the offer and begins his journey with Obi-Wan.

220px-It's_dangerous_to_go_alone!_Take_this.

In the meta-story of video games, this stage consists of the early parts of the game in which the player is becoming familiar with the mechanics and world of the game, AKA the tutorial portion. During this time the game explicitly or implicitly provides the player with the items and knowledge that they need to undergo their journeys.

Stage 4 – Crossing the First Threshold

Once the hero has been properly prepared for the dangers ahead of her, she must take the first steps forward into a new and unknown world. To do so, the hero will break boundaries that they have never broken before, and that they may have never even realized existed. This stage is the hero’s first introduction to the world of the adventure, and helps illustrate the stark contrast between the normal, mundane life they are leaving behind with the dark and dangerous new world they are entering.

For Luke, the threshold crossing moment comes when he travels with Obi-Wan to the Mos Eisley spaceport. This spaceport is described as “a wretched hive of scum and villainy”, and is shown to be very dirty, crowded, and full of rude and dangerous individuals. This is in stark contrast to the relatively isolated and peaceful moisture desert that Luke had been inhabiting up until this point.

For games, this is the moment that it “gets real”. Specifically, the threshold moment in games can be seen as the moment when the game makes the switch from trying to teach you how to play to actually testing your skills. The tutorial is over, and now it is up to you to use your wits and abilities to make your own path forward.

Stage 5 – Belly of the Whale

In this stage the hero encounters the first real challenge or danger of their journey. This first obstacle represent the final and complete separation of the hero from her previous life, and shows her willingness to face adversity for the sake of the quest. It also represents the beginning of the change that will happen within the hero as they go through their journey.

In Star Wars, the Belly of the Whale could be represented by the Mos Eisley Cantina. It is here that Luke begins to realize just how much danger he is taking on by embarking on this quest. Here Luke meets Han Solo and Chewbacca, and hire them as pilots to help them rescue Princess Leia. During this process Luke and Obi-Wan end up dealing with aggressive aliens, Stormtroopers, and ruthless bounty hunters that are all trying to kill them or otherwise prevent them from completing their quest.  However, the gang is able to overcome these obstacles and escape in the Millenium Falcon, bound for Alderaan to rescue the Princess.

dark-souls-3-iudex-gundyr

In games, this is the first obstacle that truly challenges the player and makes them work to overcome it. This could be a particularly difficult puzzle, a level that jumps up in difficulty, or the first boss battle that the player struggles to defeat. Up until this point it had been relatively smooth sailing, but after this point the player knows what they are up against, and they know that the challenges ahead are only going to get worse before they get better.

Until Next Time!

That is all I have for this week. If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the blog and subscribe on Facebook , Twitter , or here on WordPress so you will always know when I post a new article. If you didn’t, let me know what I can do better in the comments down below.  And join me next week, for the second act of the Hero’s Journey – Initiation.

If you haven’t seen it already, I recently began work on a project called “The Game Designer’s Dictionary”, where I am attempting to compile a reference list of gaming and game design terms, phrases and acronyms. It is very much a work in progress, and I would appreciate any help I can get. Please let me know if you have any ideas for new words to add, better formatting, or other changes that could be improved about the page. Thanks!

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Posted by: Caleb Compton

I am the Head Designer of Rempton Games, and primary writer for the Rempton games blog. I am currently a graduate student in computer science at Kansas State University, and work on game designs every spare moment that I can.

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Excellent analysis! You certainly know your Campbell and I thank you for breaking it up into easier-to-read steps because the original text can be difficult to grasp. He bounces a lot between different stories.

Using “Star Wars” is a great device and I’m doing it too as going through the Hero’s Journey. My inspiration is because SW is a blend of Western and Eastern mythology and philosophy. But you’re right, even more contemporary stories like “Iron Man” can be a Hero’s Journey. Or the hero doesn’t even have to be human: Little Foot from “Land Before Time” also has his “fellowship” to join him on his quest.

“You are slightly braver than other hobbits. Wanna fight a dragon?” Ha ha! So true. Bilbo is charming in his role as he seems to stumble along his journey. I’d say he turns out all right but knowing the ring has influenced him (and not for the good) into his old age concerns me.

Thank you very much for your comments, and I’m glad you liked the article! I think that the Hobbit is an interesting case because we see Bilbo undergo his own journey, but we later see the long-lasting consequences that these types of adventures can have on their heroes. The same can be said for The Last Jedi – we like to think of our heroes as perfect people able to overcome any obstacle, but these difficult challenges would leave a toll on anybody after the journey is over

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The 25 best heroes in games of all-time

Of all the video game heroes we've come to know and love, here are the top 25 most memorable

Best video game heroes

When it comes to the best heroes in video games, we're talking about some truly iconic characters. Some of them we love for their idiosyncratic gruffness and brawn, like Geralt from The Witcher 3 , while others are utterly unforgettable for their flash character design if we're talking about the likes of Bayonetta. The best protagonists stay with you long after you beat the final boss and watch the credits roll, and for myriad reasons.

But what makes these 25 heroes so iconic? Maybe they taught us something about the world we live in, helped us through a pretty tough spot, or just did something to one of the best villains in video games that was so badass we just can't forget it. Whatever they do and whoever they are, we think these characters deserve a spot among the greats as gaming's most legendary cohort of good guys. We could go into more detail, but it's probably best to jump straight in with our picks of the 25 best heroes in video games.   

25. Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog series) 

Developer: Sega

Sonic is a champion. He stands up for the little guy and frees the oppressed from the clutches of a genocidal maniac. He's eco-friendly, a natural leader, and uses his superspeed for altruism across space and time. Sonic doesn't even ask for anything in return, although he wouldn't say no to a chili dog or two. And above all, he always manages to keep such a positive outlook - the trait that no doubt inspired lifelong loyalty from Tails, Knuckles, and the whole gang of anthropomorphic animal pals. People may still debate Mario versus Sonic, but no matter where you stand, you have to agree that the blue blur deserves to be on this list. 

24. Guybrush Threepwood (Monkey Island series) 

Developer: Lucasfilm Limited

Few video game heroes get their names botched as often as Guybrush Threepwood, but that doesn't stop him from pursuing his dream of becoming a mighty pirate, nor risking his life to save his lady love. Making his video game debut in The Secret of Monkey Island, he didn't exactly make a good first impression with the governor Elaine, but he managed to win us (and her) over with his charm and youthful exuberance. He's not only an unlikely pirate, but also an unlikely hero. Through the series he's grown and matured, but we'll always remember him as the eager, young man with simple dreams, whose only goal was to become a swashbuckling pirate. 

23. Gordon Freeman (Half-Life series) 

Developer: Valve

How does a character without a single line of dialogue become so iconic? Easy. In Half-Life, and especially Half-Life 2, you don't play Gordon Freeman. Gordon Freeman plays you. That's the narrative genius of Valve's sequel. Among the fantastic characterization, the affecting writing, the brilliant performances, there's a very clever thread of pacing, thematic escalation, and carefully curated emotional stimulus that slowly, steadily encourages the player to imprint themselves upon Gordon completely. Never breaking from first-person, and barely ever taking away control, Half-Life 2 ensures that you experience every moment, from wide-eyed, terrified stranger in a strange land, to steadily empowered transgressor, to rebel and leader. This many years on, the game's structure and intensification represent a still-unbettered deftness and understanding of the player experience, creating in Freeman one of the most welcoming, receptive, and unobtrusive vessels for the player id ever put in an FPS.  

22. Bayek (Assassin's Creed Origins) 

Developer: Ubisoft

What makes Bayek such a great character is his humanity. He's an actual person outside of his Assassin role - a father, a lover, a friend, and an adversary. As you explore ancient Egypt with Bayek, it becomes clear that he's part of the world, bumping into old buddies and sparking off against people he's had a grudge with in the past. His personal story is both beautiful and heartbreaking, and his wit and conversation adds a genuine warmth to almost every interaction. It all makes Assassin's Creed Origins feel like you're living Bayek's life, not just ticking off a series of fetch and carry quests, and Ubisoft deserves massive credit for that. 

21. Clementine (The Walking Dead series)  

Developer: Telltale Games

Kids can be irritating, annoying, wonderful bundles of unexpected humanity and warmth. Clementine is all of those things. Yes, as a kid she's even annoying (remember her putting that bug on Duck's pillow? Very mature, Clem). Even before the zombie apocalypse really sunk in, she was a mature child, her time spent with Lee turning her into a moral compass for the foreseeable future. Clementine's greatest strength is that no matter how many times she sees those she loves die (and then rapidly reanimate), she still gets up each morning. Not that she spends her time picking flowers and trying to make everybody get along. Optimism for her doesn't mean that she sees the good in everyone. She's more inclined to be suspicious of newcomers, showing us a different kind of hero - one who perseveres for the right reasons, but not necessarily always in the right way.  

20. 2B (Nier: Automata) 

Developer: PlatinumGames

Nier: Automata heroine 2B begins the game as a relatively boring character - she's a no-nonsense battle android, always focused on the mission, and sees her enemies as mere things that need to be destroyed. But over the course of the game, she changes and becomes more forgiving, more accepting, and fights for a larger purpose than the one she was designed for. Her striking visual design has made her a favorite among fan artists and the cosplay community, while what she represents (individual freedom, life's capacity to continue in the face of annihilation, the breaking of cycles) resonates deeply with the game's central themes. 2B makes us question what it means to be human while swinging 10-foot swords and wearing a lolita-style dress, and that's worth some kudos. 

19. Samus Aran (Metroid series) 

Developer: Nintendo

Samus is a simple character: she kills aliens for money and she's very good at it. She's at her best when she's parsecs away from civilization, deep below the surface of a strange planet and surrounded by hostile creatures. The most compelling relationship she has is with Ridley, a fiendish dragon-thing whom Samus interacts with almost exclusively through recurring boss battles (her heartbreakingly brief surrogate motherhood for a baby metroid is a close second). Metroid games that explicitly characterize this enigmatic bounty hunter are universally weaker for it. Some people are defined by their careers, and that's fine for Samus. Love your job and you'll never work a day in your life. 

18. Bayonetta (Bayonetta series) 

Demon hunters are a dime a dozen, but Bayonetta stands out by killing angels and demons alike in increasingly bombastic and risque fashion. With lovely accent, martial arts expertise, puckish sense of humor, and unique style, it's hard not to want to follow Bayonetta wherever her dangerous missions may take her. Oh, and every time her hair/bodysuit morphs into a colossal creature from Hell, we just want to grab some popcorn and watch the carnage unfold. Never make the mistake of underestimating her - or as she so eloquently puts it, "Dont fuck with a witch." 

17. Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil series) 

Developer: Capcom

From rookie cop to Secret Service agent, few gaming characters have endured the constant crises that Leon's witnessed across Resident Evil 2, RE4, and RE6. He's experienced the Worst First Day at Work, the Worst Trip to Spain, and most recently, the Worst Trip to China. And through it all, he maintains not only perfect hair, but composure and raw endurance to match. Leon's ability to keep calm and shoot zombies is uncanny, as are his skills with a knife in that unforgettable duel against Krauser. 

16. The Boss (Saints Row series) 

Developer: Volition

There's no way the creators of Saints Row intended it from the beginning, but The Boss' journey from unaffiliated street tough to President of the United States (with a few dozen stops at the plastic surgeon along the way) is a perfect cartoon distillation of the American dream. The Boss began as a typical create-your-own silent protagonist, but starting in Saints Row 2, they developed a vicious-yet-vivacious personality of their own. Whether you pick the sultry French, zombie, or literally-just-Nolan-North voice option, The Boss' determination and fierce loyalty to friends anchor them as a surprisingly memorable protagonist throughout increasingly absurd situations. I'll never forget those car sing-a-longs we had. 

15. Link (The Legend of Zelda series) 

Humble beginnings, courage in the face the ultimate evils, and thankless rewards. For over 30 years, Link has taken the hero's journey, often starting as just an average boy then becoming an evil-vanquishing, green-garbed warrior of legend through a path of adventure and personal growth. Being the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, Link never backs down from a challenge, be it facing grotesque monsters, defeating ancient villains, or competing in rupee-gathering contests. Link is not only brave; he is the embodiment of the virtue of courage and heroism, single-handedly embarking on epic quests, helping those in need no matter how small the task, and showing his kind-hearted soul to everyone he meets. Link does all these things for little more reward than the occasional thank you. Then, after his job is done, he leaves those he saves and disappears until destiny calls up a new boy in green to find a sword and shield and go off to a new adventure.  

14. John Marston (Red Dead Redemption) 

Developer: Rockstar

John Marston is the cowboy we've always wanted in a video game. Like an Old Western Robin Hood, he joined a gang, stole from the rich, and gave to the poor - until he was left for dead by his own. He reformed his ways, becoming an honest-to-goodness family man, but he didn't let that transformation dull his edgy personality. John's always down for a little danger - sometimes even a little gambling - and the motivations for his gang-slayin' (and zombie-huntin') adventures are more pure than anything else in the Wild West. 

13. Joel (The Last of Us) 

Developer: Naughty Dog

Joel, arguably, is no kind of a hero at all, perhaps not even in his own mind. Forced to embark on his journey, and initially reluctant to protect - both traits stemming directly from horrific personal loss - he does not rise naturally to the role of fighter and defender. He's a burnt-out, angry man, shattered by an insane world, and all he wants is to be left alone. And when Ellie, and her unavoidable echoes of Joel's daughter, wakes up the protective side he's long been trying to bury, his response veers far from the romanticized ideal you might accept. Selfish, over-zealous, and deeply, deeply scared, Joel will fight to the death to protect Ellie. Joel will do anything for her, in fact. But when it comes to the bigger picture, ultimately he's still doing it all for himself, to heal his own wounds, not those of the world, and damn any one who tries to get in the way of that. That might not make him a hero in the traditional sense. It might even make him a villain. But it makes for a much more meaningful, much more human journey through the wilderness than the simplistic hero's journey most game would be happy to give us. If Joel was a better man, The Last of Us would be a much worse game.  

12. Master Chief (Halo series) 

Developer: Bungie

In many ways, Master Chief is a personality void - a super-soldier who typically represents himself with action, rather than words, and is rather dull if you isolate all his key scenes. It's what he represents that sets him apart. He's a figure of hope and reason when the whole universe is losing its head (and limbs), and he's the embodiment of humanity's will to succeed and survive among the stars. He's also a symbol of Xbox history and the embodiment of the respective talents of two major studios: Bungie and 343. So, no, he doesn't have a bunch of clever one-liners, and he isn't a quirky fish-out-of-water struggling to adapt to a horrifying world. He's a symbol, an icon, and a representative of the greatness of gaming - for that alone, he's in the top half of this list.  

11. Mario (Super Mario series) 

If there's one face who symbolizes games, it has to be Mario. Anyone who isn't into games would see his chubby, mustachioed face and automatically connect the dots to games - not to mention platforms, green tubes, and gold coins - without having ever played a game. Along with Donkey Kong and Pong, Mario is basically the father of the gaming industry, literally putting a face on the bleeps and bloops of home consoles and whiling away the hours sat crossed-legged in front of the TV. It's easy to see why: he's the guy saving the princesses, he's the plumber leaving the toilets behind and reaching for the mushrooms in order to save the Kingdom from Bowser - over and over again. He's repeatedly shown that even an everyday guy can be a hero, and although he's come a long way from his plumbing days, he's still a hero that can bring smiles to kids of all ages.  

10. Dante (Devil May Cry series)

Cocky, sarcastic, and confident: all apt descriptions of Capcom's half-demon hero. Dante's been charming us for over a decade (even in the regrettable Devil May Cry 2), whether it's in his own games or as cameos in others. And Dante's got the tight gameplay to match all that charisma, able to bust out ridiculous attack strings with his many outlandish weapons when controlled by the hands of the highly skilled. Whether it's Chibi-Dante (a la Viewtiful Joe on PS2), Marvel vs. Capcom Dante, or even the new-look Dante in DmC, he's a guy who you'll always have a hell of a time playing with. 

9. BJ Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein series) 

Developer: Muse Software

It takes a particular blend of careful writing and perfectly pitched performance to give real, emotional and philosophical soul to the hero of a game where you can shred mecha-Nazis with dual-wielded shotguns, but the modern Wolfenstein games ( The New Order and The New Colossus ) nail it. The key factor, really, is that unlike the vast majority of games, with their simplistic worship of heroism and victory, the modern Wolfensteins are fundamentally concerned with a hero who has already failed. By the time The New Order reaches its second mission, everything is lost. The Nazis have won, the world is theirs, and no resistance exists. Thus, without the traditional things to prove, without the traditional fears to stave off - because the worse has already happened - BJ Blazkowicz can reflect. He can ponder. He can muse on childhood traumas, as brutish evils in the modern world send echoes through his mind. He can fuel his crusade with a thin thread of light, spiralling abstractly from whatever personal hopes and dreams he can still muster belief in. The modern Wolfensteins are as much about the man as the mission, and you'll be aware of him with every shot you fire, hanging just on the edge of hope, his every near-defeated monologue motivating you to hold on just that little bit longer.

8. Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed series) 

There are few video game characters that we have the honor of sharing life with for the entirety of their existence, from the moment of their birth through to their passing. But over the course of three games (and one animated short), we witness Ezio grow from helpless babe to master assassin, tracing every step of his character development along the way. We see him enjoying life in Florence as a carefree adolescent, experiencing the trauma of his own family being unjustly executed by templars, finding purpose in the creed, fighting the good fight as a young man in Rome, hitting a midlife crisis as he searches for answers in Constantinople, before starting his own family and finding bittersweet peace as a sagely elder in the heart of the Italian countryside. Thank you, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, it's been an absolute pleasure. 

7. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider series) 

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Lara Croft is the original female gaming hero, and despite the fact she was originally very much sexualized (despite the triangular nature of her breasts), she managed to capture a new gaming audience in the form of young girls. Because when Lara Croft arrived, she wasn't only beautiful. She was also intelligent, fearless, and capable of doing anything that a male adventurer - like Indiana Jones - could do, diving headfirst (literally) into tombs full of deadly traps, avoiding big rolling boulders, and solving puzzles. There aren't many gaming heroes who have gone from being just a game character to a face on TV ads, movies, and more too. And, of course, she's also transformed incredibly well into a hero for the modern age too, with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot transforming Lara from sex symbol to vulnerable teen who evolves into the badass Tomb Raider we know and love.  

6. Geralt (The Witcher series) 

Developer: CD Projekt RED

Geralt is a great hero precisely because he's not a hero at all. While other protagonists on this list might shine with valiant righteousness, or struggle winsomely against adversity in order to rise above strife, Geralt is something far more interesting than any of those clichés. He's a real guy, in a realistic world, frequently surrounded by assholes and their resultant bullshit, and he doesn't feel the need to pander to any of it. He's a fundamentally decent person, mind you, but he's not perfect, nor does he aspire to be. Thus, when playing as Geralt, everything is relatable and dramatic, from the biggest monster hunt (its backstory no doubt filled with human foibles and failings to judge and grumble at) to the smallest, local nuisance (who Geralt's weary, seen-it-before demeanour might well convince you is best served with a simple, stout punch to the face). There's just an immense, unpretentious humanity to Geralt, and that makes every story you share with him both entirely more normal, and far more exciting.  

5. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect series) 

Developer: BioWare

What's interesting about Commander Shepard is that there is no single, definitive version of the spacefaring hero. When fans talk about the character, you'll often hear " my Shepard." While many games of the time featuring a customizable protagonist made them a blank (or silent) slate, BioWare expertly meshed player choices with a defined persona and history. You could be ruthless or forgiving, selfish or generous - but you were always the first human Spectre, out to save the galaxy from annihilation, and your choices were always validated by top-tier voice acting and writing. This gives players an intense connection with their vision of Shepard, and helped the character gain broad appeal. A few memes and in-jokes along the way ("Wrex." "Shepard."; "This is my favorite store on the Citadel."; the ' Shepard Shuffle ') made us love BioWare's leading lad / lady even more. How cool is Commander Shepard? Cool enough to get their own theme song . 

4. Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)  

Developer: Guerilla Games

Life as an outcast could make you bitter. I wouldn't blame you if you despised the society that's ignored you all your life, or were reluctant to help anyone because you'll had to fight alone for so long. Yet Aloy, after being consigned to the outskirts of the Nora tribe, doesn't hold a grudge. But that alone doesn't make anyone a hero, just a decent human being. No, what really makes the Seeker a hero is how she uses the mistreatment she's endured for so long to fuel her fierce curiosity surrounding why she's been shunned. Deep down, Aloy just wants to understand the world around her, yet even when she realises that the gods worshipped by the Nora are actually AI Aloy doesn't ridicule them. Unlike the Nora or any of the other tribes Aloy doesn't define herself by her worldview or take a holier-than-thou stance just because she understands the technology that literally makes their world go round. Pragmatism courses through her veins, and her ability to compromise with those tribes and with morally ambivalent characters like Sylens proves that she knows nothing will really change, but she can do her damn best to figure out how it all works. Glory is the furthest thing from Aloy's mind throughout Horizon Zero Dawn . But it's certainly at the forefront of ours.  

3. Nathan Drake (Uncharted series) 

You can't not love Nathan Drake. The Uncharted series' leading man is gamingkind's Harrison Ford: like Han Solo, he's a scoundrel with a heart of solid gold, always managing to save the day in spite of his devil-may-care attitude, and his knack for treasure-seeking and knowledge of ancient civilizations is more than a little inspired by Indiana Jones. Always ready with a real zinger of a quip or the near-infinite upper-body strength to scramble his way up just about anything, Nathan's immensely likable and immediately relatable to anyone who's had to tussle with a particularly bad day. The company Nate keeps is a reflection of his own upstanding character; his relationship with Elena is one of the most real, empathetic romances in AAA gaming, and his lifelong bond with Victor 'Sully' Sullivan is just so endearing (even with all the dirty jokes). Yes, Nathan's the kind of hero who, when you think about it, has killed hundreds of gun-toting goons with little remorse - but all it takes is an exasperated "Oh crap!" to make us forget all about the mass murder. 

2. Ellie (The Last of Us) 

Ellie is the thudding heart and tender soul of The Last of Us, making sure that Naughty Dog's zombie story was more than just another undead shooting party. She's the perfect balance to Joel, the bereaved smuggler you play as for most of the game, and manages to avoid the stereotypical damsel in distress moments that so many female characters are pushed into. While Joel handles most of the combat, Ellie is the one that gives us something to fight for, just an ordinary teenage girl - one who likes blueberries and carries a joke book - who has managed to hang on to a spark of innocence in the face of a horrific pandemic. That connection you build with her as Joel makes the role reversal in The Last of Us, when she has to become the carer and face the horrors of the world on her own, feel all the more desperate. A big part of the success has to be down to Ashley Johnson, the actress who did the motion capture and voice acting for Ellie, but also clearly helped shape her character. We don't know what Naughty Dog has in store for Ellie or us in The Last of Us 2, but goddamn it I want to be by her side to find out. 

1. Big Boss / Solid Snake / Venom Snake (Metal Gear series) 

Developer: Konami

Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid / MGS2) is the archetypal 1980s action hero: a gruff, sardonic, chain-smoking special services veteran. But it's Hideo Kojima's subversion of the 'Snake' character that defies categorization. The Snake 'family' of parents and clones, including Big Boss, Solid Snake (plus non-playable brothers Solidus Snake and Liquid Snake), and Venom Snake examine how upbringing, genetics and events can shape a character's destiny and moral compass; across a series of 20+ games, spanning 28 years. In Metal Gear (1987) you play as Solid Snake versus 'villain' Big Boss. In MGS3 (2004) you play as a youthful Big Boss to discover what turns him 'bad'. In MGS5 (2015) you play as Venom Snake (aka Big Boss, but… it's complex), in an examination of our roles as players and the relationship between a creator and his work. If that sounds insanely complex... it is, but it's also completely unmatched in terms of ambition or scale. " I'm no hero, never was . Never will be. I'm just an old killer hired to do some wet work," says an aging Solid Snake in MGS4. It's a statement typical of this contradictory, introspective series that makes you feel like a badass, while provoking deeper introspection of our loyalties and responsibilities. 

Next, check out our list of new games for 2023 that you should keep an eye out for.

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Why Fable Should Be a Pure, Simple, and Unashamed Hero's Journey

The Fable franchise has always focused on the core concept of the hero's journey, and though it's a reboot, the new Fable should still follow suit.

  • The hero's journey narrative structure is a fundamental part of the Fable franchise and should be retained in the reboot to maintain the essence of the series.
  • Each Fable game has fully embraced the hero's journey trope, with players taking on the role of a hero and embarking on adventures to save the world from evil.
  • While the reboot should keep the hero's journey structure, it can also have fun by satirizing and mocking some of the common and cliched elements of the trope, reflecting the series' penchant for parody.

Being one of the most popular genres of fiction of all time, the fantasy genre has more than its fair share of tropes, but few are quite as prevalent as the "Hero's Journey." A narrative structure that essentially sees one unlikely person go on an adventure, conquer some evil, and come back a changed hero, the hero's journey archetype is one of the most common forms of storytelling, appearing across countless books, comics, TV shows, movies, and of course, video games. And with it being a series entrenched in fantasy stereotypes, it's no surprise that the Fable franchise fully embraces the hero's journey archetype.

After 13 years of waiting, fans are finally about to get their hands on a new mainline Fable game. Coming from Forza Horizon dev Playground Games , not much is currently known about the Fable reboot, even after its first cinematic trailer was unveiled earlier this year. But while this new Fable reboot will likely want to switch up a few things from its predecessors, it's vital that it retains a pure and simple hero's journey narrative.

RELATED: Fable: 10 Lessons The Reboot Should Remember From Previous Installments

Fable Needs to be an Unashamed Hero's Journey

While each Fable game has brought something new to the table, and some have even changed the general themes and gameplay loop drastically, the one common theme that runs through the entire series is this notion of a hero's journey. The very first game in the Fable series is probably the most unashamed example of this. The entire story of the first Fable game sees players take on the role of a professional Hero, and seek to rid the world of bandits and mysterious evils. After saving their sister, Fable 's Hero discovers they're descended from a powerful bloodline, and they wield a magical sword to win the day and save the world from evil. Hero's journey 101.

Both Fable 2 and 3 also embrace the hero's journey trope fully, perhaps even more so than their predecessor. From the get-go, Fable 2 has players facing off against childhood bullies , and over the course of the story, the player-character only gets more noble, eventually saving the world and resurrecting all of the poor souls who died during the game's climactic moments. Fable 3 has a slightly more complex version of the hero's journey, seeing the player take on the role of the kingdom's ruler, facing off heroically against a mysterious threat and saving countless lives in the process.

Of course, a big hook of the Fable games is their Alignment system, which allows players to make a series of choices that can drastically impact the course of the game's narrative, and the fates of certain major characters. While these choices can allow the player to commit some heinous acts, it doesn't stop the Fable series from still being a hero's journey at its very core, with the main character still following the same general patterns that are expected of the narrative structure.

Playground Games has the opportunity to take the Fable franchise in almost any direction it wants, but if there's one thing from the original series that needs to carry over to the reboot, it's the hero's journey archetype. The hero's journey structure is such an integral part of Fable 's DNA, and if it wasn't in the reboot then it simply just wouldn't feel like a Fable game, though that doesn't mean Playground can't have fun with its inclusion. A core part of the Fable series has always been its penchant for parody, and that seems to be carrying over to this Fable reboot. So while Fable 4 needs to keep the hero's journey structure, it could have some fun satirizing the trope, mocking some of its most common and cliched elements.

Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: The Best RPGs On Xbox Game Pass (October 2023)

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The Hero's Journey: Stages, Steps, and Examples

Christina Crampe

Remember when you were younger, probably around middle school age, and your teacher introduced the Greek mythology lesson? It was such an exciting time of reading books like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief . Maybe you fell in love with Percy, a lovable and relatable young boy struggling with his identity. Or maybe you were a part of the dystopian crave and fell in love with Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games . Either way, this may have been your first introduction to the hero's journey (we're sure you've seen the templates). After all, the hero's journey is all around us!

If you fell in love with reading a hero's journey archetype and want to try to create your own modern hero, then you've come to the perfect place. We're going to explore the crucial steps of a hero's journey and what they entail, so you can have a template through which to write your own story. Your questions act as our call to action (you'll understand what we mean by that shortly). But first, let's define a hero's journey. After all, how can we possibly evaluate the steps of a hero's journey if we don't even have a solid definition?

The hero's journey

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: The hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

The hero's journey is the story of a hero who leaves the ordinary world to go on an adventure full of peril. On it, the hero will gain both adversaries and allies, and will face a great evil. The hero will also face his shadow self, which is perhaps the most frightening antagonist of all.

Campbell references 17 total steps in the hero's journey. Wait a minute, 17 steps? That seems like a lot. Don't worry! Depending on who you ask, the number of steps and what those steps look like will differ, though they all follow a similar template. The hero's journey is commonly accepted to have 12 main steps. To make it even simpler on you, these steps can actually be broken down into three stages: the departure, the initiation, and the return.

The Hero's Journey

Stage 1: the departure

girl walking with a backpack on

The departure is just as you might expect. This is the stage where the protagonist is introduced, typically in a modern, realistic setting, and we are introduced to some struggles the protagonist may be experiencing or questions they may have about their own identity. This stage can be broken into our first four steps.

  • The ordinary world : As we said, we are first introduced to our protagonist and soon-to-be hero in the reality we know. It is just as the first step is listed: the ordinary world. There is no magic, mayhem, or supernatural creatures evident in this ordinary world. It is the world the protagonist has known all their life.
  • Call to adventure : This is one of the steps you may be most familiar with, as it's one of the most commonly known phrases in literature. Regardless of what genre you are writing, your hero has a call to action. After all, there must be a reason why the protagonist leaves the mundane, comfortable lifestyle they've lived up until now. This is the moment where the journey or quest is initiated: a problem, challenge, or quest is presented to the protagonist, and they must decide to leave behind their ordinary lives to face new challenges. Whether the protagonist is immediately threatened, a family member is threatened, or they see something they shouldn't have, it is up to the protagonist to respond to the call.
  • Refusal of the call : Wow, isn't it so cool that the hero was discovered by some other world (or they discovered it!) and now they get to embark on this awesome journey? Yes, well, sometimes. Despite how amazing it may seem to be called to accept a quest (hence the reason why this archetype is so popular in literature), the protagonist may not be feeling that excitement. In fact, it's likely that the protagonist is feeling nervous, anxious, scared, hesitant, and thus, resistant to the call at first (don't worry, they'll give in eventually).
  • Meeting the mentor/supernatural aid : Okay, so the protagonist is done refusing the call. Maybe they've gotten over their fears, or maybe something happened that makes it impossible for them to continue to deny their inevitable quest. Yay! Now it's time for our protagonist to meet their mentor. The mentor can be supernatural or not, but they act as a teacher, trainer, and instructor for the protagonist. After all, the protagonist is going to need some serious guidance once they've been booted out of their ordinary world. This step involves a lot of trust, though, as the protagonist may barely know their mentor. This step also involves the passing on of certain tools and equipment the protagonist may need to succeed on their journey. These can be special powers or physical instruments.

Stage 2: the initiation

figure standing beneath the light coming in from a save hole

Now that you've spent a decent chunk of time introducing your protagonist (and hero!) and their conflict, it's time to head into the second stage of the hero's journey: the initiation. Before you do this, though, ensure you've checked off the first four items on the previous list. It is crucial that you meet these criteria for a successful hero's journey. After all, the hero can't be truly initiated into their new world if you have not established their old world, their main conflict, and the introduction of their next steps.

This next stage will take up the largest portion of your story. You should fill it with lots of new characters, settings, and trials and tests for your protagonist to endure. This is also a stage where you should focus a lot on character development for your protagonist. No person is going to go through a massive journey and end up the same person they once were when everything is said and done. Take this time to think about how you want your protagonist to change and what it's going to take to accomplish that change.

  • Crossing the first threshold : This is the point at which the hero decides to embark on the adventure and cross over into the unknown, leaving his or her ordinary world behind. This is called the threshold because there is something or someone acting as a literal barrier between the protagonist's ordinary world and their new world. Beyond the threshold lies trials and tribulations and potential risks and dangers. Once the protagonist takes that first step beyond this threshold, there is no returning to the life they once knew. This is where the hero's actual journey truly begins.
  • Introduction to tests, friends, and foe : This is the step of the story where the cast of characters expands and a new setting, the new world, is introduced. The protagonist may be lost in their new world, so they must evaluate the new people around them to identify potential allies, enemies, or morally ambiguous characters. Trust is established or denied. Just like anyone would struggle with encountering anew environment, the protagonist will endure some struggles of their own, but this is how they'll determine who is friend and who is foe, establishing other character roles in the process. The rules of the ordinary world do not apply to this new world, so hopefully the protagonist meets some good people who will teach him the new ways of life.
  • Approaching the innermost cave : At this point on the hero's journey, they have left all semblance of the ordinary world behind. This step marks the preparation for the main event of the journey. The protagonist may gather materials and even other characters, if they're trustworthy enough, to take on the rest of the steps of the quest with them. The cave acts as a metaphor for what the protagonist is about to endure: risk, danger, darkness, and even potential loss. This step also includes some of the tests leading up to the large test yet, which happens to be the next step in the hero's journey.
  • The ordeal : Buckle up, this is about to be a wild ride! That's right, your hero has finally made it to one of the biggest challenges of all. The protagonist is no longer approaching the innermost cave. Rather, the protagonist is now fully in the belly of the beast, and what a beast it is! The ordeal is usually not the climax of the story, but this is the moment where the protagonist truly transforms from an ordinary character into a true hero. It may involve their greatest fear or a physically or mentally demanding task.
  • The reward : If your protagonist, now hero, succeeds in their greatest challenge, then they will be given a reward that makes the journey worth so much time, effort, and challenge. If they can succeed, then there is hope for them, that bright light that shines through the top of a dark cave and promises fulfillment and a future. This is what the hero has been fighting for this whole time. As for the reward itself, you should make sure it makes sense in the context of your story. It can be an object, a piece of knowledge, or even something entirely different, so long as its value matches the degree of the journey.

Stage 3: the return

a man stands at the top of a hill with his fist raised and a reflection of his face overlaying the figure

Wahoo, your hero has endured so much and has finally gotten their reward! It's over, right? They can return to their ordinary life and reap the benefits of all their hard work? Wrong! Things are never as easy as they seem, especially in a hero's journey, so why would the road back to the ordinary world be any different for your hero?

  • On the road again : This is the turning point, literally. The hero turns back around, hoping to return to their normal life after receiving their reward. But thing's are never that simple, so be sure to make sure that road is blocked. Traffic cones, stoplights, maybe a supernatural villain or catastrophic natural disaster! That should do the trick. If the road back home was easy, we'd be bored, so maintain the stakes with challenges for the hero to face as they make their way back home.
  • The resurrection : Congratulations, you've finally reached the climax of your story. Remember how we said the ordeal was the moment where your protagonist transformed from an ordinary character into an actual hero, this is the moment where they can prove to us that they deserve the hero title, after all. The stakes become extremely high, as the hero does not want to fail after having endured so much already. This is the final test for the hero and the final opportunity for the villain or opposing forces to defeat the hero. If the hero comes out on top, then they will finally be able to reach that light at the end of the tunnel.
  • Return with the elixir : The hero has finally completed all their challenges and is able to return home with their reward. Their transformation is complete, and they've most likely become a better person because of the journey. Or, if you want to add a twist to this step, you can always have the hero fail to return without they set out to receive, but you better be prepared to write a sequel and a whole other journey!

Following the template

mockingjay necklace

Since we mentioned The Hunger Games at the very beginning, let's use Katniss Everdeen and her hero's journey as a model for this template.

  • The ordinary world : Katniss Everdeen is introduced as a citizen on District 12, a poor mining district. She spends her days hunting in the woods to provide food for her family.
  • The call to action : Every year, a reaping takes place where a male and female tribute from each district is randomly chosen to take place in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death. During the reaping, Katniss' sister Primrose is selected, so Katniss volunteers to take her place as the female tribute from District 12.
  • Refusal of the call : As we mentioned, you may not include all 12 steps of the hero's journey in your own story. Katniss does not actually refuse the call, as she volunteered herself to save her sister. A refusal of the call is slightly seen in Peeta, Katniss' fellow tribute, as he is visibly nervous and shaken up. The nature of this story makes it so that a refusal is impossible.
  • Meeting the mentor : Katniss meets Haymitch Abernathy, a previous Hunger Games victor from her District. He is her literal mentor and is meant to teach her how to make allies, get sponsors, and survive in the arena. She also finds a mentor in Cinna, the person in charge of her appearance for promotions.
  • Crossing the threshold : Katniss is whisked out of District 12 and on the train to the gaudy, wealthy Capitol.
  • Introduction to tests, friends, and foe : Katniss must attempt to learn who to trust while also earning sponsors and impressing the Game Makers. Katniss makes a reluctant alliance with Peeta and admires Rue from District 11. During training, it is evident that the Careers (tributes from the wealthier districts) are enemies.
  • Approaching the innermost cave : Katniss enters the physical arena.
  • The ordeal : The arena is full of challenges: tracker jackers, mutant wolves, poisonous berries, and other tributes trying to survive. The games themselves are the whole ordeal.
  • The reward : Katniss and Peeta are the last tributes standing.
  • On the road again : Although Katniss and Peeta have survived, there can only be one winner, and the Capitol wants to force them to select who lives and who dies.
  • The resurrection : Katniss' bold attempt at a mutual suicide leads to both of them being allowed to live as victors, lest they become martyrs in front of the whole country.
  • Return with the elixir : Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 as victors, allowing them to live lives of wealth and luxury. If you've read the books, you'll know this is nowhere near the end of Katniss' journey.

Reaping the rewards

If you've managed to check off all 12 steps on our hero's journey checklist, then you've got yourself an awesome hero's journey. If you're just starting out on your own journey of writing for a hero, then be sure to follow this template for maximum results. Be the hero in your own journey and remember to never give up as you face those roadblocks and challenges while buckling down and writing a story of your own!

Header photo by Zoltan Tasi .

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the hero's journey in video games

The Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring: Playing a Video Game Epic

  • November 19, 2023

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Playing the hero's journey in elden ring.

In the realm of gaming, Elden Ring has emerged as a potent symbol of the intertwining of personal growth and gaming experiences. Now let’s shed light on the profound connection between playing the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring and mental resilience. At first glance, Elden Ring may just be another challenging action role-playing game, but dig deeper and you’ll find it’s a canvas for players to project, confront, and overcome their inner demons, effectively becoming a tool for fostering mental resilience. The game’s demanding landscape, relentless enemies, and cryptic narrative serve to push players beyond their comfort zones, testing and strengthening their resolve in the face of adversity. The journey of the Tarnished, the player’s avatar in Elden Ring, mirrors our struggles in life, echoing the message that victory is sweeter when it’s hard-earned. Stay with us as we delve into the psychological underpinnings of Elden Ring and its potent impact on players’ mental resilience.

Finding Lore to Construct the Journey

In Elden Ring, the game’s lore offers a rich tapestry of narratives that weave a complex world, teeming with mystery and intrigue. The lore of Elden Ring, often cryptic and obscured, challenges players to piece together the game’s vast history and mythology from fragments of information scattered throughout the Lands Between. This lore is not only the backbone of the game’s narrative but also its diverse and memorable characters, formidable enemies, and enigmatic locations, all contributing to the immersive experience. The game’s deep and intricate lore fosters an engrossing environment that keeps players captivated and eager to explore, learn, and conquer. In the following segments, we will delve into the intricacies of Elden Ring’s lore, exploring its significance and how it shapes the player’s journey.

Elden Ring leverages minimal dialogues interspersed with world exploration to deliver its story, a unique brand of storytelling that adds intrigue to the player’s journey. With fewer dialogues, the game compels players to explore the expansive landscapes, encouraging investigation and interpretation of the environment to understand the plot. This exploration-based narrative style allows players to unearth the story at their own pace, making each discovery feel rewarding and personal. From deciphering cryptic messages inscribed on ancient ruins, to confronting and interpreting the silent yet expressive body language of non-player characters, the player becomes an active protagonist in unveiling the story. This method of storytelling enhances the intrigue, making the narrative of Elden Ring a puzzle that the player solves by engaging with the world and its minimalistic dialogues.

Elden Ring’s challenging and meditative journey resonates profoundly with our individual quests through life. We are often confronted with insurmountable obstacles, much like the relentless enemies and cryptic landscapes in Elden Ring. These challenges can feel daunting and sometimes, even impossible to overcome. But, just as in the game, it is our persistence, resilience, and willingness to learn from failure that eventually lead us towards our goals. Elden Ring’s punishing difficulty thus becomes a metaphor for life’s trials, encouraging us to thrive in the face of adversity. We grow stronger with each setback, building our resilience and evolving in our journey, a testament to our enduring spirit. In this way, playing Elden Ring becomes more than just a pastime. It becomes a personal journey of growth and self-discovery, echoing the undying human spirit to persevere and triumph over life’s adversities.

Exploring the Monomyth and Its Influence on Elden Ring

The Hero's Journey in Elden Ring - Joseph Campbell

The Monomyth, also known as the Hero’s Journey, is a narrative structure that traces its roots back to the work of noted scholar Joseph Campbell. In his seminal work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”, Campbell outlined a recurring pattern in stories from diverse cultures and periods of history. This pattern, the Monomyth, typically features three phases: Departure, Initiation, and Return. In the Departure stage, the hero is called to an adventure, often leaving the familiar world behind. The Initiation stage sees the hero face various trials and obstacles, progressively gaining wisdom, skills, and often, an important artifact or knowledge. Finally, in the Return stage, the hero comes back to their ordinary world, transformed and bearing gifts, either tangible or intangible, that often benefit others. This universal template has had a profound influence on storytelling, influencing a myriad of authors and filmmakers, and as we will discuss shortly, game developers like those behind Elden Ring.

The Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring plays an integral role in driving player engagement. By structuring the game narrative around this universal pattern, developers create a profoundly relatable and immersive journey that resonates with players on a deep, psychological level. The familiar stages of Departure, Initiation, and Return mirror the personal growth and self-discovery that players experience within the game. As they navigate challenges and adversities, much like the hero in the Monomyth, players develop resilience and problem-solving skills, fostering a sense of accomplishment and empowerment. This connection between the Monomyth and player engagement effectively transforms the gaming experience into a deeply personal and emotionally enriching journey.

Elden Ring’s vast and intricate map is punctuated by a myriad of boss encounters, each presenting a unique challenge requiring strategic thought and skillful execution. These boss fights, often intimidating and brutal, serve as milestones in the player’s journey. They test the skills learned and honed through exploration of the expansive map, pushing players to adapt and overcome. The diverse environments within the map, from crumbling ruins to lush landscapes, hide clues and lore that can give insightful strategies for these encounters. Such a design ensures that exploration isn’t just a leisurely activity, but a critical part of the player’s progression. The amalgamation of exploration and combat in Elden Ring brilliantly illustrates the game’s core design philosophy, emphasizing the player’s immersion, adaptability, and constant learning.

Just as the interpretation of the Monomyth is an integral part of understanding the story structure and progression in Elden Ring, so too is the interpretation of the game’s mechanics and gameplay elements. These mechanisms—ranging from combat systems to character progression—are not merely tools for player progression but also serve as narrative devices that further enrich and contextualize the story. For example, the unique mechanic of character death and resurrection offers not only a gameplay challenge but also serves as a metaphor for personal growth and resilience, aligning with the themes of the Monomyth. The gameplay elements, much like the narrative, are designed to prompt players to experiment, adapt, and learn, further enhancing the connection between the player’s journey and the Hero’s Journey depicted in the game. This duality of gameplay and narrative interpretation ensures that every element within Elden Ring contributes to the player’s immersion and the game’s rich, layered story, creating a truly holistic gaming experience.

Finding Yourself in the Danger of Combat

The combat system in Elden Ring is a vital component that aids in fostering a sense of confidence and learning through a process of trial and error, and experimentation. With each encounter, the player is encouraged to explore and understand the unique behaviors and attack patterns of their adversaries, a process that may entail numerous failed attempts. Yet, it is through these failures that learning occurs, and with each defeat comes increased knowledge and refined strategy. The game rewards those who persevere, who adapt their tactics, and who aren’t afraid to experiment with different approaches. Over time, the player transforms from a novice to an adept warrior, capable of overcoming even the most formidable foes. This growth is not just represented in statistical improvements, but palpable in the increased confidence and mastery of the player, reflecting the heart of Elden Ring’s design philosophy: the celebration of learning, resilience, and the triumph over adversity.

Elden Ring’s complex combat system encourages not just a physical but a psychological exploration. Each battle serves as a mirror into the player’s psyche, revealing traits of patience, adaptability, and resilience. With every failed attempt and subsequent retry, players uncover layers of their determination and tenacity, fueling personal growth that parallels their character’s progression within the game. Foes in Elden Ring aren’t just physical obstacles to overcome; they represent personal fears, insecurities, and challenges that players confront and surmount. This intimate interplay between combat and psychological exploration redefines the gaming experience, transforming it from a simple pastime into a profound journey of self-discovery.

The dynamic interplay of bravery and fear underpins the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring. In the face of seemingly insurmountable foes and brutal mechanics, fear is an initial, inevitable response. This fear can manifest as hesitation, second-guessing, and even avoidance of specific challenges within the game. However, it is this very fear that serves as the catalyst for bravery. Each bout of fear confronted and surmounted fosters bravery within the player, pushing them to confront their trepidations head-on and persevere in the face of adversity. This transformation from fear to bravery is mirrored in the player’s growing confidence as they navigate through Elden Ring. As players overcome their fears, they develop faith in their abilities, evolving from wary explorers to confident warriors. Thus, in Elden Ring, fear is not the antithesis of bravery, but rather its progenitor.

The Heroic Journey Using Open World Exploration

The heroic journey and open-world exploration are deeply intertwined in Elden Ring, creating an engaging and immersive gameplay experience. The game’s open-world exploration encourages players to forge their own path, allowing the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring to emphasize self-determination and discovery. As players traverse the vast landscape, encountering diverse landscapes and formidable foes, they engage in their own heroic journey, meeting challenges and overcoming obstacles much like the protagonists of traditional myths. Each victory, regardless of its scale, marks a step forward in their personal story, reinforcing the idea that the journey matters just as much as the destination. In this way, Elden Ring masterfully combines the allure of open-world exploration with the narrative depth of the Hero’s Journey, offering players a gaming experience that is both challenging and emotionally resonant.

In Elden Ring, the use of Runes and Stat building offer another layer of player growth and transformation. Runes, the in-game currency, are used to enhance a player’s abilities and stats, allowing for the customization and development of the player’s character to suit their preferred playstyle. As players navigate the world of Elden Ring, they accumulate runes and must make strategic decisions on how to allocate these resources, effectively shaping their character’s growth and evolution. The decisions, whether to emphasize strength for melee combat, dexterity for agile maneuvers, or intelligence for magical abilities, are not just mechanical choices but also reflect the player’s personal journey of becoming their version of the hero. As such, rune use and stat building become integral elements of the player’s transformative journey, highlighting Elden Ring’s commitment to intertwining gameplay and personal growth.

Confronting personal demons is another aspect of gameplay that Elden Ring masterfully integrates into the player’s journey. In the game, personal demons aren’t just metaphorical; they manifest as formidable adversaries, puzzles, or intimidating environments. This aspect pushes players to confront the psychological aspects of their fears, hesitation, and self-doubt. Every conquered adversary, solved puzzle, or traversed environment symbolizes an internal battle won, a personal demon vanquished. This integral part of gameplay resonates deeply with players, as they witness their avatar overcoming challenges that mirror their personal struggles. Thus, Elden Ring transforms gameplay into a powerful medium for self-reflection and personal growth, further blurring the line between the player and their in-game character.

The Stages of the Hero's Journey as a Structure of Elden Ring

The Hero's Journey in Elden Ring - The Nuclear Formula

In Elden Ring, the theme of resurrection and the call to adventure are intrinsically interwoven into the player’s journey. Resurrection, represented by the player’s ability to respawn after defeat, echoes the timeless archetype of rebirth, signifying not just a second chance, but a renewed opportunity for growth and learning. More than a simple gameplay mechanic, it underscores the game’s underpinning philosophy of resilience and continuous improvement. The call to adventure, on the other hand, is embodied in the game’s open-world exploration. Players are not merely presented with a predetermined path to follow; instead, they are given the freedom to choose their own course, confront fears, overcome obstacles, and learn from failures along the way. This call to adventure cultivates a sense of autonomy and personal investment in the player’s journey, enhancing the resonance of their successes and the impact of their growth. Thus, through the interplay of resurrection and the call to adventure, Elden Ring manages to transform conventional gameplay elements into profound metaphors for personal development and self-discovery.

In Elden Ring, the concept of Separation from Easy Success is effectively implemented in the gameplay. This phase marks an important transition for players, as the game immediately ramps up its difficulty, challenging players to rise above their comfort zones. The early stages of the game may provide some quick tips and easy victories. However, as they first cross the threshold into the game’s expansive world and face increasingly formidable foes, these victories become fewer and far between. This Initiation is not a mere increase in difficulty; it signifies a meaningful separation from the initial comfort of easy rewards in other games and a requirement to push toward growth and resilience. It serves as a reminder that true growth often comes from struggle and perseverance and that every setback is an opportunity for learning and self-improvement. This phase, while challenging, is crucial in preparing players for the demanding journey ahead, further enhancing the game’s narrative of personal growth and self-discovery.

As players progress in Elden Ring, they become more comfortable as they begin to recognize and align with the acceptance and initiation stages of the monomyth, or Hero’s Journey. Acceptance is manifested when players fully embrace the challenges presented by the game, acknowledging that the struggle is a cornerstone of their journey, rather than a deterrent. This acceptance marks the transition from mere engagement to a deeper connection with the gaming experience. The Road of Trials stage, on the other hand, is embodied in the player’s continual growth and skill acquisition. As they master new strategies, conquer foes, and uncover the secrets of the game world, they are effectively initiated into the intricate lore and mechanics of Elden Ring. This alignment with the Hero’s Journey stages enhances their immersion, turning the game into an intensely personal journey of growth, resilience, and self-discovery.

In-depth Look at Game's Metaphorical Crucible

In Elden Ring, the exploration of player vulnerability adds a unique dimension to the gaming experience. The game cleverly exposes players to situations that reveal their weaknesses, whether it be a particular combat scenario or a difficult puzzle. These moments are not designed to discourage players; rather, they serve as pivotal points for self-reflection and improvement. The game encourages players to examine their failures, understand their shortcomings, and build strategies to overcome them. This exploration of vulnerability transcends the digital realm of the game, impacting the players on a personal level. It nudges them to embrace their imperfections in real life and view them not as unchangeable flaws, but as opportunities for growth and development. As such, Elden Ring skillfully intertwines gameplay with introspective experiences, reinforcing its overarching narrative of personal growth and self-discovery.

In Elden Ring, the acceptance of failure is intrinsically woven into the gameplay, fostering a mindset of resilience and continuous self-improvement. Players are confronted with a series of intricate challenges, where each failure acts not as a roadblock, but as a stepping stone towards success. The game’s design encourages players to learn from their mistakes, adjust their strategies, and approach challenges with renewed resolve. This acceptance of failure is more than a game mechanic; it’s a metaphorical lesson that translates to real-life scenarios. Players are conditioned to view failure not as a dead-end, but as a learning opportunity, fostering an attitude of perseverance and growth. Thus, Elden Ring goes beyond providing an immersive gaming experience, imparting valuable life skills, and instilling a growth mindset in its players.

Discussion on Open-World Experience of the Lands Between

the hero's journey in video games

In Elden Ring, the achievement of a ‘Good Enough’ mentality is a significant milestone for players. It fosters a mindset that appreciates incremental progress rather than absolute perfection. Players are encouraged to accept that not every enemy has to be defeated on the first try, and not every secret needs to be unearthed immediately. This mentality promotes patience and resilience, as players learn to appreciate each step of their journey, no matter how small it may seem. It shifts the focus from end goals to the process of growth and exploration, allowing players to derive satisfaction from their gradual progression and personal improvement. Thus, Elden Ring excellently integrates the ‘Good Enough’ mentality into its gameplay, transforming it into a valuable life lesson about celebrating small victories and appreciating the journey rather than just the destination.

The completion of the Tarnished cycle and ascension to becoming the Elden Lord mark the culmination of the player’s journey in Elden Ring. It is a symbolic transformation that signifies not only the mastery of the game’s mechanics but also the personal growth and resilience developed along the journey. Players, once tarnished and relatively powerless, rise through trials and tribulations to claim the title of Elden Lord, embodying the game’s narrative arc of starting from humble beginnings to reach significant accomplishments. This climactic event is more than a title; it’s the embodiment of the skills, lessons, and experiences gathered throughout the journey. It serves as a testament to the player’s growth, perseverance, and determination, mirroring the real-life concept that success is born from continuous effort and resilience. Thus, in Elden Ring, becoming the Elden Lord is a powerful metaphor for personal achievement and self-discovery, further emphasizing the game’s underlying narrative of personal growth.

Elden Ring’s impact extends far beyond mere entertainment. It masterfully blends gameplay with valuable life lessons, effectively turning a digital experience into a journey of personal growth and self-discovery. The game’s intricate design encourages players to embrace vulnerability, accept failure, and appreciate incremental progress, thereby fostering a resilient and growth-oriented mindset. These lessons resonate deeply with players, extending beyond the confines of the game to influence their real-life attitudes and behaviors. By integrating such profound themes into its narrative and gameplay, Elden Ring transcends the traditional boundaries of video games, offering not only an immersive gaming experience but also a platform for personal development and introspective exploration.

Elden Ring goes beyond conventional gaming narratives by encouraging continuous exploration and introspection. While players navigate the vast, open world of the Lands Between, they are subtly nudged to delve into their own internal landscape. Each challenge and puzzle in the game presents an opportunity not just for the exploration of the game’s universe, but for personal self-examination. Players are encouraged to question their strategies, confront their weak points, and reflect upon their progress, thus facilitating personal growth. In essence, the game serves as a mirror, reflecting players’ resilience, adaptability, and determination. As such, Elden Ring is more than a gaming experience; it is a metaphorical journey of introspection, consistently urging players to reflect, learn, and evolve.

Thank you for joining me in this exploration of the psychological journey through Elden Ring. If you’ve enjoyed this and are interested in more content like this, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel and share your thoughts in the comments. I read all of them.

Until next time, may you endure the stories that matter to you, and uncover new dimensions within yourself. And as always, Continue The Journey.

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Campbell, J. (1949). The hero with a thousand faces. New World Library.

Kaufmann, D. (2023). Turning Runes Into Strength: How the Journey of the Tarnished Teaches Us to Achieve the Impossible. In A. Bean (Ed.), The Psychology of Elden Ring. Leyline Publishing, Inc.

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Hero's Journey 101: How to Use the Hero's Journey to Plot Your Story

Dan Schriever

Dan Schriever

The Hero's Journey cover

How many times have you heard this story? A protagonist is suddenly whisked away from their ordinary life and embarks on a grand adventure. Along the way they make new friends, confront perils, and face tests of character. In the end, evil is defeated, and the hero returns home a changed person.

That’s the Hero’s Journey in a nutshell. It probably sounds very familiar—and rightly so: the Hero’s Journey aspires to be the universal story, or monomyth, a narrative pattern deeply ingrained in literature and culture. Whether in books, movies, television, or folklore, chances are you’ve encountered many examples of the Hero’s Journey in the wild.

In this post, we’ll walk through the elements of the Hero’s Journey step by step. We’ll also study an archetypal example from the movie The Matrix (1999). Once you have mastered the beats of this narrative template, you’ll be ready to put your very own spin on it.

Sound good? Then let’s cross the threshold and let the journey begin.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 stages of the hero’s journey, writing your own hero’s journey.

The Hero’s Journey is a common story structure for modeling both plot points and character development. A protagonist embarks on an adventure into the unknown. They learn lessons, overcome adversity, defeat evil, and return home transformed.

Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)

Joseph Campbell , a scholar of literature, popularized the monomyth in his influential work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949). Looking for common patterns in mythological narratives, Campbell described a character arc with 17 total stages, overlaid on a more traditional three-act structure. Not all need be present in every myth or in the same order.

The three stages, or acts, of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey are as follows:

1. Departure. The hero leaves the ordinary world behind.

2. Initiation. The hero ventures into the unknown ("the Special World") and overcomes various obstacles and challenges.

3. Return. The hero returns in triumph to the familiar world.

Hollywood has embraced Campbell’s structure, most famously in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies. There are countless examples in books, music, and video games, from fantasy epics and Disney films to sports movies.

In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (1992), screenwriter Christopher Vogler adapted Campbell’s three phases into the "12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey." This is the version we’ll analyze in the next section.

The three stages of Campbell's Hero's Journey

For writers, the purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to act as a template and guide. It’s not a rigid formula that your plot must follow beat by beat. Indeed, there are good reasons to deviate—not least of which is that this structure has become so ubiquitous.

Still, it’s helpful to master the rules before deciding when and how to break them. The 12 steps of the Hero's Journey are as follows :

  • The Ordinary World
  • The Call of Adventure
  • Refusal of the Call
  • Meeting the Mentor
  • Crossing the First Threshold
  • Tests, Allies, and Enemies
  • Approach to the Inmost Cave
  • Reward (Seizing the Sword)
  • The Road Back
  • Resurrection
  • Return with the Elixir

Let’s take a look at each stage in more detail. To show you how the Hero’s Journey works in practice, we’ll also consider an example from the movie The Matrix (1999). After all, what blog has not been improved by a little Keanu Reeves?

The Matrix

#1: The Ordinary World

This is where we meet our hero, although the journey has not yet begun: first, we need to establish the status quo by showing the hero living their ordinary, mundane life.

It’s important to lay the groundwork in this opening stage, before the journey begins. It lets readers identify with the hero as just a regular person, “normal” like the rest of us. Yes, there may be a big problem somewhere out there, but the hero at this stage has very limited awareness of it.

The Ordinary World in The Matrix :

We are introduced to Thomas A. Anderson, aka Neo, programmer by day, hacker by night. While Neo runs a side operation selling illicit software, Thomas Anderson lives the most mundane life imaginable: he works at his cubicle, pays his taxes, and helps the landlady carry out her garbage.

#2: The Call to Adventure

The journey proper begins with a call to adventure—something that disrupts the hero’s ordinary life and confronts them with a problem or challenge they can’t ignore. This can take many different forms.

While readers may already understand the stakes, the hero is realizing them for the first time. They must make a choice: will they shrink from the call, or rise to the challenge?

The Call to Adventure in The Matrix :

A mysterious message arrives in Neo’s computer, warning him that things are not as they seem. He is urged to “follow the white rabbit.” At a nightclub, he meets Trinity, who tells him to seek Morpheus.

#3: Refusal of the Call

Oops! The hero chooses option A and attempts to refuse the call to adventure. This could be for any number of reasons: fear, disbelief, a sense of inadequacy, or plain unwillingness to make the sacrifices that are required.

A little reluctance here is understandable. If you were asked to trade the comforts of home for a life-and-death journey fraught with peril, wouldn’t you give pause?

Refusal of the Call in The Matrix :

Agents arrive at Neo’s office to arrest him. Morpheus urges Neo to escape by climbing out a skyscraper window. “I can’t do this… This is crazy!” Neo protests as he backs off the ledge.

The Hero's Journey in _The Matrix_

#4: Meeting the Mentor

Okay, so the hero got cold feet. Nothing a little pep talk can’t fix! The mentor figure appears at this point to give the hero some much needed counsel, coaching, and perhaps a kick out the door.

After all, the hero is very inexperienced at this point. They’re going to need help to avoid disaster or, worse, death. The mentor’s role is to overcome the hero’s reluctance and prepare them for what lies ahead.

Meeting the Mentor in The Matrix :

Neo meets with Morpheus, who reveals a terrifying truth: that the ordinary world as we know it is a computer simulation designed to enslave humanity to machines.

#5: Crossing the First Threshold

At this juncture, the hero is ready to leave their ordinary world for the first time. With the mentor’s help, they are committed to the journey and ready to step across the threshold into the special world . This marks the end of the departure act and the beginning of the adventure in earnest.

This may seem inevitable, but for the hero it represents an important choice. Once the threshold is crossed, there’s no going back. Bilbo Baggins put it nicely: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Crossing the First Threshold in The Matrix :

Neo is offered a stark choice: take the blue pill and return to his ordinary life none the wiser, or take the red pill and “see how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo takes the red pill and is extracted from the Matrix, entering the real world .

#6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Now we are getting into the meat of the adventure. The hero steps into the special world and must learn the new rules of an unfamiliar setting while navigating trials, tribulations, and tests of will. New characters are often introduced here, and the hero must navigate their relationships with them. Will they be friend, foe, or something in between?

Broadly speaking, this is a time of experimentation and growth. It is also one of the longest stages of the journey, as the hero learns the lay of the land and defines their relationship to other characters.

Wondering how to create captivating characters? Read our guide , which explains how to shape characters that readers will love—or hate.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies in The Matrix :

Neo is introduced to the vagabond crew of the Nebuchadnezzar . Morpheus informs Neo that he is The One , a savior destined to liberate humanity. He learns jiu jitsu and other useful skills.

#7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Man entering a cave

Time to get a little metaphorical. The inmost cave isn’t a physical cave, but rather a place of great danger—indeed, the most dangerous place in the special world . It could be a villain’s lair, an impending battle, or even a mental barrier. No spelunking required.

Broadly speaking, the approach is marked by a setback in the quest. It becomes a lesson in persistence, where the hero must reckon with failure, change their mindset, or try new ideas.

Note that the hero hasn’t entered the cave just yet. This stage is about the approach itself, which the hero must navigate to get closer to their ultimate goal. The stakes are rising, and failure is no longer an option.

Approach to the Inmost Cave in The Matrix :

Neo pays a visit to The Oracle. She challenges Neo to “know thyself”—does he believe, deep down, that he is The One ? Or does he fear that he is “just another guy”? She warns him that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

#8: The Ordeal

The ordeal marks the hero’s greatest test thus far. This is a dark time for them: indeed, Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, which causes them to hit rock bottom.

This is a pivotal moment in the story, the main event of the second act. It is time for the hero to come face to face with their greatest fear. It will take all their skills to survive this life-or-death crisis. Should they succeed, they will emerge from the ordeal transformed.

Keep in mind: the story isn’t over yet! Rather, the ordeal is the moment when the protagonist overcomes their weaknesses and truly steps into the title of hero .

The Ordeal in The Matrix :

When Cipher betrays the crew to the agents, Morpheus sacrifices himself to protect Neo. In turn, Neo makes his own choice: to risk his life in a daring rescue attempt.

#9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)

The ordeal was a major level-up moment for the hero. Now that it's been overcome, the hero can reap the reward of success. This reward could be an object, a skill, or knowledge—whatever it is that the hero has been struggling toward. At last, the sword is within their grasp.

From this moment on, the hero is a changed person. They are now equipped for the final conflict, even if they don’t fully realize it yet.

Reward (Seizing the Sword) in The Matrix :

Neo’s reward is helpfully narrated by Morpheus during the rescue effort: “He is beginning to believe.” Neo has gained confidence that he can fight the machines, and he won’t back down from his destiny.

A man holding a sword

#10: The Road Back

We’re now at the beginning of act three, the return . With the reward in hand, it’s time to exit the inmost cave and head home. But the story isn’t over yet.

In this stage, the hero reckons with the consequences of act two. The ordeal was a success, but things have changed now. Perhaps the dragon, robbed of his treasure, sets off for revenge. Perhaps there are more enemies to fight. Whatever the obstacle, the hero must face them before their journey is complete.

The Road Back in The Matrix :

The rescue of Morpheus has enraged Agent Smith, who intercepts Neo before he can return to the Nebuchadnezzar . The two foes battle in a subway station, where Neo’s skills are pushed to their limit.

#11: Resurrection

Now comes the true climax of the story. This is the hero’s final test, when everything is at stake: the battle for the soul of Gotham, the final chance for evil to triumph. The hero is also at the peak of their powers. A happy ending is within sight, should they succeed.

Vogler calls the resurrection stage the hero’s “final exam.” They must draw on everything they have learned and prove again that they have really internalized the lessons of the ordeal . Near-death escapes are not uncommon here, or even literal deaths and resurrections.

Resurrection in The Matrix :

Despite fighting valiantly, Neo is defeated by Agent Smith and killed. But with Trinity’s help, he is resurrected, activating his full powers as The One . Isn’t it wonderful how literal The Matrix can be?

#12: Return with the Elixir

Hooray! Evil has been defeated and the hero is transformed. It’s time for the protagonist to return home in triumph, and share their hard-won prize with the ordinary world . This prize is the elixir —the object, skill, or insight that was the hero’s true reward for their journey and transformation.

Return with the Elixir in The Matrix :

Neo has defeated the agents and embraced his destiny. He returns to the simulated world of the Matrix, this time armed with god-like powers and a resolve to open humanity’s eyes to the truth.

The Hero's Journey Worksheet

If you’re writing your own adventure, you may be wondering: should I follow the Hero’s Journey structure?

The good news is, it’s totally up to you. Joseph Campbell conceived of the monomyth as a way to understand universal story structure, but there are many ways to outline a novel. Feel free to play around within its confines, adapt it across different media, and disrupt reader expectations. It’s like Morpheus says: “Some of these rules can be bent. Others can be broken.”

Think of the Hero’s Journey as a tool. If you’re not sure where your story should go next, it can help to refer back to the basics. From there, you’re free to choose your own adventure.

Are you prepared to write your novel? Download this free book now:

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The Novel-Writing Training Plan

So you are ready to write your novel. excellent. but are you prepared the last thing you want when you sit down to write your first draft is to lose momentum., this guide helps you work out your narrative arc, plan out your key plot points, flesh out your characters, and begin to build your world..

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  • Journal of Narrative Theory

The Queer Narrativity of the Hero's Journey in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda Video Games

  • Eastern Michigan University
  • Volume 48, Number 2, Summer 2018
  • pp. 225-251
  • 10.1353/jnt.2018.0009
  • View Citation

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the hero's journey in video games

Play both Valiant Hearts games on PC & console in Valiant Hearts: The Collection.

the hero's journey in video games

Survive the Great War

As World War I rages on, two brothers will fight to survive the trenches and find each other again. Their paths will cross with new Valiant Hearts who will share the joy of reuniting and the horror of the Western Front, all desperate to find their way home.

Game Overview

Embark on an emotional journey.

Play the sequel of the vastly-acclaimed Valiant Hearts: The Great War (winner of Best Narrative and Games for Change at The Game Awards 2014) and see the end of the War.

Play Four Unsung Heroes

As their destinies intertwine, guide each of these characters through the harrowing horrors of the trenches alongside their faithful canine companion.

An Animated Graphic Novel–Style Adventure

From the depths of the sea and the raging skies to the trenches of the Western Front, embark on an artistically unique and emotionally poignant journey.

A Mix of Exploration, Action, and Puzzles

Experience different types of gameplay as you progress through the story: solve intricate puzzles, sneak through enemy lines, fly above the chaos, tend to the wounded, and even play soulful jazz music.

Valiant Hearts: The Collection

Experience the full emotional journey of love, sacrifice, and friendship in the acclaimed Valiant Hearts: The Great War and its sequel, Valiant Hearts: Coming Home. Valiant Hearts: The Collection is available now on PC and consoles.

Honoring the Harlem Hellfighters

Learn more about how Valiant Hearts: Coming Home is honoring the Harlem Hellfighters in the game.

Valiant Hearts: Coming Home

In this puzzle-based side-scroller, enter an animated graphic novel–style adventure and help unsung heroes fight their way through World War I.

Valiant Hearts: Coming Home continues the story started with the award-winning Valiant Hearts: The Great War. This sequel continues and concludes the story of these ordinary people thrust into the extraordinary circumstances of World War I.

Release date:

March 7, 2024

Puzzle / Adventure

Ubisoft Da Nang

Available on:

PC / Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4 / iOS / Android

Valiant Hearts: Coming Home is rated:

the hero's journey in video games

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Revealing 5 India Hero Project games coming to PlayStation

Revealing 5 India Hero Project games coming to PlayStation

First details on a selection of new games from an India-based developer cohort.

the hero's journey in video games

PlayStation has been part of India’s vibrant gaming scene for over two decades. In May 2023, we embarked on an ambitious journey with the India Hero Project. We aimed to unearth and empower India’s brightest game development talents to share their unique visions with gamers globally. The response was spectacular, with an avalanche of entries that showcased the rich tapestry of Indian culture, innovation, and storytelling.

Today, we’re excited to unveil the inaugural cohort of the India Hero Project at our landmark first developer conference in India – Develop India. Join us in celebrating their achievements and the exciting future they represent for gaming. This marks not just a milestone for these talented developers, but a leap forward in our journey to bring extraordinary gaming experiences from India to the world.

Get to know the upcoming India-developed games coming to PlayStation below, and stay tuned for future information regarding release timing.

Meteora: The Race Against Space Time

Developer: big boot games.

the hero's journey in video games

Shoot yourself into the nebula and join a race for survival. In this arcade combat racer, you’re not just a meteor but a force of nature. Cascade your way through a volatile universe of awe and wonder as you outmaneuver, pursue, and obliterate rival meteors in a dazzling display of strategy and skill.

Harness the power of the cosmos, level up your abilities, and climb the leaderboard in an experience that’s as thrilling as it is unforgiving. Your adventure awaits on PlayStation 5, PS VR2, and PC. 

Developer: imissmyfriends 

the hero's journey in video games

Fishbowl is a slice-of-life story that takes players on a journey of nostalgia and melancholy, exploring themes of grief, connection, and self-discovery, set in the cultural landscape of urban India. The world is filled with crafted pixel art and an original Lofi soundtrack that forms the backdrop of our game. Fishbowl weaves together a multigenerational narrative, following the aspirations of Alo as she embarks on her first job in a new city, although working from home. 

Your decisions throughout the game will shape Alo’s journey, leading to moments of reliving the past and coming to terms with the present through a month of challenges and discoveries with Alo. Prepare for Fishbowl’s robust storytelling and immersive gameplay, coming soon to PlayStation 5 and PC.

Developer: Underdogs Studio

the hero's journey in video games

Mukti is a first-person story exploration game set within the immersive environment of an Indian museum, delving deep into a critical social issue: human trafficking. In Mukti, players embark on a journey of discovery as they navigate the labyrinthine corridors of the museum, uncovering the harrowing truths and hidden narratives behind the scourge of human trafficking. Through rich storytelling and immersive gameplay mechanics, Mukti invites players to confront the realities that victims and survivors face, shedding light on this pressing global issue.

Drawing inspiration from authentic narratives and meticulously researched historical contexts, Mukti aims to raise awareness, provoke thought, and inspire action. Each interaction within the game is designed to provoke empathy, spark dialogue, and ignite change.

Launching on PlayStation 5 and PC, Mukti offers an impactful gaming experience that enlightens and empowers. 

Requital: Gates of Blood

Developer: holy cow productions.

the hero's journey in video games

Requital: Gates of Blood is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer inspired by Egyptian mythology set in the mystical underworld of Duat. Players assume the role of Zahrah, traversing the afterlife to defeat the mighty guardians of the Gates of Duat. Through a series of intense boss-rush-like encounters, players confront powerful gods, demons, and beasts.

Embark on your journey of retribution from the celestial Nile, delving into the dark and twisted realms of the Duat. Engage in the immersive interactions with entirely hand-drawn characters and environments as you unravel the lore that permeates this enigmatic underworld.

Launching on PlayStation 5 and PC, traverse the Gates of Duat and forge a path through the afterlife.

Suri: The Seventh Note

Developer: tathvamasi.

the hero's journey in video games

Suri: The Seventh Note is a 2D action-exploration game set in the enchanting backdrop of mythical India. A world brimming with captivating Indian mythology-inspired narratives, vibrant characters, and mythical locales, from the floating temples in the Himalayas, the lost forts of Rajasthan, ancient jungles nestled in the Western Ghats, and many more. Platforming meets a unique musical dimension as the game’s world synchronizes seamlessly with an enigmatic beat. 

the hero's journey in video games

Uncover the connection between rhythm and the mystical realm of Ragamandala as you traverse its landscapes and unravel its secrets. This journey promises to transport players to a realm where every step is accompanied by the pulsating heartbeat of the game’s universe. 

Get ready to embark on this extraordinary adventure, coming soon to PS5 and PC.

Stay tuned for more information on the India Hero Project and all the games in development as we work to bring new gaming experiences to players worldwide.

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Rise as a Champion in Overwatch 2 — Season 9

Rise as a Champion in Overwatch 2 — Season 9

Overwatch 2 Season 9 arrives tomorrow with exciting core gameplay updates, a reworked Competitive game mode, and a season theme that will test the courage of even the bravest heroes as they face a dangerous threat of cosmic proportions. Get your friends together, queue up, and face the unknown that awaits you.

Competitive Play Updates

Thanks in part to your feedback, we’ve updated Competitive Play. Now more transparent than ever, the new Competitive Overview after every match provides clear insights into how your rank changes, including skill modifiers to help you understand your progress through the ranks. At the start of Season 9, we're doing a soft reset of everyone’s rank, giving everyone a fresh opportunity to climb higher while maintaining a standard in match quality. We’re also bringing placements back, which means your performance in these games substantially influences your initial rank placement.

For the truly daring, we're introducing a prestigious new rank above Grand Master – Champion rank. This new rank offers a fresh challenge and a chance to claim your place among elite Overwatch 2 players. We’re also providing new Competitive rewards by introducing new Jade Weapon Variants, available only during the 2024 Competitive Year beginning with Season 9. Earn new Competitive Points as you win matches and unlock Jade Variants for your favorite heroes. Click here to learn more about what changes are in store when you log in to play. It’s Time for Your Competitive Comeback!

Face a Cosmic Crisis

OVR_Season9_CosmicCrisisEvent_GroupShot_001.png

Join forces with your teammates in a new non-canon Co-op event to complete challenges and branching objectives as you explore the unknown, making each mission you play uniquely different. Survive the Crisis as Sigma, Roadhog, Soldier: 76, Mei, Torbjorn, Widowmaker, Lifeweaver, Moira, Ana, and Illari. Work together to uncover the truth behind your crash landing and escape the mysterious threat that lies beneath the station at Antarctica Peninsula. But beware, because a traitor in pursuit of incredible powers may be in your midst!

Brave Eldritch Horrors in the Battle Pass

Give in to whispers of madness in the Overwatch 2 - Season 9 Battle Pass. Over 80 tiers of rewards, including Survivor Soldier: 76, Tentacle Horror Torbjörn, Horror Hog Roadhog, and more, can be earned when you upgrade to the Premium Battle Pass. If you can brave the horrors of all 80 tiers of the Battle Pass, you’ll unlock Ancient Caller Mythic Moira skin. You can also get the Beholder Sigma and Harbinger Lifeweaver Legendary skins along with 2,000 Overwatch Coins and 20 tier skips when you pick up the Ultimate Battle Pass bundle.

OVR_Season9_Skins_Moira_AncientCaller_002.png

New Skins to Fall in Love With

Visit the shop throughout the season for out-of-this-world cosmic cosmetics, plus Valentine‘s-themed skins you’re sure to fall in love with. Collect the themed remixes of Rosahardt Reinhardt, Rose Lily Widowmaker, and Cherry Blossom Kiriko. Or capture your true love with the return of fan-favorite Cupid Hanzo and the all-new Valentine’s Reaper skin.

Other cosmic surprises coming soon to the shop are Legendary Skins with scary cool remixes, including Fiend Orisa and Dark Fawn Lucio, along with Weapon Skins inspired by the graffiti of the Los Muertos gang seen on Dorado. And be sure to stay tuned for a new collaboration that will be rolling in later this season.

OVR_Season9_Skins_Reaper_Heartbreaker_007.png

Team Up for Hero Mastery: Gauntlet

Experience a new multiplayer experience in Hero Mastery. Work with your team to fight against changing waves of enemies, defend your towers, and upgrade your defenses. Can you survive the Hero Mastery: Gauntlet?

Team up with friends and face tactical moments requiring both individual and collective skill. Every time you play will be a fresh experience with variations in enemy waves, objectives, and upgrade options, ensuring no two games are the same and that you can test your skill with any hero.

HeroMasteryGauntlet.png

Bringing a Whole New Balance to Gameplay

Season 9: Champions also introduces global balance changes that affect every hero in the game. We're adjusting how the damage dealt is more consistent by increasing the projectile size while also increasing the health pools of all heroes, thereby keeping the time it takes to eliminate targets relatively the same. We also added a new passive for all heroes to regenerate their health when they step out of combat.

If you haven’t already, read up on the full details of these changes in our previous blog or check out our patch notes .

Justice Rains From Above

Season 9 also presents significant updates to Pharah, made with some strong goals in mind:

  • Empower Pharah to make more individual plays and lessen her reliance on heroes like Mercy.  
  • Shift Pharah's movement capabilities from feathering up in the sky toward more horizontal movement that can cover distance quickly. 
  • Introduce brief moments of downtime for Pharah's flight.

These goals are aimed at enabling Pharah to be more effective at higher ranked thresholds and as a solo hero, while also addressing rougher experiences players have going against Pharah - such as her presence limiting the effective hero pool of the opposing team.

PharahUpdate.png

Pharah’s Hover Jets passive has been reworked to limit her time in the air, with fuel being recharged only while she is touching the ground. To compensate for this large change,  Pharah has more speed and acceleration while in the air, allowing her to traverse between areas quicker. Jump Jets also now provide bonus fuel (50% of the total tank) and that overflows if you hit 100% fuel. So, while there are moments of downtime introduced, Pharah players will have much more control of where they want to be on the battlefield during that time in air.

Pharah also has a new ability called Jet Dash. When Pharah uses Secondary Fire she will dash in the direction she's moving. When combined with Concussive Blast and the enhanced mobility from Hover Jets, Pharah can quickly navigate herself into positions where she's highly lethal.

 This more active Pharah means a healthier game and offers new levels of skill expression. We’re looking forward to your feedback on these Pharah changes.

Rolling into Junkertown

And finally, a big update for the wild and rowdy Junkertown map is coming this season. The first section of the map (the area by the first checkpoint) is quite open. It can be tough for the offensive team to push the cart through here if the defending team has a Widow or Pharah. So, we’ve replaced the small cover with a trusty, burned-out building. We’ve also replaced the outhouse that was close to the gate with a tall water tower to block the line of sight from the openings above the choke point. Additionally, a few more cars have been added to this area, and the cliffside path has been reduced.

Junkertown.png

The small health pack on the balcony overlooking the hairpin turn on the second area has been removed to lessen the defender advantage from that choke. In the third area, we added a vertical support beam on the left side of the hallway to block the sightline from the upper ledge to give more cover for attackers to enter the area. We also widened and added cover to a hallway on the outer mid-section of area 3 to open up team fights that happen there. Finally, the updated map features a new night-time lighting theme to try out.

Overwatch 2 – Season 9: Champions begins tomorrow, so answer the call and challenge yourself on the Competitive ranks today.

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Daily Dot

In Hero Journey Club, group therapy is literally a game

R iley was scrolling on Facebook when they came across an ad that said “ Crush Depression with Animal Crossing .” They clicked on it and were directed to Hero Journey Club (HJC), a mental health program that runs group sessions with therapists while patients play video games.

Because they had just started playing Animal Crossing and enjoyed its “wholesome community,” HJC interested Riley. They read the program’s website and saw that HJC’s providers are trauma-informed, familiar with addiction recovery, and “a lot of hardcore stuff that other online therapies tend to not be so equipped to handle."

Riley, who did not share their real name with the Daily Dot, immediately signed up for weekly group sessions.

“The community has genuinely helped me quite a lot,” Riley said. “HJC has been my way to find community with people who can relate.” 

Hero Journey Club is a subclinical, telehealth program founded in 2021. It's aimed at providing mental health care by meeting patients where they’re at: in the world of video games.

The unique approach is the first of its kind in the mental health space—but it begs the question of whether people can benefit from therapeutic discussions while engaged in other activities.

How Hero Journey Club works

When prospective members sign up, they take an intake assessment and then are put in groups of five. 

Group sessions happen while participants play video games (either together or separately), and group members tend to be close in age or are going through similar challenges.

Popular group game selections include Stardew Valley , Animal Crossing , and Minecraft , and some HJC members have created exercises and/or worlds in those games based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). 

HJC’s groups are run by master's and doctorate-level therapists whom the program calls “ Journey Guides ,” but the program’s website makes it clear that HJC isn’t a “substitute for psychotherapy or medical advice,” and is simply “an additional tool in the mental health toolbox.”

Journey Guides are responsible for “leading group processes, fostering group cohesion, and creating a safe and productive place for individuals to learn more about themselves and how to address their needs,” per the job’s description .

Most HJC members work with individual therapists in addition to the online program.

For $30 a week, patients get a weekly group session and access to HJC’s Discord community through which patients can privately chat with others in their group or with all of the program’s members. 

There are currently over 11,000 people in HJC’s Discord community, ages 18 to 45. Comparatively, similar telehealth services like BetterHelp and TalkSpace each have over 2 million users (though TalkSpace doesn’t offer group therapy).

Riley said that HJC has allowed them to experience some of the most introspective moments they’ve ever had, including their work with their individual therapist.

Because they live with childhood trauma, agoraphobia, paranoia, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative disorder (also known as osdd-1b ), in-person group therapy was very difficult for them.

“The agoraphobia and social anxiety and pure torture of being perceived face to face is what always made me quit those programs before finishing,” Riley told the Daily Dot. “I'm pretty freaking isolated and scared because the noise inside my own head is chaotic at best.”

They’ve been able to stick with HJC because of its accommodations: Riley can attend group sessions from the comfort of their own home in their pajamas; there is no video component showing their face to other group members; and if they would like to participate by typing into the chat rather than speaking verbally, that’s OK, too. 

Plus, they love the Journey Guides that lead their groups.

“The Journey Guides (therapists) are really good at what they do,” Riley said. “They're all kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic people who actually really care and listen and ask what you need from the group sessions.”

Each group session is 90 minutes long. Riley told the Daily Dot that their group usually starts with an icebreaker activity and then includes a time for each member to check in about how they’re feeling that day. Then, their Journey Guide will lead a discussion about topics that came up in members’ check-ins or something the entire group is focusing on. 

Some weeks, group members just use their session as a time to relax.

“We still do check-ins on these days, so we do still talk about stuff,” Riley said. “But it's more relaxed and the focus is more on having fun and just vibing.”

Group members can also stay completely anonymous; they don’t have to share their names or any identifying information with their fellow group members. 

The pros and cons

HJC isn’t perfect. Riley told the Daily Dot that the biggest downside is the high turnover rate. Coming into a group that has already established a dynamic and is comfortable sharing with each other can be intimidating for new members. 

But playing games together serves as a buffer for any awkwardness or first-day jitters. 

As for how members choose which games they play, Riley said everyone can do their own thing, like play a different video game than other members. Riley chooses to do art therapy prompts during their group sessions.

But no matter what group members do during sessions, the community that HJC creates seems to be what brings members together.

The aspect of community is one of the main tenets of group therapy, Andrew Bordt, the executive director of the Institute for the Advancement of Group Therapy , told the Daily Dot. 

Group therapy is different from individual therapy because participants can foster empathy, camaraderie, and stronger communication skills just by interacting with their fellow group members. 

Plus, the validation that group members receive from each other makes being vulnerable and sharing one’s emotions in the group a less daunting experience.

Regarding HJC, Bordt thinks it has created an innovative solution to making therapy appeal to populations that may have struggled with getting adequate mental health care in the past, like those who don’t feel comfortable doing traditional face-to-face (or cameras-on Zoom) group therapy.

“To get people in the door, going with something that everyone already likes,” such as playing video games, “is a good call,” Bordt told the Daily Dot. 

Still, when he looked into HJC’s model, he had a couple of qualms: Because the conscious mind cannot actually do two things at once , Bordt says playing a game while simultaneously engaging in group therapy is not possible. 

“If you're not actively engaging [all] the patients in the room, then they will zone out,” Bordt said. “How do you really get everybody engaged at the same time and talking?”

The Daily Dot posed that question to HJC founder Brian Chhor. His answer? Sometimes, zoning out is OK. 

“We try not to judge the process or impact as long as [patients] come away feeling better,” Chhor told the Daily Dot. 

He also stresses that some people, particularly those who are neurodivergent, feel they can focus better when their hands are busy. So for them, playing while in a group session benefits their participation. 

Chhor also told the Daily Dot that “about a third” of the HJC community identifies as neurodivergent; a third also identify as queer. Both populations can use gaming as a way to better express themselves.

Chhor said autistic HJC members created a Dungeons & Dragons game to communicate their lived experiences to non-autistic people, and previous reporting from the Daily Dot has also shown that queer people use gaming as a way to explore their gender and sexuality .

The 'SoulCycle' of mental health

HJC group sessions don’t have to be intense or even effective each time someone attends; it’s more about consistency and the feeling of belonging that group members experience. Chhor thinks Hero Journey Club is to mental health what SoulCycle is to fitness: a place where people engage with a community of others who have the same goals. 

Plus, Chhor is no stranger to the healing power of video games: He grew up playing them to cope with stress. 

“Video games were almost like a babysitter for us,” Chhor told the Daily Dot. “Initially as a refuge for us to survive middle school, but then, over time, also helped cope with more intense stress.”

Chhor got the idea for HJC after one of his cousins struggled with suicidal ideation during the pandemic. To better support him, Chhor’s brother set up a Discord server where family members could all talk to each other and keep an eye on their cousin. 

Seeing the discussions his family members had not only with his cousin but also with each other made Chhor realize that depression and loneliness are things many people face—and that therapeutic discussions can happen outside traditional therapy settings. 

“Could we take therapy out of the clinic, and into the communities where people already spend their time?” Chhor says he asked himself. “And then can community be the first step towards healing for people who are otherwise intimidated by what that means?” 

HJC has been able to build its community, in part, because the cost of weekly groups is so low: Each group member contributes to the overall rate for the Journey Guide that works with their group.

'Stardew Valley' and beyond

Cole Mederios, the head of operations and business development at ConcernedApe, the developer of Stardew Valley , wasn’t surprised to hear that the game was being utilized by HJC in a therapy context.

In the game, players care for a farm and can “ learn to live off the land .”

“Stardew Valley is about connection,” Mederios said. “And there is an element to it, that's sort of like meditative.”

Players can connect with other villagers, express themselves in how they decorate their farm, and generally focus on whatever is most exciting for them within the world of the game. 

“There's a lot of potential for video games to be very helpful for mental health or to help people learn or process ideas,” Mederios told the Daily Dot. “It's neat to see Stardew Valley being used in that way.”

It’s the meditative quality of HJC group sessions that has helped Riley the most. 

“While the others are talking I doodle and do my lil drawings,” they told the Daily Dot. “Man, if I don't get my weekly coloring sessions I don't feel right!”

But it’s more than that. HJC has been nothing short of life-changing.

“It's literally the only time in my life,” Riley said, “that I am actually motivated to do something other than dissociate 24/7.”

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post In Hero Journey Club, group therapy is literally a game appeared first on The Daily Dot .

In Hero Journey Club, group therapy is literally a game

the hero's journey in video games

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the hero's journey in video games

Pre-Purchase Offer

  • New Game+ Horse travel companion.
  • Traveler’s Attire – fit for a seasoned warrior.
  • Broken Armour dyes from Baku’s shop.

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About This Game

  • Experience Ghost of Tsushima with unlocked framerates and a variety of graphics options tailored to a wide range of hardware, ranging from high-end PCs to portable PC gaming devices.*
  • Get a view of even more of the action with support for Ultrawide (21:9), Super Ultrawide (32:9) and even 48:9 Triple Monitor support.*
  • Boost performance with upscaling and frame generation technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3 and Intel XeSS. NVIDIA Reflex and image quality-enhancing NVIDIA DLAA are also supported.**
  • Japanese lip sync – enjoy a more authentic experience with lip sync for Japanese voiceover, made possible by cinematics being rendered in real time by your PC.
  • Choose how you control the action: experience haptic feedback and adaptive triggers through a wired DualSense™ controller…***
  • …or go with mouse and keyboard, with fully customizable controls.
  • Haptic feedback – master your blade through the DualSense™ controller’s immersive haptic feedback.***
  • Adaptive triggers – enhance your accuracy with a bow using adaptive trigger resistance.***

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

Ghost of Tsushima is an action game set in feudal Japan. Players take the role of Jin Sakai, a samurai risking everything to defend Tsushima from the Mongol invaders pillaging the land. Players travel the Japanese countryside helping civilians and defending them from the Mongol invaders. Frequent sword battles take place in 3rd person melee and ranged combat. Successful attacks can result in dismemberment and decapitation, often accompanied by large blood-splatter effects. Players can also use stealth to take out enemies' unseen, with assassination kills. Cinematics and other scenes show other examples of intense violence and gore, including a scene where a civilian is burned alive, a scene showing a person beheaded and the decapitated man’s head held up towards the camera. Red blood can be seen in environments, on clothing, and spraying from successful attacks.

System Requirements

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • Processor: TBD
  • Graphics: TBD

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AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Posted by: BlueStacks Content Team

Editor’s Rating:

Mar 08, 2024

the hero's journey in video games

AFK Journey  is a direct sequel to the popular AFK RPG “AFK Arena”. The game steals many elements from the original, but in a more expansive and open-world environment. New players can enjoy crucial benefits such as Idle rewards, new player growth campaigns, and free legendary heroes! AFK Journey is available as a free-to-play game on both Google Play Store and iOS App Store. 

In this tier list for AFK Journey, we have curated a complete list of the best and worst heroes to use as a new player. Keep in mind that the game is still in the pre-launch phase, hence, the information is subjective and should be taken as an inspiration for you to build your teams. If you are struggling to get the best characters, we would recommend to re-roll for a glorious head start !

S Tier Heroes

Let’s take a look at all of the heroes in this tier:

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Ceciais a legendary grade hero   that is classified as a Marksmen in-game. Her ultimate ability Queen’s Summons states that Cecia summons Mr. Carlyle to a selected tile to assist in combat. Mr. Carlyle inherits all of Cecia’s stats and his normal attack deals 170% damage to enemies within a 1-tile arc. He gains an extra 45% max HP but loses 4% of max HP per second. When Mr. Carlyle is summoned, he initiates Spiky Wrath to entangle enemies within 2 tiles, dealing 140% damage per second for 2s. The entangled enemies cannot move or act. If Mr. Carlyle is already on the battlefield when this skill is used again, the skill restores his HP to Max, allowing him to cast the Spiky Wrath again.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Rowan is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Support in-game. His ultimate ability Fatal Greed states that Rowan moves up to 1 tile and throws coins upon reaching the destination, providing surrounding allies within 2 tiles with 250 Energy. 

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

SMOKEY & MEERK

Smokey & Meerk is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Support in-game. His ultimate ability Special Aroma states that after a battle starts, Smokey & Meerky create an aroma within 2 tiles and keep it going through channeling. While the aroma is around, Smokey & Meerly recover 50 Energy per second, and allies within the aroma recover 21% of his ATK as HP per second. Smokey & Merky cannot keep the aroma going when affected by control effects and cannot create the aroma in 4s.

Active Effect: Smokey & Merely heal allied heroes within the aroma by 170% of his ATK as HP, and permanently level up the aroma’s effects.

Improved Aroma I: Expands the range by 1 tile.

Improved Aroma II: Grants 30 Haste to allied heroes affected by the aroma.  

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Thoran is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Tank in-game. His ultimate ability Soul Retaliation states that Thoran charges up for some time to slash at enemies in range, dealing 200% damage plus 180% of damage received during the charge. And he also gains 20% Life Drain. Thoran is unaffected while casting this skill.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Dionel is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Marksmen in-game. His ultimate ability Dawn Light states that Dionel soars into the air and cannot be targeted for 6s, during which he attacks the area with the most enemies using sword shock, dealing 170% damage to all adjacent enemies. The last hit of sword shock knocks the enemy up, and its damage dealt is increased to 250%.

A Tier Heroes

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Brutus is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Warrior in-game. His ultimate ability Whirlwind Death states that Brutus spins Mountain’s Roar at high speed and deals 110% damage every second to adjacent enemies within 1 tile for 4s. He is unaffected while spinning.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Odie is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Marksmen in-game. His ultimate ability Corroside Dirt states that Odie fires a Corrosive Dart, dealing 150% damage and Dart Poison to an enemy. The poisoned target will receive 30% damage every second until defeated. Dart Poison cannot be dispelled.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Lucius is an Epic grade hero that is classified as a Tank in-game. His ultimate ability Divine Light Aegis states that Lucius selects a tile and grants allies on it and adjacent tiles a shield that blocks 470% damage (based on Caster’s Attack) for 10s.

B Tier Heroes

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Fay is an Epic grade hero that is classified as a Support in-game. Her ultimate ability Vibrant Dance states that Fay selects a direction and casts vitality magic to frontal allies within a 3-tile arc, restoring 300% of her ATK as HP and increasing their ATK by 12% for 8s.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Mirael is an Epic grade hero that is classified as a Mage in-game. Her ultimate ability Winged Flame states that Mirael selects a direction and summons a 3-tile wide wall of flame at a target, dealing 600% damage to enemies hit.

AFK Journey – Tier List for the Best Heroes

Damian is an Epic grade hero that is classified as a Support in-game. His ultimate ability Explode, my Chariot! has an active part as well as a passive part. 

Passive – Damian cannot be attacked during the battle. He builds a toy chariot that inherits 85% of his HP and 100% of his other stats to take his place when a battle starts. He then stays out of the battlefield and will run away after all allies are defeated.]

Active – If there is a toy chariot, Damian makes it to charge to the target and explode, dealing 320% damage to surrounding enemies within 1 tiles and inflicting blind for 3s. Damian restores 80 Energy for every 10% of the chariot’s HP ratio. If there is no toy chariot, he builds a new toy chariot and moves it to the target location.

Players can enjoy AFK Journey even more on a bigger screen with your keyboard and mouse via BlueStacks!

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  • Tips and Tricks
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AFK Journey

Play AFK Journey on PC

AFK Journey - FAQs

Play AFK Journey on your PC or Mac by following these simple steps.

  • Click on 'Play AFK Journey on PC’ to download BlueStacks
  • Install it and log-in to Google Play Store
  • Launch and play the game.

BlueStacks respects your privacy and is always safe and secure to use. It does not carry any malware, spyware, or any sort of additional software that could harm your PC.

It is engineered to optimize speed and performance for a seamless gaming experience.

Minimum requirement to run AFK Journey on your PC

  • OS: Microsoft Windows 7 and above
  • Processor: Intel or AMD Processor
  • RAM: Your PC must have at least 2GB of RAM. (Note that having 2GB or more disk space is not a substitute for RAM)
  • HDD: 5GB Free Disk Space.
  • You must be an Administrator on your PC.

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Baseball Video Game Will Include Women for the First Time

MLB The Show 24 will feature a career mode that allows gamers to create a female player and steer her journey to the big leagues. The game draws on the experiences of female baseball players.

An image from a video game of a woman in a Cleveland Guardians uniform throwing the ball.

By Orlando Mayorquin

For the first time, women will don Major League Baseball jerseys in MLB The Show, the long-running popular video game.

MLB The Show 24 will debut the option to create and play a female player in a reinvented version of the game’s career mode, Road to the Show, in which gamers direct a custom character’s ascent from the minors to the big leagues. The game’s developer, Sony San Diego Studio, announced the new mode Tuesday.

The game, which comes out March 19, calls the new career mode Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way. It includes a story line that follows the rise of two women into the major leagues and touches on the unique challenges they face, according to Sony San Diego Studio.

MLB The Show joins other high-profile sports video game franchises that have moved to include women, such as FIFA (now EA Sports FC) and NBA 2K . But the gender dynamics in baseball are far more complicated, because most women and girls play softball instead.

Some hoped MLB The Show 24 would help change that.

“I think that in the United States especially, we’re brainwashed to think that boys play baseball and girls play softball, when in reality both exist in both worlds,” said Veronica Alvarez, manager of the U.S.A. Baseball Women’s National Team, which will compete in this year’s Women’s Baseball World Cup .

Ms. Alvarez, a former national team player herself, and some of her players provided Sony with input for the game’s development.

Women playing baseball is hardly new — Toni Stone is credited with becoming the first woman to play alongside men in the Negro Leagues , and women’s baseball leagues have come and gone in the United States over the years. The movie “ A League of Their Own” popularized a professional women’s league that sprang up during World War II.

Despite societal expectations to pursue softball, women are staking a greater claim in the male-dominated sport of baseball.

There are no women in the major leagues, but a growing number of girls are playing the sport, whether alongside boys or even on all-girl teams . A few have even gone on to play on men’s teams in college.

Some, like Ms. Alvarez, have found careers in coaching minor league teams. In 2020, Kim Ng became the first general manager of a major league team.

The Atlantic League, an independent minor league that works with Major League Baseball, recently welcomed its first female player, Kelsie Whitmore, a 25-year-old pitcher. Her personal story is drawn upon in Road to the Show: Women Paving Their Way.

“It’s becoming more common for women to make it farther and farther into the sport,” said Olivia Pichardo, 20, who last year became the first woman to play N.C.A.A. Division I college baseball.

Ms. Pichardo, who grew up playing MLB The Show and shared her personal experience with the developers, hoped to see it empower young girls to see baseball as a viable option.

Lisa Fernandez, a U.C.L.A. coach and softball pitcher whose three gold medals earned her a place in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame, said the representation of women in a baseball video game showed how far they had come since Title IX opened the doors for them in college sports in 1972.

“I think it just makes a statement,” Ms. Fernandez said, though she noted that women still had a long way to go to have the same professional opportunities men do, whether they play baseball, softball or another sport.

Ms. Alvarez, 40, said the Colorado Silver Bullets , an all-women professional team that briefly competed against men in the 1990s, were the only example of women in baseball she could recall in her childhood.

“I saw one game on TV, and that was the only representation I ever saw when I was growing up of a girl or a woman playing baseball outside of obviously me and the only one girl in the Little League that I played in,” Ms. Alvarez said.

She had not known that a women’s national team existed until she was an adult, when by chance it popped up after she searched Google for the Silver Bullets. “And that led me to U.S.A. Baseball, which meant I got to play and extend my career for eight more years,” Ms. Alvarez said, adding, “It shows you the importance of seeing someone that looks like you do it.”

A more inclusive video game can carry that kind of power, too.

Jillian Albayati, 19, a baseball pitcher and a member of the national team, said MLB The Show was wildly popular among young players. It’s one of the few video games she has played, she said.

“It lets me see how far I can really go,” Ms. Albayati said, picturing her thoughts if she had seen women in the game as a child. “It gives me even bigger dreams that I already have.

“It makes me believe that they can come true.”

Orlando Mayorquin is a general assignment and breaking news reporter based in New York. More about Orlando Mayorquin

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

How the Kelces Made Crying Cool: Tears in men’s sports were once considered a sign of weakness. But Jason and Travis Kelce have regularly put their emotions on full display .

Dartmouth Players: Members of the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team voted 13-2 in favor of forming a union, a development that could usher in a new phase of the movement for college athletes to be treated like employees. Here is how the players’ union plan came together .

The Bohemians: This small-time soccer team in Dublin has made support for social causes a crucial part of its identity . Critics say the hipsters have taken over, but the approach has attracted fans around the world.

A Safe Harbor: If you’re tired of the endless manufactured arguments by modern sports personalities, Scott Van Pelt’s midnight “SportsCenter” offers a necessary respite .

A New Frontier: For the first time, women professional softball players in Latin America have a league of their own , another gain for women seeking more opportunities.

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  2. Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey: A Better Screenplay in 17 Steps

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COMMENTS

  1. Using the Hero's Journey in Games

    Troy Dunniway examines the process of using a nine act story structure and the classic hero's journey to create an outline and break it down into a linear series of events in order to develop both a game's story and level flow more quickly and easily. Troy Dunniway. November 26, 2000. 25 Min Read.

  2. Video Games And The Hero's Journey

    For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to. Plans start as low as $2.50/mo. Last night, I was a hero. I led brothers-in-arms to victory against a formidable foe. It wasn't easy. Life, death and the fate of the universe were on the.

  3. PDF Video Games and the Hero's Journey

    PLYLER | VIDEO GAMES AND THE HERO'S JOURNEY 21 video games only recently have reached a point where they can be considered a narrative medium. The problem is that video games are completely misunderstood by the general public (Bizzocchi and Tanenbaum; Dubbelman; Ryan). While there are video games that can tell compelling stories—engaging ...

  4. The Hero's Journey and Monomyth: Does it work for all games?

    This guided me to two realizations. First, Vogler's 12-stage linear Hero's Journey is a blessing for video game creators, as it's a structure designed specifically to create compelling narratives. It has a built-in framework that guides pacing, and it practically guarantees a coherent narrative.

  5. How Games take the Player through The Hero's Journey: Part 1

    According to this book, The Hero's Journey has 17 steps that are broken up into 3 main parts. The first part is the Departure, in which the hero leaves the comfort of home and enters a strange new land. The second stage is Initiation, in which the hero must overcome a series of trials in the new world. Finally, the last stage is the return ...

  6. How Video Games Tell Stories

    This video examines the history of video games as a storytelling medium, and how interactivity and dynamic interaction alter how we present fiction. It analy...

  7. How Games take the Player through The Hero's Journey: Part 1

    According to this book, The Hero's Journey has 17 steps that are broken up into 3 main parts. The first part is the Departure, in which the hero leaves the comfort of home and enters a strange new land. The second stage is Initiation, in which the hero must overcome a series of trials in the new world. Finally, the last stage is the return ...

  8. PDF The Hero's Journey in Player Experiences

    The Hero's Journey is influential in digital games but the well-known version is a simplified fraction of what Joseph Campbell presents in The Hero With A Thousand Faces. The popular Linear Hero's Journey is a sequence of events that happen to the hero, restricted to specific settings, characters, goals, and outcomes.

  9. The Hero's Journey: Strong Storytelling in Video Games

    Charles Beacham (writer, Mythical Games), Sam Maggs (consulting writer, Sledgehammer Games), Jillian Scharr (project lead writer, Harebrained Schemes), Josh ...

  10. How Games take the Player through The Hero's Journey: Part 2

    How Games take the Player through The Hero's Journey: Part 2 - Initiation. Last week I began a series on video games and the Hero's Journey. The first part covered the first section of the journey, known as departure. This week is part 2 of 3, and covers the second portion - initiation. Caleb Compton.

  11. Using the Hero's Journey In Game Level Design and Storytelling

    Creating an outline that combines a nine act story structure, the heroes journey and a game level layout is the first step in figuring out what you need to do. Each step of the hero's journey ...

  12. The Hero With a Thousand Pixels: Video Game Myths and Stories

    Identifying Video Game Myths and The Hero's Journey . This archetypal adventure outlined by Campbell, that Link, Buddha, Frodo, Gordon Freeman, and many others have embarked on is known as The ...

  13. The 25 best heroes in video games of all-time

    10. Dante (Devil May Cry series) (Image credit: Capcom) Developer: Capcom. Cocky, sarcastic, and confident: all apt descriptions of Capcom's half-demon hero. Dante's been charming us for over a ...

  14. [PDF] Video Games and the Hero ' s Journey

    Video games have, unfortunately, been confined to just such a niche, and exist with a false association with being childish and a waste of time. While there are indeed childish video games out there, that doesn't mean that there aren't mature, worthwhile and engaging titles. ... {Video Games and the Hero ' s Journey}, author={James Edward ...

  15. Why Fable Should Be a Pure, Simple, and Unashamed Hero's Journey

    The entire story of the first Fable game sees players take on the role of a professional Hero, and seek to rid the world of bandits and mysterious evils. After saving their sister, Fable 's Hero ...

  16. The Hero's Journey: Stages, Steps, and Examples

    The hero's journey is the story of a hero who leaves the ordinary world to go on an adventure full of peril. On it, the hero will gain both adversaries and allies, and will face a great evil. The hero will also face his shadow self, which is perhaps the most frightening antagonist of all. Campbell references 17 total steps in the hero's journey.

  17. The Hero's Journey in Elden Ring: Playing a Video Game Epic

    The gameplay elements, much like the narrative, are designed to prompt players to experiment, adapt, and learn, further enhancing the connection between the player's journey and the Hero's Journey depicted in the game. This duality of gameplay and narrative interpretation ensures that every element within Elden Ring contributes to the ...

  18. What's a good example of Joseph Campbell's Hero's journey in a video game?

    GarrickWinter • 6 yr. ago. I've heard Journey is actually a pretty good example, though I haven't played it. I watched a talk about it once; they discussed how, for instance, the refusal of the call was built into the mechanics by allowing the player to run off in the wrong direction for a bit and then blowing them back on course ...

  19. The Hero's Journey: Step-By-Step Guide with Examples

    The Hero's Journey is a common story structure for modeling both plot points and character development. A protagonist embarks on an adventure into the unknown. ... There are countless examples in books, music, and video games, from fantasy epics and Disney films to sports movies. In The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers ...

  20. Project MUSE

    The Queer Narrativity of the Hero's Journey in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda Video Games. Tison Pugh (bio) Within the relatively brief history of video games and their scholarly study, many critics and players have long lamented their regressive gender roles—and rightfully so. Various games rely on hackneyed narrative trajectories depicting ...

  21. The 12 Steps of the Hero's Journey, WIth Example

    The fundamental steps include: The call to adventure, where the hero is presented with a challenge or opportunity that sets them on their path; the crossing of the threshold, leaving behind the known world and venturing into the unknown; various tests, trials, and allies that help the hero overcome obstacles along the way; a confrontation with ...

  22. Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey

    The hero's journey is a simple yet powerfully creative concept, found not just in myths and fairy tales but also novels, films, interactive video games, or anywhere stories are told. The influence of the hero's journey in popular culture is especially apparent in film, as in George Lucas' acknowledgment that Star Wars might never have ...

  23. Valiant Hearts: Coming Home

    Play the sequel of the vastly-acclaimed Valiant Hearts: The Great War (winner of Best Narrative and Games for Change at The Game Awards 2014) and see the end of the War. Play Four Unsung Heroes As their destinies intertwine, guide each of these characters through the harrowing horrors of the trenches alongside their faithful canine companion.

  24. Revealing 5 India Hero Project games coming to PlayStation

    In May 2023, we embarked on an ambitious journey with the India Hero Project. We aimed to unearth and empower India's brightest game development talents to share their unique visions with gamers globally. The response was spectacular, with an avalanche of entries that showcased the rich tapestry of Indian culture, innovation, and storytelling ...

  25. Rise as a Champion in Overwatch 2

    Season 9: Champions also introduces global balance changes that affect every hero in the game. We're adjusting how the damage dealt is more consistent by increasing the projectile size while also increasing the health pools of all heroes, thereby keeping the time it takes to eliminate targets relatively the same. We also added a new passive for ...

  26. In Hero Journey Club, group therapy is literally a game

    They clicked on it and were directed to Hero Journey Club (HJC), a mental health program that runs group sessions with therapists while patients play video games. Because they had just started ...

  27. The Hero's Journey of Journey

    All steps of the Hero's Journey can be categorized in three groups: 1. Separation - The Hero lives in his normal world, accepts the call to adventure and crosses the threshold into the special world. 2. Initiation - The Hero goes through trials, faces death, and achieves the ultimate boon. 3.

  28. Pre-Purchase Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S CUT

    About This Game For the very first time on PC, play through Jin Sakai's journey and discover the complete Ghost of Tsushima experience in this Director's Cut. In the late 13th century, the Mongol empire has laid waste to entire nations along their campaign to conquer the East. Tsushima Island is all that stands between mainland Japan and a ...

  29. AFK Journey

    SMOKEY & MEERK. Smokey & Meerk is a legendary grade hero that is classified as a Support in-game. His ultimate ability Special Aroma states that after a battle starts, Smokey & Meerky create an aroma within 2 tiles and keep it going through channeling. While the aroma is around, Smokey & Meerly recover 50 Energy per second, and allies within the aroma recover 21% of his ATK as HP per second.

  30. Baseball Video Game Will Include Women for the First Time

    MLB The Show 24 will feature a career mode that allows gamers to create a female player and steer her journey to the big leagues. The game draws on the experiences of female baseball players.