Best Video Games for character development

character development Decision Dashboard

Safest pick

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

4.9 feature score

Balances feature score, supporting reviews, and overall product strength.

Best overall product

Hades II

4.5 overall score

Strongest overall product among items with scored evidence for this feature.

See ranked products
#1 The Last of Us Part II Remastered
5.0
2 reviews

Character development was praised for its heavy character work and risky perspective structure.

Pros: core gameplay loop, level design

Cons: family friendliness, puzzle design

#2 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
4.9
17 reviews

Character development is a standout consensus strength, with reviewers emphasizing deeper bonds, richer backstories, and more rounded portrayals across the party.

Pros: world-building, art direction

Cons: mission design, stealth mechanics

#3 Donkey Kong Bananza
4.9
4 reviews

Character development centered on Pauline's confidence and her bond with DK, which several reviewers found heartwarming and defining.

Pros: gameplay mechanics, world interactivity

Cons: economy and resource balance, enemy variety

#4 Ghost of Yōtei
4.8
3 reviews

Atsu’s arc is praised for emotional clarity, redemption, growth, and a more intimate character focus than the predecessor.

Pros: movement feel, environmental detail

Cons: puzzle design, age appropriateness

#5 Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
4.8
4 reviews

Character development was praised for Estelle and Joshua’s growth, their bond, and the way the remake carries emotional arcs.

Pros: protagonist appeal, art direction

Cons: camera behavior, tutorial quality

#6 Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
4.8
6 reviews

Reviewers especially praised Dragon Quest II's party members for gaining stronger arcs, personalities, and interpersonal chemistry.

Pros: visual effects quality, environmental detail

Cons: AI behavior, level design

#7 Hades II
4.8
2 reviews

Character arcs and evolving relationships are praised for making the cast feel connected and worth returning to between runs.

Pros: skill tree depth, dialogue quality

Cons: emotional impact, economy and resource balance

#8 Saros
4.8
2 reviews

Arjun’s arc drew praise where reviewers felt his development became darker, more complex, and captivating.

Pros: value for money, fun factor

Cons: map and navigation design, side character depth

#9 Hollow Knight: Silksong
4.7
3 reviews

Character development is praised for Hornet softening through Pharloom and for character arcs that counterbalance the harsh world.

Pros: core gameplay loop, world interactivity

Cons: loot system, accessibility options

#10 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
4.7
5 reviews

Character development was praised for interesting party members, growth, humanity, and introspective motivations.

Pros: monetization fairness, microtransaction impact

Cons: platforming precision, menu usability

#11 Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
4.7
3 reviews

Henry and Hans received strong praise for their evolving relationship and character arcs, with Henry’s trauma and growth adding stakes.

Pros: soundtrack quality, fun factor

Cons: checkpoint system, family friendliness

#12 Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
4.6
2 reviews

Character development is praised for keeping reviewers engaged and for a cast that one reviewer felt was not underdeveloped.

Pros: world interactivity, sandbox freedom

Cons: crash stability, learning curve

#13 South of Midnight
4.6
2 reviews

Character development was praised for making characters feel real and emotionally grounded.

Pros: atmosphere, voice acting

Cons: world interactivity, camera behavior

#14 Split Fiction
4.5
3 reviews

Character development earned praise from reviewers who felt Mio and Zoe’s relationship and emotional growth paid off.

Pros: puzzle design, level design

Cons: exploration quality, side character depth

#15 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
4.5
2 reviews

Character development is praised where reviewers saw Sam relying on others more and the sequel deepening characterization.

Pros: animation quality, facial animations

Cons: quest design, AI behavior

#16 Directive 8020
4.5
1 review

Character development was praised for how relationships and reactivity could make the story feel personal.

Pros: user interface design, graphics quality

Cons: combat system, animation quality

#17 Forza Horizon 5
4.5
1 review

Character development gets positive evidence where the campaign gives more attention to the people behind the cars.

Pros: controls responsiveness, movement feel

Cons: tutorial quality, animation quality

#18 The Alters
4.4
9 reviews

Character development was broadly praised for distinct, evolving Jans, though one reviewer felt the alters leaned into caricature.

Pros: controls responsiveness, onboarding experience

Cons: crash stability, grind level

#19 Digimon Story Time Stranger
4.4
7 reviews

Character development was praised for Digimon relationships, time-spanning growth, and meaningful arcs, with humans less consistently strong.

Pros: atmosphere, world-building

Cons: HUD clarity, fast travel convenience

#20 Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
4.4
1 review

Character development is expected to improve because reviewers saw the remake fleshing out Edward’s story and personal relationships.

Pros: core gameplay loop, visual effects quality

Cons: monetization fairness, microtransaction impact

#21 Pragmata
4.4
9 reviews

Character development centers on Hugh and Diana’s growing bond, which reviewers overwhelmingly found organic, heartfelt, and memorable.

Pros: bug frequency, user interface design

Cons: HUD clarity, mission design

#22 Goodnight Universe
4.3
5 reviews

Character development was usually praised for grounded family dynamics and three-dimensional characters, though one reviewer found the cast likable but underdeveloped.

Pros: side character depth, visual effects quality

Cons: user interface design, handheld play suitability

#23 Cabernet
4.3
4 reviews

Character development was generally strong, with reviewers praising memorable personalities, relationship consequences, and excellent development, though one found some characters less complex.

Pros: accessibility options, protagonist appeal

Cons: frame rate stability, polish

#24 Diablo IV
4.2
1 review

One review praised the base game’s characters as more fleshed out and memorable.

Pros: lore depth, art direction

Cons: mission variety, protagonist appeal

#25 Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
4.2
24 reviews

Character development was one of the strongest areas, with broad praise for the four girls, their relationships, and the adult/teen contrasts, offset by a few dissenting views.

Pros: character roster, animation quality

Cons: core gameplay loop, polish

#26 007 First Light
4.1
4 reviews

Character development is a notable strength because multiple reviewers see the origin story aligning Bond's growth with gameplay and MI6 relationships.

Pros: level design, user interface design

Cons: AI behavior, facial animations

#27 Monster Hunter Wilds
4.1
3 reviews

Nata's arc was generally seen as effective, with multiple reviewers calling out earned growth and stronger-than-usual character development.

Pros: art direction, cross-play support

Cons: dialogue quality, monetization fairness

#28 Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss
4.0
1 review

One review praised the cast connection and personal battles, supporting a positive but limited score for character development.

Pros: world-building, world interactivity

Cons: enemy variety, stealth mechanics

#29 Elden Ring Nightreign
4.0
1 review

Character development was praised in the Nightfarer storylines and Remembrances.

Pros: emotional impact, visual effects quality

Cons: crash stability, cross-play support

#30 Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
4.0
1 review

Character development receives praise where arcade stories provide nice character-building moments and payoffs.

Pros: emotional impact, animation quality

Cons: enemy variety, server reliability

#31 Invincible VS
4.0
1 review

Character development had narrow support from Powerplex commentary describing him as emotional and psychologically distinctive.

Pros: immersion, frame rate stability

Cons: user interface design, bug frequency

#32 Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
4.0
1 review

Character development evidence is limited to one expectations-focused review that anticipates meaningful growth across Batman and the Bat family.

Pros: pacing, core gameplay loop

Cons: companion AI, map and navigation design

#33 Street Fighter 6
4.0
1 review

Character development showed up in master bonds and arcade/world interactions, but it was not the central narrative strength.

Pros: movement feel, art direction

Cons: platforming precision, writing quality

#34 Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
3.9
2 reviews

Character development remained strong for Ramza and select side characters, though some reviewers wanted more party interaction after recruitment.

Pros: emotional impact, polish

Cons: bug frequency, crash stability

#35 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
3.8
4 reviews

The Federation cast landed unevenly: some reviewers grew attached, while others felt characterization stayed broad or underdeveloped.

Pros: world-building, frame rate stability

Cons: companion AI, upgrade system

#36 Cronos: The New Dawn
3.5
1 review

Character development evidence was limited to one review noting the Traveler becomes more likable despite limited development.

Pros: core gameplay loop, emotional impact

Cons: checkpoint system, bug frequency

#37 Dragon Ball FighterZ
3.4
2 reviews

Android 21 draws mixed character reactions: one reviewer found her characterization off-putting, while another liked the design and play feel.

Pros: movement feel, world-building

Cons: save system reliability, mission variety

#38 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
3.3
2 reviews

Character development is limited overall, with one reviewer liking a supporting character but another calling broader character depth minimal.

Pros: graphics quality, environmental detail

Cons: bug frequency, dialogue quality

#39 Assassin's Creed Shadows
3.0
3 reviews

Character development is uneven: some praise strong character work, while others argue Yasuke or the central bond lacks growth and earned depth.

Pros: environmental detail, cross-save support

Cons: writing quality, enemy variety

#40 Silent Hill f
2.8
2 reviews

Character development was mixed: one review found optional material effective enough, while another criticized the characters as unlikable and poorly developed.

Pros: voice acting, emotional impact

Cons: family friendliness, menu usability

#41 The First Berserker: Khazan
2.0
1 review

Character development is criticized as lacking.

Pros: core gameplay loop, controls responsiveness

Cons: mission design, learning curve

#42 Crimson Desert
1.7
3 reviews

Reviewer evidence is strongly negative: character development was consistently framed as a major weakness across 3 review(s).

Pros: level design, replay value

Cons: stealth mechanics, save system reliability