The Last of Us is having a moment. Fueled largely by the success of the live-action HBO series of the same name, the 2013 game (and its 2020 sequel) are a cultural phenomenon for good reason; both the game and the show tell a compelling story filled with a little action and a lot of emotion. For a show about surviving a post- apocalyptic America, The Last of Us shines when it focuses on the complexity of its very human characters rather than its infected. Episode arcs exploring cult-favorite characters from the games have been celebrated and the two lead actors have been praised for their portrayal of the main characters and the deepening relationship between the battle-scarred Joel and the sarcastic, jaded Ellie.
In both parts of the game, Ellie is, understandably, fed up with the post-apocalyptic world she lives in. She is also a teenager, coming to terms with growing up and trying to find her place in an all-too-terrifying reality. Many of our favorite video games have focused on telling the story of a teenage protagonist as they come into their own and, no matter what stage of life we find ourselves in, we find ourselves relating to their journeys. Maybe because most of us will be or have been a teenager at some point, or maybe because there’s always a little angst in all of us, many classic games seem to be about teenagers.
Whether you’re a brooding adolescent, or just want to play one, here’s eight of our favorite video games about angsty teens.
Final Fantasy VII: Cloud Strife
In either the original or the remake, Final Fantasy VII‘s main protagonist is one of our fave angsty teens. Cloud Strife starts out as a former member of SOLDIER, a group of elite superhuman warriors employed by the Shinra Electric Power Company, but becomes a mercenary for hire after he grows disillusioned by Shinra’s shady practices. When his childhood friend Tifa Lockhart reaches out to him, Cloud takes a job as a mercenary for Avalanche, an eco-terrorist group that opposes Shinra. Cloud presents a hardened exterior and solely focuses on his job without letting his personal feelings interfere with the task at hand, but underneath that tough persona, there’s a kind individual with a mysterious past and secrets you can unravel as you play the game.
The World Ends with You: Neku
In The World Ends with You, players find themselves in an alternate version of Shibuya, forced to fight for their lives by playing a week-long game known as the Reapers’ Game. Neku, the antisocial main character of this classic RPG, has one of the edgiest opening monologues we’ve seen in any video game: “Shut up! Stop talking! Just go the hell away! All the world needs is me… I got my values, so you can keep yours, all right? I don’t get people. Never have, never will.” If that doesn’t show you just how angsty the protagonist of The World Ends with You is, we don’t know what will. If you cut through the teenage angst, this earnest game tells a story with a lot of heart and ambition.
Life is Strange: Chloe
Square Enix might not have a monopoly on teenage RPGs, but we can’t deny the company has mastered the formula for some great games. In Life is Strange, you play Max Caulfield, a teenager with the ability to rewind time. After she witnesses a traumatic event, she uses her ability to turn back the clock and reunites with her childhood friend Chloe Price. Max might be a teenager but she’s nowhere near as full of angst as Chloe is; with piercings, blue hair, and a smoking habit, Chloe perfectly embodies the look of a stereotypical edgy teen. Given how dark the plot of this game can get, we can’t blame Chloe for wanting to rebel.
Persona 5: Joker (but honestly, everyone)
Out of all the characters on this list, Joker might show the least outward angst. However, it’s the angst on the inside that counts and Joker has it in spades; the protagonist of the fan-favorite Persona 5 (and the follow-up with new content, Persona 5 Royal) moves to Tokyo to attend Shujin Academy after being falsely charge with a crime he didn’t commit. He starts the game on probation for the assault he ironically saved a woman from, and endeavors to live a polite, orderly life in a society that looks down on his every move. Soon, Joker reveals the true rebellious nature he hides underneath his quiet exterior and gains the ability to harness Personas and navigate the Metaverse in order to change the unjust society he and his friends were born into. Joker leads a group of like-minded teens fueled by a similar angsty desire to change the world for the better.
Hades: Zagreus
In Hades, the player takes on the role of Zagreus, the son of the eponymous god of the Underworld. Though Zagreus has spent the entirety of his immortal life as Prince of the Underworld, he never felt at home and struggles to meet the high expectations of his father Hades. Zagreus soon hatches a plan to escape the Underworld and learn the truth about his birth mother, the goddess Persephone. While he harbors pent-up frustration over not knowing his mother and not feeling like he belongs in the world of the gods, Zagreus hides a kind character underneath that tough outer layer and he forms alliances and friendships with other immortals as the game progresses (we especially love his interactions with Cerberus).
Night in the Woods: Mae Borowski
Technically, Night in the Woods‘ protagonist Mae Borowski is 20, but we hope you’ll let it slide if we put this single-player exploration game on our list. Mae returns to her town of Possum Springs, a town once known for its now-closed coal mines, after a stint at college and is surprised to see how much her home has changed in her absence. The town is filled with colorful animals (Mae is an angsty cat) and as you explore, you can find new townspeople to interact with and stories to discover. Mae might be aimlessly adrift at the moment, but so is everyone else, and for now, that’s okay.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Shulk
In the action RPG Xenoblade Chronicles, two titans, the Bionis and the Mechonis, once fought each other until nothing remained but their frozen corpses. The Bionis would become a home for living creatures like the human-like Homs and the Mechonis would house the long-lived mechanic humanoid Mechon. In the game, players explore the world as Shulk, an 18-year-old Hom who swears revenge on the Mechon after they attack his settlement. For the most part, Shulk is a kind but somewhat oblivious young adult, but his desire for revenge makes him a prime angst-driven protagonist. Still, Shulk is incredibly loyal to his friends and proves to ultimately have a good head on his shoulders as he wields the powerful sword Monado for good.
Celeste: Madeline
The main character of platform-game Celeste is a young girl named Madeline who has stubbornly decided to climb the notoriously difficult Celeste Mountain as a way to feel accomplished and hopefully boost her fractured self-esteem. As she struggles to climb the mountain, Madeline battles her own demon, Badeline, a physical manifestation of her anxiety and depression. The main character of Celeste navigates mental illness in a relatable and moving way, and the game’s themes of self-care and acceptance feel as fresh now as they did when it was released in 2018. As you work on climbing (the incredibly challenging) Celeste Mountain, you meet a cast of well-written characters who help you learn more about Madeline as she continues a path of self-discovery and self-love.