Summary
One expects video game characters to be earnest and enthusiastic. Because of that expectation, though, such characters can become stale. That’s why more recent games have given way tomore cynical characters.
Capcomhas gotten involved in this trend. This studio’s titles feature several characters who are just done with it all. They don’t care about the conflict one way or another, sometimes even making light of it. This mindset occasionally stems from a rough past, as someone who’s seen the worst would hardly be impressed by anything less. Alternatively, this might just be the way the character is written. However they adopt their attitudes, these cynical characters are usually among the most engaging in the industry.
The son of a demon knight,Danteisn’t fazed by the supernatural. In fact, he runs his Devil May Cry business to rid clients of monstrous problems. This would ordinarily make him a hero. Though a small part of him is determined to do what’s right, he gives an outward impression of pure apathy. He only seems to care about paying the bills and relaxing. Even the most frightening creature is just a pest for him to exterminate (for a fee).
That becomes apparent whenever he confronts a demon. The creatures allgive some longwinded speechor threat, yet Dante only makes fun of them. He couldn’t care less about what they’re saying. Once he sends them to Hell, he’s just going to kick back and order another pizza.
In many ways,Karinis the stereotypical rich girl andvapid blonde. She’s a fierce rival to Sakura, and that animosity comes from her upbringing. Her family raised her to believe that those with the best business sense and who find the most success are inherently better than everyone else. Karin takes that to the extreme, pushing her father out of his own company. As such, the struggles and feelings of “commoners” aren’t worth dwelling on. This explains her snobbish behavior around otherStreet Fightercharacters.
Karin soon takes that mentality of success and applies it to combat. She mellows out somewhat in doing so, appreciating others' techniques and even acknowledging Sakura’s superiority at one point. However, she mainly uses these revelations to improve herself andretake the top spotin the Street Fighter tournament. That self-centered demeanor is ingrained in her blood. On the upside, her outlook drives her to better herself and helps her compete with other fighters.
Debuting inResident Evil 2,LeonKennedybegins as an idealistic buck whostrives to be an honest cop and help people. Unfortunately, he must constantly fight to survive amid multiple zombie outbreaks. He sees countless friends, enemies, and strangers fall victim to the horde. Life is fleeting. Because of that, he severs what few connections he has and goes off on his own. The games repeatedly pair him with new allies, but he swiftly loses touch with them. To be fair, though, he doesn’t pay any mind to the zombies anymore.
Frequent victories have left Leon jaded to the undead menace.He often cracks jokes at his enemies' expense. He does this while diving headfirst into no-win situations. Maybe he knows his plot armor will protect him. Whatever the case, he acts like someone with nothing to lose. When he takes risks in the early games, he wants to be a hero. When he does the same in later entries, he may just want to die.
Considering how hardGhosts ‘n Goblinsis, death is a common occurrence. That explainsthe Grim Reaper’scomplacent, self-satisfied attitude. His position is secure because it’s always in demand. To his chagrin,theMaximospin-off seriesthreatens his comfortable lifestyle. When the villainous Achilles starts raising the dead, the Reaper could be out of a job. So, the skeletal entity teams up with Maximo to save the day.
Obviously, he only does so for selfish reasons. Living beings are just pawns; the Reaper simply wants those pawns to serve his own purposes. In other scenarios, he’d be an antagonist. It just so happens that his way is the natural order of things. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
People often imagine gods looking down on lowly mortals. That’s actually the case withBreath of Fire 4.Fou-Luis the dark half of protagonist Ryu and one of the Endless (immortal) beings. Upon reawakening, he encounters the worst that humanity has to offer. Ironically, the worst comes from the empire that he helped build in times long past. The lesser men now ruling it want nothing to do with him and proceed to attack. This lack of faith, loyalty, or decency is repugnant to Fou-Lu.
Such hubris would be bad enough, but their actions also affect innocents. The imperial assault results in the death of Mami, a woman who tends Fou-Lu’s wounds. From here, the fallen god declares the human race to be irredeemable and not worth saving. He resolves to wipe them out to cleanse the world of evil. It’s the ultimate case of cynical disappointment.
Marinois basically Capcom’s version of Rouge, the bat from theSonic the Hedgehogseries. TheMega Man Xcharacter is a self-proclaimed thief. She doesn’t put much stock in the Rebellion or Resistance. In fact, she seeks to exploit the conflict for personal gain,namely to steal valuables while they’re busy fighting each other. She’s only looking out for Number One.
That sentiment holds true even once Marino joins the Rebellion. Circumstances thrust her toward this allegiance once she gets on Dr. Psycho’s bad side, but even then, she’s not a team player. She prefers her own company, as the heroes are too idealistic for her liking.
