Video games are often power fantasies where the player takes on the role of superhero or secret agent. Journalists may not be the first role people think of when figuring out what their protagonists should do for a living, but an argument has to be made that they are excellent protagonists.
Journalists are often tasked with investigating dark or mysterious cases for which no answers have yet been found. Games have grown to a point where there is room for experiences of all shapes and sizes, from indie games to AAA blockbusters. As it turns out, there are more than a handful of games that allow players to take on the role of journalist.
9 Beyond Good and Evil (Jade)
With fans wondering what the current state of affairs is? Beyond Good and Evil 2 is, there’s never been a better time to jump into the series in the original game. Beyond good and evil starring Jade, a self-employed freelancer tasked with uncovering the true motives of the Alpha sections.
Most people assume that journalists are academic individuals who avoid physical conflict, but Jade happens to be a skilled fighter who prefers using a staff. Jade is fueled by the ability to serve justice, whether through sheer journalism or just with her fists.
8 Heavy Rain (Madison Paige)
Quantic Dreams Heavy rain was an interesting attempt to deliver an interactive drama and focused on finding the killer known as the Origami Killer. In the game, players take on the roles of several playable characters, including a woman named Madison Paige.
As a journalist who suffers from insomnia, she often sleeps in shady areas as this is often the only place where her mind can relax. Heavy rain is a game that had mixed reviews, but most understood how unique the experience was for gamers.
7 Uncharted (Elena Fisher)
today Elena Fisher is known as the beloved significant other of Nathan Drake, the cunning treasure hunter of the not mapped series. However, early in the series, she was presented as a reporter and journalist who worked alongside Drake before the two fell for each other.
Players actually played as Elena in small sprints during the first game. Unfortunately, this idea rarely came back in future installments of the series, despite how much fans enjoyed her character and what she meant to the devious Nathan Drake’s morality and decision-making.
6 Marvel’s Spider-Man (Mary Jane)
Most Spider Man fans know Mary Jane as an investigative reporter whose intelligence often helps Peter Parker quell some of New York’s biggest threats to security. During small portions of Marvel’s Spider-Man players take control of MJ and must use their wits to avoid danger, as she doesn’t have the same superpowers as her significant other.
However, Mary Jane has excellent skills in both problem-solving and deductive reasoning, each of which is invaluable to her journalistic efforts. For that reason alone, it keeps playing as her interesting and adds a bit more depth to the overall experience.
5 TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (April O’Neil)
It’s hard to stand out among a pack of super-powered anthropomorphic turtles, but April O’Neil has managed to hold his own. Despite being a news reporter, she often acts as the adult in the room, serving as the mother figure to the group of hulled heroes.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is a 2022 release from developer DotEmu and was intended to bring back the feeling of classic play TMNT games in the arcade. Players can choose to play as one of the turtles, or tackle investigative journalism with mic-wielding April O’Neil.
4 2064: Read-only memories (the protagonist)
2064: Read-only reminders is a game developed by MidBoss that was released in 2015. The game is described as an adventure game set in the world of cyberpunk and players create their characters along with their favorite pronouns.
The main character is a journalist looking for answers in search of a friend who has been kidnapped. The game was rated quite well and is considered a must-play for anyone who likes the vibe of the cyberpunk genre. A sequel to this game was announced in 2019 and will be released in the coming years.
3 Dead Rising (Frank West)
Dead Rising received high praise from gamers for delivering one of the first and best zombie-killing sandboxes to ever grace the video game medium. The game caught people’s attention thanks to a large number of zombies on the screen and crazy comedic possibilities when it came to how players could kill them.
The main character of the game is a man named Frank West who works as a photojournalist, a detail that becomes apparent when you consider that the game has an entire mechanic focused on the player taking pictures of his surroundings. Some of the later installments of the series were a bit hit and miss, but the original was a huge success.
2 Miles Upshur (Surviving)
It’s hard enough as a journalist to get firsts and do the job effectively, but add in the idea of running from a cult to survive and the whole process becomes exponentially more difficult. last longer managed to build on the voyeuristic horror that upsets the player in a world saturated with green light.
Players take on the role of Miles Upshur, a journalist who investigates the strange happenings at Mount Massive Asylum thanks to a type received from a mysterious anonymous source. He quickly learns that some things might be better left unexplored.
1 Untitled Journalist (Bugsnax)
bugsnax initially presents itself as a wonderfully idiosyncratic take on the pokemon formula, but instead of fantastic animals, the world is full of food/animal hybrids that were cute and creepy at the same time.
Those who start the game take on the role of an unnamed journalist who is sent to Snaktooth Island to investigate the disappearance of Elizabert Megafig, a famous explorer and bugsnax scientist. Over the course of the game, the player interviews the inhabitants of this island in an attempt to collect clues about the disappearance of Mrs. Megafig.
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