games with physically disabled reps i enjoy
i am disabled and appreciate good/interesting representation :)
to be updated if i have the spoons for it
keep in mind this isnt a list meant for any game with a disabled character at all, just ones i enjoy, unfortunately its pretty common to have frankly pretty bad representation for disabled characters.
give reccs of games you think have good/interesting depictions id love to try em out :)
to be updated if i have the spoons for it
keep in mind this isnt a list meant for any game with a disabled character at all, just ones i enjoy, unfortunately its pretty common to have frankly pretty bad representation for disabled characters.
give reccs of games you think have good/interesting depictions id love to try em out :)
9 Games
i kin V and i wish there was more games with physically disabled protags who used a variety of mobility aids, canes are pretty uncommon and i appreciated the way dmc5 presented them
I could go into why I love V but this video I found basically has all my thoughts and then some:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSXk10U7Ar4
Give this channel some love, this video feels like it read my mind entirely and articulated better than I wish I could lol
This video was basically what inspired me to make this list
I could go into why I love V but this video I found basically has all my thoughts and then some:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSXk10U7Ar4
Give this channel some love, this video feels like it read my mind entirely and articulated better than I wish I could lol
This video was basically what inspired me to make this list
Deathslinger is cool cause his disability is actually taken into account mechanically with his movement speed being different from the average killer, very neat
His disability is a presumably permanent injury on his leg that makes him have to use a leg brace.
Everything about the way he stands and moves just feels strained.
It's pretty cool there was a lot of attention to detail given to this aspect that (as far as i know) isn't really elaborated on in his lore.
horror is often full of implicitly shitty depictions of disability, especially in the context of the actual antagonists themselves, so its neat to see a horror antagonist not be necessarily villainized/shown as creepier for his disability, just moreso being an aspect of him.
afaik there isnt some tragic downfall nature to his disability, its just apart of him and hes still hellbent on killing you with or without it, giga chad
His disability is a presumably permanent injury on his leg that makes him have to use a leg brace.
Everything about the way he stands and moves just feels strained.
It's pretty cool there was a lot of attention to detail given to this aspect that (as far as i know) isn't really elaborated on in his lore.
horror is often full of implicitly shitty depictions of disability, especially in the context of the actual antagonists themselves, so its neat to see a horror antagonist not be necessarily villainized/shown as creepier for his disability, just moreso being an aspect of him.
afaik there isnt some tragic downfall nature to his disability, its just apart of him and hes still hellbent on killing you with or without it, giga chad
Himari is a very endearing and pleasant character, I like her and I'm glad she isn't met with constant jokes. :)
Usually disabled characters are often met with a lot of casual ableism, especially if they're on a wheelchair. Lots of room for shitty jokes about pushing them down stairs or a cliff, or just shit like "haha she wheeling"
But surprisingly the game doesn't really go too into her disability, she just simply co-exists with everyone which is a huge breath of fresh air.
I feel like its a common occurrence that things with disabled reps feel the need to justify them being there.
When you think of it from a writing perspective, it's easy to fall into the trap of "Why depict something if it doesn't add anything?" I definitely fell into that when I was younger.
But we're not plot devices or a political issue, we just exist. So seeing Himari just lounging around, treating her disability as a way to humor people occasionally while the game is respecting her business, was honestly just refreshing.
We need more games with disabled reps who aren't fucking sad 24/7 deadass. We're just as capable of vibing as anyone else.
This being something the average person doesnt consider is what makes me think this kind of representation is genuinely important
Normalize girlbosses on their wheelthrones
Usually disabled characters are often met with a lot of casual ableism, especially if they're on a wheelchair. Lots of room for shitty jokes about pushing them down stairs or a cliff, or just shit like "haha she wheeling"
But surprisingly the game doesn't really go too into her disability, she just simply co-exists with everyone which is a huge breath of fresh air.
I feel like its a common occurrence that things with disabled reps feel the need to justify them being there.
When you think of it from a writing perspective, it's easy to fall into the trap of "Why depict something if it doesn't add anything?" I definitely fell into that when I was younger.
But we're not plot devices or a political issue, we just exist. So seeing Himari just lounging around, treating her disability as a way to humor people occasionally while the game is respecting her business, was honestly just refreshing.
We need more games with disabled reps who aren't fucking sad 24/7 deadass. We're just as capable of vibing as anyone else.
This being something the average person doesnt consider is what makes me think this kind of representation is genuinely important
Normalize girlbosses on their wheelthrones
Playing as Olivia was a pretty visceral experience, even in unintentional ways, as I struggled to physically play the game while playing as someone who was physically struggling to exist in said game's world.
There are some things I would take issue with, such as the usage of "wheelchair bound" to describe her, but its important to consider this game is set in the way past where things were even less accessible and more hostile than they are now, which is a high bar honestly cause this world is still very ableist as fuck lol
Personality wise, she's like the polar opposite of me, but I still kin her passionately.
The game honestly felt too real sometimes, stairs would always catch me guard due to the fact you need to crawl up them as her, which mirrored my experiences in real life where stairs are often just annoying as shit and I have to suddenly adapt if I need to get somewhere.
There was some unintentional things that added to the experience for me. The game is pretty buggy as a whole and there was many times where I experienced specific bugs relating to her unorthodox mechanics that fucked me over.
It made navigation even harder, which obviously lead me to project my experiences onto it. My body can just go haywire in ways I never expected in the middle of something and I just have to get my shit together and try my best to not fall apart.
Sometimes things just get worse out of nowhere and you need to work with that the best you can.
Life can be unpredictable being disabled. I'm glad the game depicted this in a sympathetic way able bodied people can connect with by having her playable. The amazing reception she's received, with many viewing her as the borderline canon protagonist option, is honestly heartwarming.
The game's dark, cruel and disgusting, but the take away I got from it was anything but.
There are some things I would take issue with, such as the usage of "wheelchair bound" to describe her, but its important to consider this game is set in the way past where things were even less accessible and more hostile than they are now, which is a high bar honestly cause this world is still very ableist as fuck lol
Personality wise, she's like the polar opposite of me, but I still kin her passionately.
The game honestly felt too real sometimes, stairs would always catch me guard due to the fact you need to crawl up them as her, which mirrored my experiences in real life where stairs are often just annoying as shit and I have to suddenly adapt if I need to get somewhere.
There was some unintentional things that added to the experience for me. The game is pretty buggy as a whole and there was many times where I experienced specific bugs relating to her unorthodox mechanics that fucked me over.
It made navigation even harder, which obviously lead me to project my experiences onto it. My body can just go haywire in ways I never expected in the middle of something and I just have to get my shit together and try my best to not fall apart.
Sometimes things just get worse out of nowhere and you need to work with that the best you can.
Life can be unpredictable being disabled. I'm glad the game depicted this in a sympathetic way able bodied people can connect with by having her playable. The amazing reception she's received, with many viewing her as the borderline canon protagonist option, is honestly heartwarming.
The game's dark, cruel and disgusting, but the take away I got from it was anything but.
This is less about a specific character and more just like - the game as a whole.
Disability is basically everywhere in Elden Ring. I feel like there's more disabled characters than able bodied ones which is kinda raw ngl
Latenna is literally me tho on the topic of specific characters
Disability is basically everywhere in Elden Ring. I feel like there's more disabled characters than able bodied ones which is kinda raw ngl
Latenna is literally me tho on the topic of specific characters
not much to say other than that harman goes hard
his swagger and dramatic ass wheelchair movements with his sniper are raw as shit
his swagger and dramatic ass wheelchair movements with his sniper are raw as shit
dronya is a cane using girlboss with a prosthetic leg
also she falls and eats shit sometimes, idk how intentional it is but i like to headcanon it as her struggling to use mobility aid cuz i was like that when adjusting to not being abled
also she falls and eats shit sometimes, idk how intentional it is but i like to headcanon it as her struggling to use mobility aid cuz i was like that when adjusting to not being abled
octane my beloved
bro just blew his own legs up doing cool shit for fun and was like damn and guilts someone to make him cool prosthetics and just goes back to his same shit the exact frame he receives them
thats a vibe
hes "idgaf" the character
i could go on about the complexities of downplaying your conditions and stuff but im lazy rn just know hes a chad
bro just blew his own legs up doing cool shit for fun and was like damn and guilts someone to make him cool prosthetics and just goes back to his same shit the exact frame he receives them
thats a vibe
hes "idgaf" the character
i could go on about the complexities of downplaying your conditions and stuff but im lazy rn just know hes a chad
(This is a list to keep track of things recommended/suggested both in the comments and on Discord, this game has nothing to do with the list it's just a fitting and generic enough title to be used as a little "To Do List" tab)
Caligula 2 - Kranke
Guild Wars 2 - Taimi
Final Fantasy 7
Mass Effect - Joker
Caligula 2 - Kranke
Guild Wars 2 - Taimi
Final Fantasy 7
Mass Effect - Joker
15 Comments
thoughts on Kranke (Caligula 2)?
@The_Gaming_Dog12 I definitely do, I got it for the Switch a decent while back and have been eyeballing it. Especially since I'm very interested in sinking my teeth into all the sequels/movies, especially 7R, that game looks great
Whether it's good representation or not, I don't know yet, but the stuff I saw of it definitely looks interesting at the very least ^^
Whether it's good representation or not, I don't know yet, but the stuff I saw of it definitely looks interesting at the very least ^^
@SugoiBoi I haven't gotten around to beating Caligula 2 despite how much I enjoyed the first game compared to most people, should really get around to it since I loved it. I even got to play it a few days early before the official release and still somehow fell behind lol.
The people who I know that completed it did tell me some things in regards to the disabilities relevant in the story that are pretty bold and eyebrow raising, not in the like, suspicious connotation, just more like "Ooh?", so it's definitely got my interest.
Admittedly I do expect it to stumble just a little bit at the very least, since my opinion on the first game has slightly changed over time, especially in regards to the tact on handling some of the touchy subject matter.
I still really like the first game though and do appreciate the attitude and messages despite its missteps.
And also the stuff I know about Kranke being pretty out there and not stuff you typically see.
The stuff I know vaguely seems pretty uncomfortable and somewhat relatable already so I'd love for it to be executed well.
Considering the games themes of escapism and wanting to be your ideal self, there's a lot of really loaded and heavy implications with that sort of premise when disability comes into play so I'm really anxious to see how it plays out whenever I get back to it.
I know they improved a LOT on some of things people took issue with in the first game like the queer aspects. The writing in general seemed way more tight and solid in 2, so I have pretty high hopes even with the expectations I laid out.
What I know for sure though is that I will use a Kranke pfp on Discord and kin her regardless. She resembles me a lil bit, she just me frfr..............................................................
The people who I know that completed it did tell me some things in regards to the disabilities relevant in the story that are pretty bold and eyebrow raising, not in the like, suspicious connotation, just more like "Ooh?", so it's definitely got my interest.
Admittedly I do expect it to stumble just a little bit at the very least, since my opinion on the first game has slightly changed over time, especially in regards to the tact on handling some of the touchy subject matter.
I still really like the first game though and do appreciate the attitude and messages despite its missteps.
And also the stuff I know about Kranke being pretty out there and not stuff you typically see.
The stuff I know vaguely seems pretty uncomfortable and somewhat relatable already so I'd love for it to be executed well.
Considering the games themes of escapism and wanting to be your ideal self, there's a lot of really loaded and heavy implications with that sort of premise when disability comes into play so I'm really anxious to see how it plays out whenever I get back to it.
I know they improved a LOT on some of things people took issue with in the first game like the queer aspects. The writing in general seemed way more tight and solid in 2, so I have pretty high hopes even with the expectations I laid out.
What I know for sure though is that I will use a Kranke pfp on Discord and kin her regardless. She resembles me a lil bit, she just me frfr..............................................................
Liking 1 is definitely a rarity so that's really cool to hear and yea you definitely gotta get through the whole thing eventually coz there's very little chance you will end up NOT liking it if that's the case. I get you though, it's a very slow-paced in comparison to the breakneck pace of OD so it's a bit easy to lose momentum if you lose focus, same happened to me when I got the PC port which I plan to platinum and still haven't finished til now lel.
I definitely agree with OD being quite rough with how it handles a couple some of the topics but I'd chalk that up to a couple different reasons, mainly having Tadashi as the main writer for the original. And while I think he did a really great job still, Yamanaka's taking over with all of OD's new contents and the entirety of 2 really sets it apart and shows a bigger degree of seriousness and knowledge in the topics they tackle.
All of 2's cast is definitely something to look forward to for sure so I hope you do end up liking them when you get to it eventually as well as pretty much every other aspect in the game which they really worked a ton to improve on and it really shows.
Also Kranke pfp would be unbelievably based. I still have a CE2 pfp on twitter since the game came out even til now lel
I definitely agree with OD being quite rough with how it handles a couple some of the topics but I'd chalk that up to a couple different reasons, mainly having Tadashi as the main writer for the original. And while I think he did a really great job still, Yamanaka's taking over with all of OD's new contents and the entirety of 2 really sets it apart and shows a bigger degree of seriousness and knowledge in the topics they tackle.
All of 2's cast is definitely something to look forward to for sure so I hope you do end up liking them when you get to it eventually as well as pretty much every other aspect in the game which they really worked a ton to improve on and it really shows.
Also Kranke pfp would be unbelievably based. I still have a CE2 pfp on twitter since the game came out even til now lel
i think my favorite is duster from mother 3, especially how the game doesn't shy away from it nor poke fun at it (at least not that I've picked up on or noticed), and how capable the devs allowed him to be at the same time. same with barret from ff7, though in the localization of the OG game he's problematic for reasons outside of any disability; i feel like the remakes do a better job of presenting that aspect of his character either way
barret is the goat
Snake in 999
Snake is also the goat
this is fucking hilarious
If you do end up considering Barrett like a lot of comments are suggesting then I'd like to suggest Sekiro as well
I was SO INTO playing Blue Archive after reading this!
...and then I discovered it's a gacha. =(
...and then I discovered it's a gacha. =(
This comment was deleted
Also, still on the "But we're not plot devices or a political issue, we just exist" topic, how about an entry here for character creation tools? Many games with it (both single and multiplayer) have a lot of options for using prosthetics, canes and stuff.
i think Lisa the painful is the game with one of the most interesting aproach on the topic, you play as a Old karate master with drug addiction in a post-apocalyptic world and although you start without any disability, during the course of the game there will be decisions in which you could lose one or both arms permanently, nothing of robot arms that are indistinct from a regular arm or an arm transplant, you permanently get a debuff on your attack and defense stats and even changes your skills, you can unlock a skill called "machine gun fist" that you do with the inputs of "left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand" keys, but if you lose an arm then that sames skill becames "pea gun fist", with the inputs of "right hand, right hand, right hand, right hand", and if you lose both arms, you lose all punching related skills".
Its It is possible to complete the game without arms because of by sacrificing arms you can make sure more allies survive and gets more items to compensate. i think this is by far the most organic representation of having a disability i have ever seen in a videogame.
Nina from Breath of fire: dragon quarte -spoilers warning-
Another suggestion I could add is Nina from "Breath of fire: Dragon quarter", she was a regular 12 YO kid that whose whose only sin was being born with an extremely low D-ratio, so she was kidnapped like other people with similar d-ratio and became a test subject of unethical experimentation to give her the ability to decontaminate the air and thus use it to improve the quality of life of citizens in the underground government(againts her own will), it should be noted that this ability greatly reduces the life expectancy of those who do it and will eventually kill them, and it is implicit that many people do not survive the body modification process. finally, they remove the vocal cord of those who suffer this process so that if they escape they cant accuse the government and biocorp until they are murdered.
Therefore, Nina is practically mute, she can hardly speak her own name, She is a vital part of the team and the main reason why Ryu decides to collaborate with a rebel and question his role in the world.
I think Nina is a very twisted but assertive representation of the extremes that dehumanization and utilitarianism can reach, in which leaders and scientists have no remorse in taking away the future of a child with "low social value" just because "her contribution to society will be greater this way".
Its It is possible to complete the game without arms because of by sacrificing arms you can make sure more allies survive and gets more items to compensate. i think this is by far the most organic representation of having a disability i have ever seen in a videogame.
Nina from Breath of fire: dragon quarte -spoilers warning-
Another suggestion I could add is Nina from "Breath of fire: Dragon quarter", she was a regular 12 YO kid that whose whose only sin was being born with an extremely low D-ratio, so she was kidnapped like other people with similar d-ratio and became a test subject of unethical experimentation to give her the ability to decontaminate the air and thus use it to improve the quality of life of citizens in the underground government(againts her own will), it should be noted that this ability greatly reduces the life expectancy of those who do it and will eventually kill them, and it is implicit that many people do not survive the body modification process. finally, they remove the vocal cord of those who suffer this process so that if they escape they cant accuse the government and biocorp until they are murdered.
Therefore, Nina is practically mute, she can hardly speak her own name, She is a vital part of the team and the main reason why Ryu decides to collaborate with a rebel and question his role in the world.
I think Nina is a very twisted but assertive representation of the extremes that dehumanization and utilitarianism can reach, in which leaders and scientists have no remorse in taking away the future of a child with "low social value" just because "her contribution to society will be greater this way".
The_Gaming_Dog12
1 month ago