The trope of an amnesiac hero is something that fans may be tired of, but there’s no denying that the storytelling of these games becomes greater as a result. The players are just as clueless as the protagonist as they slowly learn about the world and how it fell into such a state of ruin.
This is a perfect trope for open-world games, given how these massive sandboxes are usually brimming with lore that can get a bit too complicated at times. Surprisingly enough, there aren’t many great open-world games that feature amnesiac protagonists, but the ones that do are all the more memorable as a result.
One of the most underappreciated open-world RPGs that deserves way more love than it gets,Kingdoms of Amaluris a beautiful gamewith fun combat and great worldbuilding. Players control the Fateless One, a mortal who was revived and can wield the power of the gods.
The tradeoff is that they have lost all the memories of their past, which makes it easy for players to become familiar with how the world works. As generic asKingdoms of Amalurmay feel at times, the execution in this game is excellent and helps this game stand out instead of becoming forgettable.
With the advent ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,the heroes finally left the city of Midgar. This allowed them to explore Gaia for the first time in an open-world setting that is both fascinating and monotonous. Despite the generic nature of the sandbox, the amazing gameplay and unique narrative of the game helpFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthstand out as one of 2024’s best releases.
Fans of the originalFinal Fantasy 7know that Cloud’s memories are addled from the Mako poisoning he experienced at Hojo’s hands, merging his memories with those of Zack Fair. It will take a while for this revelation to hit Cloud, with Tifa being the only person who remembers fragments of Cloud’s past, which will eventually be unraveled in the final game of the trilogy.
Kojima’s trademark storytelling is a highlight ofMetal Gear Solid 5, even if his abrupt exit caused things to derail later down the line. However, this takes nothing away from a bombastic climax that sheds some light on the protagonist’s true nature.
It turns out that Venom Snake is a medic who was injured in the explosion at the end ofGround Zeroes, along with the real Big Boss. While the latter went to conduct a covert operation, this medic went through intensive surgery and was brainwashed into thinking that he was the real Big Boss, losing all of his prior memories in the process.
This may be more of a technicality, but there’s no denying thatGeralt was saddled with amnesiaat the start ofthe firstWitchergame following the Rivian Pogrom. He never recovers his memories during his adventure and eventually gets around to recovering the fragments of his past after he takes Triss' help to acquire the Rose of Remembrance. The adventure is quite rocky but ends with Triss being saved as she finally helps Geralt remember his past.
After recovering his memories at the end of the second game, Geralt remembers the existence of two of the most important people in his life — Yennefer and Ciri. While he encounters the former in no time following an adventure in White Orchard inThe Witcher 3, the hunt for his adopted daughter takes him on a wild adventure full of several twists and turns. Thankfully, he was able to recover his memory in the nick of time, since he could meet Ciri and protect her from the clutches of Eredin and the Wild Hunt.
From the moment players control a hungover detective in his underwear, they knowthey’re in for something special withDisco Elysium. For all the humorous moments in this series,Disco Elysiumcan get quite emotional and heartfelt at times when fans resonate with the characters and the world itself.
This is why the choice of an amnesiac protagonist was a brilliant one for this title. Players get to understand the city of Revachol and its politics from the ground up while also understanding the depth of characters like the beloved Raphael Ambrosius Costeau (real name withdrawn) and Kim Kitsuragi. All of this culminates in a beautiful climax that cementsDisco Elysiumas one of the greatest RPGs ever made.
When Link wakes up in the destroyed world of Hyrule, he has no idea about his past. After all, he was recovering in the Shrine of Resurrection for a century after suffering heavy wounds and losing his memories as a result. Players must visit locations important for Link in the past to get glimpses into his past life before Ganon’s destruction threatened the world.
Storytelling may not be a major focus ofBreath of the Wild, but players who make it a point toseek out as much of the loreand cinematics as possible will fill in the gaps and enjoy a fun story that does the most with what it has. Link’s amnesia makes him a great proxy for the player, who is told about Ganon’s villainous nature and how Princess Zelda sacrificed herself to contain his malice.
