- Primary Subject: Character Redemption Arcs in Video Games
- Key Update: The article explores how divisive characters like Abby Anderson and Raiden evolved from being widely disliked or ignored to becoming fan favorites.
- Last Verified: January 21, 2026
- Status: Confirmed
- Quick Answer: Players often grow to love initially disliked characters like Garrus, Abby, and Atreus as their backstories, motivations, and gameplay roles are further developed over time.
They say never judge a book by its cover, and this quote perfectly applies to judging video game characters. A character shows up early, says the wrong thing, and makes a bad decision. And just like that, you decide you don’t like them.
But then, slowly, things change. You start to see why they act the way they do. Here are some video game characters many players disliked at first, only to end up loving them.
Before we start, this article may contain spoilers.
Garrus Vakarian – Mass Effect
Garrus is beloved now, but that wasn’t always the case. Surprising, isn't it, for such a fan-favorite character to be first on this list? Even if you say he was not hated, actually, he was something that someone would not care about or a non-entity for many in the first installment of the series, and the reason was his rigid approach.
For some players, especially those leaning into a more diplomatic Shepard, Garrus felt frustrating. By Mass Effect 2 and 3, however, we see Garrus evolving as the best companion character in RPG history that we know today. The Garrus and Shepard romance arc is also the steal of the series.
Abby Anderson – The Last of Us 2
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Abby Anderson from The Last of Us 2 is possibly the perfect example of a character that players actively resisted before they warmed to her.
Many players have openly admitted that they attempted to kill Abby on multiple occasions by throwing her off cliffs or allowing enemies to eliminate her. Other players simply raced through the sequence in order to return to Ellie.
Once players viewed the story through the lens of Abby's journey, they began to feel emotionally connected to the overall story and the other characters. Her actions, motivated by revenge, were very selective in the sense that she only killed the man responsible for her father's death.
Some players still don’t like Abby, and that’s fine, but ask yourself: what would we have done in her situation?
Atreus – God of War Ragnarök
It was not because Atreus is obnoxious or loud that some players hated him in God of War; it was because he created many problems, especially for Kratos. Atreus has consistently created major conflict through his actions alone in the series.
Another problem has been the way Atreus lies. He talks about trusting others while at the same time hiding information from them.
Another frustration was that many players did not only dislike Atreus; they disliked having to play as him. When players controlled Atreus, the gameplay was slow, and the combat was weaker.
However, as the story follows, we get to know that Atreus isn’t acting out of arrogance alone. He’s acting out of fear. Fear of prophecy. Fear of losing his father.
Raiden – Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
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It took years, multiple games, and a shift in how players understood what Hideo Kojima actually had in mind regarding the Raiden character.
If you think the character writing was a problem, you are wrong. Actually, the way in which Raiden was introduced in the series was upsetting for fans.
All the marketing pointed to Solid Snake as the main character. Trailers showed Snake. The demo lets you play as Snake. Then the full game drops, and after the opening section, Snake is gone.
Raiden was the one who had to take much of the criticism until further series arrived. However, things started to improve from Metal Gear Solid 4 and his introduction as Cyborg Ninja. A past story also helped change the narrative that initially surrounded him.
Johnny Silverhand – Cyberpunk 2077
When players first meet Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077, he can feel annoying or over-the-top. Additionally, during some scenes in the narrative, such as when he possessively takes over V's body, some players see him act in ways that are deemed as awkward or cringeworthy.
However, as the game progresses, Johnny becomes more developed as a character. The humor he exhibits helps ease intense situations.
Over time, players begin to see that although he displayed such arrogance at first, he becomes more understanding and self-aware of himself and others.
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