Designing Relatable Characters in Games

Above: The environment your characters inhabit needs to be considered to help shape their behaviours.

What is the Story?

The narrative drives character depth and engagement. Plan the narrative arc to establish what happens to further the plot at each point and how the characters are involved. This can give you the structure you need to work out the dialogue.

In Neohaven Noodles our aim was to create a story of hope in the darkness. We used the tried and tested ‘heroes journey’ structure allied to the classic ‘make it or break it’ theme. This allowed us to create an uplifting story that had elements of jeopardy littered throughout. Within this overarching arc each character had their own individual arcs. Having this structure gave a strong foundation to write the dialogue and the potential choices within.

Above: A narrative arc is the foundation of your story and everything that exists within it.

What are the Mechanics?

Character interactions should complement and enhance gameplay. Every game type has different mechanics. It is important to consider how the character interactions are surfaced in your game with those mechanics in mind so that you can ensure an elegant and cohesive experience. 

We set out to create a narrative-driven game that used simple cooking interactions as part of the core mechanics. We took elements from visual novels and casual mobile games. The central premise of the game is that you are cooking for your customers, so the structure allowed us to have the right mix of character interactions and cooking.

Strive for Diversity

Different characters bring richness, perspective, and relatability. It makes them more easily recognisable and can each deliver different types of interactions because of their diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. It also creates more authenticity in the game since players can relate to different characters in different ways based on their own backgrounds and lived experiences. Additionally, it has a positive impact on the people who play the game since representation aids in empowerment. 

In our game we feature a diverse cast of characters that each bring their own stories and feel at home in the setting. 

Above: Diversity is more than appearance, it means considering the unique behaviours and motivations of the characters.

Value Authenticity

For a character to feel authentic and believable you need to be able to ensure they have depth and that their actions are consistent with their motivations. This is achieved by establishing details about their backgrounds and what motivates them. David Freeman, in his excellent book ‘Creating Emotion in Games’, outlines some really useful techniques to do this. One of these techniques is that to help get a sense of the character you should think about their flaws. He uses the idea of introducing a fear, limitation, block or wound in each character, which can then be used to help identify their individual journey, in the form of a character arc. The idea is that the character is motivated in some way to overcome their shortcomings, and this makes for an interesting story. Another technique he uses to add authenticity is coming up with traits. He uses a ‘character diamond’, four points, each with a different trait. These traits are used to inform the characters’ actions and dialogue.

For Neohaven Noodles we made sure to write comprehensive bios of each character with the above in mind, this enabled us to establish a strong identity for them and generate a tone of voice and dialogue that was consistent and authentic.

Invest in Research & Collaboration

It is important to acknowledge your blind spots. You may not always represent the people you are designing for or the characters you are creating. This is why it is crucial to conduct thorough research into the characters and collaborate with the audience to seek their feedback and gain insight from specialists such as subject matter experts, cultural advisors, and sensitivity readers. 

For Neohaven Noodles, we researched each character before making some initial designs. We then took these to our audience for feedback and consulted with cultural experts and sensitivity readers on the character designs and the entire script.

Above: Thoughtful character development relies on doing solid research and seeking insights from others.

Conclusion

Relatable characters are the lifeblood of memorable games. Thoughtful, well-researched design leads to richer experiences and a more engaged audience. Rushing character creation risks shallow stereotypes that can undermine both player experience and brand perception.

By dedicating time and effort to the craft, you can create characters that not only entertain but also inspire, challenge, and connect with players in meaningful ways.

If you enjoyed this post, check out the following resources for a deeper dive into character design best practices: Geena Davis Institute: GDI Playbook, Creating emotion in games and UNICEF: RITEC design toolbox.