The best games where the main character uses a prosthesis

Summary

• Pirates used peg legs and hook hands due to 18th century shipwrecks, sparking creativity in prosthetic design.
• Fiction explores prosthetics creatively, from devastating character effects to comical malfunctions.
• Video games feature prosthetics with noticeable gameplay effects, from bionic arms to supernatural limbs.

Prostheses, in their simplest definition, are devices used to replace a missing body part. Throughout history, there have been many different ways to lose parts of the body. Accidents and violence are common. Even today, there are still situations where a medical emergency may require the removal of a limb. Alternatively, some people are just born without an arm or a leg.

Because of this, people throughout history have looked for ways to get around a missing body part. One of the main reasons why pirates are so often associated with peg legs and hook hands is that there were many ways to injure oneself on 18th century sailing ships, and they were simple prosthetics that could be thrown together with whatever was on hand. In the modern era, people have become much more creative with prosthetics and developed incredible designs that change the lives of their users.

In the context of fiction, prosthetics (especially arms) can also be used creatively. A more dramatic depiction of the subject might explore the devastating impact losing an arm has on a character, how they adjust to the prosthesis, and ultimately grow from the experience. In a more comedic setting, the prosthesis itself may be a comical device that regularly malfunctions or fails to function as intended.

Science fiction is particularly fond of this for the simple reason that if a character loses an arm, they can have it replaced by a cool robotic arm, although fantasy sometimes offers equivalents. But the interactive nature of video games also means that a prosthetic arm can lend itself to very interesting gameplay. Many games can get creative with how they design the arm itself, but finding interesting ways to use or modify it can make for some very unique experiences.

For simplicity, this list is specifically focused on single player games where the main character has a prosthetic. This means that the list has avoided multiplayer-only games and NPCs, both of which can be their own lists. In addition, the selection has been further limited for example where the prosthesis has a noticeable impact on the game.

8 Bionic Commando

Grip Hero

This classic 1987 arcade title (later ported to the NES before going through a series of remakes and sequels) follows Nathan “Red” Spencer, a soldier whose left arm has been replaced with a grappling hook. How he got this bionic arm is not clear (unless you count the 2009 game that claims his bionic arm was made from his dead wife's remains), and it may seem simple compared to other entries.

After all, it only has a single function (grappling), compared to others' upgradeable/modifiable limbs. However, the fairly simple gripper arm is crucial for Bionic Commandos gameplay. Due to the level design and the (at the time) unusual decision not to have a jump command, Nathan must rely on the grapple to move around his environment. He can use it to cross wide openings and reach higher platforms. But it is also useful as a weapon. Used in conjunction with his gun, the grappler can also be fired or swung at enemies.

7 Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Double dentures

The setting of Deus Ex is a world where cybernetic body modification is a common occurrence, and powerful shady characters like to experiment with using cybernetic enhancements to create super soldiers. Of course, almost every main character in the series has been a cyborg to some extent, and acquiring and installing power-ups are central parts of the game. But Adam Jensen off Human revolution and Humanity divided goes a step further. Most characters on this list only lose an arm. Adam Jenson has both the arms replaced with prosthetics. And they can be upgraded (along with the rest of his body) to give him some combat advantages.

For example, there are upgrades that improve the arm's strength or stabilize it for a more precise aim. At the more advanced end, he can augment it with a hidden blade Assassin's Creed-style, or enable remote hacking of enemy equipment. The ability to experiment with different boosts for a unique playstyle is easily one of the series' biggest draws.

6 Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

An arm from the void

Billie Lurk went through a lot of trauma in between Dishonored 1 and 2loses both an eye and his right arm in the second match. But things changed when she became playable in the spin-off game Death of the Outsider. In a strange turn of events, the very creature she aims to kill gives her Black shard arm. Since this is an artifact from the void, this is a strange looking prosthetic. The hand is barely attached to the arm and seems to fall off easily, but somehow it works quite smoothly.

In any other context, this would be the worst prosthetic ever, but here it has a strange way of working. It actually comes with the benefit of self-replenishing energy, meaning Billie doesn't have to worry about restoring mana like others Dishonored The main characters did, and it gives her a couple of superpowers. It's a strange choice on the Outsider's part, especially since it undoes a potential choice Dishonored 2but it seems to be a response to her not wanting the mark he usually gives to other people.

5 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Surprise arm transplant

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had an item called Sheikah Slate which allowed Link to collect runes that gave him special abilities. When you bring this mechanic back for The tears of the kingdomNintendo decided to go in a slightly different direction by instead having the role filled by an arm. When Ganondorf resurrects (again), he manages to use his new powers to shrink Link's left arm.

Fortunately the spirit i Rauru can save Link and perform an impromptu limb transplant. This isn't exactly a prosthetic in the most conventional sense, as it's Rauru's actual arm literally grafted onto Link's shoulder. It may sound morbid, but it is done to give him a head start in his quest to save Hyrule. Rauru's arm allows Link to find and collect special powers that range from the simple (pick up heavy objects) to crafting and even small-scale time reversal. These can help him with everything from puzzle solving to combat, which often becomes crucial to navigating Hyrule.

4 Lies by P

Interchangeable arms for different situations

A Dark souls-inspired redesign by Carlo Collodis Pinnocchio might not be the kind of place you'd expect to see a prosthetic. After all, Pinnochio is a wooden puppet, right? And yet their version, known simply as “P”, does indeed have a metal prosthetic arm, known as a legion arm. However, there is a twist. Instead of having a single upgradeable prosthetic, there are different models of legion arms that P can create during his journey, and each one comes with a different secondary ability that can be used in conjunction with his primary attack.

These skills range from simply grappling with enemies to shooting projectiles to shooting land mines into the ground. While P is limited to one function at a time, the arms are interchangeable, giving players room to experiment to find the one that best suits their playstyle.

Losing an arm is tough, but now you have an armed robotic arm

The fifth item in Metal Gear Solid series begins with its new protagonist, Venom Snake, waking up in a hospital after surviving an explosion, where he realizes that he is suddenly missing an arm (presumably amputated for medical reasons). This injury is even referenced in the game's title, as “phantom pain” is a common sensory event where a person feels pain in a missing body part.

His first prosthesis, a hook quickly thrown together by another patient, was not very effective. But when he (finally) escapes the hospital, Venom gets one bionic arm which can be upgraded with several combat functions, such as firing missiles or stunning enemies. Given that much of the gameplay involves observing, infiltrating, and/or attacking enemy strongholds, the bionic arm could have a variety of applications for Venom Snake to work with.

2 Phantom Fury

Robot arm with special skills

3D Realm's sequel to their retro shooter Jon Fury begins with protagonist Shelley “Bombshell” Harrison waking up after undergoing surgery for injuries he sustained in the previous game. The first thing she notices is her missing right arm, and she barely has time to process it since the facility is already under attack by the game's antagonists. The good news is that she now has a nifty robotic arm that can hit enemies with enough force to make them explode, and she can get upgrades throughout the game that offer more options like producing a force field that blocks projectiles.

The arm itself actually becomes quite a plot point, as it turns out to be much more than just a prosthetic. It turns out that it has connections to Shelley's own family history and a deeper conspiracy that now threatens global security.

1 Sekiro

A worrying but very useful arm

FromSoftware's adventure through feudal Japan begins with protagonist Wolf charged with protecting the heir to an ancient clan, only for things to go wrong when he meets his enemy. Their epic Kendo duel ends rather anticlimactically with Wolf's left arm being severed in one blow before he can do much. Luckily, before he can bleed out, he somehow ends up at the home of a sculptor who gives him a strange prosthesis. Unlike many examples on this list, this one is supernatural instead of mechanical, and it appears to be made of bone.

The forearm alone is a framework made of three different bones, and the same goes for the fingers. In true FromSoftware fashion, this ends up leaving him with more questions than answers about what exactly is going on. The new arm proves quite valuable in his quest for revenge, and can even be upgraded with various “tools” found throughout the game.