When side characters are better written than the heroes.
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00:00When you're talking about complex video game characters, all of the love tends to
00:03go towards the protagonist.
00:05However, a good story rarely only includes one character, and just like Robin to your
00:10Batman, NPCs – short for Non-Player Characters – rarely get the love that they deserve.
00:14So let's take a look at them today, as I'm Jules, this is WhatCulture.com, and these
00:18are the 10 Most Complex NPCs in Video Games.
00:2210.
00:23The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim, Cicero
00:26Situated alongside his broken-down cart just north of Whiterun, Cicero is dressed as a
00:30jester, transporting the remains of his mother.
00:34Upon first meeting, all seems relatively normal, if maybe a little eccentric, as Cicero asks
00:39you to speak to a nearby farmer to help get his cart back up and running so that he can
00:43bury his mother in a new crypt.
00:45If the player chooses to steer clear of the Dark Brotherhood, this will be the extent
00:49of your interacting with ol' Cicero here, and it will be little more than just a weird
00:52encounter.
00:53However, if you join the Dark Brotherhood, or choose to take them down, you will gain
00:57access to the Sanctuary, and with that, Cicero's journals.
01:01Chronicled Within is the story of another Sanctuary, and the death of its head listener.
01:05It becomes apparent upon reading that Cicero has well and truly gone mad following his
01:08final kill, from whom the assassin adopted various personality traits from, as well as
01:13his appearance.
01:14The eccentric killer appointed himself the Keeper of the Night Mother, and decided to
01:18transport her to Skyrim, which explains the encounter with him near Whiterun.
01:22It's deliciously mad, in all the right ways.
01:259.
01:26Persona 5 – Sojiro Sakura
01:28Initially cold and somewhat authoritarian, this ladies' man eventually becomes one
01:32of the most intriguing characters in all of Persona 5.
01:36Following the arrival of your player character in Tokyo after a mysterious event gets you
01:39in trouble back in your hometown, Sakura takes you in to live in the loft above his coffee
01:44shop.
01:45At first, the smooth-talking character comes across as somewhat of a bit of a jerk, as
01:48he keeps treating you with caution due to your previous troubles.
01:52However, as the story unfolds and he begins to place more and more trust in you, his paternal
01:56qualities emerge, and he becomes a genuine guardian to the merry band of phantom thieves
02:01that hang out in his coffee shop.
02:03He also has some demons of his own, as he blames himself for the death of his one true
02:07love and mother to his adoptive daughter.
02:09He seeks your help in persuading his daughter to leave the house, during which you learn
02:12more about him, as well as the truth behind his love's death.
02:16This leads to some genuine character development that results in him becoming one of the most
02:20complex and memorable characters in all of Persona 5, and trust me, that's an already
02:24stacked roster.
02:258.
02:26Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater – The Boss
02:29Initially set up as the main antagonist to Naked Snake, The Boss turns out to be so much
02:34more complex than the defector that she's first painted out to be.
02:37Snake's former mentor and mother figure turned her back on the US, to instead serve
02:41the Soviet Union alongside her band of merry misfits, the Cobra Unit, and human lightning
02:46rod Colonel Volgin.
02:48Following the final battle where she's defeated by Snake, it's revealed that her mission
02:51was actually to infiltrate the Soviet Union in order to obtain the Philosopher's Legacy
02:56from the Colonel.
02:57It was a surprise that most didn't see coming at the time, and painted The Boss as a character
03:00willing to sacrifice herself to avoid conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union.
03:06With a number of complex characters in the Metal Gear series, it's tough to stand out
03:09from the crowd.
03:10However, The Boss is a complex character without requiring any over-the-top gimmicks to make
03:15her interesting.
03:16She was a strong female leader that was willing to be labelled a defector to her country in
03:20order to save it from war, and if that's not true patriotism, then I don't know what
03:24is.
03:257.
03:26Bioshock Infinite – Elizabeth
03:28Imprisoned in the floating city of Columbia, Elizabeth looks to be the classic damsel in
03:32distress before you then realise that she in fact possesses a great deal of power.
03:37The so-called Lamb of Columbia has the ability to create holes in space and time, and even
03:42travel through them, which ultimately resulted in her presence in the floating city of Columbia.
03:47Once rescued from her prison on Monument Island, Elizabeth will accompany you on your adventures
03:51throughout Columbia, often gazing in childlike wonder at parts of the world that she's
03:55been excluded from all of these years.
03:57The way that she comments on the game's world often provides another layer of context
04:01that is usually in stark contrast to that of protagonist Booker DeWitt.
04:05In the Burial at Sea DLC for Bioshock Infinite, her abilities and story are explored further,
04:10giving an even deeper insight into her character and her relationship with Booker.
04:14Elizabeth is also pretty handy in a battle as well, as she'll use her powers to tear
04:18holes in reality, often giving the player some additional options in combat.
04:22She'll even throw you ammo, health, and salts which are used to power your vigour
04:25abilities if she senses that you're running low.
04:286.
04:29Red Dead Redemption 2 – Dutch Vanderlinde
04:32Starting out as a Robin Hood-esque outlaw with morals, Dutch begins to descend into
04:36a remorseless, narcissistic criminal throughout the course of Rockstar's Wild West epic.
04:40Corrupted by fellow antagonist Micah Bell, Dutch's descent into full-blown bad guy
04:45takes place right in front of the player and lead protagonist Arthur Morgan's eyes.
04:49A one-time mentor to Arthur, as well as first-game protagonist John Marston, the outlaw head
04:54honcho begins to unravel as his plans to leave the life behind him are dashed at every turn.
04:59As plans go wrong and his merry band of outlaws begins to lose faith, Dutch continues to turn
05:03to more drastic and nefarious means to regain control of the group.
05:07As Dutch's actions grow more erratic throughout the story, it culminates perfectly when some
05:11of the group find themselves stranded on an island, and we see his dark side reach new
05:15levels when he kills an old lady in cold blood.
05:18It's at this point that the player, as well as Arthur, realises that there's no going
05:22back now for Dutch, and he must be stopped.
05:24A film noir detective in a post-apocalyptic Boston, Nick Valentine should pique your interest
05:37even before it's revealed that he's in actual fact a unique prototype synthetic
05:40human created by the Institute that managed to escape.
05:44Following his escape from the Institute, the robotic synth took up the persona of Nick
05:47Valentine and set himself up as a private detective operating out of Diamond City.
05:52Perhaps the most human character in the entire game despite being a synth, Nick often imparts
05:57insightful comments on the player's situations and actions, even displaying emotional responses
06:01to moments throughout the course of your adventures.
06:04Nick often feels less like a companion just following you around, and much more like a
06:07partner that will help in your investigations to find your lost son.
06:11It's great, then, that Fallout 4's Far Harbor DLC features everyone's favourite
06:15trench coat and trilby hat wearing robot detective in good measure, as you assist Nick in one
06:20of his missing person cases.
06:22With a much darker tone than the main campaign, Nick's input and poetic responses to conversations
06:27really shine through, and his character is a highlight in what is a standout expansion
06:31to the main game.
06:324.
06:33The Last of Us – Ellie
06:34On the surface, Ellie is just a kid growing up in a very messed up world.
06:38However, the character goes much deeper than that, as she represents hope for humankind
06:42against the Cordyceps virus and, at least according to the Fireflies, will serve an
06:46important role in the survival of the entire species.
06:49Ellie Dog masterfully crafted a character that managed to chip away at the bleakness
06:53and hopelessness of The Last of Us' setting and story.
06:56Witnessing Ellie gaze in childlike wonder at a family of giraffes, or get excited about
07:00finding another issue of her favourite comic book, contrasts perfectly with the grave story
07:05that this game tells.
07:06Over the course of this narrative, Ellie not only gives protagonist Joel hope and moments
07:10of happiness, but she also gives that to the player.
07:13Besides being a complex character within the narrative, Ellie is also a handy companion
07:17in combat.
07:18Ellie will look to grab enemies where possible, giving Joel a free hit, as well as give the
07:22player ammo when needed.
07:23Naughty Dog explained that they wanted to create a companion that wasn't a burden
07:27and would not be blamed by players if something went wrong, and you know what?
07:30They surely succeeded with that.
07:323.
07:33Mass Effect 2 – Thane
07:35Thane is very much the quintessential anti-hero, a deadly spiritualistic assassin with a conscience
07:40that is living on borrowed time due to a terminal disease.
07:43One of the standout characters from a series that has produced so many of them, the drell
07:47hitman has an incredible aptitude for violence and killing, yet is incredibly self-aware,
07:52often bemoaning his past actions and even going so far as to display genuine remorse.
07:57He agrees to join Commander Shepard's gang of misfits on their suicide mission against
08:01the Collectors in the hopes that he will find redemption for his past final mission.
08:05Throughout the time that Thane is part of the Normandy's crew, he will slowly open
08:09up to the player before seeking his help in reconciling with his son, who is now also
08:13on a dark path of his own, despite his father's attempts to steer him away.
08:17Beneath the surface, Thane is a highly complex character, showing surprising levels of emotion
08:22that belie the assassin tropes that are often displayed in video games.
08:26He is a refreshing take on the gun-for-hire character that we've seen so often in the
08:30medium, and therefore is a standout character in Mass Effect.
08:332.
08:34The Witcher 3 – Wild Hunt – Gaunter O'Dimm
08:37The world of The Witcher contains a plethora of complex characters that would all be worthy
08:41of an entry on this list.
08:43However, none are quite as complex and memorable as the antagonist from the Hearts of Stone
08:48expansion, Gaunter O'Dimm.
08:50The so-called Master Mirror is first encountered right at the beginning of the game in White
08:54Orchard, and something seems off right from the start, although you'll need to wait
08:58to find out what that is, as this is the last that you'll see of him until the Hearts
09:02of Stone DLC.
09:03Described as evil incarnate, O'Dimm is an ominous being who will grant individuals
09:08wishes in exchange for their soul, much like the devil is known to do in folklore, leading
09:12fan theorists to speculate that O'Dimm is indeed the devil.
09:15His motivations are unclear, only adding to his mystique, although you can be sure that
09:20these motivations are rather sinister.
09:22If that's not creepy enough for you, then it's been noticed that in various cutscenes
09:25throughout the expansion's story, O'Dimm can be spotted in disguise as other characters
09:30in the background, which is rather spooky indeed.
09:331.
09:34Disco Elysium – Kim Kitsuragi
09:36Thrust in as protagonist Harry Dubois' partner as they attempt to solve a mysterious murder,
09:41Lieutenant Kim emerges as one of the best sidekicks in all of gaming by the time all
09:45is said and done on Disco Elysium's stellar story.
09:48In a game world where every character is impeccably written and has more layers than an onion,
09:53it speaks volumes that your calm and professional sidekick is the standout of the bunch.
09:57Lieutenant Kim starts the game cold and stoic, but as your investigation goes on, he opens
10:02up and displays some moments of genuine emotion and compassion.
10:06His steadfast professionalism and judgemental nature are also more than just character traits,
10:11as it becomes more of a gameplay feature as you find yourself basing your decisions
10:14on whether or not it will disappoint your rather lovable partner.
10:18Kim is an incredibly rich character that is more than just a virtual voice of reason.
10:22He loves speed metal, although will never admit it, and abhors pinball despite being
10:26a former pinball champion.
10:28Hats off to the developers here for crafting one of the most human characters in all of
10:33gaming.
10:34And there we go my friends, those are the 10 most complex NPCs in video games.
10:38Let me know what you thought about it down in the comments section below, as well as
10:40any other options or choices that you think I may have missed from this list, as I'd
10:44love to cover more in a future video.
10:46But if you want to chat to me further in the meantime, you can do so over on Twitter at
10:49RetroJWithA0, or you can swing by Live and Let's Dice, where I do all of my streaming
10:53outside of work, and it'd be great to see you over there my friends.
10:56But before I go, I just want to say one thing.
10:59Hope you're treating yourself with love, and respect my friend, because you deserve
11:02all of the best things in life like love, happiness, and success, and don't let anything
11:06or anyone else tell you otherwise, alright?
11:08We're all rather complex human beings, and all of us deserve to be kind to ourselves,
11:12alright?
11:13So big love to you my friend, now go out there and smash your life goals today, I believe
11:16in ya.
11:17As always I've been Jules, you have been awesome, never forget that, and I'll speak
11:21to you soon.
11:22Bye.