Some of your favorite NPCs in games?

Discussion in 'Gaming' started by Turd Ferguson, Oct 28, 2019.

  1. Turd Ferguson

    Turd Ferguson Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2003
    Location:
    Kentucky
    I just finished Borderlands 3 and I got to thinking how much I liked the character of Typhon DeLeon, the first Vault Hunter. Then, I also thought about Mr. Torgue, another loud, amusing character from Borderlands 2. Then, I realized, there are a bunch of NPCs in games that I've played over the years that I really like. Some of these may be funny, brooding, quest givers, useless, move the plot along, help out in battle, etc. Here's just a few of mine:

    1. Typhon DeLeon - Borderlands 3
    2. Mr. Torgue - Borderlands 2
    3. Clutch Nixon - Far Cry 5 (technically, he's not in the game himself, but I feel his legend is so badass that he counts as being an NPC :D )
    4. Hurk - Far Cry 3, 4, 5
    5. J. Jonah Jameson - Spider-Man (PS4)

    ...sorry, I'm tired and these are all I can think of right now. But, I'll come up with more! Who are some of your favorite NPCs from your favorite games?
     
  2. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Location:
    UK
    I'll see your JJJ and raise you one Cave Johnson. ;)


    Others off the top of my head: -
    Tiny Tina (Borderlands 2)
    Cassandra (Dragon Age Inquisition)
    Morrigan (Dragon Age Origins)
    Alyx Vance (Half Life 2)
    Literally Everyone but Jacob (Mass Effect 1-3)
    Clementine (The Walking Dead)
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2019
    Thestral and Turd Ferguson like this.
  3. Obsidian7

    Obsidian7 Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2018
    Off the top of my head, I'd have to say Meryl Silverburgh from Metal Gear Solid.
     
    Turd Ferguson likes this.
  4. Owain Taggart

    Owain Taggart Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2009
    Location:
    Northern Ontario, Canada
    One of my favourites is Mordin the Salarian scientist in Mass Effect 2, for the simple fact that he suddenly bursts into song to the tune of the Major-General's song from the Pirates of Penzance, which made me laugh because it seemed to come out of nowhere and ended up being one of my favourite things in the game.
     
  5. captainkirk

    captainkirk Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Location:
    South Africa
    Ignoring the squadmates because they're too obvious, one of my favorites in Mass Effect is Conrad Verner, the inept fanboy.
     
    Jax likes this.
  6. Qonundrum

    Qonundrum Vice Admiral Admiral

    Pretty much the ones in Skyrim.

    Honorable mentions to a few in NES's Zelda II The Adventure of Link as most of them are unintentionally hilarious, but were more or less a first.
     
  7. matthunter

    matthunter Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2004
    Location:
    Great Britain
    Non-voiced part but I always got the warm fuzzies from the sales patter of the guy who you buy the ship off in Monkey Island.
     
  8. fireproof78

    fireproof78 Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2014
    Location:
    Journeying onwards
    From Fallout New Vegas, a Nightkin (a super mutant who struggles with schizophrenia) who has some very interesting dialog interactions with the player:
     
  9. XCV330

    XCV330 Premium Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2017
    Location:
    XCV330
    Elizabeth: Bioshock Infinite. IS she an NPC though? If she is she's probably my all time favorite.

    Zanik: Runescape

    Mjoll: Skyrim

    The Funktapus, GTA Vice City: never seen, often heard.

    Yang's Wife: Final Fantasy IV

    Gau: Final Fantasy VI

    Auron, Final Fantasy X

    Fran, Final Fantasy XII. (Don't you judge me. )

    Ish, (The Last of Us: you never see him but he arguably has one of the most compelling stories in a very compelling game)

    Rost: Horizon Zero Dawn.

    Leonardo Da Vinci: Assasin's Creed II

    Ben Franklin: Assassin's Creed III

    Elena: Uncharted (1, 2, 3, and 4)

    Penultimo: Tropico V

    Artemis: No Man's Sky
     
  10. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    I loved Stan Lee's cameo in the PS4 Spider-Man game

    I love pretty much all of the supporting characters in the orignal Mass Effect trilogy, especially Garrus, Liara, and Tali.
    The Plumber from Ratchet & Clank has always been a favorite.
     
  11. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2020
    Location:
    Kanto, Poké-World
    Pikachu, Pokemon Yellow. He has so much personality, despite a crude game mechanic.
    Moira, Fallout 3. Goofy, but lovable.
    Fawkes, Fallout 3. Defies expectations with a vengeance.
    Three Dog, Fallout 3.
    Babette, Skyrim. 300 year old vampire in a 10 year old body. Actually, the Dark Brotherhood is full of memorable characters, even if the quest line is on the nasty side.
    Mr. House, New Vegas. Really intriguing, and not just because he's Odo. Though that would probably be enough...
    Maven Black Briar, Skyrim. The Don Corleone of Tamriel.
     
  12. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    Would Pikachu count as an NPC since you more or less play as him when you use him in battles?
     
  13. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Location:
    JirinPanthosa
    A lot of people are listing playable characters, especially in RPGs.

    Delita, Final Fantasy Tactics
    Rhea, Fire Emblem 3 Houses
    Catherine, Catherine
     
  14. Timelord Victorious

    Timelord Victorious Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2006
    Location:
    Germany, Earth, the Solar System
    Chloe in Life is Strange
     
  15. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2020
    Location:
    Kanto, Poké-World
    In Pokemon Yellow, definitely. He follows you, he has feelings, and he has a personality. Ever talk to him after fishing?
     
  16. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Location:
    JirinPanthosa
    If you can control a character in combat, they aren’t an NPC, they’re a PC.
     
  17. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2020
    Location:
    Kanto, Poké-World
    Suit yourself. He's not the only character I listed.
     
  18. XCV330

    XCV330 Premium Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2017
    Location:
    XCV330
    In paper and dice, yes.

    It gets iffy in FF. You might control them in battle but they are clearly not the mainline character, in terms of story. For Final Fantasy IV, you're Cecil. It's Cecil's story. In X, you are basically Tidus ("This is my story"), and very briefly Yuna. You control the party but for the most part the game is out of Tidus's eyes, and again briefly Yuna's (arguably VERY briefly from Auron's at the end, but you won't be playing him anymore by then). in later games, its foggier, though I would maintain most of the party in XII are second stringers, and you are playing the game through Vaan's eyes.
     
  19. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Location:
    JirinPanthosa
    Just because one character is the main perspective character doesn’t mean others are not playable characters. I’ve never seen controllable characters referred to as NPCs before.

    The Wikipedia definition is “Any character in a game which is not controlled by the player”. The only time party members can really be considered NPCs is in newer games where they are controlled by AI.
     
  20. Malicia

    Malicia Fleet Captain Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2020
    Vilja who is a female companion mod for The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion. Fully voice acted by the author of the mod known as Emma and also featured content from the writer Terry Pratchett who was a big fan of Oblivion and collaborated with Emma.