Some of your favorite NPCs in games?

[Turd Ferguson]

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 )
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?

 

[Reverend]

I'll see your JJJ and raise you one Cave Johnson.

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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)

 

[Obsidian7]

Off the top of my head, I'd have to say Meryl Silverburgh from Metal Gear Solid.

 

[Owain Taggart]

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.

 

[captainkirk]

Ignoring the squadmates because they're too obvious, one of my favorites in Mass Effect is Conrad Verner, the inept fanboy.

 

[Qonundrum]

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.

 

[matthunter]

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.

 

[fireproof78]

From Fallout New Vegas, a Nightkin (a super mutant who struggles with schizophrenia) who has some very interesting dialog interactions with the player:

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[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

 

[JD]

I loved Stan Lee's cameo in the PS4 Spider-Man game

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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.

 

[Oddish]

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.

 

[JD]

Would Pikachu count as an NPC since you more or less play as him when you use him in battles?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

A lot of people are listing playable characters, especially in RPGs.

Delita, Final Fantasy Tactics
Rhea, Fire Emblem 3 Houses
Catherine, Catherine

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Chloe in Life is Strange

 

[Oddish]

Would Pikachu count as an NPC since you more or less play as him when you use him in battles?

In Pokemon Yellow, definitely. He follows you, he has feelings, and he has a personality. Ever talk to him after fishing?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If you can control a character in combat, they aren’t an NPC, they’re a PC.

 

[Oddish]

Suit yourself. He's not the only character I listed.

 

[XCV330]

If you can control a character in combat, they aren’t an NPC, they’re a PC.

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.

 

[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.

 

[Malicia]

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.