Child character you LIKED

[Torkuda]

We all know the story. The writers put a child in a game or movie, don?t know how to write kids, so they just write them as stupid and annoying, and just like that, child characters get hate. Child actors too, but that?s another issue. (Seriously, in any other field when a kid messes up we blame the parents, teachers etc, or at least have sympathy thinking the task might have been too much, but child actors are apparently devils!)

I?m going to shoot this to gamers mostly as that?s the site really. Anyway, two questions. Name/explain why a child character in a game you like (or maybe didn?t particularly like) was good in your mind. Also, just for a little mind teaser, do you think they were written like a genuine child?

 

[IllumInaTIma]

I have exactly 2 awesome child characters.
1)Clementine from The Walking Dead. She is brave, capable, smart, saves your life at some point, and serves as a moral compass for player. But, at the same time, she is still a child. She's naive, kind and does some silly child things, like licking salt block.
2)Nanako from Persona 4. If Clementine is some sort of daughter character for player, then Nanako is certainly a little sister. Just like Clementine, despite her age, she is very independent, skillful and smart. At age of 6 she manages to keep her whole house in order while her father is away at his job. But at the same time she is such a kid! She's so sweet and caring and naive. She sings her favorite tune whenever advertisement plays on TV, she gets genuinely happy whenever her big brother helps her with homework and she provides unconditional support to anyone who needs it.
And when she gets kidnapped, you, as a person, can feel just how personal it is now
So, both Clementine and Nanako are awesome because they exhibit some mature traits, but at the same time, they are still ultimately just kids.
Also, check out that early Nanako's concept and tell me who she reminds you of.
<img src=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090105120324/megamitensei/images/3/31/Nanako-Concept2.jpg>

 

[aozgolo]

My favorite child characters are actually from Earthbound. While no age is explicitly stated that I am aware of, there is significant evidence in-game of them being children. It never treats any of them in a demeaning way, you are expected to play as a child, and when you talk to other children in-game you don't feel as if you are giving their words less weight because they are children.

That whole game though for me any many others is about childhood, and maintaining that sense of youthful wonder at the world despite everything else.

Do I think these characters were written like real children? They are written in a way that real children would like to think of themselves, but aren't really indicative of how real children act. Most children wouldn't find themselves in a situation like in this game, but just like films where kids have to "save the day" it definitely is easy to relate to.

 

[lacktheknack]

All of Little Lamplight.



...because I had the Child at Heart perk. Suddenly, all the kids (except Princess) were more than happy to show me around the town, trade with me, give me extra quests, and find me an alternate way in to the vault. And the insane survival system they had working was utterly awesome, the location was cool, and the kids were nice (except freaking Princess).

Since I always take the Child At Heart perk, I'm always confused when people say they hate Little Lamplight.

 

[Torkuda]

Also, check out that early Nanako's concept and tell me who she reminds you of.
<img src=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090105120324/megamitensei/images/3/31/Nanako-Concept2.jpg>

Not sure... a little bit of my own character Jessica, but that can't have anything to do with anything so... Rika from digimon tamers?

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Also, check out that early Nanako's concept and tell me who she reminds you of.
<img src=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090105120324/megamitensei/images/3/31/Nanako-Concept2.jpg>

Not sure... a little bit of my own character Jessica, but that can't have anything to do with anything so... Rika from digimon tamers?

I had Clementine in mind, actually.
<img src=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121125182861/walkingdead/images/0/00/Clemmyep5.png>

 

[Torkuda]

Actually, I don't see it. She seems to have more in common appearance wise with characters like Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service).

Anyway, I heard Sora from Kingdom Hearts was tolerable, for a while anyway.

 

[TehCookie]

Eliza from Tales of Xillia. She's helpful, isn't a whiny brat and has a tragic back story that makes you sympathize with her. Also I love how Teepo matches her cute dress, because I like cute things.

 

[Mikejames]

Overall, Clementine wins it. One of the more in-depth child characters that I've seen in fiction.

Though I wouldn't put all of them as "realistic" examples, I enjoyed the campers from Psychonauts. Most of them don't even come up in the main story, but there's plenty of weird interactions with them and their powers while you're just exploring the campsite. You have an unstable kid blowing up squirrels with his mind, the Russian kid hunting bears, the girl who's convinced she's an alien, this guy...

Since I always take the Child At Heart perk, I'm always confused when people say they hate Little Lamplight.

The mission to help those kids at the slave camp was actually one of my favorite parts of the game. But the fact that the "mayor" and some of those kids could keep you locked out and be condescending the whole time with naught but plot-armor to protect them was a bit grating.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Also, check out that early Nanako's concept and tell me who she reminds you of.
<img src=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090105120324/megamitensei/images/3/31/Nanako-Concept2.jpg>

Not sure... a little bit of my own character Jessica, but that can't have anything to do with anything so... Rika from digimon tamers?

I had Clementine in mind, actually.

Shouldnt it be the other way around though since Persona 4 came out first or am I missing something?

OT: I may get stick for saying this but I didnt particularly like Clementine she was kinda a nuisance and I just wanted to leave her to be honest although she wasnt so irritating that I wanted to kill her while with Nanako well she was ok actually she was strong in herself and still had that childlike innocence about her but she wasnt stupid or overly annoying so yeah she was pretty cool. I never really cared to much when she was dying though so maybe I didnt care that much or im just heartless.

For young children Nanako takes it then for me simply because I cant think of any other young child in games I like although I dislike young children anyway in general. Overall I would go with Isara Gunther from Valkyria Chonicles she 16 so technically still a child (in this country anyway) but as with almost all Valkyria Chronicles characters (especially main ones) I thought she was excellently portrayed with a strong personality, big heart and of course genius mechanical skills. Its in large part thanks to her even after *the event* that so many others in the squad survived plus that scene is one of the few times I have almost cried at a videogame especially the bit later with Rosie oh and the ending scene as well. Oh and dont watch the anime unless you want a laugh damn they completely failed to capture the feels of the game.

 

[krazykidd]

Eliza from Tales of Xillia. She's helpful, isn't a whiny brat and has a tragic back story that makes you sympathize with her. Also I love how Teepo matches her cute dress, because I like cute things.

I came here to say this . I really like elize . I hated Teepo at first because he was annoying, but after we found out what he really is, the Elize and Teepo combo became so much more enjoyable. The ending cut-scene with both of them made me a little sad.

Also , Lymle from star ocean: the last hope.

 

[Guffe]

Link as a kid.
He always looks so lost it's fun

I don't know...
The Karate Kid movies?
I mean there the kid starts as a douche/ignorant/whiney etc
He finds something he gets a liking to and learns a lesson, actually growing as a character in every movie.

Even if the movies aren't that great movies (they were awesome when looked at them as a kid, rewatching was a mistake) but I think the child character is a good one.

 

[dementis]

I have exactly 2 awesome child characters.
1)Clementine from The Walking Dead. She is brave, capable, smart, saves your life at some point, and serves as a moral compass for player. But, at the same time, she is still a child. She's naive, kind and does some silly child things, like licking salt block.
2)Nanako from Persona 4. If Clementine is some sort of daughter character for player, then Nanako is certainly a little sister. Just like Clementine, despite her age, she is very independent, skillful and smart. At age of 6 she manages to keep her whole house in order while her father is away at his job. But at the same time she is such a kid! She's so sweet and caring and naive. She sings her favorite tune whenever advertisement plays on TV, she gets genuinely happy whenever her big brother helps her with homework and she provides unconditional support to anyone who needs it.
And when she gets kidnapped, you, as a person, can feel just how personal it is now
So, both Clementine and Nanako are awesome because they exhibit some mature traits, but at the same time, they are still ultimately just kids.
Also, check out that early Nanako's concept and tell me who she reminds you of.
<img src=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090105120324/megamitensei/images/3/31/Nanako-Concept2.jpg>

This! Exactly this! Clementine and Nanako are the only child characters that I haven't hated. I genuinely wanted to protect Clementine and Nanako is like the little sister I never had.

Nanako's death scene had me in tears, more that anything in a while and really added to the game as a whole. Even if you can bring her back to life

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Ellie from the Last of Us. Not always a likable or nice child, she still manages to be just as well realized as her adult counterpart. In fact, I'd nominate Ellie over Clementine, who' also an amazing character.

 

[Jamieson 90]

From Films/TV:
Elliot from E.T.
John Connor from Terminator 2: Judgement day.
Joe from Super 8.
Newt from Aliens.
Sean Mullen from Ransom.
Bran and Arya from Game of Thrones.
Blakeney from Master and Commander: The Far side of the World.
Lucius from Gladiator.
Billy from KES.
David from AI: Artificial Intelligence.

Books:
Ender from Ender's Game.
Jordan from Stephen King's Cell.
Jake Chambers from Stephen King's Dark tower Series.
Will from Goodnight Mr Tom.
Tim Murphy from Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park.
Oliver from Oliver Twist.
The Boy from The Road.
Luke from The Witches.

Games:
Clementine from the Walking Dead.
Little Brother and Big Brother from Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.

 

[Mister K]

Well, I'll jump on Clementine/Nanako bandwagon. They are just so damn awesome!
Also, I think Stephen King writes pretty nice child characters.

 

[Clowndoe]

The children in Skyrim. Loved all of them. Especially with the "killable children" mod.

In all seriousness though, I "met" Lynn from The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena this weekend. She was alright, although I was left scratching my head that she's not old enough to understand death and yet knows how to reprogram terminator drones. At least she wasn't annoying.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Sally from Mothership Zeta. Besides the fact she keeps giving me stuff, I just love the interrogation recording with her about the Buttercup toy.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Eh, probably not what you are after, but I liked the children in Fable that were around during the childhood stage. Obviously they weren't very in depth but I liked them all the same.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Definitely Clementine. It's rare for a kid to appear in a game, and even rarer for that kid to not be an avatar of pure irritation from the second they materialize.

Not sure Ellie from Last of Us would qualify, as she seems to be more hard bitten teenager than kid.