Game Characters You've Developed A Strong Emotional Attachment To

[kissthebottle]

I mean in ways beyond "oh they're my favorite character." I'm a sucker for games that are huge on character development (from a storytelling perspective), and it results in me getting supremely emotionally invested in said characters. In a "damn, I know they are a fictional character and this is just a game but I really care about them" sort of way, if that makes sense.

I always love hearing people talk about those sort of feelings and experiences. It gives me the warm fuzzies.


A recent example for me is Dorian from Dragon Age. He kind of reminds me of one of my best friends, which off the bat got me on board, and especially if you do his personal quest that includes his father. It really got to me as someone who is queer and not out to their family. It's such an intense and emotional point in his storyline that made me feel super connected with him. Developing his friendship with my first Inquisitor (and all the rest of my Inquisitors in future play thrus as well as making him a love interest for one of them) became super rewarding. From the same game I also strongly related with Cassandra because you have this intense, hardass, lady who is strong in her convictions, but is a giant, mushy softie on the inside who loves trashy romance novels (this is often how friends describe me). How she had to make a lot of tough decisions that might not have made her popular or liked, but she stood by them. She kind of felt like a close gal pal in a lot of ways to me.


Another one is Joel and Ellie in Last of Us. I'll keep this one short but that game made me cry so much. I was so enveloped in that game that I felt everything Joel felt. Every sense of urgency to try and keep her safe (the parts where you played as her I was freaking out because I was like I'M NOT GONNA FUCK THIS UP AND KILL YOU ELLIE, I SWEAR), and those awesome moments where she does something to surprise you, just all of it.

 

[Fox12]

Well, I always bring Tifa and Cloud into this. There are plenty of generic love stories out there, but this one really got to me. Theit relationship is well developed, but the clencher definitely comes when Tifa finds Cloud in a vegetative state, and elects to stay with him, despite there being no guarantee that he can be saved. It really shows how far they are willing to go for one another.

Then there's the greatest bromance of all time.

Spoiler

Seriously, screw the universe and whoever your romance character is. Garrus is where it's at.

Then, just, everyone in Persona 4. Even Yukiko.

Spoiler

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Then, just, everyone in Persona 4. Even Teddie.

Spoiler

Fixed that for ya. Teddie and Yosuke were the two characters I wanted to see thrown from the top of the tallest building in Inaba.

For me, though, when it comes to emotional attachments...it would have to be Tali.

Spoiler

The first time I played through Mass Effect 3, I elected not to import my save. I wanted to save that for my second playthrough, to see just how much of the game was different. But when the time came, and I had to choose between the Geth and the Quarians, I sided with the Geth.

I wasn't prepared to see Tali jump.

 

[kissthebottle]

Then there's the greatest bromance of all time.

Spoiler

Seriously, screw the universe and whoever your romance character is. Garrus is where it's at.

Oh man, he also felt like a super, ultra bff to me. It's weird. I considered romancing him during my initial play through but I loved his friendship with Shepard so much I couldn't do it. The scene in ME 3 where they shoot the cans is one of my all time faves. I know people go hardcore for the romances in Bioware games (I kinda go nuts myself), but I find the friendships to be just as important and heartwarming.

 

[Fox12]

Then, just, everyone in Persona 4. Even Teddie.

Spoiler

Fixed that for ya. Teddie and Yosuke were the two characters I wanted to see thrown from the top of the tallest building in Inaba.
[/spoiler]

Well, you're not wrong. I cringed at teddies puns, and groaned when he showed up the first time. He became... tolerable after losing the suit, and after he was replaced by Rise. Yukiko was somewhat dull, but she certainly wasn't annoying. Everyone else was gold.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

The Exoptable Money cat.

Spoiler: Meow

So here's the story, Markiplier played this game, but every once in a while when he uploads I think "Mm, I'd rather play this myself first", and this was one of those cases.

Spoiler: So heres what's going on with the cat

The game is just sitting in front of a box that spits out money and over time you use that money to, well, spend on upgrades for the box to print more money and the story is told through letters you get from important people who see you're making money. Money. Now the thing about the cat is that once you purchase him (He's a him to me) he sits in the corner of the screen and when you mouse over him, he spits out hearts, he loves you, and by clicking on him, you can send him away to find more money. But at one point when you send him away, he doesn't come back, you wonder where he went. And one of the characters, Madame Sinclair, sends you a letter with your cat's skin in it saying "Fur is expensive" and you can the put your cats fur in the machine as another form of money printing. Yeah, this game gets morbid.
At any rate, just know that I have never screamed so loud at my monitor over the death of *any* video game character, and this one's a cat.

TL;DR: This happens.
And I don't know how to make it jump to a specific time (and I did try) so use your big man muscles to mouse on over to 17:28

 

[Scarim Coral]

Probably Lyn from Fire Emblem but only cos she speak directly to me (no avatar version of me in the game like Awakenning).

 

[Terminal Blue]

I don't get attached to game characters very often. One example I do remember though is Elizabeth from Bioshock: Infinite.

I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, and Elizabeth in my opinion has a really good one. Her arc is nothing complex and mostly expressed through a series of blunt visual metaphors, but they're effective and the mocap and voice acting really sells it.

Spoiler

The scene where she kills the songbird is one of the few times I remember genuinely tearing up at a game.

Retrospectively, the whole thing is kind of Moe as fuck, and I do slightly resent that.. but even then if I had to choose between being emotionally manipulated by paternal feelings or emotionally manipulated by the power of boners, the former is at least a change of pace!

 

[Zaeseled]

Pretty much all rogue like games I play, which I know is the worst possible thing ever to do. I've managed so far only to let 1 character die in Darkest Dungeon and I'm terrified of continuing.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

After finishing Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, there can only be one.

Spoiler: Always remembered

Damn you, Nagito.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The The Maiden in Black in Demon's Souls and the Doll in Bloodborne.

Spoiler: actual game spoilers

Might be the same person if some fan theories are correct

Why, can you touch the demon inside of her?

 

[aozgolo]

Dormin from Shadow of Colossus

Ending Spoilers:

Spoiler

This may seem a bit odd, but despite the apparently personal quest of Wander to bring back to life his woman, Mono, the real plot involves freeing Dormin from his imprisonment by defeating the Colossi. It is suggested by the presence of the priests who go to such lengths to stop Wander, and the nature of the great lengths that are gone to in order to imprison Dormin, that him being unleashed is a very bad thing. Despite all this, all we know of Dormin's character in truth is that while he used Wander to acquire his freedom, and though he possesses incredible power, he nonetheless keeps the bargain made and restores Mono to life. I never fought so hard in a game than I did when I was trying to keep the Dormin possessed body of Wander from being sucked into the pool at the end. I would have thought at the time I did so because I wanted Wander to survive, but in truth I wanted Dormin's freedom.

You could say I became emotionally invested in Dormin's fate and despite whatever unspoken sins he committed that lead to his imprisonment, in the here and now of that story he was the one entity which could fulfill the story's end, and even as he was fighting for his own freedom at the end, still fulfilled his bargain, and whatever else might be said of Dormin, there was some good within him.

 

[Tilly]

Yuna in FF10 or Celes in FF6.
Both had great narrative arcs that really endeared me to them. They're the kind of people I'd really get on with in real life. Which some people seem to think is a bit of a sad way of thinking. I quite enjoy it.

Probably Lyn from Fire Emblem but only cos she speak directly to me (no avatar version of me in the game like Awakenning).

That's the GBA game right? Wasn't it pretty much identical to Awakening except the Avatar just didn't fight?

 

[ctSasquatch]

Clementine from Telltales' The Walking Dead Season 1. Five minutes after meeting her, I had made up my mind that anyone or anything that threatened her was DEAD. The rest of the cast were on their own; every decision I made was based on what I thought was best for Clem at that moment in time. Sadly, actually playing as her in Season 2 didn't have the same emotional impact for me.

Bioshock 2's Little Sisters. I adopted and then rescued every single one, carrying them around as much as possible in the meantime. Sadly I knew the whole time that they were emotional placeholders until I could find my actual daughter. But they helped me remember the man inside the suit. (Side Note: I'm only 2-3 levels into Infinite, so I haven't met Elizabeth yet. Looking forward to it.)

I don't have a PS3/4 so I haven't played the Last of Us, but I'm sure that looking after Ellie would be right up there too. If it ever gets a PC release, I'm buying it SO fast.

Pretty much I strongly identify with any "Papa Wolf" type characters (haven't been too many Mama Bear playable protagonists, but I guess that would work too) who would go through Hell and back to protect their charges.

 

[FPLOON]

Xion from Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days on the Nintendo DS...

Spoiler: Dem spoilers, doh...

After you find out who (or shall I say what) she really is, you have to <link=https://youtu.be/IxsAHBkoH4U?t=2m38s>fight against her and her four other forms, thus leading to one of the saddest moments of Kingdom Hearts history (so far):
Why did the HD cinematic in Kingdom Hearts 1.5 had to uninternationally ruin the build up to this specific moment in the game? But, I digress...

Other than that, Eden from Child of Eden... but, I think that's just the gameplay bias talking, though...

 

[laggyteabag]

Garrus in Mass Effect, Alistair and Varric in Dragon Age, and Clementine in Telltale's The Walking Dead

 

[The Wykydtron]

For some reason, i've always liked Pricilla in Dark Souls the moment I first saw her. It's the twist about her, the way she is legit the only boss who doesn't jump you the second you walk through the fog door.

You get through a nightmarish castle full of undead people, harpies and even undead dragons, you cross a bridge guarded by blokes in armour to get to the fog door so naturally you're expecting this badass boss fight waiting behind the door. Nope she's the nicest character in the game by far, she has a pleasant chat with you then shows you the way out with no fuss at all. In a game where literally everyone is either out to kill you on sight or spiraling down a character arc that eventually ends up with them going crazy and attacking you on sight, Pris was a really big moment for me.

There is only one good ending in Dark Souls. It's entering the Painted World when you're bored of the game, getting to the boss room, then chilling with Pris indefinitely.

Also Chrom in Fire Emblem: Awakening. It's really quite interesting playing as a high tier supporting character instead of the main protagonist. I'd go gay for Chrom any day too, just look at the man

Spoiler

From the Visual Novel side, i'll give Michiru from Grisaia No Kaijitsu, i'd post a picture but inu-kun above already has her as an Avatar. 10/10 good taste. She's the type of comedy character who never fails to make me laugh in every scene she's in, even better than Kenji from Katawa Shoujo in terms of laughs. That scene where they think up nicknames for each other is fucking genius.

"Impressive work, Juicy Yuuji."

"Oh i've got nothing on you, Mitcher"

[sub][sub]Then her route just bodyslams the previous laughter from the Common Route off a school rooftop when her backstory is explained. Thanks Frontowingu. Thanks.[/sub][/sub]

Also Battler from Umineko No Naku Koro Ni for the same reason why I love Phoenix Wright from Ace Attorney. Those characters who never give up despite being presented with seemingly impossible logic puzzles, he even dresses similarly with the sharp suit and simple colour palette.

Spoiler

His voice acting is great (actually everyone in the game has great voice acting but special credit goes to Battler and Beatrice,) his catchphrase is damn good, he's a very relatable character and it's really cool how the only correct way to pronounce his name is having a woman's voice shouting "Ushiromiya Baaaaaaatttleeerrrrr!" in a really kind of deranged tone. Seriously, once I noticed how many different female characters shout his name so often I could never stop noticing it.