Spirits of the Season: Kindest/Most Generous Character in a Game

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

So the time of peace on earth and good will to man is upon us again, and while the majority of recent gaming worlds aren't exactly places where it always pays to be the generous or giving type, I'm sure there are some who still follow the spirit of the season. Come to think of it, I've never seen a Salvation Army-style charity in a game. Oh well, no player would ever use it unless in anticipation of a reward for a certain amount donated.

Whether it's an NPC who always brightens your day by giving you a handy item when you need it, or an mighty ally who helps you not from self-interest, but out of the goodness of their hearts, who in games do you feel belongs on the nice list the most?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Tali'Zorah, because she didn't rub it in the face of that Turian clerk who refused to help her when she was shot during pre-ME1, because he needed Quarian Fleet shuttles to evacuate civilians from the Reaper War. And she shot things with her shotgun, and that's pretty generous.
Good for her.

OH! And the big boobed Sunflower in Conker's Bad Fur Day, because she lets you do some...platforming if you tickle her enough, and that's just pure Season's Kindness!

And finally, GLaDOS. Because I can't think of a kinder, more generous and selfless warm soul. Always giving us amazing puzzles to solve, and offering us cake as a reward but never following through on it because she knows we're trying to watch out weight.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

So the time of peace on earth and good will to man is upon us again, and while the majority of recent gaming worlds aren't exactly places where it always pays to be the generous or giving type, I'm sure there are some who still follow the spirit of the season. Come to think of it, I've never seen a Salvation Army-style charity in a game. Oh well, no player would ever use it unless in anticipation of a reward for a certain amount donated.

Whether it's an NPC who always brightens your day by giving you a handy item when you need it, or an mighty ally who helps you not from self-interest, but out of the goodness of their hearts, who in games do you feel belongs on the nice list the most?

The Followers of the Apocalypse from Fallout are pretty great (I like the faction which makes up my avatar, what a surprise.) They actually are a humanitarian organisation that do a lot of good and help a lot of people.

Anyway the answer to your question is Fall-From-Grace from Planescape: Torment. And I'm not just saying that because it's the game I'm currently playing, Grace is an amazing person. She set up what's essentially a school to help her students (people she clearly cares about) learn and experience more about the world by engage in conversation with others, she comforts your character after he goes through a traumatic experience without a second thought, she's super nice in general and great to everyone and she never does anything over the course of the game which I'd consider to be immoral. Oh, and then there's also what can happen at the end of the game:

Spoiler

You're saying goodbye to all your friends because you're about to be dragged off to hell and Grace tells you that she is going to go to hell and find you, no matter how long it takes. Come on, she's literally going to hell in order to find (and presumably rescue) her friend.

So yeah, put Fall-From-Grace on the nice list Santa.

 

[kris40k]

Aerith from Final Fantasy VII

Seemed like a genuinely nice person who just wanted to help people. Daily ambition was to sell some flowers.

Got shived.

 

[balladbird]

Extrapolating from the followers of the apocalypse mentioned above, I'd definitely nominate Arcade Ganon for the title. One of the most compassionate characters in the fallout universe. Takes his job as a doctor, and the oath to do no harm so seriously that even if you sell him to his most hated enemy he does his best to preserve his health

 

[RJ 17]

Let's see...

T.G. Cid from FFT
Just a jolly old man that shows up towards the end of the game and says "You know what? You've made it this far. So I'm going to join up with you and one-shot everything for you."

Fairy Queen from Link to the Past
A magical goddess who gives you upgrades just for being honest about "accidentally" dropping something into her pond.

Yoshi from Super Mario World
Despite the fact that his so-called friend is a fat plumber who is constantly punching him in the back of the head and kicking him down bottomless pits, Yoshi's always willing to lend a helping hand.

The Rower from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Such a nice old man, taking you where you need to go. I could sing his praises further, but instead I'll let Naruto take it:

 

[FPLOON]

Colette Brunel from Tales of Symphonia... Sure, she's the next "Chosen"...

Spoiler: Whatever that means...

Which means that she would be sacrificed in order to refill the world of Sylvarant with mana, even thought it's all a big setup to "steal" all the mana from Tethe'alla to "give" to Sylvarant... and vise verse for the "Chosen" in Tethe'alla...

But, she always there to care about everybody she meets... even the [REDACTED] that tries to kill her in the beginning and [REDACTED] after [REDACTED] [REDACTED] tree [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] world later on...

 

[1981]

Dropsy the clown. Always helping and hugging people.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Yuna from Final Fantasy 10.

She's the typical pure, demure, sensitive, apologetic shrine maiden, who is kind to everyone, even if they were to wipe their dog poo covered boot heel all over her face.

As for a kind person who feels genuine... B.J. Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein: The New Order. He's kind and respectful to everyone who deserves it, and punishes everyone who's naughty.

 

[Flathole]

Luis from RE4. Absolute bro to the core. He does nothing the entire game but carry your sorry, filthy, scrub American ass through most of the game. In one part you fight alongside him, and he breaks enemy holds on you, tosses you ammo because you suck and (again) he's carrying you, and saves your ass over and over. Even in the intro to the castle level he totally wingman's for you, "No- you stay with Leon. He's better with the ladies."

Spoiler

R.I.P NPC bro ;(

 

[The Wykydtron]

I think i'll go for Priscilla in Dark Souls, the only boss who just says sorry for the trouble and shows you the way out. When I get bored of a playthrough I tend to just get to the end of the Painted World and have my character chill with Priscilla.

Then there's post death Quelagg where you find out that her welcoming flame sword to the dick upon entry was just her trying to farm enough Humanity to save her sister.

For as dark as the universe is in that game, there is a lot of kindness in there if you look in the right places.

Then there's Elphelt in Guilty Gear where when she wins a round she panics and pulls out a box of medical supplies because she thinks she bodied you too hard. Then if she wins the match entirely she throws a marriage proposal at the guy. I think we can agree that there are worse things that could happen to the loser of a fight in your average fighting game.

 

[LiberalSquirrel]

How about Cole from Dragon Age: Inquisition?

...okay, maybe I'm reading a bit close to the letter, but he is literally a spirit of compassion. Sure, he effs it up occasionally (especially, uh, before his appearance in the games), but the kid tries his best.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Anyone who's played Undertale knows how much Toriel belongs on the list. She's easily one of the kindest, nicest, warmest and most well-meaning characters in gaming history.

Solaire from Dark Souls. The sunbro who spawned an entire fandom. Always upbeat, courteous, and willing to help. Which only makes his character more tragic in the end.

JRPGs are absolutely ridden with these kinds of characters. Both Marle and Luca from Chrono Trigger fit the bill, as does Oliver from Ni No Kuni. The problem with this kind of character archetype is that they easily become bland and cliched. Which is why I prefer the character type who is honorable, but has some teeth to them. Like Seth Bullock from Deadwood.

 

[The Enquirer]

I might have to go with Garrus. In Mass Effect 3 when he's confronting the guy who set him up in Mass Effect 2 and is ready to kill him. If you have been steering him towards paragon as well as yourself, the two really hash things out for the best. I always liked that scene. Garrus in general.

Also from ME3 I've gotta say Thane's final moments when he prays and it was for you. I'm not particularly religious but it was a really, really nice gesture Shepard only comes to realize after Thane is gone.

Don't even get me started on Mordin givng up his life to reverse something he spent the entirety of one game defending.

I'm going to stop now before I remember more Mass Effect stuff like that.

 

[TheVampwizimp_v1legacy]

Kratos. He spends 3 whole games freeing humanity from the Olympian Gods' totalitarian rule. He even dies a few times in the name of his cause. He never stops, never despairs, not for one second, until the last man's oppressors is pummeled to death. A truly selfless and self-sacrificing man, who went to every length to topple a despotic ruler.

 

[stormtrooper9091]

Gorn in Gothic 1/2, a badass cranky mercenary with a giant fuck-off two handed axe who just happens to be there every time your (the player character) ass needs saving. One time I accidentally pulled too many enemies at once and he just glitch-dropped from an upper level of the area and murdered the lot and didn't even pause to let me say thanks

 

[The White Hunter]

Haurchefant from Final Fantasy XIV

He is always on your side, even when the story takes a turn for the worst and you are on your own, he is there to lend a hand and help you, the guy has an obvious crush on you (more apparent in the Japanese dialogue than the localized ones) quite surprising as while he is set up as just another quest giver, he plays a large role later on and into Heavensward, where he brings you to help you back on your feet by sheltering you and bring you to his family manor.

Guy is a saint, hell he...

Spoiler: Heavensward major story spoilers post vault

dies protecting you from Zepherin and all the while, tells you to keep smiling, as it better suits a hero, the game makes it quite clear that your character is really broken up during the scene (helmets and the like are automatically hidden so you can see your face) you can even proclaim you will kill Zepherin for this. The story closes out with you standing out over his grave, with Alphinaud knowing he would find you there.

Truly one of the bro-iest of bros to ever bro.

He's also warrioroflightsexual, which is fabulous because he was such a handsome creeper <3

 

[McMarbles]

Protagonist, every Harvest Moon game. You're constantly giving stuff to people.