Top 10 Best Overlooked Video Game Characters

Featured as a recurring minor character seen throughout 2023’s surprisingly good RoboCop: Rogue City, “Pickles” is a homeless man who serves as RoboCop’s designated “man on the streets” – but is hopelessly addicted to the in-universe narcotic “Nuke” from RoboCop 2. Even though Pickles is utterly enslaved to his addiction, he nonetheless strives to help players out by gathering information on the game’s criminal activities (when he’s not needing to be rescued); also, depending on certain dialogue choices made within a playthrough, Pickles might actually go straight and improve his life.

9. James (Okage: Shadow King)

While James – deuteragonist “Evil King” Stan’s ever-present butler – is very clearly a supernatural entity (his horned, skull-like head being a dead giveaway), he’s actually pretty affable compared to most others in Okage: Shadow King. And even though he’s primarily played for laughs as a comedic underling for the titular “Shadow King,” James shows a surprising depth at various points: such as dwelling on an offscreen relationship with a girlfriend, forming an odd comradery with the main character’s selfish family, and (much later) implying deeper knowledge of the setting’s true nature.

8. Mareg (Grandia II)

As I already touched on in a previous article discussing notably sad moments in video games, the fate of supporting protagonist Mareg from Grandia II is so tragic because of how honorable and likeable he is, despite his initially savage appearance, as further shown in his slowly growing bond with the gynoid Tio before his departure. I still remember being truly devastated following his exit from the story…especially how his actions leave a heavy impact in the other party members’ hearts and minds.

7. Narcia (PopoloCrois)

Once again bringing up an underrated franchise I’ve praised before, young forest witch Narcia from PopoloCrois largely fills the typical role as the party’s dedicated “healer” – and, over the course of the mainline PS1 games, becomes main character Prince Pietro’s object of affection. Generally being an extremely nice and sweet-natured girl (though taking on a more assertive demeanor when under her “Kai” persona), Narcia is just a genuinely likeable – if sometimes shy – partner worth travelling with.

6. Hal “Otacon” Emmerich (Metal Gear Solid)

Premiering in 1998’s Metal Gear Solid as the chief engineer of Metal Gear REX (a bipedal “tank” and mobile nuclear armament launching platform), Hal Emmerich – more commonly known by his nickname “Otacon” in reference to his otaku personality – is a fairly goofy but extremely well-meaning and loyal individual who becomes one of Solid Snake’s greatest supporters. Later joining Snake to deal with multiple threats (including the Dead Cell terrorist group and the larger-scale objectives of the Patriots), Hal is always there to help…despite frequently losing people close to him.

5. Douglas Cartland (Silent Hill 3)

Looking like he stepped out of a hardboiled detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, supporting protagonist Douglas Cartland from Silent Hill 3 is an appropriately salty, cynical, and world-weary P.I. who gets unintentionally wrapped up in the game’s larger, increasingly bizarre (and potentially apocalyptic) storyline. However, as many characters of his type often are, Douglas is actually a very caring person with his own understandably sad personal history; and, much more admirably, seems to become unimpressed – even almost annoyed – with the titular town’s otherworldly properties.

4. Rebecca Chambers (Resident Evil)

Even though she’s started to reappear in ancillary media over the last several years, I’d still like to see former S.T.A.R.S. member Rebecca Chambers make an active appearance in a future Resident Evil game at some point. Rebecca started out as a young, plucky, and incredibly optimistic medic serving as a supporting character in the original RE title from 1996 before earning a leading role opposite (the still long-absent) Billy Coen in 2003’s RE0; and while Chambers has currently taken on a more indirect role as a viral researcher, I’d be more than happy to have her (and Billy) return to the games.

3. Zhu Bajie (Black Myth: Wukong)

Hailing from the Chinese epic Journey to the West, the pig-like Zhu Bajie is primarily known as a gluttonous, lazy, and all-around hedonistic character who participated in the story’s central pilgrimage alongside the monkey-like Sun Wukong. However, come his depiction in Black Myth: Wukong, Bajie now hides a much older, world-wearier demeanor beneath a facade of his originally crass and flippant personality – and even though he unceremoniously disappears by the game’s final fight, we spend enough time with him to learn that he has many, many lingering regrets.

2. Teisel Bonne (Mega Man Legends)

Putting aside troubling real-world circumstances regarding the character’s English voice actor (believe me – the less said, the better), air pirate leader Teisel Bonne from the Mega Man Legends subseries is a wonderfully over-the-top, totally zany, and utterly lovable antagonist. Despite serving a villainous role as a dirty, underhanded, and (if necessary) dangerous crook, Teisel very clearly cares for his sister Tron and “baby” brother Bon – furthermore, it’s shown multiple times that he’s quite capable of being helpful and nigh-heroic (though primarily if it’s somehow advantageous for him).

1. E-102 Gamma (Sonic Adventure)

Featuring one of the saddest-but relatively understated-moments in the otherwise upbeat Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, the playable scenario in Sonic Adventure starring the robotic sentry E-102 Gamma is a surprisingly tragic, Asimovian tale about freewill and sacrifice. Originally designed by (and subservient to) main antagonist Dr. Eggman, story events slowly cause Gamma to rebel against the doctor and go on a mission to “save” his archetypical “brothers” within the E-100 series: having destroyed all of the other E-100s, a damaged Gamma breaks down…and finally knows true freedom.