It's an awesome feeling being the hero of a videogame adventure and saving the day.
But sometimes, secondary characters simply steal the show, making gamers wish they had
more time to spend with these supporting players.
Here are some famous "second fiddles" who are just as interesting as the main character
— if not more so.
Elizabeth - BioShock Infinite
Exploring the sky city of Columbia as Booker DeWitt was a one-of-a-kind thrill.
But getting to play as former sidekick Elizabeth in the underwater city of Rapture in the Burial
at Sea expansion was a welcome change.
Finally seeing things from her perspective, and playing with her particular stealthy style,
was satisfying and gave her character more depth.
Getting to know to her so well from the main game made it all the more difficult to watch
her tragic story play out in the murky deep, but gamers were thankful for one more romp
around Rapture from a fresh perspective.
Nick Valentine - Fallout 4
The synthetic detective Nick Valentine was one of the more memorable characters in Fallout
4's Commonwealth, and was easily distinguishable from the rest of the riff-raff thanks to his
signature private eye getup and Humphrey Bogart-like mannerisms.
Too bad you couldn't play as him.
Yeah yeah, the game's hero has a missing son to find...but wouldn't solving Wasteland mysteries
as Robo-Bogey have been far more entertaining?
Still, having Nick as a companion isn't too shabby — plus you get treated to some of
the best dialogue in a game full of memorable exchanges.
"Skinny Malone and the rest of his boys are waiting for us, somewhere.
The name's, uh, ironic, but don't let that fool you."
Lynx - Chrono Cross
You play through most of Chrono Cross on PS One as the silent protagonist Serge, who's
a bit of a blank slate.
Luckily, there's a portion in the middle of the game that gets a little screwy and switches
your consciousness with Lynx, the game's bad guy.
It's a disorienting experience that leaves you questioning what will happen to Serge.
Becoming the bad guy while you're still trying to figure out the dreadfully confusing story
can initially be harrowing, but it's pretty cool how you're given a chance to see how
others interact with a humanoid cat person with magic powers.
In addition to the novelty of the experience, you've got a deeper understanding of the character
at the end of it.
Captain Price - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Soap MacTavish is the main character of the Modern Warfare arc of the Call of Duty series.
But for many gamers, Captain Price stole the show.
There's just something about this no-nonsense, badass war-dog that gamers found irresistible.
It could be because of the way his backstory played out in the famous "All Ghillied Up"
sniper mission, his reassuringly deep British accent, or just how he can face world-ending
war and still keep his mustache so finely groomed.
Either way, it was hard to have nothing but the utmost respect for the man.
King Mickey - Kingdom Hearts
The Kingdom Hearts series is full of fantastic characters and amazing locales, but one of
the best things about it is King Mickey.
The most famous mouse in the world certainly isn't a stranger to the world of video games,
but the Kingdom Hearts series makes him, for perhaps the first time ever, a bonafide badass.
Not only does King Mickey wander the many Disney worlds wearing a cool overcoat while
wielding mysterious Keyblades, he shows up exactly when you need him the most.
Taking a beloved cartoon character like Mickey Mouse and turning him into some kind of Yoda-like,
take-no-prisoners keyblade master might be the coolest thing Square Enix has ever done.
Harley Quinn - Batman: Arkham Knight
Pretty much all of the other playable characters in the Batman: Arkham series deserve their
own games.
In particular, there's fan-favorite Harley Quinn.
The Harley Quinn Story Pack DLC for Batman: Arkham Knight gave gamers a little sampling
of what it would be like to play full-time as the crazed clown-loving lady, but it left
many wanting more.
There's just so much that could be done with her character in terms of story, and she's
a joy to control, with her acrobatic attacks and exclusive Psychosis Mode, a twisted take
on Batman's Detective Mode.
Ellie - The Last of Us
Not only was the teenaged Ellie more impressive than the game's gruff hero Joel, thanks to
her insane survival skills for her age, her backstory was also more compelling.
In the Left Behind DLC, we see how she and her friend Riley made it in the post-apocalyptic
world together, and how she lived her life before getting infected.
Her relationship with Riley makes the ending of The Last of Us feel that much more poignant,
because we now better understand the extent of her loss.
Couple this with how she survived throughout all of the winter portions of the game while
simultaneously managing to keep Joel from Death's Door, and you've got one of the most
incredible video game characters in history — who's also pretty great comic relief ...
"I walked into my sister's room and tripped on a bra.
It was a booby trap."
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