Like movies and TV shows, the supporting characters in video games can often be the most interesting, coolest, and unique. They can be your allies, members of your party, someone that gives you a mission, a villain, and more.
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Video games are filled with non-playable characters who help bring the world and the story to life. They also make the game more engrossing, with many standing out because of their initial introductions. Whether an action beat, a dramatic reveal, a cool moment or something else, the best NPC’s usually have great introductions.
9The Baker Family – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
In the early moments ofResident Evil 7, Ethan is in search of his missing daughter. He ventures into a spooky house in the middle of nowhere and is disturbed by the sight he sees. The house is riddled with bugs, decay and peculiar items.
Then, he gets captured by the family whose land he is on. The Baker family reveal themselves at a dinner table, each one showcasing their disgusting, horrific selves and torturing Ethan psychologically, forcing him to eat bugs. Themain villains of Resident Evil 7show Ethan that they are a dysfunctional family, and a threat. They are creepy and cooky, and altogether spooky.
8Mario - Assassin’s Creed 2
InAssassin’s Creed2, when Ezio’s life starts falling apart and he needs to flee, he seeks refuge with his uncle.
The introduction to Uncle Mario is a short one, and the fleeting nature of the scenario doesn’t allow much room for conversation. What stands out is Mario’s opening line, as he states ‘It’s a-me, Mario!’ a tongue in cheek reference to theNintendo characterof the same name.
7Johnny Silverhand – Cyberpunk 2077
Much of the first act ofCyberpunk 2077has you vying for power and position in Night City, building up to one big heist. This does not go well though, with your ally getting severely wounded, and the only way to escape with the asset being to insert it into your head.
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After a string of dramatic events, including an execution you miraculously survive, you awake with a holographic projection of famed rocker and terrorist Johnny Silverhand in your head. He first tries to fight, hoping to seize control, and then realizes he is trapped in your body. Together, you have to work out how to solve this problem, or risk death. Just another day in Night City.
6Scarecrow – Batman: Arkham Asylum
While exploringArkham Asylum, Batman ventures into part of the hospital that Scarecrow has taken over. Slowly, the reality of the world starts to crumble and shatter, eerie sounds occur, the camera tilts and turns, and Batman walks straight into a living nightmare.
Once in the morgue, the full nightmare takes shape. Batman sees the bodies of his deceased parents and then must do battle with the Scarecrow, an enormous version of himself. The only way to end the scare is to shine a light on the cause.
5Wheatley – Portal 2
After spending some time in a makeshift apartment room inPortal 2, a knocking comes to your door and the voice of actor and comedian Stephen Merchant calls out. There’s an uneasy atmosphere, a sense of something being off, and then you open the door and see a spherical android that screams at the sight of you.
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Wheatley’s introduction is both shocking and funny. Shocking in the sense that you probably did not expect to see a spherical android knocking at your apartment door, and funny because of the many lines Merchant delivers in trying to get you to open the door. He then tries to calm you as best his emotional self can, as you prepare for an emergency evacuation. No time for civilities.
4Vaas – Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3opens with a montage of cheerful, exciting events. A group of friends on holiday, jet skiing, skydiving, singing, dancing, and drinking. Usual holiday activities. The montage is then interrupted by Vaas, revealing that the footage was actually a recording on a phone, and you and your friends are now caged hostages.
Vaas then comments on the phone and your shenanigans, questioning your lack of humor now and then threatening to kill you and your friend for interrupting him. This moment showcases hisunhinged, unbalanced nature. His psychological torture only ends when he’s abruptly called away by his superior.
3Garrus Vakarian – Mass Effect 2
While trying to recruit a team for the inevitablesuicide mission, Commander Shepherd goes to Omega in search of the famed vigilante, Archangel. There, a problem becomes apparent. Every mercenary gang on Omega wants Archangel dead, and they have teamed up to make it happen.
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The only way for you to get close enough to Archangel to try and recruit him is to infiltrate the mercenary gangs and sabotage their plan of attack. As luck would have it, you do reach Archangel — only to find that it’s your one-time pal, Garrus Vakkarian, now sporting a cool sniper rifle, bulky armor and a much darker attitude.
2Raiden – Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
InMetal Gear Solid2: Sons of Liberty, creator Hideo Kojima hid Raiden from the marketing. It was only once the game launched that we discovered we would be playing the majority of it as Raiden, and not Solid Snake.The reception was mixed.
In response to this, Raiden was absent from Metal Gear Solid 3, but he then reappeared as a supporting character in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. He returns as a cyborg ninja, and his introduction sees him flipping and twirling into action — saving Snake and his allies, allowing them to escape. It turns out Raiden can be cool.
1Baldur – God of War (2018)
Kratos and Atreus had just lost a loved one, with theGod of Wartrying to care for and raise his son, while also abandoning his avenging, war-riddled past. That was until Baldur showed up at his front door and changed everything.
Baldur, son of Thor, stepped into Kratos’ territory, warning and then threatening the Spartan. Naturally, this does not go down well. A fight ensues, withKratos and Baldur exchanging blows, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at one another. It’s a Norse-style superhero showdown, with destructive consequences.
