10 Best Video Game Side Characters Who Made Everything Better
Imagine Final Fantasy VII without Tifa.
They say a story is only as good as its characters, though video games took their time to embrace this focus. As opposed to the cinematic efforts on screens both silver and smaller, games kept things fairly basic at first. You took on the role of pixelated character and pursued fairly simple tasks.
As gaming has evolved, newer stories have placed a higher emphasis on characters, resulting in some very engaging protagonists that we come to like. Yet in many cases, the player-controlled avatar is also backed up by some brilliant supporting talent.
At many points, they add to and deepen the wider context of their worlds. Or they can be so utterly fascinating that players relish the next time they can interact with them. Thanks to solid writing and top tier voice talent, a great side cast can drastically elevate the narrative.
Having a strong protagonist is one thing, but the side characters they interact with can be just as memorable, so much so that they recieve the occassional spin-off title.
Which individuals stood out among the cast of their respective games? Let's find out.
10. Morrigan - Dragon Age Series
With the release of Dragon Age: Origins in 2009, Bioware crafted an RPG in its purest form. Once again its talent for character writing came through. Early on in the game, the player stumbles across Morrigan. As an elusive witch who joins the party, she quickly became the lead magic user of the group, laying down a volley of offensive spells in combat.
Yet outside of questlines, Morrigan boasted an equally engaging backstory. Easily the most strong-willed of the party in the original Dragon Age, Morrigan's hidden motives and mannerisms make her an endlessly intriguing character, one who didn't always get on with the rest of the team.
Morrigan proves critical in the lead-up to the final encounter with the Arch-Demon. It order to fully defeat this ultimate foe, a Grey Warden must die; however, the witch offers an alternative solution. Should the player character perform a forbidden ritual or concieve a child with her, the Arch-Demon's soul will be destroyed for good.
Keeping with her mysterious ways, Morrigan vanishes at the game's conclusion, leaving many a player motivated to track her down. In addition to the romance sub-plot, Morrigan received her own focus in the "Witch Hunt" DLC shortly after the base game's release. She would make a return in Dragon Age: Inquisition as a minor character.