10 Best Video Game Side Characters Who Made Everything Better

CD Projekt RED's take on The Witcher has proven massively successful. The developer started off small in 2007, a capable effort that needed some extra tuning and attention to detail. Their writing efforts only got better with the sequels, heightening the drama and getting the player invested.

As far as new characters under the license, Vernon Roche is one of the most notable. He enters the scene in The Witcher 2 as the commander of the Blue Stripes. This band of special forces breaks Geralt out of prison and aids in tracking down the kingslayer.

There's a reason most players decided to team up with him instead of the rebellious Iorveth after act one. From here, he's shown to be an often charismatic yet ruthless leader; as unpredictable events bring horrific events to his unit, Roche becomes filled with a lust for revenge that Geralt can either add to or temper depending on the player's actions.

While he mellows a fair bit in The Witcher 3, Vernon remains a rugged special forces commander who always has Geralt's back. He plays a role in the defense of Kaer Morhen and later a crucial plot point involving King Radovid. This side story creates one of the highlights of the title and a major turning point for Roche himself.