10 Hugely Beloved Video Game Sidekicks - Ranked From Worst To Best

The frontrunner for the prized title of “Coolest Nerd In A Video Game”, there is nobody that you’d rather have talking to you over your earpiece than Metal Gear’s Hal Emmerich, or Otacon. Given that his nickname is just a combination of “otaku” and “convention”, you’d maybe expect him to be a bit of a useless nerdy wimp – but that could not be further from the truth.

Well, okay, maybe he is a bit of a wimp - somewhat infamously making a mess of himself the first time Snake meets him – but once he’s collected himself and regained his focus, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Snake wouldn’t have lasted half as long as he did without the help of his trusty tech support guiding him through missions, and the equipment that Otacon procures for him is almost always absolutely invaluable.

What makes Otacon even more badass is that he manages to keep himself together the most of the series through all of the hardships he faces. His family history isn’t exactly cheery, and he manages to see multiple different love interests die over the course of the games. But he always picks himself up and always get back to business backing up Snake – and that’s what makes him so awesome.