18. Samantha (Gone Home)
The best thing about Gone Home's Sam is that, by the end of Fullbright Studios' narrative-driven experiment, you truly feel like you know all the ins and outs of the character even though you never actually get the chance to see her on-screen. By picking up diary entries and going through the personal belongings of all the family members, you slowly piece together the dynamics of all the characters, filling in their backstory little by little. You understanding everything from their darkest secrets to their biggest insecurities, their highs and their lows, and particularly for Sam, her personal struggle with sexuality and acceptance. It's difficult to not become attached to everyone in Fullbright's
innovative little gem. It sounds a bit heavy, and at times it is, but it's presented with enough levity and enough humanity that Sam always feels like a three-dimensional character, rather than a simple stereotype for a patronising "thematic message".