Final Fantasy: 25 Greatest Heroes

Mention Ignis to somebody and the likely response will be an impression of him saying ‘I’ve come up with a new recipe!’. So meme-able was the line that Square-Enix opted to self-parody themselves by having Noctis deliver his take on it in the Chocobo-Moogle Festival expansion to the game.

Aside from his culinary and automotive skills, however, Ignis is the glue that keeps Final Fantasy XV’s leading quartet of ‘bros’ together. Though Gladiolus can be too ‘jocky’, Noctis too ‘whiny’ and Prompto too ‘quirky’, Ignis’ level-headed performance as the ‘straight man’ is never a source of annoyance.

His blinding serves as one of the game’s most emotional moments, whilst his standalone DLC episode truly emphasises his loyalty and devotion to protecting Noctis, showcasing his willingness to forsake everything to keep him safe (and giving him some memorable encounters and parallels with Ravus in the process). It’s heartwarming to see, particularly when the harrowing final campfire scene, one of the best in the entire series, sees this dedication tearfully repaid.

Undoubtedly enhanced by his British accent (it’s nice to see one given to somebody who isn’t a card-carrying villain!), Ignis also possesses a razor-sharp wit that serves as the centerpiece to many of the game’s most humourous moments. Able to carry such comedy hand-in-hand with tragedy, he is an exceptionally versatile character and the best to come out of the franchise in a long time.