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helicopterp .
Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: TGQ could use a little more character. |
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So...with that in mind, it's been a while since anyone started a kind of best-of thread: How about game characters that particularly stand-out as being well-conceived and well-implemented in games?
I'll start with two that immediately spring to mind:
-The computer who falls in love with Princess Peach in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Is its name R.O.B.? I can't remember. In any case, he's adorable.
-The evolving protagonist from Rez who, constantly at the center of the screen, perfectly captures the conflict between technology and rhythmic calm.
What have y'all got? _________________ Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one. |
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Nana Komatsu weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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Ummmmm..... Kratos?
[I kid, I kid]
I have been playing Valkyrie Profile though, of late, and I absolutely love the Valkyrie's character. She is just so badass/doesn't give a shit about "trivialhuman tragedy". I'm only on Chapter 4 (this is my first time through) but I am totally digging it. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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Shapermc Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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Pyramid Head - Silent Hill 2. _________________ “The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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Nana Komatsu weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293
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dessgeega loves your favorite videogame
Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 6563 Location: bohan
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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the computer in paper mario 2 is an absolutely fantastic character, and i think demonstrates how effective the developers were in taking the original paper mario and giving it a more serious story. it's sort of a cop-out that it's magically brought back post-game (and without even resolving its relationship to peach), but paper mario 2 has such a developed post-game that i can forgive it. if you havn't turned on the game since you saw the ending, you really should.
midna is pretty much the only reason i played through the entirety of twilight princess. she's such a domme. actually, andrew toups, having read an article i wrote on D/s themes in rule of rose (for the perpetually forthcoming issue 8 ), told me "you'd like twilight princess. midna's a total dominatrix." and after the mess that rule of rose is, it's revelatory to see a D/s relationship characterized so well (and less overtly) as is midna and link's relationship in twilight princess.
ultima runes of virtue 2's black knight is a great villian in the flamboyant moustache-twirling sense. _________________
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Nana Komatsu weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293
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dhex Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 6319 Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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dog from hl2
harold from fallout
and lu bu in destiny of an emperor. _________________
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david .
Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 170 Location: b, md
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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The guy in Mario 64 made from a "sphere" sprite. _________________
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Nana Komatsu weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293
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extrabastardformula .
Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 295
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:28 am Post subject: |
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Gum from JSR
Parppa'srelentless optimism always does wonders for me. It makes me wonder what Shenmue would have been like if all the conflicts were resolves via freestyle rap and dancing instead of the awkward fight scenes it had. |
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helicopterp .
Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: |
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Now is probably a good time to get Yorda out of the way.
And how about the Skull Kid from Majora's Mask? His story is handled so elegantly, especially through the lens of Tatl's memories. _________________ Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one. |
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dizzyjosh .
Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 64
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:09 am Post subject: |
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do emergent characters count?
Erith Mistymirrors, from Dwarf Fortress:::
She was one of two guards in my keep, a little marksdwarf married to a mechanic who had just rigged up the floodgates for the farms and was setting up traps protecting the bridge over the river in the center of the fortress. When the lizardmen attacked, she proved adept at taking them down before they got to the rest of the dwarves. Only her partner, the speardwarf, lost his pet war dog, and didn't take it too well. He went nuts, and attacked the first dwarf he could see-- her husband, busy replacing stones for the traps, didn't even notice. Erith saw this and beat her old partner up, leaving him crippled and down to half a lung. She stopped only to find that she'd been pregnant, and miscarried the child. She somehow avoided melancholy --she liked the dining room, and I presume got really fat as was her right. I eventually made her a farmer, and she actually made legendary grower, although she never cared for much after that. Beautiful, strong female character who, while not flawless, was so effing noble and strong that she lifts up the rest of dwarfkind.
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simplicio .
Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:17 am Post subject: |
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helicopterp wrote: | Now is probably a good time to get Yorda out of the way.
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and Agro, while you're at it.
Hector, from Fire Emblem, is probably my favorite game character ever written. He's an ignorant, pompous, noble prick, but he's also the main character's best friend and he acts in both roles perfectly. |
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dessgeega loves your favorite videogame
Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 6563 Location: bohan
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:18 am Post subject: |
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he dies bravely, if ignobly, too.
the zork adventurer, as portrayed in enchanter. _________________
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Fred .
Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 99 Location: Iowa
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:37 am Post subject: |
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I know it's cliche, but Delita Hyral fascinated me as a teenager. His running narrative was a wonderful analysis of a sociopath politician I more often associated with Shakespeare than with video games at that point in my life. It's still hard to top, come to think of it.
I don't know... Irwin and Matilda from Legend of Mana? I think I just have a thing for star-crossed lovers. |
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Ketch .
Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 420
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:16 am Post subject: |
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SHODAN from System Shock 1 and 2 (of which I have only played the latter). The voice and the way she personally speaks to you. Her disdain for the player, a great villain. |
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Nana Komatsu weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293
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Mister Toups Hates your favorite videogame
Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 1693 Location: Lafayette, LA
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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Cate Archer. _________________ where were you when nana komatsu got a wii? |
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B coma .
Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 279
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
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Shapermc Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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B coma wrote: | Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
You mean the one that isn't anywhere near as important if you haven't played Metroid 2? _________________ “The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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helicopterp .
Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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For goodness' sake, Shaper, it's all in the intro anyway.
dizzyjosh wrote: | do emergent characters count? |
I can't think of any reason why not. Bravo! _________________ Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one. |
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Pijaibros .
Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 342 Location: Mistake by the Lake
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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Shapermc wrote: | B coma wrote: | Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
You mean the one that isn't anywhere near as important if you haven't played Metroid 2? |
I played the Super Metroid a couple years before Metroid 2. I still cared about the bugger. I teared up upon its death. It was the little Metroid cooing noise that won me over and made me care.
Still wishing Nintendogs had Metroids instead of puppies. |
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ryan .
Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Ketch wrote: | SHODAN from System Shock 1 and 2 (of which I have only played the latter). The voice and the way she personally speaks to you. Her disdain for the player, a great villain. |
Seconded! System Shock 1, whenever I can get it running, still freaks me out. That's been the only game to give me the creeps, beyond the more common and superficial 'ahhh! loud sound while something jumps at you!' approach. _________________ Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart. |
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B coma .
Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 279
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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Shapermc wrote: | B coma wrote: | Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
You mean the one that isn't anywhere near as important if you haven't played Metroid 2? |
I don't remember too much about Metroid 2 at the moment, but I was mostly speaking about the ending sequences of the SNES game. |
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wourme .
Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Maridia
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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The kid in ICO
How many little kids in video games (and movies and books) actually act convincingly as little kids? Not many, in my experience.
Cynthia in Silent Hill 4
She was shallow and kind of irritating, but the way that she wasn't the sort of person who belongs in an adventure somehow made her fate seem sadder and more real. And I was impressed at the way she was used to tie the worlds together.
Vigoro in Skies of Arcadia
I like several characters in this game, but Vigoro stands out especially because I thought at first that he was definitely my least favorite character. But some of his final scenes changed my opinion.
A few others:
Huepow in Klonoa
Basch in Final Fantasy 12
Morte in Planescape: Torment
Paul Luther in Eternal Darkness (poor guy) |
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internisus .
Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 354
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:50 am Post subject: |
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Pijaibros wrote: | Shapermc wrote: | B coma wrote: | Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
You mean the one that isn't anywhere near as important if you haven't played Metroid 2? |
I played the Super Metroid a couple years before Metroid 2. I still cared about the bugger. I teared up upon its death. It was the little Metroid cooing noise that won me over and made me care.
Still wishing Nintendogs had Metroids instead of puppies. |
It's such a good idea. Plus, you could carefully bioengineer them like the Space Pirates! |
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Mike .
Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 7 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Vectorman.
He was a green, environmentally friendly robot with a cool voice and a penchant for kicking arse. About as deep as a run and gun character can be, really. _________________ Black has built a silly dice maze |
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Swimmy .
Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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internisus wrote: | Pijaibros wrote: | Shapermc wrote: | B coma wrote: | Metroid . Uh, the one specifically featured in Super Metroid. |
You mean the one that isn't anywhere near as important if you haven't played Metroid 2? |
I played the Super Metroid a couple years before Metroid 2. I still cared about the bugger. I teared up upon its death. It was the little Metroid cooing noise that won me over and made me care.
Still wishing Nintendogs had Metroids instead of puppies. |
It's such a good idea. Plus, you could carefully bioengineer them like the Space Pirates! |
I am scared to death of Metroids. That game would make me shit my pants.
Especially if they regularly broke out of their cages and attacked you. Oh God. OH GOD. _________________
"Ayn Rand fans are the old school version of Xenogears fanboys."
-seryogin |
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Pijaibros .
Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 342 Location: Mistake by the Lake
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Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:49 am Post subject: |
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Swimmy wrote: | I am scared to death of Metroids. That game would make me shit my pants.
Especially if they regularly broke out of their cages and attacked you. Oh God. OH GOD. |
That's why one of the items that will be in your inventory will be a can of freeze spray. You will use this to teach your Metroid proper manners.Much like how people spray water on cats when they do something bad while training.
Someone's gotta teach those little flying blobs who is the master here. |
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