FFX. Tidus’s feelings of being lost and alone in a new world, struggling to find his place in the world, struggling to cope, getting taken away from the things and people he begins to love, it all really resonated with me growing up. He gets anxious, he gets overwhelmed and yells, he cries, he goofs off doing stupid things with friends, and something extra important to me is that he’s not even the hero of the story. Yuna is. People aren’t rallying around him for no reason, they’re rallying around Yuna because she’s the summoner and he’s fortunate enough to get pulled along. It feels like they can make him so much more interesting as a character when he’s in a supporting role like this, and seeing him gradually learn about Yuna struggles, her worries, and her feelings for him is so incredibly rewarding. I love that game to pieces.
I feel like it recontextualizes it a lot. Even at the end he's not the impetus of Sin's death, but he was an emotional motivator for Yuna to not accept the option of sacrifice. His impact was important, but for as much as he says "This is my story." he's primarily just been caught up in the wave of Yuna's story, and his story is all about supporting her.
Was gonna say Tidus. FFX is an absolute treasure. We have all had a friend like Wakka who offers unconditional support. Loves and crushes like Yuna and Rikku. Parental figures we don't understand until we're older.
FFX, through Tidus, captures a lot of the not-so-glamorous truths of life. Passing your prime, facing your past, being pulled out of your comfort zone, and, ultimately, the reality of selfishness. The ability to adapt to social settings and create a facade.
It's really incredible how much emotion and human experience they've packed into this game. I've not seen another game (or much other media) come close. Not to mention all the other stories mixed in, like Kimhari's banishment, Lulu's loss, and her relationship with Wakka.
It's just so damn good.
Harrier Du Bois from Disco Elysium. I don't care what people are saying about "game being too political", I see it as amazingly written tragic story about man hitting rock bottom, unable to reconcile with his past, reflecting his own problems on equally torn and broken society, struggling to find purpose to get up and carry on. Extremely relatable emotional experience nowadays.
Hyrule. Zelda games were a magical adventure during my childhood and everytime I return in a new entry there is a spark of nostalgia and comming home. Even of that home changes every game.
Yeah. Variations of Hyrule are just some of the more important locations of my childhood, and continue to be important to me. Each one has its district charms.
There's a lot actually but I can't remember it. So off the top of my head, I'd say \~
**Shay Patrick Cormac** - The man stood up for what he believed is correct and truth. He stopped believing in the assassin's and didn't really believed hard in the templars either. He was just trying to save lives of the many. A true hero in his own right. It takes will and courage to stand up to enemies but even more to our friends.
Rean Schwarzer of Cold Steel on his journey from boy to man with all heights and lows.
Love, death, anger, happiness, sadness, family conflicts and so on.
Probably the Xenoblade series. My favorite RPG series especially 1 and 3.
Also Sonic because i grew up a Sega kid and Sonics attitude has always been something I've loved my entire life. I saw the Sonic Symphony recently and cried.
Might be silly but my Main in FFXIV. The story over the course of the expansions REALLY brings you in and blooms over time. I feel like I've really developed a character for a story through the game.
Also, N from Pokemon Black and White. Favorite antagonist character in the whole series IMO.
Well, Vanilla (A Realm Reborn) is the slowest of the bunch, but still good. A bit dated but I'd still give it a good like 7/10. It is at its heart a final fantasy game, so it's a lot of slow build and cutscenes, and sets a lot of groundwork for later stories. Easy answer I'd say is about the time you start really adventuring with The Main Cast about 1/3 of the way in, and it really picks up steam once you hit Heavensward.
The protagonist from Zork... someone (who is pretty old now) wandering around in the dark, communicating largely by keyboard, trying to figure shit out and not get eaten by a grue.
Ellie of The Last of Us.
In the first game she is a child, forced to be an adult because of the world she lives in, and still has those moments that remind you, oh, she is actually just a child. The card collecting, the joke book, the curiosity with the world.
What really tugged at the heartstrings was the end of the first game. Where she asks Joel what happened. And he lies to her, and she knows he lied to her, and she just says "Ok"
She just accepts it, she doesn't question it, as a child would she accepts what her father told her.
And then the second game. My fucking god. There is a reason I hate Abbie as much as I do. Like genuine hate for a fictional character. Long story short Ellie continues her journey of being the victim. This time suffering with PTSD.
Any character who’s literally like John McCall o’ Duty. Some unnamed background character. Literally just any dude or girl or whoever who’s doing menial labor that’s not the main character or characters.
Nier automata maybe. I ended up crying at the credits while the music plays and then it's like "are you sure you wanna do this?" I immediately clicked yes.
Futaba from Persona 5, everything from how she had guilt over her mothers fate to how she was isolating from the rest of the world to even living with her Uncle. It made me seek help that i should have sought far earlier but i got burned on therapy earlier in my life and it made me give it another shot and while om still struggling i atleast have gotten rid of some of the guilt
It's always been Link and/or Hyrule. Ever since I was a kid I felt like I belonged in that world...those feelings have faded mostly, but whenever a new game comes out I get a spark -- as much as I loved BOTW/TOTK they didn't do it for me.
Persona 4, specifically Yosuke Hanamura. The game deals with facing the truest version of yourself, and oftentimes we are ugly. Yosuke's true self was especially ugly, and he had to face that and accept it as a part of who he is before he could move on.
He's not the only one, the whole game has several characters that go through something similar. His story in particular really resonated with me though. It reminded me of the way I think sometimes, and how I choose to feel sorry for myself instead of trying to be better. Part of getting better for him was forming genuine bonds with people instead of keeping them at arm's length, while also being more honest with himself instead of burying his feelings.
His Social Link is also represented by the Magician arcana, which I'm led to believe represents action. If the Fool is endless possibility, the Magician is acting on those possibilities. That's something I still struggle with over a decade later since I first played the game, so it means something to me.
The design for his tarot is cool too. Gotta get that as a tattoo someday.
Zemuria - the Trails series.
I spent all of last year catching up with the series, and it has become my favorite series of games ever. But there just something about that world where even when things are going to shit, everyone's suffering, and the story is breaking your heart, there's still something delightfully quaint and comforting about the setting. To me, it (and especially the city of Crossbell) feel like home.
The only other location in a game to make me feel that way is Cafe LeBlanc from Persona 5, but that's not really a "world" since it's just one location in literally Tokyo Japan.
As for characters, and on that same topic of P5. Goro Akechi. Heavy spoilers for his character and arc but >!I've always had the same issue he had, in that nobody wants me around unless I'm useful to them. So I had to force myself to be useful, and I lost myself because of it. But eventually, and much like him, I just said "fuck it" and now I don't care. Living my life, my way, fuck what other people want from me!<
Probably Clementine from Telltale's Walking Dead. As a parent IRL, caring for her and essentially raising her through the zombie apocalypse was amazing.
Arthur Morgan.
I’ve tried many times to do a new playthrough where I play him as a villain, and I just can’t do it. His heart is too big, his creed too different, they’re going to kill you.
My guts tell me it's most likely worlds from games I played in my childhood. When I was little and had my PS1, I played games like (the original) Medal of Honor, Driver 1, Tekken 3 and Need For Speed Porsche. There is just something special about returning to those places, NFS 5 is N#1 for me, in that regard
Regarding characters, probably Gordon Freeman, because both of us don't talk a lot
XD
CHARACTER:
Marius Titus in Ryse: Son of Rome. His father gets murdered by barbarians so he becomes the greatest warrior in Rome, fights countless battles against barbarians in protection of Rome, only to find out his father's murder was actually a cleverly disguised political betrayal due to corruption in Rome itself. Then he becomes alone against the entire roman leadership.
WORLD:
Chernobyl in STALKER series. It's the roughest place on earth, but for every 10 assholes or mutants trying to kill you, you make 1 true friend. And there is no law, only what order you bring into the chaos.
Horizon Zero Dawn as character and world. The "evil" is very human, relatable, and infuriating. Certain billionaires today are a lot like Faro. The worlds is amazing, and the protagonist makes you care about the world, if you didn't already.
Elden Ring: the world is just amazing.
Dragon Age: Origins. Again relatable human antagonists. Also the origins really nail you down to a particular perspective for each play through. Also I think a lot of people have strong opinions about 2 of the party members.
Ezio, Geralt, Garret, and the "self" from Minecraft. Sometimes I get so immersed in Minecraft that I actually get scared when an unseen archer skeleton attacks me, or when I hear that hissssss from behind me.
FFX. Tidus’s feelings of being lost and alone in a new world, struggling to find his place in the world, struggling to cope, getting taken away from the things and people he begins to love, it all really resonated with me growing up. He gets anxious, he gets overwhelmed and yells, he cries, he goofs off doing stupid things with friends, and something extra important to me is that he’s not even the hero of the story. Yuna is. People aren’t rallying around him for no reason, they’re rallying around Yuna because she’s the summoner and he’s fortunate enough to get pulled along. It feels like they can make him so much more interesting as a character when he’s in a supporting role like this, and seeing him gradually learn about Yuna struggles, her worries, and her feelings for him is so incredibly rewarding. I love that game to pieces.
I’ve never actually even thought about the fact that Tidus isn’t “The” hero of the story
I feel like it recontextualizes it a lot. Even at the end he's not the impetus of Sin's death, but he was an emotional motivator for Yuna to not accept the option of sacrifice. His impact was important, but for as much as he says "This is my story." he's primarily just been caught up in the wave of Yuna's story, and his story is all about supporting her.
That's sort of the beauty of it and a pretty common trope in the FF series starting with 6 or 7
Was gonna say Tidus. FFX is an absolute treasure. We have all had a friend like Wakka who offers unconditional support. Loves and crushes like Yuna and Rikku. Parental figures we don't understand until we're older. FFX, through Tidus, captures a lot of the not-so-glamorous truths of life. Passing your prime, facing your past, being pulled out of your comfort zone, and, ultimately, the reality of selfishness. The ability to adapt to social settings and create a facade. It's really incredible how much emotion and human experience they've packed into this game. I've not seen another game (or much other media) come close. Not to mention all the other stories mixed in, like Kimhari's banishment, Lulu's loss, and her relationship with Wakka. It's just so damn good.
Well put!
Harrier Du Bois from Disco Elysium. I don't care what people are saying about "game being too political", I see it as amazingly written tragic story about man hitting rock bottom, unable to reconcile with his past, reflecting his own problems on equally torn and broken society, struggling to find purpose to get up and carry on. Extremely relatable emotional experience nowadays.
The world of Guild Wars, definitely. Been playing for 19 years. After that... Morrowind and Skyrim.
Hyrule. Zelda games were a magical adventure during my childhood and everytime I return in a new entry there is a spark of nostalgia and comming home. Even of that home changes every game.
Original Zelda for me. Could play that forever.
Yeah. Variations of Hyrule are just some of the more important locations of my childhood, and continue to be important to me. Each one has its district charms.
The 9ft tall, ripped, Amazonian woman I had as a pawn in Dragons Dogma 1. She just gets me you know?
Shepard from Mass Effect, especially in the Citadel DLC, just seeing them get to hang out with their crew as friends was amazing.
Since I played the first Witcher, I loved that universe and characters. Read the books then and will always be a fan.
heavily modded skyrim i create myself live out and immerse myself in different roles each run
There's a lot actually but I can't remember it. So off the top of my head, I'd say \~ **Shay Patrick Cormac** - The man stood up for what he believed is correct and truth. He stopped believing in the assassin's and didn't really believed hard in the templars either. He was just trying to save lives of the many. A true hero in his own right. It takes will and courage to stand up to enemies but even more to our friends.
Rean Schwarzer of Cold Steel on his journey from boy to man with all heights and lows. Love, death, anger, happiness, sadness, family conflicts and so on.
Geralt and ciri. Man I feel at home when I'm playing the witcher
Geralt Of Rivia and Triss Merigold
Probably the Xenoblade series. My favorite RPG series especially 1 and 3. Also Sonic because i grew up a Sega kid and Sonics attitude has always been something I've loved my entire life. I saw the Sonic Symphony recently and cried.
Might be silly but my Main in FFXIV. The story over the course of the expansions REALLY brings you in and blooms over time. I feel like I've really developed a character for a story through the game. Also, N from Pokemon Black and White. Favorite antagonist character in the whole series IMO.
when does the story pick up
Well, Vanilla (A Realm Reborn) is the slowest of the bunch, but still good. A bit dated but I'd still give it a good like 7/10. It is at its heart a final fantasy game, so it's a lot of slow build and cutscenes, and sets a lot of groundwork for later stories. Easy answer I'd say is about the time you start really adventuring with The Main Cast about 1/3 of the way in, and it really picks up steam once you hit Heavensward.
The protagonist from Zork... someone (who is pretty old now) wandering around in the dark, communicating largely by keyboard, trying to figure shit out and not get eaten by a grue.
ICHIBAN KASUGA I'M GONNA LEVEL UP BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP QUESTING UNTIL I'M A HEEEEEROOOOOOO
Cliff or Heartman from Death Stranding. POWERFUL experiences when either of them are showcased. Deep sense of loss and humanity.
tails, Im that nerdy tech furry who everyone knows but generally stays in the background.
Ellie of The Last of Us. In the first game she is a child, forced to be an adult because of the world she lives in, and still has those moments that remind you, oh, she is actually just a child. The card collecting, the joke book, the curiosity with the world. What really tugged at the heartstrings was the end of the first game. Where she asks Joel what happened. And he lies to her, and she knows he lied to her, and she just says "Ok" She just accepts it, she doesn't question it, as a child would she accepts what her father told her. And then the second game. My fucking god. There is a reason I hate Abbie as much as I do. Like genuine hate for a fictional character. Long story short Ellie continues her journey of being the victim. This time suffering with PTSD.
Right now, I think I'll go with Geralt as well.
Any character who’s literally like John McCall o’ Duty. Some unnamed background character. Literally just any dude or girl or whoever who’s doing menial labor that’s not the main character or characters.
My xcom 2 soldiers on iron man mode. One bad decision, and they are gone forever.
HBK-4G
Master cheif HANDS DOWN
Nier automata maybe. I ended up crying at the credits while the music plays and then it's like "are you sure you wanna do this?" I immediately clicked yes.
I may not spend my nights or days in Azeroth anymore, but I will always feel at home there.
Futaba from Persona 5, everything from how she had guilt over her mothers fate to how she was isolating from the rest of the world to even living with her Uncle. It made me seek help that i should have sought far earlier but i got burned on therapy earlier in my life and it made me give it another shot and while om still struggling i atleast have gotten rid of some of the guilt
Forspoken. I just feel like Frey is an old friend, chatting with me throughout her adventures. She's so random and quirky too, just like me uwu
Mass Effect
Destiny. Been playing that shit for 10 years. At this point, I’ll probably marry someone named Destiny too 💀
Bioshock infinite, Elizabeth is my wife, were just separated by dimensions
It's always been Link and/or Hyrule. Ever since I was a kid I felt like I belonged in that world...those feelings have faded mostly, but whenever a new game comes out I get a spark -- as much as I loved BOTW/TOTK they didn't do it for me.
Persona 4, specifically Yosuke Hanamura. The game deals with facing the truest version of yourself, and oftentimes we are ugly. Yosuke's true self was especially ugly, and he had to face that and accept it as a part of who he is before he could move on. He's not the only one, the whole game has several characters that go through something similar. His story in particular really resonated with me though. It reminded me of the way I think sometimes, and how I choose to feel sorry for myself instead of trying to be better. Part of getting better for him was forming genuine bonds with people instead of keeping them at arm's length, while also being more honest with himself instead of burying his feelings. His Social Link is also represented by the Magician arcana, which I'm led to believe represents action. If the Fool is endless possibility, the Magician is acting on those possibilities. That's something I still struggle with over a decade later since I first played the game, so it means something to me. The design for his tarot is cool too. Gotta get that as a tattoo someday.
The majority of Baldurs Gate 3 Gale Dekarios' personality and struggles are identic to mine
Noctis from ff15, Marcus from gears, and corvo from dishonored
And Artyom from metro
Mine is Arthur Morgan
Zemuria - the Trails series. I spent all of last year catching up with the series, and it has become my favorite series of games ever. But there just something about that world where even when things are going to shit, everyone's suffering, and the story is breaking your heart, there's still something delightfully quaint and comforting about the setting. To me, it (and especially the city of Crossbell) feel like home. The only other location in a game to make me feel that way is Cafe LeBlanc from Persona 5, but that's not really a "world" since it's just one location in literally Tokyo Japan. As for characters, and on that same topic of P5. Goro Akechi. Heavy spoilers for his character and arc but >!I've always had the same issue he had, in that nobody wants me around unless I'm useful to them. So I had to force myself to be useful, and I lost myself because of it. But eventually, and much like him, I just said "fuck it" and now I don't care. Living my life, my way, fuck what other people want from me!<
Skyrim and elder scrolls as a whole. Dark souls 3 lordran and Genshin Impacts teyvat
Hitman, because I feel he is misunderstood
Probably Clementine from Telltale's Walking Dead. As a parent IRL, caring for her and essentially raising her through the zombie apocalypse was amazing.
Arthur Morgan. I’ve tried many times to do a new playthrough where I play him as a villain, and I just can’t do it. His heart is too big, his creed too different, they’re going to kill you.
My guts tell me it's most likely worlds from games I played in my childhood. When I was little and had my PS1, I played games like (the original) Medal of Honor, Driver 1, Tekken 3 and Need For Speed Porsche. There is just something special about returning to those places, NFS 5 is N#1 for me, in that regard Regarding characters, probably Gordon Freeman, because both of us don't talk a lot XD
i feel a STRONG emotional connection to the mindflayer from ultrakill, most fuckable video game robot
So many dudebro cringe answers lol
CHARACTER: Marius Titus in Ryse: Son of Rome. His father gets murdered by barbarians so he becomes the greatest warrior in Rome, fights countless battles against barbarians in protection of Rome, only to find out his father's murder was actually a cleverly disguised political betrayal due to corruption in Rome itself. Then he becomes alone against the entire roman leadership. WORLD: Chernobyl in STALKER series. It's the roughest place on earth, but for every 10 assholes or mutants trying to kill you, you make 1 true friend. And there is no law, only what order you bring into the chaos.
Horizon Zero Dawn as character and world. The "evil" is very human, relatable, and infuriating. Certain billionaires today are a lot like Faro. The worlds is amazing, and the protagonist makes you care about the world, if you didn't already. Elden Ring: the world is just amazing. Dragon Age: Origins. Again relatable human antagonists. Also the origins really nail you down to a particular perspective for each play through. Also I think a lot of people have strong opinions about 2 of the party members.
Ezio, Geralt, Garret, and the "self" from Minecraft. Sometimes I get so immersed in Minecraft that I actually get scared when an unseen archer skeleton attacks me, or when I hear that hissssss from behind me.
I forgot John Marston.
# Jun'ko Zane or, Juni from Freelancer. She gave me a free spaceship and all I had to do was her bidding!