Top 10 Underappreciated Video Game Characters
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Top 10 Underappreciated Video Game Characters
These characters never get any love. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten underappreciated video game characters. For this list, we’ll be looking at various video game characters who we think are underappreciated and unloved within either their specific fan community or the wider gaming community as a whole.
Cullen Rutherford is a Fereldan templar, and in “Dragon Age: Inquisition,” he serves as the military adviser for The Inquisitor. Cullen had strong ambition from a young age, as he wanted to be a Templar from the time he was eight, proving his dedication to the forces of good. As if his dedication wasn’t noble enough, he also has a heart, which is evident when romancing him while playing as a female elf or human. He’s a very tough man on the outside, but inside, he is harboring insecurities, resentment, and trauma. He’s one of the series’ most well-rounded and complex characters, and he deserves more attention.
You’ve never heard of these games? You’ve just proved our point. The “Shantae” series is a group of platformers which follow the adventures of the titular heroine as she protects her home of Scuttle Town. Shantae is a purple-haired, half-genie bellydancer, and that description alone makes her a highly original character. Along with her unique appearance, she is also a complex individual, as she’s a badass with insecurities and anxieties, evident by her feelings that the townsfolk will not accept her for being half-genie. When those traits are paired with her amazing abilities, like transforming into animals and using her belly dancing to conjure magic, it’s evident that Shantae is a deeply underappreciated hero.
We’re not really surprised that Kyle Hyde isn’t more popular, because detective games have never really set the world on fire (which is a travesty). In both games, Hyde serves as a reclusive and somber ex-detective who is now working as a salesman after potentially murdering his partner. In both games, Kyle is roped into mysteries pertaining to his personal life, and both games explore his background and complex motivations in detail. He’s a fascinating character, and he makes for a great protagonist in a series of woefully underappreciated detective games.
The “Mass Effect” series is a space opera, and as such, there are a countless amount of characters. Some of them are rightfully appreciated, while some excellent ones have unfortunately fallen by the wayside. Dr. Karin Chakwas is one of those characters. Chakwas serves as the doctor of the Normandy, and while life in the Alliance may not be as glamorous as she was hoping, she still serves her duties out of respect and loyalty. She’s a dedicated and career-oriented woman, but she’s also not above bending the rules a little if it means helping her Commander. She’s an intelligent and badass character, and we love having her on our side.
The “Banjo-Kazooie” games are often considered to be some of the finest platformers around, and the titular characters are always receiving respect and love from the gaming community. They’re not the only cool characters, you know! For example, there’s Mumbo, the skull-faced shaman who is an extremely loyal friend and companion of Banjo’s. Mumbo grants Banjo and Kazooie with various magical abilities throughout the games, and he can even revive the dead and send people back through time! He’s a very skilled and humorous character who proves to be immense amounts of help, and we love him for it. Don’t worry Mumbo, we got you.
The “Bubble Bobble” franchise is a series of platformers with a bubble-oriented gimmick. Players are forced to blow and burst bubbles to navigate the levels and reach previously unreachable areas. They’re a fun series of innocent platformers, but they would be nothing without the characters of Bub and Bob, the primary protagonists throughout the series. Bub is the green, ambitious Bubble Dragon who is always on the lookout for new things to do. Bob is the blue Dragon who would rather be reading than going on another silly adventure. The two make for a fantastic team, and they make these playful games even livelier.
Good old Tenzin. What would we do without him? Tenzin makes his grand entrance to the “Uncharted” series when he finds the injured Nathan Drake in the Himalayas. Both Tenzin and Nathan then go on an adventure through an ice cave, fight monsters, and solve puzzles together, all while communicating through hand gestures due to their language barrier. Despite the barrier, we grow an immediate attachment to Tenzin and feel all the more responsible for the destruction of his village when Lazarevic comes a knockin’. In a series full of interesting characters, Tenzin is often overlooked, and it’s a damn shame.
Weeeeelcome! What are ya buyin’? Come back anytime. Admit it, while he may have been a little annoying while you were actually playing the game, you’ve kind of missed The Merchant in the series’ succeeding installments. The Merchant serves as the item hub throughout “Resident Evil 4,” but he still has a certain flair as a character. He is extremely mysterious, as we have absolutely no idea of who he is, and his face remains hidden behind a purple piece of fabric. Plus, that gruff voice is just eerie. We love a good mysterious and unexplainable character, and The Merchant fits that description perfectly.
“Half-Life 2” is widely regarded to be a masterpiece, and its graphics and gameplay have received immense amounts of critical acclaim over the years. However, we believe that its characters also deserve some praise. Case in point, Father Grigori, the last occupant of the zombie-infested Ravenholm. Grigori is a total badass, not only because he has survived this long on his own, but because he gives Freeman a shotgun and helps escort him through the town. Oh, and did we mention that he’s also a complete lunatic? He’s a highly interesting character who never gets the praise he deserves.
Do any of you have an older sibling who excelled at school, was loved by all the teachers, and had a ton of friends? Do you feel like you’ll never live up to their excellence? Well then you and Luigi have something in common. It’s gotta be hard being the brother to the most acclaimed and well-known video game character of all time, but Luigi holds his own. He’s a relatively formidable character in the “Smash” series, and some of his games, like the “Luigi’s Mansion” series are genuinely great video games. However, he’s nothing when compared to Mario, and we feel bad about it. Shout out to Luigi! You keep fighting the good fight, man.
These characters never get any love. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten underappreciated video game characters. For this list, we’ll be looking at various video game characters who we think are underappreciated and unloved within either their specific fan community or the wider gaming community as a whole.
#10: Cullen
“Dragon Age” series (2009-)Cullen Rutherford is a Fereldan templar, and in “Dragon Age: Inquisition,” he serves as the military adviser for The Inquisitor. Cullen had strong ambition from a young age, as he wanted to be a Templar from the time he was eight, proving his dedication to the forces of good. As if his dedication wasn’t noble enough, he also has a heart, which is evident when romancing him while playing as a female elf or human. He’s a very tough man on the outside, but inside, he is harboring insecurities, resentment, and trauma. He’s one of the series’ most well-rounded and complex characters, and he deserves more attention.
#9: Shantae
“Shantae” series (2002-)You’ve never heard of these games? You’ve just proved our point. The “Shantae” series is a group of platformers which follow the adventures of the titular heroine as she protects her home of Scuttle Town. Shantae is a purple-haired, half-genie bellydancer, and that description alone makes her a highly original character. Along with her unique appearance, she is also a complex individual, as she’s a badass with insecurities and anxieties, evident by her feelings that the townsfolk will not accept her for being half-genie. When those traits are paired with her amazing abilities, like transforming into animals and using her belly dancing to conjure magic, it’s evident that Shantae is a deeply underappreciated hero.
#8: Kyle Hyde
“Hotel Dusk: Room 215” & “Last Window: The Secret of Cape West” (2007, 2010)We’re not really surprised that Kyle Hyde isn’t more popular, because detective games have never really set the world on fire (which is a travesty). In both games, Hyde serves as a reclusive and somber ex-detective who is now working as a salesman after potentially murdering his partner. In both games, Kyle is roped into mysteries pertaining to his personal life, and both games explore his background and complex motivations in detail. He’s a fascinating character, and he makes for a great protagonist in a series of woefully underappreciated detective games.
#7: Karin Chakwas
“Mass Effect” series (2007-)The “Mass Effect” series is a space opera, and as such, there are a countless amount of characters. Some of them are rightfully appreciated, while some excellent ones have unfortunately fallen by the wayside. Dr. Karin Chakwas is one of those characters. Chakwas serves as the doctor of the Normandy, and while life in the Alliance may not be as glamorous as she was hoping, she still serves her duties out of respect and loyalty. She’s a dedicated and career-oriented woman, but she’s also not above bending the rules a little if it means helping her Commander. She’s an intelligent and badass character, and we love having her on our side.
#6: Mumbo
“Banjo-Kazooie” series (1998-2008)The “Banjo-Kazooie” games are often considered to be some of the finest platformers around, and the titular characters are always receiving respect and love from the gaming community. They’re not the only cool characters, you know! For example, there’s Mumbo, the skull-faced shaman who is an extremely loyal friend and companion of Banjo’s. Mumbo grants Banjo and Kazooie with various magical abilities throughout the games, and he can even revive the dead and send people back through time! He’s a very skilled and humorous character who proves to be immense amounts of help, and we love him for it. Don’t worry Mumbo, we got you.
#5: Bub & Bob
“Bubble Bobble” series (1986-)The “Bubble Bobble” franchise is a series of platformers with a bubble-oriented gimmick. Players are forced to blow and burst bubbles to navigate the levels and reach previously unreachable areas. They’re a fun series of innocent platformers, but they would be nothing without the characters of Bub and Bob, the primary protagonists throughout the series. Bub is the green, ambitious Bubble Dragon who is always on the lookout for new things to do. Bob is the blue Dragon who would rather be reading than going on another silly adventure. The two make for a fantastic team, and they make these playful games even livelier.
#4: Tenzin
“Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” (2009)Good old Tenzin. What would we do without him? Tenzin makes his grand entrance to the “Uncharted” series when he finds the injured Nathan Drake in the Himalayas. Both Tenzin and Nathan then go on an adventure through an ice cave, fight monsters, and solve puzzles together, all while communicating through hand gestures due to their language barrier. Despite the barrier, we grow an immediate attachment to Tenzin and feel all the more responsible for the destruction of his village when Lazarevic comes a knockin’. In a series full of interesting characters, Tenzin is often overlooked, and it’s a damn shame.
#3: The Merchant
“Resident Evil 4” (2005)Weeeeelcome! What are ya buyin’? Come back anytime. Admit it, while he may have been a little annoying while you were actually playing the game, you’ve kind of missed The Merchant in the series’ succeeding installments. The Merchant serves as the item hub throughout “Resident Evil 4,” but he still has a certain flair as a character. He is extremely mysterious, as we have absolutely no idea of who he is, and his face remains hidden behind a purple piece of fabric. Plus, that gruff voice is just eerie. We love a good mysterious and unexplainable character, and The Merchant fits that description perfectly.
#2: Father Grigori
“Half-Life 2” (2004)“Half-Life 2” is widely regarded to be a masterpiece, and its graphics and gameplay have received immense amounts of critical acclaim over the years. However, we believe that its characters also deserve some praise. Case in point, Father Grigori, the last occupant of the zombie-infested Ravenholm. Grigori is a total badass, not only because he has survived this long on his own, but because he gives Freeman a shotgun and helps escort him through the town. Oh, and did we mention that he’s also a complete lunatic? He’s a highly interesting character who never gets the praise he deserves.
#1: Luigi
“Super Mario” series (1985-)Do any of you have an older sibling who excelled at school, was loved by all the teachers, and had a ton of friends? Do you feel like you’ll never live up to their excellence? Well then you and Luigi have something in common. It’s gotta be hard being the brother to the most acclaimed and well-known video game character of all time, but Luigi holds his own. He’s a relatively formidable character in the “Smash” series, and some of his games, like the “Luigi’s Mansion” series are genuinely great video games. However, he’s nothing when compared to Mario, and we feel bad about it. Shout out to Luigi! You keep fighting the good fight, man.
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