Summary
Whether in books, movies,or video games, almost every story is held up by its characters. The ‘who’ in any narrative is the driving force that shapes what perspective people see the story unfold through, and in most cases, a compelling character can be the difference between a story soaring to new heights or falling into obscurity for good. Video games have a unique advantage (or disadvantage, some might say) compared to other media, where the characters can often be directly interacted with or interfered with.
So what makes a good character in a medium where players can walk up to them, talk with them, take them on journeys, sock them in the face, etc.? From story-dedicated visual novels tochallenging action RPGs,the answer is usually the same - a good character is a dynamic one, a character whose opinion of the player or general outlook on life fluctuates with the story. In these particular open-world titles, characters have relationships to the player and the broader setting that are incredibly dynamic, changing dramatically based on story events and player actions.
The setting ofElden Ringis beyond huge, a world that is positively teeming with things to do. The player’s path to becoming the new ruler of the Lands Between - or sundering these Lands altogether, is not an easy one, and along the way the protagonist might turn foe into friend - or vice versa. Certain questlines, once players near their completion, will make NPCs turn hostile or, in a narrative sense, change their view of the player.
Simply by progressing the story, other Tarnished who appear friendly at first will become more hostile, or those who seem cold and distant will warm up as they come to respect the player and their actions more.
For many players, this game wasthe peak ofThe Elder Scrolls. The series diverged in a way beyond this point that left something very important behind, and the world of Nirn never really felt quite as special after this title. The seeds of many things that would be honed in on were still planted here, however, including an interesting reputation system that tracks each NPC’s relationship with the player.
Nearly every NPC in the game - including some hostile bandits if calming spells are used - can be persuaded, bribed, or intimidated into improving their relationship with you, which opens up the path to many hidden dialogue options or player benefits.
The 2000s were host tosome fantastic RPGs, and among them was the sequel to the classic game out of Lionhead Studios,Fable 2. While this game often lives in the shadow of its predecessor, it is an incredibly charming and highly replayable title with humor and lore to spare.
The player’s morality and fame bring with them a whole slew of relationship changes with the common citizenry of every settlement. Are players feared evildoers who strike terror into people’s hearts? Or are they celebrated and glorious beacons of good, who get cheers and adoration wherever they go? NPCs have a unique relationship to the players based on the choices they’ve made in the game.
Thecompanions ofFallout 4all have overt or subtle ties to the factions in the Wasteland, and how the player chooses to interact with these factions will, in turn, shape how the companions see the player.
This can range from Piper disapproving about the player’s siding with the Institute, through to certain faction-allied NPCs turning hostile if an opposing faction is chosen. It’s a great mechanic for making each choice matter in this game.
There are many missions inRed Dead Redemption 2that place Arthur Morgan at a crossroads. Should he act with honor? Or should he take whatever he can get in this dying world he inhabits - the twilight age of the Wild West? NPCs will react accordingly based on Arthur’s honor, but beyond this, certain NPCs will have relationships directly impacted by how Arthur chooses to deal with them, whether he sticks his neck out for them or leaves them in the dust.
NPC relationships in this title have a funny way of coming back around to Arthur in a karmic sense - one way or another. Perhaps this is just another part of the game’s dedication to its celebrated narrative.
Thedynamic relationships inThe Outer Worldsare a little more intricate than some of the other games on this list because it doesn’t balance quite as much on a binary moral axis or on deliberate faction choice. Each companion has a questline players can undertake if they put the time in with those characters, and besides some very obvious, very evil choices, there aren’t many examples of a clear right or wrong.
Nonetheless, these decisions - whether to encourage a companion’s romance with someone or not, whether to strengthen a companion’s ties with their previous group or not - will shape both the companion themselves and how they view the player.
WhileOuter Worldshas dynamic relationships because of its more freeform morality,New Vegashas a system that doubles down on various different metrics, letting players specifically measure how they are viewed in the eyes of NPCs across every single faction in the game - from the dynamite lobbing bandits to the inhabitants of a minor settlement to the major factions that will decide the fate of the Mojave.
Players can also have a partially positive and partially negative reputation with these factions at the same time, which will be reflected in how NPCs treat them and the prices that merchants allied with that faction will accept when bartering.
The great “Oblivionwas good, actually” awakening has begun, with some streamlined mechanics and hugely revitalized graphics bringing to lightthe many fantastic featuresof this game. While the NPC persuasion mechanic often raises some eyebrows, it’s a great example of one of the few things that was expanded upon fromMorrowind, rather than streamlined.
Players can have a unique, fluctuating relationship with essentially every single named NPC in the game, each of them a voiced, interactable entity in this lush, sprawling world that can give you exclusive information, fantastic prices on goods, or kindly tell you to jump down a well based on how much they like or dislike you.
