The characterization of the characters is very important in modern video games, increasingly complementary to the way that cinema has to tell a story. It is not only the protagonist who must have one characterization that is remembered over time, even i secondary characters they must be able to remain etched in the memory of the players.
Many games do not succeed, many others instead have secondary characters so charismatic that they can walk alongside the protagonists without disfiguring, if not outright surpassing them and becoming the protagonists themselves. video game icons in question.
In this article, we briefly analyze five secondary characters who deserve a game of their own or, at least, an expansion or DLC. Mind you, by secondary we mean characters who we do not play actively, therefore in this short list you will also find fundamental pieces for the history of the game to which they belong.
Jesse (The Last Of Us: Parte II)
The friend / companion / partner we all wish we had, Jesse is a masterfully written character, able to be appreciated by all types of players. Jesse, at first glance, might seem like a support character who passes by without leaving traces, but his contribution to the game is essential, both from a narrative point of view and for the incredible ability to create an empathic relationship with the player, even higher. to what some have failed to establish with the co-star, Abby. He is not a hero, at least he is not one in the most classic and abused sense of the term, he becomes one from scene to scene showing qualities that, in the universe of The Last of Us, cannot be considered obvious and foregone, because in the world shaped by Naughty Dog the gray zone, where bad and good are in the same boat, encompasses everyone. Yet, Jesse seems not to be part of it, his altruism and his sense of sacrifice appear to be those of another world, where good and bad are just that, without nuances.
Clifford Unger (Death Stranding)
A pang comes to my heart thinking of Clifford Unger as a secondary character. There is very little secondary in the role she plays in the history of Death Stranding, but we had to choose one from the deck brought by Hideo Kojima. Finding a character written below average in the Sony game is practically impossible, each playing their part in an exemplary way. Clifford Unger, in particular, is magnetic, a true giant capable of conveying all the player's attentions to himself, thanks to an impeccable direction and a capital interpretation by Mads Mikkelsen. The greatness in the character also lies in the duality of him: in the arc of the adventure the player can come to hate him, almost as much as a villain, and then learn to love him when his personality and his story are put on display with more clarity. . Clifford is a war hero of the "Metalgearian" mold, along the lines of Big Boss, his war skills would be exploitable in a game of his own with an action gameplay closer to the needs of today's players.
Ahti (Control)
A separate game on Ahti is perhaps too much, but an expansion in our opinion would have its why. To see him, superficially, this gentleman who tidies and cleans the various rooms of the Federal Bureau of Control does not seem to have who knows what remarkable skill or a memorable personality, yet the caretaker is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. His figure is enigmatic, what he says is hermetic and often indecipherable, and although his role in the organization appears at first sight of secondary importance, every time one encounters him the impression is that of facing an imposing and of prestige. And then, let's be clear, just for having given us the Walkman, the only object capable of making us cross the ashtray labyrinth, Ahti deserves a whole series of him.
Sadie Adler (Red Dead Redemption II)
A damsel in distress who is saved by the cowboy / outlaw on duty? At the beginning of the Rockstar adventure it may seem like that, with Sadie being helped to escape from the ranch stormed by O'Driscoll's gang, but the character evolves throughout the story and proves to have many more nuances. Sadie Adler is not the stereotypical figure of the woman in distress in the Wild West, she is temperamentally strong, she is emancipated and manages over time to become a central figure within the Van der Linde gang. The characterization of Sadie increases in depth from chapter to chapter, in fact, in the first ones she is still a support character of no particular importance, while in the following ones she helps the gang in a concrete way, for example when she goes in search of Abigail or, together with Arthur Morgan, infiltrates Sisika Penitentiary to facilitate John Marston's escape. A female Red Dead Redemption with her as the protagonist is not an idea to be discarded.
Freya (God of War)
Perhaps a little underestimated character in the narrative plot of God of War, Freya is one of the most nuanced figures in the Santa Monica Studio game. She, also known as the Witch of the Forest, helps Kratos and Atreus on their journey, initially by not showing them and the player her true nature, later unleashing her true power. Freya is not simply a woman with magical powers that the main characters meet on their journey, she is a mother (we do not go into details to avoid spoilers) who had to make a courageous choice, for a good purpose, paying the consequences. When it comes to female characters in the world of video games, the names that are made are more or less the same, while Freya's is practically never uttered. A real shame because she deserves so much to be explored.
