Summary
- Some RPGs introduce party members late, like Legion in Mass Effect 2, giving limited time but impactful character development.
- Minsc in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a lovable hero, known from earlier games, appearing late in Act 3 with a simple-minded, humorous nature.
- Characters like Regal in Tales of Symphonia add depth with unique backstories, showcasing moral dilemmas, and unique traits.
Many RPGs include party members who assist the main hero on their adventures. Most of them are introduced fairly early into your journey, so you can have a full game getting to know them, both in and out of combat. Yet, not every RPG does that. Some games add companions to your party deep into the story. It can be because the developers want to introduce every party member gradually or because a character’s introduction is tied to an important story moment that can’t happen too early.
Either way, it can be difficult for these types of companions to really leave an impression, as you get much less time with them. However, in other cases, the characters are so good that they don’t need an entire game to win you over. The following characters fit into the latter group.
The party members on this list are chosen for how good they are as characters instead of how useful they are in battle.
8
Legion
Mass Effect 2
Action RPG
Third-Person Shooter
- Released
-
January 26, 2010
- Engine
-
Unreal Engine 3
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence
If you follow the optimal mission order in Mass Effect 2, which gives you the best chance of all of your crew surviving, Legion will only join your party late on. Yet, in the short time you have with him, he proves to be a very compelling character.
This is mainly because he is part of the Geth species, which are normally presented as antagonists. So, having a Geth unit as a friend is interesting and helps you learn much more about the race. Plus, his robotic voice is delightful.
7
Minsc
Baldur’s Gate 3
- Released
-
August 3, 2023
- Engine
-
Divinity 4.0
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Fans of the early Baldur’s Gate games will have known Minsc before he ever appeared in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is perhaps why the developers were okay with having him join your party deep into Act 3. Even if you haven’t played the earlier entries, though, you can still quickly take a shine to the loveable hero.
He doesn’t always come across as the brightest member of the crew, but this works to his strengths as a character. His simple-minded nature and lack of complexity make him an effective comic relief character. Conversations with him are often humorous, especially when they involve him talking to his hamster, Boo, who he treats as an all-knowing space hamster.
6
Regal Bryant
Tales Of Symphonia
Regal from Tales of Symphonia is a convict with whom you have a few heated encounters. During those interactions, though, you learn that he isn’t quite the morally corrupt convict that you think. The man is actually locked up because he mercy killed someone close to him.
Despite not having much choice in the killing, it still pains him to the point that he refuses to use his hands in battle, as he doesn’t want to kill with them again. It all makes for a fascinating and unique backstory, which helps make Regal a note-worthy party member.
5
Hendrik
Dragon Quest 11
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
- Released
-
September 4, 2018
- Engine
-
Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB
-
T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Simulated Gambling, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Many late-game party members in RPGs start out as adversaries to your crew. This is the case with Hendrik. However, you can never really consider him a villain. He has just been misled into thinking the protagonist is Darkspawn, leading him to pursue the hero. Eventually, he learns the truth and joins your side.
He’s a good ally to have, as he is a champion knight and an excellent swordsman. Hendrik is also a great human being. He cares about people and only wants to hurt those who deserve it. He even showcases this strong moral code when he’s supposed to be an antagonist.
4
Red XIII
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
- Released
-
April 10, 2020
- ESRB
-
Teen // Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Engine
-
Unreal Engine 4
Red is a lion-wolf-like creature from the Final Fantasy 7 Remake that the evil Shinra is experimenting on. Late in the story, the protagonists Cloud, Tifa, and Barret free the beast and join forces.
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While he may look like a wild animal, Red is a lot more intelligent than he seems and can even talk. In fact, he has a quite soft-spoken voice, which is a contrast to his wild appearance. You don’t get to know him too deeply in the FF7 Remake, but he leaves a lasting impression with his short screen time.
3
Fiona
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Platform(s)
-
Switch
- Released
-
July 29, 2022
- Developer(s)
-
Monolith
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
XC2/Torna
- ESRB
-
T For Teen due to Language, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
The story of Xenoverse Chronicles 3 takes place over seven chapters. In the fifth chapter, you meet Fiona, who is a young commander of her own colony. Things don’t go great for her people, but that is not her fault. Her colony is attacked, and she does everything she can to save her friends.
Although her rescue efforts aren’t as successful as she hopes, tragedy never breaks her spirit or moral code. After all, helping people is what Fiona is all about. She is a kind person who cares for others, which is even shown in the game’s combat, where she is mainly used to buff her allies.
2
Magus
Chrono Trigger
- Released
-
March 11, 1995
- Engine
-
Cocos Creator Engine
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
One of the reasons why Chrono Trigger is considered among the best RPGs ever is because of how fleshed out the characters are. This is even the case for companions who don’t join the party until deep into the story. Yet, he’s hardly an unknown figure, as he spends much of the game as a major antagonist. So, you already know him fairly well once he joins.
What’s interesting about him is that he doesn’t join as a former villain who’s learned the error of his ways. He is still not a warm or loving guy, but he hates the main villain, Lavos, as much as anyone. Therefore, you share similar goals, which convinces him to join. Once he’s in the crew, he continues to be his dark and gloomy self.
1
Naoto Shirogane
Persona 4
- Released
-
July 10, 2008
- Engine
-
RenderWare
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence
Persona 4 puts you in control of a group of young people called The Investigation Team, who live up to their name by investigating kidnappings and murders in their town. Therefore, it’s a shame for them that it takes them so long to meet and recruit Naoto Shirogane, as she is a descendant of impressive detectives and lives up to their legacy. So, in-universe, she’s a valuable member of the team.
She’s also a good character to have around, as she is fascinating. The woman is a bit uptight and overly serious, which often causes her to be annoyed by other people’s carefree attitudes. This likely stems from the fact that her parents died when she was very young, so she had to grow up quickly. Naoto does begin to open up a bit as she grows closer to the team, though, which is heart-warming to watch.
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