Yes, there are spoilers. Many of them. In fact, full on scene descriptions on several parts of several stories in several games. As always, we try to skirt around where we can, but it’s not always that we can, so read on carefully!
Whenever a game—especially a narrative-dense one—is released, one thing to always be on the lookout for is character presentations. Given our penchant to analyze plots for every bit of its detail, taking a liking to this or that person within said plots is part of the process, but no moment carries more gravitas than that very first moment from several video game character introductions that will make them very important to the story.
And in gaming, these moments are not rare. Several titles over the years became known for their iconic characters, and a lot of these memories come from the very first impressions we laid eyes on them, letting out an exasperated “whoa” while dropping our controllers just to better awe in the scene unfolding in front of our eyes.
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So, to our narrative-driven readers out there, here’s a list of video game character intros whose acting speak volumes for themselves, such as…
Video game character introductions: who did it better
- Final Fantasy XV: Ardyn Izunya
- Metal Gear Solid: Grey Fox/Cyborg Ninja
- Yakuza 0: Goro Majima
- Genshin Impact: Raiden Shogun, Neuvillette and Mavuika
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: Darth effin’ Vader
Final Fantasy XV: Ardyn Izunya
Starting off slow, we’re taken to the world of Eos, where, as video game character introductions go, Ardyn’s is a tame, but telling, one. Introducing himself as “a man of no consequence” to our oblivious quartet of protagonists. At a not-so-chance encounter in the coast city of Galdin Quay, Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto pay him little mind—nothing more than a mental note to think about later.
Boy, were they in for a ride: as the story progresses, Ardyn is able to manipulate pretty much every event within the game—including but not limited to the overarching war that permeates Noctis’ quest— in such an elegant, self-assured way that, many hours later, reminds us of that fateful moment where he suddenly appears in Galdin Quay, coming and going with little delivery and, as simple game character intros go, in a calculated maneuver that kickstarted his quest to encourage the development of the future “True King of Lucis”…and then kill him.
Definitely, one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters ever…
Metal Gear Solid: Grey Fox/Cyborg Ninja
There is something about sudden, big game character intros in boss fights that just gets me…in so many wrong ways. Metal Gear’s Cyborg Ninja was quite the opposite. The occasional antagonist and anti-hero’s presence within the Alaskan base of Shadow Moses has been inferred at the beginning of the game, with guards commenting how many comrades fell to his blade, while blissfully unaware of protagonist Solid Snake’s own presence.
Another intruder? Is he a friend? A foe? Just what is going on?
Luckily, it does not take long for the answer to come up, as the Cyborg Ninja (formerly, Grey Fox/Frank Jaeger, Snake’s old brother-in-arms turned opponent) reveals himself in a bombastic way: cutting off Revolver Ocelot’s hand during the gunslinger’s shoot-off with Snake in one of the best game character entrances ever.
Now this is, particularly, the kind of narrative I like: as his presence is made before that, the sense of uneasiness is ever growing—not massively, just enough to be a bother in the back of the player’s mind. And since Metal Gear Solid is a stealth-based action game, the fact that you never know what’s expecting you around the corner just adds to it.
And the further revelation of his intentions are just *muah* chef’s kiss to this date.
Yakuza 0: Goro Majima
The poise, the elegance and refinement attained by the sleek camera movement when bringing in Goro Majima for the first time in Yakuza 0 is something that would make Hollywood blush and seethe in envy. Few movies have pulled off the same level of impact as video game character introductions such as this one has.
The closeup on his snakeskin boots, moving from single-shot footage while revealing details of his tuxedo, his infamous eyepatch and his ponytail, while he walks down the stairs of a major hostess joint—everything on this scene fits perfectly, like a silk glove that snuggles the hand so perfectly you don’t even have to pull it to adjust it. No, it guides you to comfort, friend.
Majima’s story in Yakuza 0—a prequel to SEGA’s eponymous Japanese gangster action game— portrays him rather differently than what his later years show: instead of a raving lunatic whose blood boils by the mere possibility of chaos, we have a calm, collected and crafty executive, an entrepreneur of the nightlife, who not only manages to beat up an handsy, unruly drunkard of a patron, but does so with equal levels of strength, grace and courteous attention. He is a service provider, after all, even if said service is a much-deserved can of whoop-ass in very fine loafer shoes.
This entire scene is only made greater by its dialog, in which the delivery shines a contrast between the fight sequence and his carefully crafted wording: yes, the man is being annoying, but he is still a client. He’ll leave, for now, but Majima wants him to come back another time, maybe when he is in a more balanced state of mind.
The dialog is so well written that we see Majima convince (not “force”, but plead) the man to pay for everyone’s tab as an apology for all the inconvenience they both have caused. It’s just business. It’s so well done I was the one apologizing for all the troubles for a moment.
“The customer is always king”, all right.
Genshin Impact: Raiden Shogun, Neuvillette and Mavuika
Ohh,we got a triple-decker in video game character introductions. At the risk of cheating on our list, I bring three major characters from HoYoVerse’s gigantic online gacha-RPG laced game, simply because I could not decide which of all three were the coolest.
First, we have Raiden Shogun, Inazuma’s thunderous ruling deity (or “Archon”, in Genshin-speak): actually, I am also cheating here, as the following scene is not the “video game character introductions” that got her on this list—no, it’s when she reveals why she is a damned deity that really gives her the opportunity to shine.
And just like that, after a particularly difficult boss fight that gave us a lot of trouble, she just comes into the scene, and walks off after a single, overcharged sword strike, killing instantly someone that made me restart the match at least half a dozen times.
Then, fast forward to the game’s next main chapter, in the beautiful, France-inspired water city of Fontaine, where its main justice-giver, Neuvillette, has also been introduced as a mere judge on the local court’s proceedings, only to see shenanigans taking place as a former boss enemy and occasional ally (and yet another pain in the butt of most Genshin players) Childe simply decides to challenge his own verdict…yeah, that didn’t go so well…
You see, much like Raiden Shogun, Neuvillette is sort of divine himself: although not an Archon, he’s chock-full of godlike powers and, effortlessly and gracefully, takes down Child without missing a heartbeat.
Finally, as a perfect antithesis to both previous video game characters intro’s tranquility, we have Mavuika, Natlan’s own Fire (or “Pyro”—again, Genshin-speak) Archon, badass biker-like chick who enjoys the possibility to go toe-to-toe against an opponent that, for all effects and purposes, is a perfect match for her. There is no victory to be celebrated here, at least, not for plot purposes, but still, we were served one of the best fighting sequences in gaming of the past decade, at least.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: Darth effin’ Vader
Come on, now. You saw this coming. I know I said earlier that a sudden, out-of-nowhere video game character introductions usually turns me off, but this? This had my personal preference thoroughly challenged. You know there’s something awesome to be said when a single cutscene makes into most youtuber reaction videos…
Say what you will about Jedi: Fallen Order’s plot, but having Vader appear out of nowhere from an well-crafted-but-not-Vader-dependant story really made me set down the controller for a moment and just take in the scene for all its glory.
And the fact that Vader isn’t mentioned anywhere before this, his presence only inferred by the enemies who serve the Galactic Empire, makes this more enticing, as main baddie Second Sister (formerly Trilla Suduri) is established as a menace from the darkside of the Force, but conflicted about her past and current role. And when we think we finally, at last, got through to her and give her a shot at redemption…here comes the heavy, machine-like breathing…it’s a beautiful, breathtaking sequence, from start to finish.
