Summary
Your party members are a key part of your experience in any game. They support you in battle, and can oftenhave well-written character arcsthat are just as good, if not better, than the main protagonist’s. Not all games have a strong main cast, though, which makes those that do stand out.
It takes strong character writing to make you feel attached to your party as you go on an adventure together, but it elevates the entire experience when you’ve emotionally connected to the characters. Here are some excellent games where you’ll become attached to your party when playing through the story.
Final Fantasy 7 has one of the most memorable parties in all of gaming. You start off in Midgar with just Cloud, Tifa, and Barret, and eventually your team grows to include Aerith, Red XIII, Cid, and Cait Sith, as well as optional party members Yuffie and Vincent.
Each character has a distinct character arc (well, except Cait Sith, but he’s a talking cat, so he gets points for that too) that makes you grow attached to them as the story progresses. By the end of the game, you’re rooting for them all, andmourning for one character in particular.
Metaphor: ReFantazio has a strong narrative that’sbolstered by all the character interactions you have with your partythroughout the main story. You can spend time with them through rank-up events, which lets you learn more about who they are and what type of world they visualize for the future.
These events are optional, but they’re well worth viewing and spending your time on. For example, you get to learn more about Heismay’s guilt about losing his son and how he’s trying to move forward, as well as how he grows to view the protagonist as a son too. The party in Metaphor: ReFantazio has some of the best character writing in all RPGs and truly makes you feel connected to them.
Pokemon
How connected you feel to your party in Pokemon depends on you, but because you’re catching Pokemon and nicknaming them, creating your own party that’s completely unique to you, it’s incredibly easy to become attached to them.
No matter which Pokemon game you play, training your Pokemon and exploring the region together lets you bond with your team very quickly. Some games in the series even let you pet your Pokemon and play minigames with them, which allows you to connect with them even more.
Most people become so attached to their starter Pokemon that they refuse to leave it in storage, even if there’s a better option of the same Pokemon type available.
Chrono Trigger has a strong cast of party members who you pick up across different time periods. You start off by playing as Crono, then quickly recruit Marle and Lucca. Frog and Robo are great members of the party too, with both having super-catchy character themes.
Frog also has the best character arc in the game, where he has to learn to accept his past and who he is now. You also meet Ayla, a chief from the Prehistory period, who’s passionate about fighting and protecting her people. Chrono Trigger also has an optional party member, Magus, who you may ask to join your party, despite him being a villain so far.
The first Xenoblade Chronicles game is one of the best RPGs ever made, and a large part of that is because of its excellent party members. Shulk and Reyn leave Colony 9 after it’s devastated by the Mechon, where they’re later joined by Sharla, Dunban, Melia, andRiki (a Nopon).
There’s another party member who joins later, but they’re a spoiler, so we can’t mention them in case you haven’t played the game yet!
The game has a brilliant feature calledHeart-to Hearts, where your party members can get to know each other outside of the main events. These occur between all party members, too, not just between Shulk and the rest of the party, so you truly get to see the full dynamic, learn more about the characters, and grow closer to them as a whole and as individuals.
Dragon Quest 11 has the blood of classic RPGs running through its veins. Its storyline is fairly traditional, just like its turn-based combat system, but its party members are definitely not basic by any means. The protagonist (known as Eleven or the Luminary by fans) first befriends Erik, a thief he meets in jail.
You eventually recruit twins Veronica and Serena, Sylvando, Hendrik, Jade (a childhood friend), and Rab (the protagonist’s grandfather). All the characters have their moment to shine in the story, and you can also choose any of them to be your roommate/partner and live with you later in the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most expansive RPGs you’ll likely ever play, with hours and hours of story and optional content to go through. While it’s known for its D&D-style gameplay, another reason why it’s so popular is because of its party members and how fans have grown attached to them.
Characters like Shadowheart, Lae’zel, Astarion, and Karlach all have excellent character arcs and story possibilities that make them distinct. you may also romance any of the party members, with lots of special scenes only becoming available once you do so.
The high school setting and life-sim element of Persona 5 Royal is what makes it so easy to become attached to your party members, known as the Phantom Thieves. Alongside taking on dungeons and battling tough demons, you may also take the time to get to know your party members casually, growing your bond with them.
Party members like Ann and Futaba are so beloved that they’re viewed as some of the best characters in the entire Persona series, not just in Persona 5 itself. With how many hours you’ll spend with these guys though, it’s pretty impossiblenotto become attached to them in some way.
