The Top 10 Most Wholesome Characters in Gaming
Video games have made a large impact politically for some of their more violent outliers, but gaming isn’t just about the rough and gritty – it’s also about the cute and wholesome, those special ones that you want to protect with every fiber of your being. If anything ever happened to them, you don’t know what you would do with yourself. This list features not only those characters that we must protect at all costs, but the most precious cinnamon rolls to ever exist. Here are our picks for the most wholesome characters in gaming.
10 – Angus (Night in the Woods)
While not a best friend character that Mae can hang out with throughout Night in the Woods, Angus keeps the rest of the cast grounded when they get out of control. Angus is seen as both a responsible father figure and a loving boyfriend to Gregg, keeping him out of trouble that he would otherwise get into thanks to Mae. Quiet and reserved, Angus favors the pragmatic solution to whatever life throws at him. His traumatic past doesn’t get him down, and only serves to propel him to be a better person to those he cares about. Plus, he’s a good cook!
9 – Clementine (The Walking Dead) by Ben Vollmer
Clementine’s early-game innocence and optimism are a stark contrast to the beginnings of the Zombie apocalypse in Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Her presence is enough to anchor a small group of confused and disagreeable survivors – most important among them, her newfound caretaker Lee. The relationship they develop, especially when juxtaposed with the dread of the rest of The Walking Dead universe, is affecting and profound. Topped with a dirty old baseball cap, Clementine serves as a reminder that there’s always something, or someone, worth fighting for.
8 – Luther (Detroit: Become Human)
Originally designed to be a laborer and later reprogrammed to be a strongman, Luther breaks free from his reprogramming to save Kara and Alice from the dystopian horrors of Detroit. Rather than using his freedom to run away, he instead takes it upon himself to be a guardian of sorts for the pair of deviants. He becomes the de facto father figure of the group, making sure his friends are comfortable before himself. Despite all of the hardships he has gone through, Luther repeatedly puts himself in danger’s path time and time again — always for Kara’s and Alice’s sakes. More than maybe any other character in the game, Luther became human.
7 – Chiaki Nanami (Danganronpa 2)
Many players gravitated towards Chiaki due to her portrayal as a gamer girl “waifu” stereotype. Beyond that first impression, Chiaki is full of heart and only wants what is best for everyone else. Within the confines of the game, Chiaki is overly analytical and naive due to the nature of her existence. When taken in terms of the outside content, however, Chiaki becomes the soul of her class, bringing everyone together. She becomes so ingrained that her end is the catalyst for the rest of her class falling into despair. But even after her death, hope lives on and her memory becomes the key to saving the world.
6 – Hat Kid (A Hat in Time)
If we go by appearances alone, Hat Kid would probably top this list. Hat Kid is freaking adorable. Throughout A Hat in Time, she plays patty-cake with the mafia, blows kisses at baby seals, and modifies a sinister contract to be wholesome. Unfortunately, she can’t go any higher due to her potty mouth – Peck is not a sandwich ingredient!
5 – Isabelle (Animal Crossing)
Animal Crossing is one of the most wholesome gaming series out there. Isabelle takes it a step further as a selfless secretary in New Leaf, always around to lend a hand and running the town while you are away. In New Horizons, she takes care of the morning announcements and any excess administrative work like flags, town tunes, and neighbor disputes. Always working with a pep in her step and a smile on her face, Isabelle warms the hearts of anyone who lays eyes on her.
4 – Papyrus (Undertale)
Despite being a pseudo-antagonist, Papyrus is practically harmless. He only wants to capture a human to improve his social standing, going so far as to provide reasonable accommodations in the event he actually does win. The puzzles Papyrus creates are just playful banter, proving that all he really wanted was a new friend – and someone who actually appreciates his spaghetti! If you go down the path of genocide, Papyrus is the one character who does not fight you. Even on his deathbed, he still believes you can do better. If that is not wholesome, I don’t know what is.
3 – Haruka Sawamura (Yakuza) by Flora Eloise
Haruka Sawamura is one of the most well-developed characters in the Yakuza series. We meet her as a precocious child who is soon orphaned in a tragic accident, leaving Kazuma Kiryu with a paternalistic responsibility to raise and protect her. Watching Haruka grow up and develop agency and confidence, as well as listening to her nurture relationships with her peers in the Morning Glory orphanage, makes you feel like a proud parent. As Haruka builds an honest career as a respectable pop idol, everyone agrees that she deserves her success. And yet she is dominated by her humility, generosity, and kindness. Haruka is wholesome because she decides to approach a world that has only ever been hostile to her with optimism, a sincere smile, and the earnest hope of making her uncle Kaz proud.
2 – Bard (Wandersong) by Flora Eloise
Wandersong blew me away when I first played it in 2018, a tale of optimism, non-violence, hope, and acceptance. All of those aspirational themes are embodied by the bard, Wandersong’s protagonist, whose musical charisma can never be outdone by the world’s jaded or emotionally wounded characters. The bard is an example of heroism through compassion, of stubbornly seeking the good in people where others have given up. Games teach us and test us on many measurable skills, but Wandersong’s bard extends their lessons into the intangible, human realm — something more games, and more protagonists, would do well to emulate.
1 – Nanako Dojima (Persona 4)
Nanako instantly captures the heart of anyone who hears her sing the ‘Junes’ jingle. Despite her adorable and naive nature, Nanako is perhaps the most mature character in Persona 4, able to do all of the cooking and take care of her father when the need arises. Nanako is the heart and soul of Persona 4, always taking the time to welcome you home and bring a little extra joy into your life. Welcome home, big bro!
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