Best 2025 Video Games for side character depth

#1 Donkey Kong Bananza
5.0

Side character depth was strong around Pauline and the DK-Pauline duo, even when legacy characters were less emphasized.

Pros: gameplay mechanics, world interactivity

Cons: economy and resource balance, enemy variety

#2 Goodnight Universe
5.0

Side characters were praised where discussed, especially Isaac’s family and the small cast that reviewers came to care about.

Pros: side character depth, visual effects quality

Cons: user interface design, handheld play suitability

#3 The Alters
5.0

Side character depth was praised in the reviews that addressed it, with the Alters described as distinct and fully realized.

Pros: controls responsiveness, onboarding experience

Cons: crash stability, grind level

#4 Hollow Knight: Silksong
4.7

Side character depth receives positive evidence from a review praising Pharloom’s supporting characters as charming and motivated.

Pros: core gameplay loop, world interactivity

Cons: loot system, accessibility options

#5 Pokémon Legends: Z-A
4.7

Side character depth was generally positive in the scored reviews, with Team MZ and supporting characters described as likable or among the series' best.

Pros: crash stability, gameplay mechanics

Cons: AI behavior, monetization fairness

#6 Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
4.5

Side character depth was mostly positive, especially for party members, though some reviewers felt certain supporting arcs remained thin.

Pros: protagonist appeal, art direction

Cons: camera behavior, tutorial quality

#7 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
4.5

A side character was praised for hiding darker motivation beneath an upbeat personality.

Pros: monetization fairness, microtransaction impact

Cons: platforming precision, menu usability

#8 Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
4.5

Side characters were praised for compensating for silent protagonists and making the expanded story feel more emotionally alive.

Pros: visual effects quality, environmental detail

Cons: AI behavior, level design

#9 Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
4.5

Side character depth is supported by praise for Eva's importance and scene-stealing presence.

Pros: world interactivity, sandbox freedom

Cons: crash stability, learning curve

#10 Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
4.4

Side character depth was often strong, especially around Kat, though one review singled out Dylan’s unresolved arc as a weakness.

Pros: character roster, animation quality

Cons: core gameplay loop, polish

#11 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
4.3

Supporting characters are often praised for nuance and memorable moments, though one review felt they were underused.

Pros: animation quality, facial animations

Cons: quest design, AI behavior

#12 South of Midnight
4.3

Side characters earned praise for having enough interaction and backstory to avoid feeling flat.

Pros: atmosphere, voice acting

Cons: world interactivity, camera behavior

#13 Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
4.1

The sequel was credited with giving supporting women and other groups somewhat more agency than before.

Pros: soundtrack quality, fun factor

Cons: checkpoint system, family friendliness

#14 Arc Raiders
4.0

One review praised traders for having enough personality and interaction to feel like more than simple vendors.

Pros: frame rate stability, platform-specific feature support

Cons: voice acting, writing quality

#16 Avowed
3.9

Side characters and companions were highly divisive: some found them memorable and heartfelt, while others thought they were shallow or uninspired.

Pros: tutorial quality, level design

Cons: stealth mechanics, endgame content

#17 Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
3.9

Side character depth improved with new dialogue and performances, but several reviewers still wanted more interaction after recruitment.

Pros: emotional impact, polish

Cons: bug frequency, crash stability

#18 The Outer Worlds 2
3.8

Side characters and companions were divisive: many praised their faction ties and quests, while others found them uneven or unmemorable.

Pros: world-building, mission design

Cons: mission variety, enemy variety

#19 Ghost of Yōtei
3.7

Side character depth is mixed, with praise for strong companions and villains but criticism that many allies or supporting figures lack involvement.

Pros: movement feel, environmental detail

Cons: puzzle design, age appropriateness

#20 Monster Hunter Wilds
3.6

Side character depth was split: several reviewers liked the cast, while others found Alma or supporting characters thin or irritating.

Pros: art direction, cross-play support

Cons: dialogue quality, monetization fairness

#21 Borderlands 4
3.5

Side character depth is split: one review finds faction leaders relatable, while another says the game does not spend enough time with them.

Pros: sandbox freedom, art direction

Cons: polish, save system reliability

#22 Silent Hill f
3.5

Side-character depth split reviewers, with one praising the small cast as multilayered and another saying Hinako’s friends felt underused.

Pros: voice acting, emotional impact

Cons: family friendliness, menu usability

#23 Atomfall
3.3

Side character depth was mixed: several reviewers liked memorable NPCs, while others thought factions and personalities stayed too surface-level.

Pros: art direction, frame rate stability

Cons: boss design, camera behavior

#24 Digimon Story Time Stranger
3.0

Side character depth was mixed: Digimon characters were praised for charm, while several human NPCs were called forgettable or thin.

Pros: atmosphere, world-building

Cons: HUD clarity, fast travel convenience

#25 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
2.8

Side character depth was mixed to negative, with some reviewers connecting to new characters and others finding them underdeveloped or weak.

Pros: animation quality, multiplayer design

Cons: save system reliability, companion AI

#26 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
2.7

Side characters were divisive: some reviewers warmed to them, while others found them annoying, tropey, or poorly matched to Metroid.

Pros: world-building, frame rate stability

Cons: companion AI, upgrade system

#27 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
2.5

Side character depth is weak in the evidence focused on Ankou, whom one reviewer calls dull despite liking the broader visual design.

Pros: graphics quality, environmental detail

Cons: bug frequency, dialogue quality

#28 Split Fiction
2.3

Side character depth was weak, especially around the one-dimensional CEO/villain.

Pros: puzzle design, level design

Cons: exploration quality, side character depth

#29 Doom: The Dark Ages
2.0

Side character depth was usually criticized, with reviewers calling supporting characters forgettable, unmemorable or impossible to care about.

Pros: environmental detail, polish

Cons: camera behavior, value for money

#30 The First Berserker: Khazan
2.0

Side characters are a recurring weakness, often described as generic, shallow, or not meaningfully integrated.

Pros: core gameplay loop, controls responsiveness

Cons: mission design, learning curve

#31 Battlefield 6
2.0

side characters were criticized as interchangeable.

Pros: haptic feedback integration, performance optimization

Cons: pacing, microtransaction impact