Games with NPCs that tag along - an IFDB Poll
by Ghalev
RSS FeedList here any games that feature a (preferably memorable!) "sidekick" character - an NPC who follows the viewpoint character around for most or all of the game, as per Floyd in Planetfall or Trent/Tiffany in Leather Goddesses of Phobos.
| Planetfall, by Steve Meretzky 10 votes "Features probably the most famous sidekick NPC, Floyd." [+]"Features probably the most famous sidekick NPC, Floyd." ( ) --Ghalev... "I liked it so much that "Floyd" has been part of my online name for at least the last 15 years." [+]"I liked it so much that "Floyd" has been part of my online name for at least the last 15 years." () --Floyd312... "Floyd. Annoying, useful, VERY cute." [+]"Floyd. Annoying, useful, VERY cute." --ArtrexDenthur... "Floyd!" [+]"Floyd!: Floyd here now!" () --Puddin Tame... (No comment) [+](No comment) --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Dave Chapeskie... (No comment) [+](No comment) --aw1231... "Floyd, obviously." [+]"Floyd, obviously." () --Jim Kaplan... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --The Defiant...  Vote for this game | |
| Leather Goddesses of Phobos, by Steve Meretzky 5 votes "Features Trent ... or Tiffany, depending on which gender you choose." [+]"Features Trent ... or Tiffany, depending on which gender you choose.: Trent/Tiffany is memorable for, among other things, dying horribly several times during the game, and then returning with a handy explanation for how things really went." ( ) --Ghalev... (No comment) [+](No comment) --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Fredrik... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --The Defiant... Vote for this game | |
| The Hobbit, by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler 5 votes "Surely the Hobbit did it first" [+]"Surely the Hobbit did it first: And if not first, it certainly did it best, with a host of characters that would wander around with a life of their own, while trusty Thorin always stayed by your side (mostly!)" ( ) --Jerome C West... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Ghalev... "The Hobbit..." [+]"The Hobbit certainly was not the first, but it was probably the best at the time." () --Fredrik... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Felix Pleșoianu... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Adventurer's Consumer Guide, by Řyvind Thorsby 4 votes "The goblin is..." [+]"The goblin is your sidekick." --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --zer... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Bernie... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Sobol... Vote for this game | |
| The Plant, by Michael J. Roberts 3 votes "Mike Roberts' original demo game for TADS 2 has the PC's boss tagging along" [+]"Mike Roberts' original demo game for TADS 2 has the PC's boss tagging along" ( ) --Carlo... "Mr. Teeterwaller!" [+]"Mr. Teeterwaller!" () --Kinetic Mouse Car... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Felix Pleșoianu... Vote for this game | |
| Treasures of a Slaver's Kingdom, by S. John Ross 3 votes "Sidekick is Gunwar, a pirate Dwarf who can also be wielded as a talking hand-weapon." [+]"Sidekick is Gunwar, a pirate Dwarf who can also be wielded as a talking hand-weapon." --Ghalev... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Emily Short... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Stationfall, by Steve Meretzky 3 votes "More Floyd!" [+]"More Floyd!" --Ghalev... "Can't get enough Floyd!" [+]"Can't get enough Floyd!: Good old Floyd!" ( ) --Puddin Tame... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Illuminismo Iniziato, by Michael J. Coyne 3 votes "A charming NPC inside a globe who aids the story and packs a surprise at the end." [+]"A charming NPC inside a globe who aids the story and packs a surprise at the end.: Excellent puzzle fest sequel with an endearing NPC" ( ) --Canalboy... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --kierlani... Vote for this game | |
| Slouching Towards Bedlam, by Star Foster and Daniel Ravipinto 2 votes "Features Triage." [+]"Features Triage." --Ghalev... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Felix Pleșoianu... Vote for this game | |
| The Lost Islands of Alabaz, by Michael Gentry 2 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) --Michael Gentry... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Sobol... Vote for this game | |
| Seastalker, by Stu Galley, Jim Lawrence 2 votes "Tip is your..." [+]"Tip is your sidekick." --David Welbourn... "Tip is along for..." [+]"Tip is along for the ride -- but he is hardly memorable." ( - Full review) --Victor Gijsbers... Vote for this game | |
| Cryptozookeeper, by Robb Sherwin 2 votes "The best NPCs to go exploring with." [+]"The best NPCs to go exploring with." ( ) --Kinetic Mouse Car... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Robb Sherwin... Vote for this game | |
| Captain Verdeterre's Plunder, by Ryan Veeder 2 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) --Ivanr... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Sobol... Vote for this game | |
| Blighted Isle, by Eric Eve 2 votes "You're solo for..." [+]"You're solo for the first half, but in the second half of the game, you have one of three possible female companions following you." --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --perching path... Vote for this game | |
| Earth And Sky 3: Luminous Horizon, by Paul O'Brian 2 votes "Austin (a.k.a...." [+]"Austin (a.k.a. Earth) and Emily (a.k.a. Sky) are a true duo in this game; when one is the PC, the other is the sidekick NPC, and you can switch control between the two at most points in the game." --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Felix Pleșoianu... Vote for this game | |
| Beet the Devil, by Carolyn VanEseltine 2 votes "Puppies!" [+]"Puppies!: Well, a puppy." ( - Full review) --verityvirtue... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --IFforL2... Vote for this game | |
| Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels, by Bob Bates 2 votes "The titular..." [+]"The titular Sherlock Holmes is the tagalong NPC to the player's Dr. Watson." --David Welbourn... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Jacaranda Jim, by Graham Cluley 2 votes "Alan the..." [+]"Alan the Gribbley: unhelpful and kind of disgusting." --Sam Kabo Ashwell... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Henck... Vote for this game | |
| Transilvania Corruption, by Kambre, Delavader, Lord Kanington 1 vote "Avatar hopping" [+]"Avatar hopping: The player can jump between Klaus and Blaus any time in the game. When the player inhabits one character the other acts as a tag-along NPC." ( ) --IFforL2... Vote for this game | |
| Violet, by Jeremy Freese 1 vote "Not your..." [+]"Not your traditional method of "sidekicking" but I think "Violet" herself should count, and obviously a very memorable sidekick!" --Jeff Sonas... Vote for this game | |
| Barsoom Adventure #1: The Lost City, by Susan Schnitger 1 vote "Ijjit says" [+]"Ijjit says: An alien "cubist" dragonfly with witty remarks accompany your adventure." ( ) --Fredrik... Vote for this game | |
| Roofed, by Jim Munroe 1 vote "Your brother Anton." [+]"Your brother Anton." ( - Full review) --Simon Deimel... Vote for this game | |
| Black Sheep, by Nic Barkdull and Matt Borgard 1 vote "Steve the detective robot follows Irene as they investigate her missing sister." [+]"Steve the detective robot follows Irene as they investigate her missing sister." --Kinetic Mouse Car... Vote for this game | |
| Wisher, Theurgist, Fatalist, by Xavid 1 vote "The Theurgist and the Fatalist" [+]"The Theurgist and the Fatalist" ( ) --Xavid... Vote for this game | |
| The Lost Crystal, by Melvyn E. Wright 1 vote "This game has two, the miller and Merlin." [+]"This game has two, the miller and Merlin.: The friendly, bumbling, Joe Gargery-like miller is the most notable. He is mostly helpful, but occasionally unhelpful (he wanders off with the lamp leaving you to find him in the dark) and makes humorous quips as you wander around. " --J. J. Guest... Vote for this game | |
| Beyond Zork, by Brian Moriarty 1 vote "I fell in love with the minx" [+]"I fell in love with the minx: ... and was heartbroken after the one puzzle where you need her. I tried to bring her back with me onto the bridge, and later looked at her on the ground, wondering why she wasn't following me anymore." ( - Full review) --mjhayes... Vote for this game | |
| AˇLˇIˇEˇN: La aventura - Edición Especial, by Alpha Aventuras (Ricardo Pérez, Manuel Millán, Francisco J. Roldán, Manuel I. Monge, Antonio Matiola, Francisco Picazo) 1 vote "Three excellent NPCs" [+]"Three excellent NPCs: Major Jason follows orders and follows you around unless you order him to go elsewhere. Mother, the ship's computer, is accessible as long as you keep your earpiece." ( ) --IFforL2... Vote for this game | |
| Tass Times in Tonetown, by Michael Berlyn and Muffy Berlyn 1 vote "Otherwise known as Ennio The Wonder Dog" [+]"Otherwise known as Ennio The Wonder Dog: You step into another dimension to end up with a talking dog by your side. Later, you'll rescue "Gramps" and he'll join the party. In the end, you'll all team up to deal with the game's villain." ( - Full review) --mjhayes... Vote for this game | |
| An Escape To Remember, by Sean Barrett, Tom Blawgus, Roger Carbol, John Cater, Ricardo Dague, Jeremy Douglass, Josh Giesbrecht, N. B. Horvath, Carl Muckenhoupt, Mark Musante, Karl Parakenings, Mordechai Shinefield, Dan Shiovitz, Lucian Smith 1 vote "The weasel! You..." [+]"The weasel! You haven't forgotten the weasel, have you?" --David Welbourn... Vote for this game | |
| Renegade Brainwave, by J. J. Guest 1 vote "Officer McRonald." [+]"Officer McRonald." --J. J. Guest... Vote for this game | |
| Pumpkin Pie for your soul, by Nils Fagerburg 1 vote "The ghost" [+]"The ghost" --nf... Vote for this game | |
| Broken Legs, by Sarah Morayati 1 vote "Mary the "stage kid!" She follows the player around once you talk to her." [+]"Mary the "stage kid!" She follows the player around once you talk to her." ( ) --Kinetic Mouse Car... Vote for this game | |
| Frobozz Magic Support, by Nate Cull 1 vote "The Burin" [+]"The Burin" --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| The Faeries Of Haelstowne, by Christopher Merriner 1 vote "Ottoline Elderfield, a medium on the run from an unhappy love affair, accompanies Arthur throughout the game." [+]"Ottoline Elderfield, a medium on the run from an unhappy love affair, accompanies Arthur throughout the game." --ChrisM... Vote for this game | |
| Pirate's Plunder!, by Tiberius Thingamus 1 vote "Ichabod" [+]"Ichabod" ( - Full review) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Enceladus, by Robb Sherwin 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --Robb Sherwin... Vote for this game | |
| Fallacy of Dawn, by Robb Sherwin 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --Robb Sherwin... Vote for this game | |
| Escape from the Crazy Place, by J. J. Guest, Loz Etheridge and friends 1 vote "Throughout the..." [+]"Throughout the game you are accompanied by an irritating clown named Donald." --J. J. Guest... Vote for this game | |
| Zero Sum Game, by Cody Sandifer 1 vote "Maurice the Follower" [+]"Maurice the Follower" ( ) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Scroll Thief, by Daniel M. Stelzer 1 vote "One primary tag along NPC." [+]"One primary tag along NPC." ( ) --Floating Info... Vote for this game | |
| Flat Feet, by Joel Ray Holveck 1 vote "Ralph is your..." [+]"Ralph is your sidekick." --David Welbourn... Vote for this game | |
| Splashdown, by Paul J. Furio 1 vote "Robot named Spider." [+]"Robot named Spider." --Kinetic Mouse Car... Vote for this game | |
| The Orion Agenda, by Ryan Weisenberger 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Necrotic Drift, by Robb Sherwin 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --Robb Sherwin... Vote for this game | |
| The Wizard Sniffer, by Buster Hudson 1 vote "Charming cast, you have to love Tuck." [+]"Charming cast, you have to love Tuck." ( - Full review) --mg51... Vote for this game | |
| Yon Astounding Castle! of some sort, by Tiberius Thingamus 1 vote "Thrug the Orc." [+]"Thrug the Orc." --DB... Vote for this game | |
| Threnody, by John "Doppler" Schiff 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --verityvirtue... Vote for this game | |
| What Happens in Vagueness, by Sam Kabo Ashwell, Tom Blawgus, N.B. Horvath, Justin Larue, Jacqueline A. Lott, Michael Martin, Carl Muckenhoupt, Marius Müller, Mark Musante, and Brian Rapp 1 vote "Curb, your canine..." [+]"Curb, your canine companion, is possibly one of the more disgusting NPCs to ever follow you around." --David Welbourn... Vote for this game | |