#3: Clementine (The Walking Dead: Season 2)
One of the most badass and the most likable kids in gaming, it is with a heavy heart that I only put Clementine on number 3 of my list. Why? Because the other two had a much stronger impact on me.
That’s not to say that Clem didn’t influence me in my life: I spent season one of the Walking Dead watching this little girl grow from a scared kid to a capable survivor. And in the setup to her ascendance to playable, she easily gained likability: she was kind, she was helpful, she was polite, and above all, she was perceptive. Her very first action in the game is saving your current character, and she goes on to be a helpful sidekick to him throughout the game. Then, in Season Two, you get the chance to play as her, and experience her on a new level.
Gone is the complete idealist of Season 1, and in its place is a character molded by hardship with options that you can explore. You can choose to have her desperately cling to the small shreds of hope and idealism she has left, or turn her into a cynical and bitter survivalist that is willing to manipulate, cheat and kill to get what she wants. And even better, it makes sense.She’s still a kid, but after what she’s witnessed and what she’s gone through in the game, you understand every choice you’re given involving her, and I personally was fully behind ensuring she lived on. When she came back in Season Three, she was one of the only characters I still cared about. That’s saying something, considering my already shared opinion on that game.
Also, Melissa Hutchison does a fantastic job going from the scared, tiny voice of Season 1 Clementine to the gruffer and jaded tones of Season 3 Clementine. Props to you, Ms. Hutchison, for not only voicing a fantastic character, but evolving your voice to work alongside their own growth and development. Needless to say, Clementine is a character that I’ve grown up alongside, and I relate to her journey of maturity on a spiritual level. Nice job, kid. But who can beat you?