Winner: Esquie (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Writeup by Matt Wardell
It may surprise you to learn of Esquie’s reputation as the most powerful being in the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, especially when you discover he’s basically a French Winnie the Pooh to Verso’s Christopher Robin. Esquie quickly becomes your party’s friend and confidant as well as their boat and airship, revealing that there’s plenty of wisdom (as well as some wine) stored in his rotund body. His infinite patience and good-naturedness are the perfect foil to the many woes Expedition 33 experience—he can be sad or bad or even rad, but never ever ever mad—and his little kicking legs when it’s time for swim swim will always bring a smile even while you’re still wiping away tears from whatever just happened in the plot.
Runner-Up: Juna (Quartet)
Writeup by Neal Chandran
Quartet’s ensemble cast features many standout characters, though the one who makes the biggest impression is Juna. This talking hippo (called a “euruphant” in the game) is not just some novelty character with an adorably animated sprite. Juna offers stability and maternal warmth, yet is also not afraid to put people in their places. Her sense of humor is sassy and snarky, but never hurtful because it comes from a place of wise understanding. In battle, Juna is both a powerful tank and an equally powerful healer. She also deals with existential crises the others don’t understand until they walk in her footsteps. In short, Juna proves to be a well-rounded and memorable character.
