Winner: Maelle (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Writeup by Rob White
My first impression of Maelle was that she was just the “childhood friend” for Gustave, but how wrong I was. Her relevance to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s plot becomes more apparent as the hours pass, gradually revealing herself to be the main character, with Jennifer English delivering some of the best acting I’ve seen in a game. Maelle is a force to be reckoned with, much belied by her small stature and younger years. She knows her own mind, and has boundless determination and passion.
Jennifer delivered a beautifully moving speech at the Golden Joystick Awards when winning Best Lead Performer—explaining how she left a previous life behind to live more authentically as a queer person and by doing so, it enabled her to pour more of herself, both good and bad, into bringing Maelle to life. I really resonate with her story, as I imagine many do; I’m so happy for her and that it allowed her, alongside the incredibly talented writers at Sandfall Interactive, to give us this incredible character.
Runner-Up: Melinoë (Hades II)
Writeup by Matt Wardell
Can there be a Hades game without the charm and guile of protagonist Zagreus, the very son of Hades? Turns out, yes! Hades II’s Melinoë, Zagreus’ little sister, was raised by witches outside the eyes of the Olympic pantheon, away from her kin-killing grandfather, Chronos. Mel has none of the quippiness of the brother she never met, and is instead filled with a zeal for avenging her fallen family and fulfilling her lifelong mission of killing grandpa. Besides unknowingly inheriting her father’s cool-burning rage, Mel shows a softer side with the Crossroad’s mortal denizens, and always does her utmost to protect her found family. Time is certainly not on her side, but she’s impossible not to root for.
