The Top Ten Most Promising New Characters of E3

E3 always introduces plenty of new and exciting characters, and this particular year saw a surprising number of female protagonists as well as a small uptick in non-human characters like robots and yarn balls. While we don't know a lot of detail yet about most of these characters, these are the new faces that caught our eye, and have us excited about a rising batch of heroes and heroines.

10. JD (Gears of War 4)

Neither JD nor his partner Emily seem all that interesting, but at the very least JD lacks the over-the-top machismo present in previous Gears of War games. By calling JD normal instead of labeling him a meathead, we have arrived at a significant upgrade on typical Gears of War characterization.

9. Amy Ferrier (Tacoma)

We know next to nothing about Amy Ferrier, the heroine of developer Fullbright's upcoming first person exploration game. However, Fullbright already proved their storytelling prowess in their critically acclaimed first title Gone Home. As a result, Ferrier deserves the benefit of the doubt.

8. Rae (Beyond Eyes)

Beyond Eyes stars Rae, a blind girl searching for her lost cat. Sightless protagonists, though rare, do exist in games like Lurking and Perception. However, Rae is blind, young, and female. Finding a video game protagonist with these three qualities is equivalent to spotting a unicorn.

7. Azura (Fire Emblem Fates)

Nintendo's sole entry on this list appears in the form of a princess whose body suffers from dark corruption. Although Azura seems a touch stereotypical at first glance, the trailer for Fire Emblem Fates showcases a different side of her – a side willing to meet death with open arms. The Fire Emblem franchise often includes surprisingly complex characters, and we're hoping Azura shapes up to be compelling.

6. Codsworth (Fallout 4)

Every series needs a charming British butler. After years of robotic butler-free video games, Bethesda Softworks has at long last jumped on board by adding a robot servant who constantly insists on feeding the player. Here's a bonus: if he annoys you for any (all) of the reasons listed above, the studio has confirmed that you can shoot and destroy him.

5. Emily Kaldwin (Dishonored 2)

While Emily Kaldwin appeared in the first Dishonored, her surprising new role as a playable character justifies a spot on this list. If anything, her previous role - as the eventual ruler of the Empire - adds to her intrigue.

4. Joule (ReCore)

First of all, Joule owns an awesome robotic dog. Second, her name works as a pun against the 'jewels' that power the robots in her world. Although she deserves a spot on this list for those two things alone, the real reason Joule jumps all the way to number four is based on the blend of spunk and emotion she displayed during the ReCore announcement trailer.

3. Evie Frye (Assassin's Creed: Syndicate)

Evie Frye does not speak during her E3 trailer. Want to know what she does do? She kills everything that moves. There's something to be said for character development, and then there's something to be said for killing everything that moves.

2. Yarny (Unravel)

In an industry where the majority of games utilize violence as a gameplay mechanic, few developers pursue ideas as risky as Yarny. Perhaps that is what makes this character so appealing: as a human-shaped bundle of yarn, this improbable hero traverses the world by using his body to create bridges, ropes and more.

1. Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)

Despite Yarney's uniqueness, the award for most intriguing new character of E3 belongs to Aloy. Horizon Zero Dawn exploded out of nowhere, startling all of us with its clever and adventurous protagonist. Plus, thanks to Aloy's running commentary during her E3 trailer, we know more about her than most of the other characters on this list.