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** In ''Videogame/MassEffectAndromeda'', the male and female playable characters are fraternal twins. The one you don't choose still plays a role in the story.
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** In ''Videogame/MassEffectAndromeda'', the male and female playable characters are fraternal twins. The one you don't choose still plays a role starts off in the story.a coma due to their cryopod being damaged.
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** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Path of Radiance]]'' has a lot of variance in story scenes based on [[FinalDeath which characters are alive]]. In general, the dialogue of each scene will be mostly the same, but some characters will take over other characters' lines if the original speakers died. This even expects to certain support conversations. E.g. in Astrid and Makalov's supports, someone always stops Makalov for selling her pendant at a pawn shop, it's his sister Marsha if she's alive and Ike if she died.
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Put order in the FE examples, left the Tellius one unseen since I haven't played the Tellius games.
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* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The one who's plot branch was followed continues spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
%%* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangeable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely doesn't exist if Lethe is alive.]])
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if all 5 are already taken). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example. Also, the servant who joins you first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).
%%* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangeable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely doesn't exist if Lethe is alive.]])
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if all 5 are already taken). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example. Also, the servant who joins you first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).
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* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' features MANY cases of this:
** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening'' and ''Fates''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good, status-wise, as the 'canon' children).
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The one who's plot branch was followed continues spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
%%* ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' has two separate cases:
*** Various husbands: Intermarrying the characters opens up an extra map where the player can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother, Inigo explaining his DumbassTeenageSon act, Cynthia and Severa trying to become {{Daddys Girl}}s in their own ways, etc.), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented. Plus the Avatar's exclusive child, Morgan, can have talks with his[[note]](in Lucina's below-mentioned case)[[/note]]/her[[note]](if the Male Avatar marries a woman who has another child)[[/note]] older sibling that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
*** "Chrom's Wife": [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who MUST marry in-story, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if neither of the five girls qualify or they're already married). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that like [[spoiler: Morgan]]'s case, are pre-fixed and with the same subject matter.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example save for being . Also, the servant who joins the group first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
%%** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangeable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely doesn't exist if Lethe is alive.]])
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if all 5 are already taken). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example. Also, the servant who joins you first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).]])
** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening'' and ''Fates''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good, status-wise, as the 'canon' children).
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The one who's plot branch was followed continues spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
*** Various husbands: Intermarrying the characters opens up an extra map where the player can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother, Inigo explaining his DumbassTeenageSon act, Cynthia and Severa trying to become {{Daddys Girl}}s in their own ways, etc.), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented. Plus the Avatar's exclusive child, Morgan, can have talks with his[[note]](in Lucina's below-mentioned case)[[/note]]/her[[note]](if the Male Avatar marries a woman who has another child)[[/note]] older sibling that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
*** "Chrom's Wife": [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who MUST marry in-story, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if neither of the five girls qualify or they're already married). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that like [[spoiler: Morgan]]'s case, are pre-fixed and with the same subject matter.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example save for being . Also, the servant who joins the group first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
%%** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangeable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely doesn't exist if Lethe is alive.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl if all 5 are already taken). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example. Also, the servant who joins you first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).
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In traditional storytelling, every character has a specific role in a plot that is statically assigned to them. In VideoGames, however, it is possible to associate specific story beats with an abstract "role" rather than a certain character, and to let the player decide which one of the available {{player|Character}} or [[NonPlayerCharacter non-player characters]] acts it out in their playthrough. This makes the plot appear incredibly variable and tailored to the player without actually having any StoryBranching, since all story beats (character ''actions'') remain essentially the same but different characters can have vastly different ''reactions'' to the role they've been given. Often, the selection of characters available for a role will be limited in some way (e.g. only magic-users, only blood relatives, etc.).
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In traditional storytelling, every character has a specific role in a plot that is statically assigned to them. In VideoGames, however, it is possible to associate specific story beats NarrativeBeats with an abstract "role" rather than a certain character, and to let the player decide which one of the available {{player|Character}} or [[NonPlayerCharacter non-player characters]] acts it out in their playthrough. This makes the plot appear incredibly variable and tailored to the player without actually having any StoryBranching, since all story beats (character ''actions'') remain essentially the same but different characters can have vastly different ''reactions'' to the role they've been given. Often, the selection of characters available for a role will be limited in some way (e.g. only magic-users, only blood relatives, etc.).
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** In ''Videogame/MassEffectAndromeda'', the male and female playable characters are fraternal twins. The one you don't choose still plays a role in the story.
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*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' play a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall to Mythal]].
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall to Mythal]].
to:
*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' play a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
games.]]
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall toMythal]].Mythal.]]
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall to
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'', "Sole Survivor": The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'', "Sole Survivor": The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].prologue.]]
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** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has two generic plot roles:
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** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has two generic plot roles:''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'':
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''
** "Sole Survivor": . The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
** "Sole Survivor": . The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''
**4}}'', "Sole Survivor": . Survivor": The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
**
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' does this with the player character genders. The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' does this with the player character genders.4}}''
** "Sole Survivor": . The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
** "Sole Survivor": . The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
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** In ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'', the character you do not choose is Professor Rowan's assistant. If you choose Lucas, Dawn is the assistant, and vice versa. TheRival is always [[HotBlooded Barry]], however.
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* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a similar system as the one noted on the ''Awakening'' example above, with the difference being that the father is the constant parent and the supports with the mother are the "generic" ones. Azura is the exception, with mechanics similar to that of Chrom in the above example. Also, the servant who joins you first is dependent on the PlayerCharacter's gender; Felicia accompanies male Avatars first, and Jakob for female Avatars.
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* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The player then picks one of them to continue spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
to:
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The player then picks one of them to continue who's plot branch was followed continues spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
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*** Divine Victoria: At the end of the game, one of the Inquisitions' female human members, [[spoiler:Cassandra, Leliana, or Vivienne]], is elected the new [[ThePope Divine]]. While the flavor narration and the off-screen policies each of them implements vary greatly, Divine Victoria's role in the ''Trespasser'' DLC is more or less the same, regardless of her secular identity.
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*** Divine Victoria: At the end of the game, one of the Inquisitions' Inquisition's female human members, [[spoiler:Cassandra, Leliana, or Vivienne]], is elected the new [[ThePope Divine]]. While the flavor narration and the off-screen policies each of them implements vary greatly, Divine Victoria's role in the ''Trespasser'' DLC is more or less the same, regardless of her secular identity.
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*** Divine Victoria: At the end of the game, one of the Inquisitions' female human members, [[spoiler:Cassandra, Leliana, or Vivienne]], is elected the new [[ThePope Divine]]. While the flavor narration and the off-screen policies each of them implements vary greatly, Divine Victoria's role in the ''Trespasser'' DLC is more or less the same, regardless of her secular identity.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' does this with the player character genders. The game starts off with a married couple preparing for an event later that night, and the player can customize the two of them before selecting one. The other then becomes an NPC with a default name [[spoiler:who dies at the end of the prologue]].
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** Because of the second game's AnyoneCanDie ending, ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' has roles in both the main storyline and side missions that are filled by one of your former squadmates if available and another character otherwise. The most notable of these are the Urdnot clan leader (Wrex or Wreav), salarian doctor preparing the genophage cure (Mordin Solus or Padok Wiks), geth ally (Legion or, er... Legion's backup copy), and one of the Lawson sisters on Horizon (Miranda or Oriana). Some of these have great difference in plot outcomes and consequences, others, not so much.
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** Because of the second game's AnyoneCanDie ending, ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' has roles in both the main storyline and side missions that are filled by one of your former squadmates if available and another character otherwise. The most notable Some of these are fall under this trope, such as the Urdnot clan leader (Wrex or Wreav), Wreav) and one of the Lawson sisters on Horizon (Miranda or Oriana), while others are a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, e.g. the salarian doctor preparing the genophage cure (Mordin Solus or Padok Wiks), Wiks) or the geth ally (Legion or, er... Legion's backup copy), and one of the Lawson sisters on Horizon (Miranda or Oriana).copy). Some of these have great difference in plot outcomes and consequences, others, not so much.
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** Because of the second game's AnyoneCanDie ending, ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' has roles in both the main storyline and side missions that are filled by one of your former squadmates if available and another character otherwise. The most notable of these are the Urdnot clan leader (Wrex or Wreav), salarian doctor preparing the genophage cure (Mordin Solus or Padok Wiks), geth ally (Legion or, er... Legion's backup copy), and one of the Lawson sisters on Horizon (Miranda or Oriana). Some of these have great difference in plot outcomes and consequences, others, not so much.
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In traditional storytelling, every character has a specific role in a plot that is statically assigned to them. In VideoGames, however, it is possible to associate specific story beats not with a single character but instead with a more abstract "role", and have the player decide which one of the available {{player|Character}} or [[NonPlayerCharacter non-player characters]] acts it out in their playthrough. This makes the plot appear incredibly variable and tailored to the player without actually having any StoryBranching, since all story beats (character ''actions'') remain essentially the same but different characters can have vastly different ''reactions'' to the role they've been assigned. Often, the selection of characters available for a role will be limited in some way (e.g. only magic-users, only blood relatives, etc.).
A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the other is often called "the Whatever Survivor"). A [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sufficiently large cast]] is often required to use this trope effectively. If a particular character is unfairly promoted for a certain role by the game, it may be suffering from StoryBranchFavoritism.
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all).
A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the other is often called "the Whatever Survivor"). A [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sufficiently large cast]] is often required to use this trope effectively. If a particular character is unfairly promoted for a certain role by the game, it may be suffering from StoryBranchFavoritism.
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all).
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In traditional storytelling, every character has a specific role in a plot that is statically assigned to them. In VideoGames, however, it is possible to associate specific story beats not with a single character but instead with a more an abstract "role", "role" rather than a certain character, and have to let the player decide which one of the available {{player|Character}} or [[NonPlayerCharacter non-player characters]] acts it out in their playthrough. This makes the plot appear incredibly variable and tailored to the player without actually having any StoryBranching, since all story beats (character ''actions'') remain essentially the same but different characters can have vastly different ''reactions'' to the role they've been assigned.given. Often, the selection of characters available for a role will be limited in some way (e.g. only magic-users, only blood relatives, etc.).
A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the otheris often may be called "the Whatever Survivor"). A [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sufficiently large cast]] is often required to use this trope effectively. If a particular character is unfairly promoted for a certain role by the game, it may be suffering from StoryBranchFavoritism.
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all). Has nothing to do with the StaticCharacter trope.
A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the other
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all). Has nothing to do with the StaticCharacter trope.
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*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
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*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays play a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
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* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'': There are three possible wives for the hero, and while they have ''very'' contrasting personalities and dialogues, their role is the same: get married, bear children, [[spoiler:get kidnapped and turned into a stone statue for a decade before being rescued by her children and husband]]. The kids also have their mother's hair color, but have the same lines in every case.
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Isn\'t this an example of Suspiciously Similar Substitute?
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* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely does't exist if Lethe is alive]])
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** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, if all 5 are already taken, Chrom marries a nameless village girl). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler: meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13.]] Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, if all 5 are already taken, Chrom marries a nameless village girl). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler: meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13.]] Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
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** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable marriageable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable marriageable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6,if all 5 are already taken, as Chrom marries a nameless village girl). girl if all 5 are already taken). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler: meeting [[spoiler:meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13.]] 13]]. Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6,
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* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
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* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', various ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn]]'' have several roles that are taken over by other characters should certain characters [[FinalDeath fall in battle.]] For example, in the epilogue of ''Path of Radiance'' Zelgius appears as the representative of Crimea's alliance with Begnion if Tanith suffered a CareerEndingInjury. Even some support conversations have interchangable characters: Ike takes Marcia's role in Astrid and Makalov's supports if Marcia died. In ''Radiant Dawn'', Lethe is usually the boss of chapter 3-6 but if she died while under the player's control an NPC will replace her in the same role. ([[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter This NPC likely does't exist if Lethe is alive]])
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, if all 5 are already taken, Chrom marries a nameless village girl). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler: meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13.]] Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''
** Various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
** "Chrom's Wife". [[TheHero Chrom]] is the one character who gender-inverts this. He is the only character who is forced to marry, and he can marry one of 5 different characters (or 6, if all 5 are already taken, Chrom marries a nameless village girl). Regardless of who they are, "Chrom's Wife" fills the same story role in two scenes: appearing with his baby after Chapter 11, and [[spoiler: meeting Chrom's KidFromTheFuture in Chapter 13.]] Every one of these apart from the generic village girl also has a child of their own in addition to Chrom's fixed child. This child fills the role of "Lucina's Sibling": having a set of support conversations that, like children and fathers, mostly have the same subject matter regardless of who the sibling actually is.
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*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], can be either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
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*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], can be either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
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* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' and their remakes, and ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female) for the Hoenn region and Calem (male) and Serena (female) for the Kalos region, letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
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* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', their remakes, and ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female) for the Hoenn region and Calem (male) and Serena (female) for the Kalos region, letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
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* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/UnchartedWatersNewHorizons'': To have more than one ship in your fleet, you have to hire named sailors in ports and appoint them as additional ships' navigators. If you have surplus mates, you can additionally appoint them as First Mate, Book Keeper, and Chief Navigator. While mates appointed to these roles will participate in specific dialogues (e.g. the Book Keeper will chime in during market negotiations), their impact on the plot is negligible.
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* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/UnchartedWatersNewHorizons'': To have more than one ship in your fleet, you have to hire named sailors in ports and appoint them as additional ships' navigators. If you have surplus mates, you can additionally appoint three of them as First Mate, Book Keeper, and Chief Navigator. While mates appointed to these roles will participate in specific dialogues (e.g. the Book Keeper will chime in during market negotiations), their impact on the plot is negligible.
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* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/UnchartedWatersNewHorizons'': To have more than one ship in your fleet, you have to hire named sailors in ports and appoint them as additional ships' navigators. If you have surplus mates, you can additionally appoint them as First Mate, Book Keeper, and Chief Navigator. While mates appointed to these roles will participate in specific dialogues (e.g. the Book Keeper will chime in during market negotiations), their impact on the plot is negligible.
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*** "Love Interest": Hawke's lover has a minor role outside of the RomanceSidequest, such as when they come over after "[[PlayerPunch All That Remains]]", or when a crazy mage cabal kidnaps them.
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*** "Love Interest": Hawke's lover has a minor role outside of the RomanceSidequest, such as when they come over after "[[PlayerPunch All That Remains]]", or when a crazy mage cabal mage-Templar alliance kidnaps them.
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*** "Landsmeet Champion": During the Landsmeet, Teyrn Loghain challenges the Warden to a duel, but you can instead name another champion from among your companions to fight him. [[CanineCompanion Dog]] will be rejected outright, while any other choice will provoke a number of reactions from [=NPCs=]. Furthermore, while most companions will leave Loghain's fate up to you after defeating him, Alistair will always slay him out of hand because he [[ArchNemesis hates him so much]].
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*** "Landsmeet Champion": During the Landsmeet, Teyrn Loghain challenges the Warden to a duel, but you can instead name another champion from among your companions to fight him. [[CanineCompanion Dog]] will be rejected outright, while any other choice will provoke a number of reactions from [=NPCs=]. Furthermore, while most companions will leave Loghain's fate up to you after defeating him, Alistair will always slay him out of hand because he [[ArchNemesis hates him so much]].ItsPersonal.
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* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female), letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
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* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' and their remakes, and ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female), (female) for the Hoenn region and Calem (male) and Serena (female) for the Kalos region, letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
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* ''TabletopGame/BetrayalAtHouseOnTheHill'', various: At the start of a given session, the players pick a scenario and are given random predefined characters to role-play. Half-way through the game, a variety of scenario-specific roles (usually including at least one traitor) are semi-randomly assigned to some characters, putting an additional role-play layer on top of that.
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* ''TabletopGame/BetrayalAtHouseOnTheHill'', various: various roles: At the start of a given session, the players pick a scenario and are given random predefined characters to role-play. Half-way through the game, a variety of scenario-specific roles (usually including at least one traitor) are semi-randomly assigned to some characters, putting an additional role-play layer on top of that.
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In traditional storytelling, every character has a specific role in a plot that is statically assigned to them. In VideoGames, however, it is possible to associate specific story beats not with a single character but instead with a more abstract "role", and have the player decide which one of the available {{player|Character}} or [[NonPlayerCharacter non-player characters]] acts it out in their playthrough. This makes the plot appear incredibly variable and tailored to the player without actually having any StoryBranching, since all story beats (character ''actions'') remain essentially the same but different characters can have vastly different ''reactions'' to the role they've been assigned. Often, the selection of characters available for a role will be limited in some way (e.g. only magic-users, only blood relatives, etc.).
A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the other is often called "the Whatever Survivor"). A [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sufficiently large cast]] is often required to use this trope effectively. If a particular character is unfairly promoted for a certain role by the game, it may be suffering from StoryBranchFavoritism.
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all).
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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Board Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/BetrayalAtHouseOnTheHill'', various: At the start of a given session, the players pick a scenario and are given random predefined characters to role-play. Half-way through the game, a variety of scenario-specific roles (usually including at least one traitor) are semi-randomly assigned to some characters, putting an additional role-play layer on top of that.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real-Time Strategy]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II'', "The Traitor": One team member turns traitor over the course of the game, with the player's actions determining who it is, such as doing some sidequests or not, or equipping corrupted gear, with the role falling to [[spoiler:a MissionControl NPC]] if all members are kept pure [[spoiler:and if the player ends up making the psyker the traitor, he'd suffered DemonicPossession and was FightingFromTheInside]]. Canonically, [[spoiler:Avitus]] becomes the traitor.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- Eastern]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', late-game party leader: After Terra's reinclusion to the party, the players can arrange the fourteen-member party however they like, barring one or two places where a certain character is fixed for plot purposes. The character in the "party leader" slot is assigned the same lines regardless of who's placed there, which can result in some wildly out-of-character dialogue.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female), letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- MMO]]
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', "Havoc Squad Lieutenant": In the end of Act I of Republic Trooper's storyline, you get [[RankUp promoted to Captain]] and must, in turn, promote one of your two organic companions to squad lieutenant. Both Jorgan and Elara are happy if you pick them, but for different reasons: to Jorgan, this is the restoration of his old rank that he was unfairly stripped of; to Elara, this is the long-overdue recognition of her skills and dedication to the Republic's cause. Regardless of who it is, however, they dutifully serve as your [[NumberTwo second-in-command]] for the rest of the campaign.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- Western]]
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', "Dxun Party Leader": During the Battle of Onderon, you must detach three party members to perform a diversion on Onderon's moon Dxun. Whoever is chosen as the leader of this strike team stars in a minor subplot where an ancient Sith temple tries to tempt them with TheDarkSide, and you have to deal with its aftermath after the battle.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series:
** "Virmire Survivor": In ''VideoGame/{{Mass Effect|1}}'', two squad members, [[spoiler:Ashley and Kaidan]], are separated from the party on Virmire and by the end of the mission, Shepard has to make a SadisticChoice to save one of them, leaving the other to die. The accepted term for the one who lives is "the Virmire Survivor", and they go on to play an important episodic role throughout the rest of the original trilogy--which is essentially the same, regardless of the survivor's identity.
** The entire SuicideMission in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is built around this trope, as Shepard has to repeatedly assign squadmates to specific roles (the Tech Specialist, the Fireteam Leader, the Biotic Specialist, the Escort, etc.) over its course. In a twist, while every available candidate gets their assigned job done, subpar assignments ''do'' lead to minor StoryBranching at the end of their respective segments, possibly resulting in [[AnyoneCanDie their or another squadmate's deaths]] (see [[Analysis/MassEffect2 here]] for detailed analysis).
* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'', whose endgame subtly imitates ''Mass Effect 2'': the final mission occurs in three phases (delivering the Key, opening the portals, storming the alien ship) and you must choose one of three pairs of homies ([[spoiler:Pierce and Shaundi]], [[spoiler:Matt and Asha]], and [[spoiler:King and Gat]]) to go with you on each one, leaving whoever was with you before to HoldTheLine. While all of them basically do the same things, their reactions and dialogue is unique to each pair-mission combo, and in the second phase, the AI allies you summon depend on who is with you at the time.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series:
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
*** "Rescue Duo": Towards the endgame, the Warden may be imprisoned in Fort Drakon, and two party members can be selected to try to rescue them. Different combinations have different degrees of success (e.g. [[LoveableRogue Leliana and Zevran]] will have zero trouble getting past every guard, while Sten and Oghren quickly make themselves a [[HilarityEnsues laughing stock]]), but all ultimately reach and free the Warden.
*** "Landsmeet Champion": During the Landsmeet, Teyrn Loghain challenges the Warden to a duel, but you can instead name another champion from among your companions to fight him. [[CanineCompanion Dog]] will be rejected outright, while any other choice will provoke a number of reactions from [=NPCs=]. Furthermore, while most companions will leave Loghain's fate up to you after defeating him, Alistair will always slay him out of hand because he [[ArchNemesis hates him so much]].
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has two generic plot roles:
*** "Hawke Sibling": One of Hawke's younger twin siblings always dies in the prologue (Bethany if Hawke is a mage, Carver otherwise), while the other, often called "surviving sibling", goes on to play a specific role at several points of the plot (most importantly at the end of Act 1, [[spoiler:where they contract the Darkspawn Taint if taken to the Deep Roads]]).
*** "Love Interest": Hawke's lover has a minor role outside of the RomanceSidequest, such as when they come over after "[[PlayerPunch All That Remains]]", or when a crazy mage cabal kidnaps them.
*** "Rescue Duo": Similar to ''DAO'', in the ''Mark of the Assassin'' DLC, when Hawke and Tallis are captured, the other two party members try to break them out--and universally fail, but their interactions during the attempt paint a perfect picture of the [[DysfunctionJunction convoluted relationships among your party members]].
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'':
*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], can be either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall to Mythal]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Turn-Based Tactics]]
* ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', "Volunteer": To trigger the endgame, the player must send one of their organization's psychic soldiers into the Gollop Chamber to contact [[spoiler:the Etherial Hivemind]]. This soldier becomes known as "[[GotVolunteered the Volunteer]]" for the rest of the game, leads the assault on the final alien base, and [[HeroMustSurvive must survive said assault]] because [[spoiler:in the final cutscene, they perform a HeroicSacrifice to save the Earth and humanity]].
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The player then picks one of them to continue spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).
[[/folder]]
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A telltale sign of this trope at work is when players or even the game itself start using generic, gender-neutral role descriptors (like "the Specialist", "the Volunteer", "the Love Interest", etc.) instead of character names to simplify walkthroughs. It commonly overlaps with RomanceSidequest (if the PC's love interest, regardless who it is, has a role in the overarching plot) and MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers (if one such member dies, the other is often called "the Whatever Survivor"). A [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sufficiently large cast]] is often required to use this trope effectively. If a particular character is unfairly promoted for a certain role by the game, it may be suffering from StoryBranchFavoritism.
When a character who is supposed to play a specific role is replaced by a new character, it's a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, not this trope. If you can pick a character for the role of "the PlayerCharacter" at the start of the game, then it's a SchrodingersPlayerCharacter (assuming the other possible [=PCs=] then don't appear in the game at all).
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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Board Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/BetrayalAtHouseOnTheHill'', various: At the start of a given session, the players pick a scenario and are given random predefined characters to role-play. Half-way through the game, a variety of scenario-specific roles (usually including at least one traitor) are semi-randomly assigned to some characters, putting an additional role-play layer on top of that.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real-Time Strategy]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II'', "The Traitor": One team member turns traitor over the course of the game, with the player's actions determining who it is, such as doing some sidequests or not, or equipping corrupted gear, with the role falling to [[spoiler:a MissionControl NPC]] if all members are kept pure [[spoiler:and if the player ends up making the psyker the traitor, he'd suffered DemonicPossession and was FightingFromTheInside]]. Canonically, [[spoiler:Avitus]] becomes the traitor.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- Eastern]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', late-game party leader: After Terra's reinclusion to the party, the players can arrange the fourteen-member party however they like, barring one or two places where a certain character is fixed for plot purposes. The character in the "party leader" slot is assigned the same lines regardless of who's placed there, which can result in some wildly out-of-character dialogue.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', "Rival": The game features two possible player characters, Brendan (male) and May (female), letting the player decide who to play as. The other possible PC then becomes TheRival to the player, with largely the same role, regardless who it is.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- MMO]]
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', "Havoc Squad Lieutenant": In the end of Act I of Republic Trooper's storyline, you get [[RankUp promoted to Captain]] and must, in turn, promote one of your two organic companions to squad lieutenant. Both Jorgan and Elara are happy if you pick them, but for different reasons: to Jorgan, this is the restoration of his old rank that he was unfairly stripped of; to Elara, this is the long-overdue recognition of her skills and dedication to the Republic's cause. Regardless of who it is, however, they dutifully serve as your [[NumberTwo second-in-command]] for the rest of the campaign.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:RPG -- Western]]
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', "Dxun Party Leader": During the Battle of Onderon, you must detach three party members to perform a diversion on Onderon's moon Dxun. Whoever is chosen as the leader of this strike team stars in a minor subplot where an ancient Sith temple tries to tempt them with TheDarkSide, and you have to deal with its aftermath after the battle.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series:
** "Virmire Survivor": In ''VideoGame/{{Mass Effect|1}}'', two squad members, [[spoiler:Ashley and Kaidan]], are separated from the party on Virmire and by the end of the mission, Shepard has to make a SadisticChoice to save one of them, leaving the other to die. The accepted term for the one who lives is "the Virmire Survivor", and they go on to play an important episodic role throughout the rest of the original trilogy--which is essentially the same, regardless of the survivor's identity.
** The entire SuicideMission in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is built around this trope, as Shepard has to repeatedly assign squadmates to specific roles (the Tech Specialist, the Fireteam Leader, the Biotic Specialist, the Escort, etc.) over its course. In a twist, while every available candidate gets their assigned job done, subpar assignments ''do'' lead to minor StoryBranching at the end of their respective segments, possibly resulting in [[AnyoneCanDie their or another squadmate's deaths]] (see [[Analysis/MassEffect2 here]] for detailed analysis).
* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'', whose endgame subtly imitates ''Mass Effect 2'': the final mission occurs in three phases (delivering the Key, opening the portals, storming the alien ship) and you must choose one of three pairs of homies ([[spoiler:Pierce and Shaundi]], [[spoiler:Matt and Asha]], and [[spoiler:King and Gat]]) to go with you on each one, leaving whoever was with you before to HoldTheLine. While all of them basically do the same things, their reactions and dialogue is unique to each pair-mission combo, and in the second phase, the AI allies you summon depend on who is with you at the time.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series:
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
*** "Rescue Duo": Towards the endgame, the Warden may be imprisoned in Fort Drakon, and two party members can be selected to try to rescue them. Different combinations have different degrees of success (e.g. [[LoveableRogue Leliana and Zevran]] will have zero trouble getting past every guard, while Sten and Oghren quickly make themselves a [[HilarityEnsues laughing stock]]), but all ultimately reach and free the Warden.
*** "Landsmeet Champion": During the Landsmeet, Teyrn Loghain challenges the Warden to a duel, but you can instead name another champion from among your companions to fight him. [[CanineCompanion Dog]] will be rejected outright, while any other choice will provoke a number of reactions from [=NPCs=]. Furthermore, while most companions will leave Loghain's fate up to you after defeating him, Alistair will always slay him out of hand because he [[ArchNemesis hates him so much]].
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has two generic plot roles:
*** "Hawke Sibling": One of Hawke's younger twin siblings always dies in the prologue (Bethany if Hawke is a mage, Carver otherwise), while the other, often called "surviving sibling", goes on to play a specific role at several points of the plot (most importantly at the end of Act 1, [[spoiler:where they contract the Darkspawn Taint if taken to the Deep Roads]]).
*** "Love Interest": Hawke's lover has a minor role outside of the RomanceSidequest, such as when they come over after "[[PlayerPunch All That Remains]]", or when a crazy mage cabal kidnaps them.
*** "Rescue Duo": Similar to ''DAO'', in the ''Mark of the Assassin'' DLC, when Hawke and Tallis are captured, the other two party members try to break them out--and universally fail, but their interactions during the attempt paint a perfect picture of the [[DysfunctionJunction convoluted relationships among your party members]].
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'':
*** "Grey Warden Ally": Depending on the [[OldSaveBonus world state]], can be either Alistair, [[spoiler:Loghain]], or Stroud from ''[=DA2=]'' plays a major static role in the "Here Lies The Abyss" plotline. At the end of said mission, [[spoiler:one of them or Hawke becomes "the Fade Survivor", whose role is to play out in the future games]].
*** "[[spoiler:Mythal's Thrall]]": Towards the endgame, either the Inquisitor, or Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows, allowing them to neutralize the Elder One's dragon in the FinalBattle, but also [[spoiler:making them a thrall to Mythal]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Turn-Based Tactics]]
* ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', "Volunteer": To trigger the endgame, the player must send one of their organization's psychic soldiers into the Gollop Chamber to contact [[spoiler:the Etherial Hivemind]]. This soldier becomes known as "[[GotVolunteered the Volunteer]]" for the rest of the game, leads the assault on the final alien base, and [[HeroMustSurvive must survive said assault]] because [[spoiler:in the final cutscene, they perform a HeroicSacrifice to save the Earth and humanity]].
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', endgame protagonist: The twin protagonists Eprhraim and Eirika follow different questlines, but reunite in the final chapters. The player then picks one of them to continue spearheading the plot through the same endgame sequence of events, but with different dialogue and personal scenes.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', various husbands: Intermarrying your characters opens up an extra map where you can meet a child whose identity is determined by the female half but who is also said to be the child of the male half of the pairing (in effect, for every marriable female character, there is a static role "Her Husband" that can be assigned to any marriable male). The child can support with their father, but the main point of the support conversations is always the same (e.g. Nah wondering why her father married her mother), with only the father's speech patterns and rarely personality impacting the way it is presented.
* ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' originated the marriage system that appears in ''Awakening''. The mother characters are fixed and their children look and act the same regardless of who the father is; only the gameplay skills are different. If the mother remains unmarried, a pair of substitutes appear instead--they have the same dialogue as the 'canonical' children, but different stats. However, the substitutes also have conversations and events unique to them (many of them about not being as good as the 'canon' children).
[[/folder]]
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