Top Five Character Duos In Gaming

Jamie doubled up.

- Jamie Davies

There’s an undeniable appeal to things that come in pairs—something that rolls off the tongue like a perfectly formed mini poem. From fish and chips to Laurel and Hardy; yin and yang to gin and tonic, duos just feel… right. As the years have piled up behind us, more game franchises have leveraged this fact of life in their own lineup of characters. Nowadays, you’d have a hard time finding a character-driven game without some couple, duo or double-act. Who stands above the rabble though? Which gaming double-acts bring enough comedy, character or class to shine brighter than the rest? Avert your eyes downwards to find out: here are the best duos of gaming past and present.

5. Ratchet and Clank - The Ratchet and Clank Series

Unlike many console mascot duos, Ratchet and Clank each bring a portion of the personality to the table. Ratchet, a courageous and ambitious young mechanic turned galactic hero; Clank, a defective and resultantly self-aware battle robot with a wry sarcastic streak. All too often, mascot titles like Ratchet and Clank fall into the trap of having double-acts with one entertaining character and one silent doofus whose defining trait is—at best—the ability to follow orders and guffaw at little more than the sight of their own feet like an especially gormless stoner (Banjo, I’m looking at you here). Neither Ratchet nor Clank fit this description however: they’re both well-crafted characters who have sustained their franchise through over a dozen games and three console generations.

4. Naiee and Naia - Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons