5 Great Irish in Gaming
" While they may not make the 'foinest' role models, they charmed their way into our hearts for sure."
Disclaimer: Minor spoilers for Red Dead Redemption, Biohock, Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, Fallout 3, and GTAIV and V.
St. Patrick’s Day has morphed into a celebration of beer, red heads, and shamrock shakes. At the heart of this holiday lies a vibrant culture that produced James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Bono, and Daniel Day-Lewis. This year Handsome Phantom is celebrating St. Patty’s Day with a look at a few of our favorite Irish folk in video games. While they may not make the “foinest” role models, they charmed their way into our hearts for sure.
1. Irish / Red Dead Redemption
“You’re an angry and a feck-ugly man, but not a bad one.”
Red Dead Redemption follows outlaw turned bounty hunter John Marston as he hunts down the remaining members of his old gang. Marston meets the man known only as Irish getting his face kicked in by two guys. Irish supposedly helps Marston out as an ally, but the completion of missions with Irish always end up just short of success. Most importantly Irish helps John on his way to Nuevo Paraiso in Mexico, putting him closer to finishing the mission and seeing his family again. Though Irish represents a lot of bad stereotypes of Irish immigrants, he adds some humor and nonsensical charm to the stellar supporting cast of Red Dead Redemption. The game wouldn’t be the same without him.
2. Shay Cormac / Assassin’s Creed: Rogue
“May the Father of Understanding guide us all.”
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is the first and only AC game to put players in the shoes of a Templar. Shay Cormac, a former member of the Assassin’s Brotherhood, drips with determination and pathos. His air rifle presented a whole new tool for fans of the series, and game play on Shay’s ship, the Morrigan, kept the naval warfare of Black Flag alive for one more title. Rogue is also the last AC game to be released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was a fine farewell to one of the great console generations.
3. Atlas / Bioshock
“Would you kindly?”
For most of Bioshock, Atlas’s charming brogue is the only comfort among the horrifying ruins of Rapture. Every quest objective Atlas points you towards is preceded by a polite “would you kindly?” It’s not until the game’s dramatic third act twist that players find out Atlas is not who he says he is, and his coda-like question has a much more sinister intent. Bioshock presents one of the most memorable experiences in gaming. It’s a haunting game that sticks with you. Even today, eleven years after the game’s initial release, I still ruminate on scenes from the game. Remember: a slave obeys.
4. Moriarty / Fallout 3
“Oh, the lies we tell to those we love.”
Moriarty runs the saloon in the city of Megaton. Built from the remains of salvaged airplanes with a city center occupied by a defunct nuclear bomb, Megaton might be the first civilized place players stumble upon in Fallout 3‘s Capitol Wasteland. Or it might not be. The way Bethesda builds their unique worlds could let players wander around everywhere except Megaton, and still complete the main story and have a blast while doing it. But don’t sleep on Megaton, or Moriarty. If players follow the rails of Bethesda’s main story-line, Moriarty helps teach the emerging Lone Wanderer that the Wasteland is a cruel place, and nothing is free – especially not information. Fun fact: Moriarty’s full name is Colin Moriarty, which apparently is not a nod to gaming’s favorite misanthrope Colin Moriarty (formerly of Kinda Funny, formerly of IGN).
5. Patrick “Packie” McCreary / Grand Theft Auto IV (and V)
“You wanna beer?”
Nothing brings friends together like a cocaine deal gone wrong. That’s how Packie and GTAIV protagonist Niko Bellic begin their bromance. Packie plays an important role in the best mission in GTAIV, and one of the best missions in gaming history: the heist at the Liberty City Bank. This heist is inspired by the movie Heat, and in retrospect provides the precedent that gives birth to GTAV. Packie features in GTAV as well, though in a much more minor role than GTAIV. GTAIV began a new era for Grand Theft Auto, but the series has always had entertaining and memorable side characters – Packie is up there with some of the best.
Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day. Make sure you wear green, and knock back a few beers (responsibly and legally).
As always, we want to know what you think! Who are some of your favorite Irish video game characters? Will you be getting the remaster of AC: Rogue this week? Would you kindly check out our recent review of the new Tomb Raider movie, and our preview of Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom?
