The PlayStation platform is home to dozens of beloved characters, some first appearing in the last decade and others bursting onto the scene in the earliest days of the home console's existence. People get attached to fictional characters for a variety of reasons that range from immersive storytelling to relatable personalities. Whether it's a family-friendly game like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or a mature narrative adventure like God of War: Ragnarok, it's often the characters that make these experiences so compelling.
Introverts are often misunderstood as loners who love self-isolation, but PlayStation is home to many introverted characters that offer unique perspectives and contributions to the world around them. Extroverts are often positioned in the spotlight, but it's nice to shine a light on those who prefer to stay slightly out of the frame and away from the noise.
8 Clank
The best hero duos in all forms of entertainment tend to include one partner who is the extroverted life of the party and socialite. The other part of the pair is usually a lot more reserved and introverted, bringing a much more calculated perspective. Ratchet and Clank fill these assumed roles perfectly, with Clank coming in as the introverted robot who has saved Ratchet's hide on more than one occasion.
Ratchet often serves as his own devil on his shoulder, whereas Clank has always been the angelic voice of reason trying to make his furry friend think twice before making a rash and brazen decision. It's a little on the nose to make Clank an introverted intellectual robot, but that doesn't make him any less lovable or endearing.
7 Bentley
Bentley is the introverted intelligent ally who has aided Sly Cooper in his 'thievius' adventures. He first appears as a reserved and timid person, which felt symbolic of his animal appearance as it related to him being a turtle. Those types of characteristics tend to be personified when turtles are presented as anthropomorphic characters.
However, as the games go on and Bentley endures traumatic events that leave him bound to a wheelchair, he opens up and lets more of his natural personality blossom. Sure, he falls into the tropes of the introvert on the team being the brains of the operation, but that doesn't make him any less interesting.
6 Jin Sakai
When looking at fictional heroes, it's often assumed that extroverted leaders are the core type of people who make the best heroes. Though that's true in some cases, Ghost of Tsushima's Jin Sakai serves as a point of contention to this common notion. He was a man who was raised to keep his emotions in line, and, as a result, he presents himself in a reserved, calculated, and stoic way that mirrors his inner introversion.
Despite this, he never fails to showcase kindness and sympathy to others when the situation calls for it. Introverts aren't inherently anti-social or lacking in social awareness. As with any group, there is a spectrum of behaviors and reactions all falling under the same umbrella.
5 Aloy
The question of whether or not extroversion and introversion is a result of nature or nurture has long been debated. In the case of Horizon Zero Dawn's lead protagonist Aloy, she serves as a possible bit of evidence for the nurture side of things. As a kid, she was an outcast and was bullied due to kids being taught she was different and therefore lesser than others. This likely made her less prone to pursue social interactions as she grew older into a self-reliant adult.
In her adult years, Aloy showcases a lack of casualness and comfortability in social interactions, which is likely a result of her childhood trauma. Introverts tend to fall into the category of free thinkers, unafraid to question established beliefs and/or traditions. This is something that Aloy does in regard to the tribal customs and lore of her people.
4 Bill
Bill in The Last of Us is a bit more polarizing and abrasive than he is in HBO's television adaptation, but personality wise he's rather similar. It's clear from the jump that he's an introverted soul who revels in the fact that his town is abandoned and he can fashion a life of solitude in the way he sees fit. The show does a good job of displaying how introverts may not love large social gatherings or constant interaction, but they still desire to be loved and love others.
Frank is such a perfect partner for Bill and vice versa because Frank's extroversion balances the two out and allows them to keep to themselves and build a life together. At the same time though, the pair are able to connect with others enough to the point where they don't lose their humanity or empathy for others in a post-apocalyptic world depleted of those feelings.
3 Cloud
Solely based on appearances, Cloud Strife doesn't look like the assumed representation of what an introvert looks like. He has a naturally magnetic aura about him, but when others become drawn to building a relationship with him, it becomes quite clear that he'd like to do anything other than engage in small talk and pleasantries.
This disconnect and reserved approach is likely an emotional response as he fears growing closer to more people he could potentially lose. Cloud is pretty awkward in social situations, which is often played for comedic effect considering his brazen and hardened persona comes in direct conflict with his uncomfortable response to unfamiliar encounters.
2 Kratos
Kratos has a long and storied history of interactions with others leading to death and destruction. It's easy to understand why he is rather introverted and prefers to spend his time alone in the woods with just his loved ones by his side. He expresses several times just how uninterested he is in the problems of others and communicates to his son Atreus that nothing good can come from interjecting one's self into the problems of others.
As time goes on, however, Atreus helps Kratos to warm up to the importance of not only helping others but also finding friends and building a small circle of trusted and welcomed allies. If it wasn't for Atreus, it's safe to assume that Kratos would have rooted himself in his introversion and lived the rest of his life in the woods as a hermit.
1 Joel
Even before the fall of society in The Last of Us, Joel Miller is presented as a closed-off and private person. He's rather grumpy and only really ever displays a joyous nature when he's interacting with those he cares about most. He tended to shut himself off from the world around him as all it ever did was cause him pain and discomfort. That's what makes his relationships with his daughter Sarah, his partner Tess, and his found daughter Ellie so special.
Joel wasn't a naturally mean person, but his trust needed to be earned, and, if that occurred, he became the ultimate protector. The cordyceps fallout made Joel revert deeper into his introversion, but thankfully he was able to express his true self to those who took the time to let him warm up to them.
