Line #33 CowardlyLion/VideoGames


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8	* [[LoonyFan Ota Matsushita]] in ''VideoGame/AITheSomniumFiles'' is a 25-year-old {{otaku}} {{manchild}} who after discovering a body panicked and ran off to call the police, [[IntergenerationalFriendship not realizing he left his 12-year-old best friend behind]] at the scene. However, he beats himself up over his cowardice and reveals himself to be willing to go to extreme lengths to protect the people he cares about [[spoiler: such as assaulting a police officer and going one-on-one with a SerialKiller [[DoggedNiceGuy to save his crush]].]]
9	* ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent'': Daniel is cripplingly afraid of the dark, of the horrifically disfigured monsters lurking about, and of the Shadow that is gradually taking over the entire castle, but he still confronts all three again and again as he makes the titular descent into Alexander's inner sanctum.
10	* ''VideoGame/ArcTheLad'': Poco is a musician who's afraid of his own shadow… and who happens to be one of the strongest fighters of TheVerse.
11	* ''VideoGame/AtelierRyzaEverDarknessAndTheSecretHideout'': Tao Mongarten often expresses doubt about the party's next adventure, and tries to convince them to reconsider, but in the end, he always goes along with them because he'd never abandon his friends.
12	* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'': Khalid. He's the easily unnerved HenpeckedHusband of Jaheira, who is usually the first to have a morale failure and run in a battle (even though he has some of the highest HP) and can hardly form a [[PorkyPigPronunciation sentence without stammering]]. One of his trademark phrases being ''"If at first I don't succeed the wife won't let me forget..."'' , but level him up enough and he makes for a pretty decent tank. And you ''don't'' want to have to deal with him while he's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Dire Charmed]]. If you'd like a demonstration of Khalid not being as big a wimp as he seems, just send your group into a random inn and start indiscriminately slaughtering everyone. Watch as Khalid's usual stutter completely vanishes and he actually sounds ''sure of himself'' for the first time in-game.
13	* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'': Isaac is a small, naked child capable of beating a gigantic adult, various deformed monsters, and eventually even ''Satan'', all while constantly sobbing and regularly curled up in the TroubledFetalPosition.
14	* ''VideoGame/BugFables'': General Ultimax is cocky and arrogant when he's backed up by a few elite warriors, or piloting an imposing tank. But when his backup is defeated or his tank is wrecked, he clams up and is visibly terrified of having to fight Team Snakemouth by himself, but still stands his ground and fights (with [[WimpFight ineffective slaps]]) until he's taken down.
15	* ''VisualNovel/CorpseParty'': Satoshi Mochida ''hates'' scary stories. But once he finds himself ''in'' one, he actually handles himself pretty well.
16	* ''VideoGame/DeadRising3'': Nick Ramos is skittish, jumpy, nervous, and most of his "bad-ass" battle cries are things like nervous grunts or cries of "oh, no!" That said, he still charges head-long into entire herds of zombies to save survivors and TookALevelInBadass as the game progresses.
17	* ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor2'': Daichi is always scared of the next demon attack and complains that the others are much more calm than him, but he'll always volunteer to fight and will drive a truck right onto a killer divine being to save his comrades.
18	* TeamDad Shuuji in ''VideoGame/DigimonSurvive'' is TheFinickyOne, a bit of a chicken who shys away from any sort of risk even when it's impractical, and was initially terrified of his [[{{mons}} Digimon partner]] Lopmon (who's a ''[[BunniesForCuteness bunny]]''), but as the oldest member of the group he tries his best to be TheReliableOne and look after the others. Even as he's shaking in his boots, he does his best to put on a brave face for his underclassmen and lead them out of danger.
19	* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'':
20	** ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories'': Axel is a DirtyCoward; it's a positive trait for a [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad Dark Hero]] to have, so he embraces it. Nevertheless, he pulls a couple of BigDamnHeroes moments and saves the protagonists.
21	** ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'': Almaz is a normal human fighting demons; he has a right to be scared. Still manages pretty well for himself when it counts.
22	** ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten'': Desco swears she will do anything to protect her big sis Fuka — while standing resolutely ''behind'' her (justified in that despite being an EldritchAbomination, she is also a little kid). She is one of the most badass characters in the game.
23	* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'': [[GentleGiant Chunky Kong]] [[PoseOfSupplication begged for mercy]] to a big monster to no avail. What followed was... well, let's just say it must hurt a lot for the monster.
24	* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'': Varric seems to believe he's a coward. He mentions in a conversation with the Inquisitor that it took him [[VideoGame/DragonAgeII three years just to work up the nerve to confront his brother, Bartand, for abandoning him to die, and even then he needed his friend, Hawke, to convince him to do it]]. He then wonders if he'd be running from the current crisis if Cassandra hadn't literally dragged him into it in the first place. As the Inquisitor can tell him, though, there's nothing keeping him from leaving anymore, and he's still staying and fighting all the same.
25	* ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'': Dirk the Daring usually attempts to put on a brave face when battling the disturbing and creepy creatures he has to face when saving Princess Daphne, but it's obvious that he's a freaking {{nervous wreck}} the entire time.
26	** One of the best examples of how skilled he is comes when he's in the Blacksmith's forge, and a fire pops up around him and a possessed sword levitates and flings itself towards him. This time, Dirk doesn't scream, he just draws his sword and parries it. Then a mace floats up and he parries that, too. It's only when a freaking ''anvil'' pops up that he starts screaming, but when the lance comes up, he goes right back to parrying it, perfectly poised. It shows for all the times he ScreamsLikeALittleGirl, he's a skilled swordsman and knight regardless.
27	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
28	** Prince Edward Chris von Muir in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'', ''the'' SpoonyBard. Edward has a mechanic in battle where he can Hide, which prevents him from being targeted (but also prevents him from attacking). He'll even Hide automatically if he's at low HP. That being said, he still sticks by the group during a war sequence against monsters, and even helps the party against the Dark Elf despite being horribly injured at the time.
29	** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', any time actual work is proposed, a minor character named Zone immediately crouches by the wall and complains about stomach pains. Later, he goes off and buys emergency train tickets for himself, his leader, and the three main characters, not counting on there being one addition to the party. After a moment, he passes his own ticket to her, then immediately finds a corner to hug his stomach in.
30	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': During "Facing Your Demons", the final Thaumaturge Class Quest, the Thaumaturge Guild's masters rally together to face the threat of the voidsent Mormo. While all five of them have had to muster their courage to take on a fight they were uncertain to win, one in particular is nicknamed Cocobygo "the Craven" during the duty in which you fight Mormo. Cocobygo, however, is the one who acts as tank for this fight. He's trembling and stuttering the whole time, but he does it.
31	---> '''Cocobygo:''' <trembling> I-I will keep Mormo focused on me!
32	* Yarne from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' is constantly terrified of going extinct, being the last of his race. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), many of the other characters remark on the true ferocity of his fighting when the chips are down.
33	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' also gives you Ignatius, who is timid and has many fears. However, his paralogue revolves around him defending an entire village to prove his bravery, much to his father's surprise.
34	* ''VideoGame/GameAndWatch'': The player character of ''Climber'' is clearly scared out of his wits, but is fully capable of making it through his circumstances.
35	* The Centaur in ''VideoGame/GloryOfHeracles II''. When you meet him, he's being picked on by a bunch of kids, and joins you because he thinks tagging along will help him become brave. One of his battle quotes is even crying out that he's scared.
36	* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'':
37	** The Grunts. They are tiny, weak, and treated like cannon fodder by tyrants who are larger and stronger and far more numerous than the human supersoldiers. On top of that, they breathe methane instead of oxygen; this means they are constantly fighting in poisonous environments and relying on breathers that can be ripped out of their mouths/nostrils. The methane tanks they are forced to carry on their backs for survival are also extremely prone to explode when shot, thus they are also carrying their own death on their backs. These guys have every reason to be terrified, and yet many of them attempt suicidal attacks of bravery to great effect.
38	** Also, the Marines and Army Troopers of the UNSC. It has been frequently stated that were it not for [[OneManArmy John-117]] and the other Spartans, humanity likely would have been already overrun and destroyed. The Covenant are far more advanced in terms of firepower and raw physical strength than the UNSC, as even a single low-ranking Elite can tear through a whole Marine squad on its own. Human soldiers frequently make comments that make it clear they know how outmatched they are and that in all likelihood, they will die horrible deaths at the end of a plasma rifle. Yet, they do their best to fight effectively against these powerful foes. The only time they are seen to crack up is when facing the monster that is [[ZombieApocalypse The Flood]].
39	* ''VideoGame/{{Ib}}'': While traveling with Ib in the gallery, Garry freaks out at things that Ib doesn't even bat an eyelash at (falling over in fear when a painting spits at him, or screaming when a vase falls over, causing Ib to tell him that his screaming was scarier than the vase falling over was), but when push comes to shove, he will do things that need doing, be it fighting off a psycho painting with a knife or walking through a room of poisonous gas. And he will willingly put himself on the line if Ib's in danger, [[spoiler:and in some endings even dies for her sake]].
40	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'': Sparx fits this trope nicely. He often voices his displeasure with the dangers they must constantly face, but he always sticks with [[AllLovingHero Spyro]]. When he is a victim of ShooOutTheClowns at the end of the series, he legitimately fights it, even though he knows he has no chance of surviving.
41	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Yunobo's introductory cutscene shows him freaking out when he mistakes Link, a guy barely a quarter of his size, for a monster. He'll also crouch down and [[BarrierWarrior use Daruk's Protection]] whenever he encounters ''actual'' monsters. But he nevertheless braves monster-infested areas and lets himself be shot out of cannons when need be, whether to retrieve medicine for the Goron elder or to help Link board Divine Beast Vah Rudania.
42	** Shown by [[spoiler:Master Kohga]] of all people in ''Videogame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity''. When in a life or death situation, [[spoiler:Sooga]] tells him to run, and he begins to... only to immediately change his mind and back him up. The DLC further shows that [[spoiler:Kohga]] helped carry [[spoiler:Sooga]] despite the insurmountable danger the duo was in. Ultimately [[spoiler:Sooga forces Kohga to run for his life when the two hit an unwinnable situation, and it's clear Kohga still doesn't want to, but has no choice, and [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe Sooga refuses to let Kohga die here.]] It also becomes the inciting incident where Kohga [[HeelFaceTurn switches sides]] to take down [[EnemyMine Aster and Ganon]].]]
43	%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'': Captain Linebeck, until he becomes [[spoiler:possessed by Bellum and fused with a Phantom]]. Also a MilesGloriosus at times.
44	* ''VideoGame/TheMaw'', a game on the Platform/XboxLiveArcade. The title character is a blob who can eat just about anything and keeps getting bigger until it eats the entire planet, but it has a tendency to flee screaming from bigger enemies that posture in a frightening manner.
45	* ''VideoGame/MediEvil'': Despite having to be dragged out of bed to lead the initial battle against [[EvilOverlord Zarok]], dying from the first arrow fired ([[FakeUltimateHero this was glossed over by the king of Gallowmere]]), and some members of the Hall of Heroes not having much faith in him, Sir Daniel Fortesque still [[OneManArmy gives his all]] in defeating Zarok once and for all after being [[FirstEpisodeResurrection raised from the dead]] and [[TookALevelInBadass getting a chance to redeem himself]]. The remake of the first game plays up some of his cowardly tendencies more; in that game, Dan was apparently shot when he was "pretending to tie his bootlaces."
46	* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter4'': The Felyne Whitescruff from Cheeko Sands. The first time you meet him, he keeps whining about he's an easily frightened, good-for-nothing loser. After you take down Akantor, [[spoiler:the same one who defeated his original master and made him so jittery in the first place]], he asks to join you as a Palico. It gets better: [[spoiler:it turns out he's an aggressive-type Palico who prioritises fighting large wyverns, with two special abilities, one that increases his damage and health massively if you are KO'd and another that tantamounts to him ''jumping on the wyvern's face and clawing away at its eyes'', giving you an opening]]. Not bad, little buddy.
47	* As usual, [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo Shaggy]] shows shades of this in ''VideoGame/{{Multiversus}}'', but it's given a twist here. Thanks to having mistaken a power crystal for candy, [[AdaptationalBadass he became super-powerful and confident enough]] to fight the likes of superheroes like ComicBook/{{Superman}} and ''win'', yet he's still afraid of ghosts and worries when his friends are missing.
48	* Abe from the ''VideoGame/{{Oddworld}}'' series. He was an employee/slave working at a terrible factory, and when he found out the the next food product were going to be made from his species, he makes a break for it alongside his other slaves. He is a meek fellow, always on the edge from danger, but he walks into it to save his fellow slaves and escape to freedom. in ''[[VideoGame/OddworldSoulstorm Soulstorm]]'', he becomes a living legend to other Mudokon slaves who are working in other terrible places.
49	* The player character in ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}''. The "Cowardly" part is represented in-game — if he so much as looks at a monster for too long, he'll panic and give away his position. "Lion" is made more apparent as you play the game and see just how much stuff he goes through while staying sane and ready for action.
50	* Hahn Mahlay from ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'', a meek young scholar who learns the instant death skills Vol and Savol.
51	* The third game in the ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' trilogy has Ron [=DeLite=], who's a bit of a meek crybaby, but still manages to maintain a flamboyant PhantomThief alter-ego in Mask☆[=DeMasque=]. His wife, Dessireé, fell in love with him after he saved her from a pair of knife-wielding bank robbers. He was crying and yelling the whole time, but he succeeded!
52	* Aloth from ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'' and especially ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternityIIDeadfire''. No matter how many impressive things he's part of — facing down dragons, cleaning out undead-infested ruins, [[spoiler:facing down the gods themselves]] at the end of the first game, and [[spoiler:either working to dismantle or take over an AncientConspiracy by his own wits and effort]] between the first and second games — he never stops being a tetchy NervousWreck in conversations. Doesn't mean he's any less of a powerful wizard in the first game, and possibly a frontline MagicKnight in the second.
53	* Peppino of ''VideoGame/PizzaTower'' is a terrified wreck who would like to be anywhere except the titular monster-infested fortress, but he's also a high-speed wrecking ball who can shred many of those enemies with ease.
54	* The partner Pokémon in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers'' is this for much of the game. They start off as ''very'' timid and nervous, being too afraid to even join the Wigglytuff Guild until the protagonist shows up to help them. However, they're shown pushing through that to get things done anyway, such as during the waterfall investigation where they decide to jump through to the CaveBehindTheFalls despite their initial reluctance. By the end of the game, they've become genuinely more confident.
55	* [[IdiotBall Wheat]][[RobotBuddy ley]] from ''Videogame/Portal2''. He's scared of a ''lot'' of things (heights, birds, [[BigBad [=GLaDOS=]]], etc.) and startles ''very'' easily. However, he still sneaks you out right under [=GLaDOS=]'s nose, uses his flashlight despite believing [[BlatantLies he'd die]] if he did, detaches himself from his managment rail despite being afraid of heights ''and'' being told that this [[RunningGag would also kill him]], and has the nerve to ''talk back to [=GLaDOS=]'' in a situation where [[PlayerCharacter Chell]] can't help him. A lot of this likely stems from [[spoiler:him being programmed to have ''bad'' ideas]], and sacrificing yourself to use a flashlight and sounding off to [[TheDreaded GLaDOS]] are brave but ''very'' boneheaded moves.
56	* Brad "Chickenheart" Vickers in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' ditches his teammates (Jill, Chris, Wesker, and Barry) after the group gets attacked by mutant dogs, taking the team's helicopter and only means of escape, which strands them in the middle of the mountains thanks to his fear. Brad eventually does come back and attempts to contact Jill/Chris through the radio and he finally shows up during the final boss fight while tossing down a ''rocket launcher'' to you so that you can kill the monster in one shot.
57	* In ''[[VideoGame/MedievalIITotalWar Medieval II]]'' and ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'', generals will often bring up that there is no shame in feeling fear before a battle, but it is letting fear rule you which is cowardly.
58	-->"There is no shame in fear. There is only shame in letting fear rule you! Try not to look scared, and you will find bravery in your heart!"
59	-->"...any man who faces battle without concern, is a moonstruck ''fool''. To be brave is to go forward ''anyway'', no matter how afeared! ''That'' is why I go forward, with so many other brave men."
60	* If you allocate enough points to his Strength stat, the Chaos Hero from ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'' can be like this.
61	** He fits this trope whatever you do with him (unless you deliberately allocate his stats stupidly), StatisticallySpeaking. But he is never strong enough to defeat Ozawa [[spoiler:until he [[TookALevelInBadass Takes A Level In Badass]].]]
62	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
63	** Sonic's KidSidekick Tails. In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' he's forced to face [[BigBad Eggman]] alone at certain points. Despite being clearly afraid, he musters the courage to save the day on his own. This [[AvertedTrope gets averted]] in more recent games, though, where he tends to get [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] into a CowardlySidekick.
64	** Amy Rose. In ''Sonic Adventure'' she's afraid of Zero and spends most of the game running away from him, but when this one hurts a little bird she was protecting, she goes MamaBear and takes him down with her own hands (or rather, with [[CarryABigStick her hammer]]).
65	* ''VideoGame/StarControl'' has the Spathi, who are hilariously scared of just about everything. However, when the "Evil Ones" began multiplying on their homeworld, they went from "Bronze Age" to "space-faring species" in under a century. Their ships are [[LightningBruiser extremely tough, have backwards-firing homing weapons, and are virtually impossible to catch]]. Basically, if they have nowhere to run, they fight back '''hard'''. One character describes them as "a cowardly clam, armed with a Howitzer".
66	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
67	** Luigi, though this is better exemplified in the spin-off series ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion''; he's clearly terrified half the time in both games due to his fear of [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes ghosts]], but manages to save his brother [[TheHero Mario]] in the first game and the ''entire time-space continuum'' in the second. Even in fan games, this is one of Luigi's traits. During an OptionalBoss fight with the Headless Horseman in ''VideoGame/RakenzarnTales'', after Kyuu's TakingTheBullet moment, he responds with a lighting attack that outright cripples the boss and makes the fight far easier.
68	*** ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'' has the boss ghost Kruller. He's probably as much of a scaredy-cat as Luigi is, but becomes more confident with the right tools.
69	** In ''Videogame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'', Mario contracts Bean Fever and the only cure is Crabbie Grass that grows in the Guffawha Ruins. This requires a dangerous solo trek which utterly terrifies Luigi. When reminded that Mario will not get better without it, Luigi forces himself to walk to the entrance of the ruins while trembling. The doctor even notes that Luigi's sheer brotherly love is forcing his legs to move.
70	** Both Koops and Flavio in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. The former got better after defeating the Koopa-munching Hooktail, and the latter gets one moment of badass when he confronts the undead pirate Cortez and convinces him to lend them his ship. Flavio says it the best when he spells out his plan and the others call him insane:
71	---> '''Flavio:''' I may be a coward and a cad, but I still lead you! I have a duty to protect you!
72	** Mallow in ''Videogame/SuperMarioRPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''. He's ProneToTears, but is a formidable magic user utilizing WeatherManipulation as his attacks.
73	%% * [[VideoGame/{{Mother 3}} Lucas]] is like this in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros.'' He ultimately gets over this, however, reflecting his character growth in his original game. (Zero-Context Example: Entry is just "Trope is here")
74	* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'': Sakutaro is nervous by nature, to the point of being afraid to go outside unless he's quickly able to retreat into Maria's pocket, but when things get serious, he won't back down from protecting her. Doubles as a literal example of this, too.
75	* Karl, one of the recruitable engineers in ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', is meek to a fault, stammering a lot of his lines, and also having a personal potential called Head-Lit Deer that sometimes prevents him from dodging an enemy counterattack. That said, he's still a decent engineer, and can unlock potentials that show off his determination, including one that renders him outright invincible for the rest of his current action.
76	* ''VideoGame/ViewFromBelow'': Ash is terrified of the monsters in Below and spends his first fight being too scared to fight back against the weakest enemy in the game. Later, he gains the courage to stand up to the Crimson Skulls, even when everyone around him is telling him to run away. In the final two chapters, [[spoiler:he cowers again when he's forced to fight the Crimson God alone, but finds courage again after Bell sacrifices himself to save him. Ash then rushes back to the Soul Gate Tower to save Rose and work with her to finish off the Crimson God]].
77	%%* Arnoud from ''VideoGame/WildArms4''. (Zero-Context Example: Entry is just a name)

Context CowardlyLion / VideoGames