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The Main Characters
Amber Golley
Voiced by: Katie Dagnen
A quiet cynic with a short temper, Amber is a lifelong loner, wrestling with the recent death of her only real family, her beloved grandfather. She drives through the desert in her inherited RV, drifting towards a music festival with nothing but her memories to keep her company. But things start to take a turn when she stumbles across a bubbly girl broken down on the side of the road. Amber is initially skeptical of her, but maybe by helping this strange girl search for treasure, Amber can find what she's looking for as well.- Aesop Amnesia: Much of the conflict in Next Exit is caused by Amber continuing to act patronizingly toward Marina and treat her as less of a lover and more like a kid. It's lampshaded when Marina remarks that "this isn't even the first time we've had a fight like this," and Amber realizes that she's made the same mistake again.
- Broken Bird: Downplayed, as Amber has had a relatively good life. Her grandfather’s illness and death (and her mother abandoning her as a child) have clearly left her in the ‘depression’ stage of grief however.
- Child Hater: She's not especially fond of children.Marina: Not a fan of kids?
Amber: Not the rotten ones. - Closet Key: It's heavily implied that Amber is this to Marina, with Marina realizing and coming to grips with her bisexuality pretty much right before she and Amber get their Relationship Upgrade.
- Covert Pervert: It's relatively minor, but Amber does sneak a few side glances at Marina (like when she's wearing Amber's old slightly too-small gym uniform as bed clothes or at her legs when she puts her feet up on the dashboard), but she begins to feel bad about it after she starts developing feelings for her. After they have sex for the second time, as Marina is heading to have a shower, still naked from the love-making, she actually catches Amber watching her in the rear-view mirror of the motorhome and casually adjusts the clothes she's carrying to give her a better look.
- The Cynic: She's rather cynical, in contrast to Marina. Her similarity with Cassi on that regard enables them to hit it off quite well.
- Deadpan Snarker: She's often sarcastic toward others, befitting her cynical personality.
- Establishing Character Moment: Her first internal monologue has her thinking about her grandfather's passing, the debts she accrued and other such things. She then willingly helps Marina, someone she's just met, despite being rather annoyed with Marina.
- Expy: The art book describes her as one to Sinon from Sword Art Online in terms of design and personality. The creators liked both those aspects of Sinon, even if they disliked how she was written and treated, so Amber was made similar to her in some ways.
- First-Person Smartass: She can be rather snarky in her narration, such as when Mariah introduces her to her fellow treasure hunters."I can only hope the highly trained, elite team are hidden in the bathroom."
- Innocently Insensitive: Amber can often act rather patronizingly toward Marina despite not intending to. It doesn't help that Marina bottles up her resentment about this behavior, resulting in Amber continuing to act like this.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Amber is cynical and temperamental, but a good person who cares a lot for Marina.
- Karmic Jackpot: She helps out a stranded traveler on the road, and as a result, eventually ends up with a large amount of treasure and a girlfriend.
- Must Have Caffeine: Drinks coffee by the potful- and always straight black.
- Only Friend: She describes her grandfather as the only one who cared about her, and after his death, Marina takes up this role. Marina ends up getting jealous after seeing how well Amber and Cassi get along in Next Exit.
- Out-of-Character Moment: For the most part, Amber's somewhat overprotective of Marina, and is reluctant to let Marina go off by herself in Las Vegas. As a result, it's rather jarring to see her leave Marina alone with the sleazy trucker Jumbo while she lets the air out of Jumbo's tires. The OOC nature of Amber's behavior was probably part of the reason why the creators disliked how Amber was characterized in that scene, and why the scene was moved to Legacy Content.
- Parental Abandonment: Amber's mother apparently lost custody of her when she was a baby, leaving Amber to be raised by her grandfather. Amber and her mother are not on good terms, and the last time Amber saw her mother was three years before the start of the game, so neither mother nor daughter has much desire to see the other.
- Raised by Grandparents: Amber was raised by her grandfather, and sees him as the one person who cared about her before Marina entered her life.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Blows up at Marina after their RV breaks down in the main game, with her self-loathing having pushed her to her breaking point.
- Suddenly Shouting: When confronting the Trio over Marina's car.Amber: So... YOU STOLE HER CAR AND DISMANTLED IT!
- Tempting Fate: "I'm worried the deck might eventually eat the tape, but it never happened to [Gramps] no matter how many times he played the damn thing, so I'm not too scared." No prizes for guessing what happens to the tape the morning after Amber and Marina have sex.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The tomboy to Marina's girly girl.
- Tomboy with a Girly Streak: She dresses simply and practically, and is good with outdoors activities, but has a surprisingly emotional streak.
- Tragic Keepsake: Her grandfather's mix tape is not only something she enjoys listening to, but a personal keepsake of him. After the tape deck eats the tape, and Mariah calls her out on her behavior, Amber buries the tape in the desert, as her way of coming to terms with his loss.
Marina Hale
Voiced By: Jill Harris
Marina was born and raised in the state of New Mexico, and until recently, was afraid she might die there too. But when the story of a gold miner’s hidden treasure takes the nation by storm, she uses the opportunity to bring some excitement into her sheltered life. Bubbly and naive, Marina might be in a bit over her head, but with the help of her new friend, Amber, she may just get the adventure she always wanted.- Affectionate Nickname: Amber begins using "Mare" for Marina as they grow closer.
- Blue with Shock: Sometimes has this expression when surprised or disturbed, such as when Amber reveals that she bought Marina a bus ticket back home.
- Captain Obvious: In Next Exit, she notices that the other bidder in the silent auction started the bid with a single dollar and increased the latest bid by a cent, then concludes that the person in question doesn't have much money.
- Deuteragonist: While already the main Love Interest of the original game, she gets even more focus in Next Exit and becomes a POV character alongside Amber.
- Dumbass Has a Point: While she can be rather ditzy and naive, in Next Exit, she makes some surprisingly cogent arguments for why Amber should get a cell phone. Amber brushes them off at first but comes around and purchases a phone in the final scene of the DLC.
- Establishing Character Moment:
- In the main game, she unhesitatingly waves over Amber, a stranger, to help her with her car, having found herself in trouble due to running out of gas and not charging her cell phone. This shows that she's a friendly and earnest individual who doesn't always think things through.
- In Next Exit, she gets one in her first internal monologue if you choose Marina's POV at the first prompt. She bitterly complains about Amber treating her like a kid but isn't willing to talk about it because she's afraid of how Amber might react, up to and including leaving her behind. This effectively underscores how Marina's issues with her relationship become relevant in the DLC.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: She does this in an internal monologue in Next Exit as it dawns on her that Mariah was the other bidder for the antique license plate.
- Girly Girl with a Tomboy Streak: She dresses rather femininely and is in touch with her feelings, but also enjoys outdoor activities, albeit with a skirt.
- Green-Eyed Monster: She gets jealous of Cassi in Next Exit, being rather annoyed that Amber would drop everything to help out someone she barely knows. It's downplayed in that she later revealed that she's not mad at Cassi per se, but rather at how Amber treats Cassi more like an equal than she does to Marina herself, even though they're supposed to be lovers.
- Hidden Depths:
- Marina is more perceptive than she seems, often spotting Amber’s emotional states and triggers and working out her sexual orientation at least a short while before it actually comes up in conversation.
- She's also right that Mariah would be terrible at poker... unfortunately she failed to consider she might be worse. That said, Amber suspects that Marina underestimated Marina's skill at keeping a poker face.
- She also loves rap music. Amber briefly considers breaking up with her at this, before (reluctantly) admitting the artists in question are actually pretty good (and that she had after all submitted Marina to weird old guys doing acoustic jamming for weeks).
- Next Exit makes her a POV character, and gives more insight into her thought processes, showing that she's capable of being resentful, insecure and even jealous, even if she doesn't always display those emotions.
- Jerkass to One: Downplayed, but while Marina is nice to everyone, even Mariah, she's somewhat cold with Cassi, due to jealousy of how close Amber became with her after only talking with her once on their trip. They do eventually become friends, though.
- Love Martyr: A minor case. Amber isn't intentionally mistreating Marina, but Marina recognizes that Amber has recently been through the difficult experience of losing her grandfather, and is willing to put up with Amber's patronizing treatment if it means she can make Amber happy. That said, this only lasts until Marina reaches her breaking point.
- Massive Numbered Siblings: She's the middle of nine siblings- four daughters and five sons.
- Nice Girl: She's one of the friendliest cast members, and is remarkably patient with Amber's temper. She's probably the only character who doesn't get angry with or snark at Mariah.
- Not a Morning Person: Despite her perky demeanor, she's slow to get up in the morning.
- Practically Different Generations: In Next Exit, she mentions that one of her younger brothers is five, making him thirteen years her junior. The age gap between that brother and Marina's eldest sibling is probably even wider.
- Precision F-Strike: Drops the F-bomb late in the game when she says to Amber, "STOP TREATING ME LIKE A FUCKING CHILD!"
- Replacement Goldfish: Much of the conflict in the story is caused by Amber seeing Marina as one to her grandfather, and the guilt she feels over doing so.
- Stepford Smiler: In Next Exit, she acts cheerful to hide her insecurities about her relationship.Amber: (narrating) When I giggle, it's like I'm forcing myself to do it. I wonder if it sounds as painful as it feels.
- Sweet Tooth: She's fond of ordering sweet things, to the point that Amber worries that she'll get cavities.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The girly girl to Amber's tomboy.
The Trio
Tropes relating to the Trio in general
- Ambiguously Christian: It's not evident from how they act, but Tess (and possibly Mariah) was forced to go to Sunday school for a little while when she was young, and Joseph and his brother Benjamin were given Biblical names.
- Easily Forgiven: Marina doesn't really hold a grudge against the Trio for scrapping her abandoned car. At least Joe, and to a lesser extent, Tess, seem to regret doing it.
- Goldfish Poop Gang: Mariah and her crew have a habit of tailing Amber and Marina, even after the treasure hunt's over.
- Nice Mean And In Between: Joe is a Nice Guy and the most personable of the three. Mariah is a Jerkass, albeit with a few Pet the Dog moments. Tess is emotionless and snarky, but a significantly better person than her sister.
- Platonic Life-Partners: Mariah and Joseph turn out to be this, after Amber inquires if the two of them are a couple, flatly denying the two of them are in a relationship, though she admits if he's still single in ten more years, she might marry him out of pity.
- Practically Different Generations: Tess is eleven and Mariah is old enough to drink, so she's probably at least twenty-one.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The hotheaded Mariah is the red oni to the laid-back Joe and the Emotionless Girl Tess's blue oni.
- Two Girls and a Guy: The group consists of the Pastorius sisters and their male friend.
Mariah Pastorius
Voiced By: Elissa Park
An abrasive alcoholic and overall terrible human being, Mariah has devoted her entire miserable existence to finding the gold miner’s mythical treasure. She claims to be the best treasure hunter around, but the only thing she seems to excel at is leaving a path of chaos and destruction in her wake.- Accidental Misnaming: Introduces Amber and Marina as "Alyssa and Malena."
- The Alcoholic: She drinks a lot, and Amber finds her plastered in her RV when she's on her own after her fight with Marina.
- Alcoholic Parent: Mariah complains that her mother is perhaps an even worse drunkard than she is, which is part of the reason why Mariah has no respect for her.
- Dope Slap: Smacks Amber on the back of the head when trying to get her out of her funk. She's on the receiving end when Joe forces her to apologize for what they did to Marina's car.
- Drives Like Crazy: She's a rather crazy driver while behind the wheel of their motor home, especially when racing Amber to the third treasure.
- Establishing Character Moment: She's first shown ordering Joe around on the phone in a rather abrasive manner, and it later turns out that she was telling him to dismantle Marina's car.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Her long-time friend Joe finds her rather troublesome, as does her own sister, and Amber outright can't stand her, so the only person who really cares for her is Marina. Mariah's case is a mixture of Seniority (she and Joe have known each other a long time, perhaps even longer than Tess was alive), Supervision in Joe's case(since as he puts it, Mariah "needs someone to look after her") and Caring(because Mariah has a few moments in which she shows she really does care).
- Hair-Trigger Temper: She's almost constantly angry, and it only takes the slightest provocation to set her off.
- Hey, You!: She seldom refers to people by name, and often calls her own sister "Twerp." In Next Exit, when she calls Marina "the ditz," Tess says, "You could at least remember her name."
- Hidden Depths: Next Exit reveals more about her troubled family life, and shows that Marina can be caring to Joe and to Tess in her own rather abrasive way.
- Jerkass: A rather unpleasant person who casually insults those she interacts with.
- Ms. Fanservice: Mariah is quite well-endowed, and leaves her jumpsuit almost completely unzipped all the time, showing off her bra, belly, and even part of her panties as well. Amber's narration of their first meeting even notes that she constantly looks like she might burst out of her clothes.
- Parental Title Characterization: Mariah calls her mother "the old hag" or "my old lady," showing her rudeness and lack of respect for her mother (who, from all accounts, doesn't seem to deserve it).
- Pet the Dog:
- It's implied that despite her abrasive personality, she does care for Tess and Joe, since she expresses how she considers them family during her drunk talk with Amber.
- Driving Amber to the hotel so she can reach Marina in time to apologize to her.
- In Next Exit, she takes the $20 Joe gave her to go gambling and goes to find a birthday present for Tess.
- Quit Your Whining: The main point of her "The Reason You Suck" Speech is that she's rather annoyed that Amber would feel guilty about using Marina as a replacement for her grandfather.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives one to Amber late in the main game, which helps break her out of her funk.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: She has the foulest mouth in the entire game.
- Sore Loser: She doesn't take it well when Amber and Marina beat her to the first treasure, or when Amber wins against her in a poker game for the treasure.
- Wisdom from the Gutter: Mariah of all people ends up being the one to help Amber out of her funk.
Tess Pastorius
Voiced By: Lisa Reimold
Life isn’t easy when you’re Mariah’s little sister — just ask Tess. When she’s not getting dragged across the country to look for treasure, she’s busy trying not to be swallowed whole by her sister’s bombastic personality. Tess has learned to make the most of it though, choosing to quietly devote herself to crafts and her fascination with Americana.- Breakout Character: Goes from being a minor character in the original game to the Tritagonist of Next Exit.
- Creepy Child: Amber thinks Tess is one due to her Stoic personality and quiet nature.
- Emotionless Girl: Eleven year old Tess never shows any emotion greater than mild interest, something that actually seems to worry Joseph. This is actually deconstructed hard in the DLC Next Exit, where being emotionless (or in her words, 'felt a little') alienates her from the other 'normal' kids and even the people she cares for, and she feels horrible because of it because she thought that she's 'being weird' and it'd drive those around her away.
- Friendless Background: She didn't make many friends when she was young as a result of her Emotionless Girl status. Joe and later Marina seem to be her first friends.
- Hey, You!: Like her sister, she doesn't often refer to people by name. Amber's a bit surprised when Tess addresses her by name during the card game.
- Odd Friendship: She, a practically Emotionless Girl bonds with Marina, who's rather cheerful and wears her heart on her sleeve.
- Thicker Than Water: Averted. In Las Vegas, she's willing to help Amber cheat to win back Marina's share of the gold from Mariah, Tess's own sister. Mariah complains about Tess betraying her in Next Exit despite the fact that Tess had dealt fairly. In Next Exit, Mariah says the reason why she cares for Tess doesn't have anything to do with their being related by blood, and implies that Tess is only her half-sister.
Joseph Nowell
Voiced By: Freddie Heinz
One might think being the great-great-grandson of the famous gold miner would give Joe a vested interest in the hidden treasure, but that can’t be further from the truth. Joe wants nothing more than to spend his days sinking into the couch and taking afternoon naps. Unfortunately, somebody needs to be Mariah's wrangler, and as her lifelong (and only) friend, that responsibility falls to him.- Affectionate Nickname: He calls Mariah "Mare," just like what Amber calls Marina. He also called his brother Benjamin, "Benji," which annoyed his mother.
- Eyes Always Shut: Most of his eyes have his eyes portrayed this way.
- Family Theme Naming: He and his brother Benjamin have Biblical names; Joseph and Benjamin were brothers in the Bible. Lampshaded by Tess, who had been forced to go to Sunday school a few times.
- Nice Guy: He's friendly and personable, often acting to smooth over the consequences of Mariah's actions.
- Oh, Crap!: Says this word for word when he realizes that he scrapped Marina's car.
- The One Guy: The only significant living male character.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives one to Mariah in "Next Exit," telling her that she can skip celebrating Tess's birthday if she's fine with showing that she doesn't care about her sister.
- The Slacker: He's often described as lazy, especially by Mariah.
- Tragic Keepsake: His dog tags once belonged to his younger brother Benjamin, who drowned as a child.
- Would Hit a Girl: He recalls that he probably got into a fistfight with Mariah when they were younger.
Other Characters
Cassi Bell
Voiced By: Kayli Mills
A young woman Tess meets at the candy shop in Las Vegas.- Breakout Character: The creators liked her so much that they gave her more of a role in the Next Exit DLC.
- The Cynic: She remarks that cities like Las Vegas always look nicer on the outside than they actually are, and freely mentions that her candy shop job is rather terrible. This allows her to bond with Amber easily.
- Nice Girl: A rather pleasant and friendly individual. This ends up making Marina feel guilty about being jealous of her.
- Shipper on Deck: She's rather supportive of Marina and Amber's relationship, even if her friendliness with Amber sparks Marina's jealousy.
Jumbo
Voiced By: Patrick Seymour
A rather sleazy trucker whom Marina and Amber meet in a rest stop.- Casanova Wannabe: He tries to hit on two girls who are probably half his age, and at least one of them is a lesbian.
- Hate Sink: He's a despicable character without any redeeming qualities.
Gramps
Voiced by: Michael Kovach
Amber's grandfather, who died not long before the start of the game.- Conspiracy Theorist: As a hippy, he's naturally one. Amber wonders if that trait of his rubbed off on her after she gets paranoid about the treasure hunt.
- No Name Given: His name is never disclosed.
- Parental Substitute: He raised Amber after her mother abandoned her.
- Posthumous Character: He died shortly before the start of the story, and the impact his death had on Amber drives her character arc.
- Shipper on Deck: In "EZ Mode," he shows up and approves of Marina and Amber's relationship
- Unexplained Recovery: He inexplicably turns up alive in "EZ Mode."
