Rockstar Games burst onto the scene in 1998, and haven’t looked back since, creating some of the most immersive gaming experiences ever.Grand Theft AutoandRed Dead Redemptionhave arguably been their most successful franchises, and the latter is due for a remastered re-release on platforms on August 17. Fans are eager to see what changes have been made.
Rockstar Games has featured somememorable charactersin their games over the years, but the fans always loved it when a buddy friendship was struck between characters. There are times when tensions run high between friends due to the nature of their dealings with each other, and the stakes at risk. But the over-riding feeling of companionship keeps fans interested in the expansive plots of these great games.
7Cole Phelps & Stefan Bekowski (L.A. Noire)
Over the course of Cole Phelps' rise through the LAPD, he had many different friendships and partners in crime inL.A. Noire. As a patrol officer on the streets of L.A, he is partnered with Ralph Dunn, before he is promoted to the traffic desk and paired with his most trusted ally of all, Stefan Bekowski, a Polish American.
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The pair didn’t hit it off straightaway, often experiencing an antagonistic relationship. But after some time, they learned that they could trust each other and became close friends. Bekowski helped Phelps solve many crimes, including murder, fraud, and the odd conspiracy. Phelps was promoted to the Burglary department and Bekowski ended up being partnered with corrupt cop, Rusty Galloway.
6Jacob & Niko (GTA 4)
Jacob (aka Little Jacob) is a close friend of Niko Bellic inGTA 4and proves to be a trustworthy ally for him throughout the game. He is a provider of some of the early missions, and also accompanies Niko on missions later on in the game.
Jacob is a Jamaican drug dealer and high ranking member of the Yardies. Niko’s first meeting with him takes place when he picks Jacob up in a taxi and takes him to an alleyway off Dillon street. Niko ends up watching over the meeting to make sure things don’t get out of hand. The friendship was born from this moment, as they knew they could trust each other.
Dutch and Micah possess one of thebest friendships in the Van Der Linde ganginRed Dead Redemption 2. Their friendship resulted in the loss of lives of many friends, but the strength of their bond can’t be denied.
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Micah was a yes man, providing Dutch with the guidance and advice he wanted, and Dutch was more than happy to listen to these words of wisdom. Dutch was a man on the edge, and Micah knew this and found a way to avoid a potential blow up. The storyline between them was one of the most satisfying in the franchise.
4Trevor & Michael (GTA 5)
It’s clear that Trevor and Michael have some tensions when they reconnect inGrand Theft Auto 5, but before long, they are completingmissionstogether. The banter and quips between them proves that they have a long-standing buddy friendship.
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Despite their feuding throughoutGTA 5, it’s akin to the kind of relationship between brothers. They always had each other’s backs in missions, fighting together against some of thebest villainsin the game. They worked very well together regardless of the issues between them.
3CJ & Cesar (GTA: San Andreas)
Cesar and CJ first meet at a Lowrider competition, and it wasn’t exactly buddy love at first sight. CJ initially distrusts Cesar, but over time, the two men form a close friendship and their respective gangs form a positive working relationship inGTA: San Andreas.
A big success in their working relationship sees Cesar help CJ reclaim territories for theGrove Street Families. In return, CJ helps Cesar reclaim the Azteca’s territories. The same mission sees Cesar informing CJ of his plan to propose to Kendl, and CJ supports his decision, as only a good buddy would do.
Both of these characters were the protagonists in their own separate stories, so naturally, when they are put together inRed Dead Redemption 2, they are a match to be reckoned with.
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As the title of the games suggest, redemption plays a big part in both Arthur and John’s stories. They are brothers from different mothers, which is the ultimate definition of a buddy friendship. They were raised as brothers under Dutch’s regime, but ultimately went their separate ways.
1Lemar & Franklin (GTA 5)
Franklin and Lemar is the tile of the first mission inGTA 5.It cements the friendship between the two characters from the offset, and bonds the audience with them.
The sixth mission in the game sees Franklin and Lemar re-team to kidnap a gangster called D. Lemar and his dog, Chop, ride along with Franklin to the location, and they chase down the target towards a train yard. Successful completion of this mission sees the friendship between the pair further cemented, and even sees Franklin essentially adopt Lemar’s dog. Only the best of friends would trust each other with a beloved pet. Lemar only appears sporadically throughout the rest of the game, but these two are clearly friends forever.
