Vitriolic Best Buds/Video Games

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Examples of Vitriolic Best Buds in Video Games include:

  • EDI and Joker in Mass Effect 2 are this trope for a while, to the point where Joker fractures his thumb hitting her mute button. Over time their relationship improves, however, particularly after he breaks Cerberus' control over her. Not only does this enable her to save the ship from a Collector attack, it also makes EDI's personality more pleasant.
    • Garrus and Tali are this as well, if their lift conversations are anything to go by ("I'm pleased that the imminent destruction of all organic life has improved your career opportunities," for example). However, they also seem to be very respectful of each other's abilities.
      • As of the third game you could consider this Belligerent Sexual Tension, as well, since the two of them get together despite their snarking at one another, provided neither one is already in a relationship with Shepard.
    • Mordin Solus is also this with STG operative Kirrahe. Mordin speaks of Kirrahe fondly when the latter's role in the first game is mentioned, but calls Kirrahe a "bit of a cloaca". In the game's cut content, Kirrahe's email to Shepard also speaks highly of Mordin, although he also calls the latter a "bit of a cloaca".[1]
    • James Vega and Lt. Cortez in Mass Effect 3. When you're speaking to one, the other will likely be heckling them from the side, typically Vega towards Cortez.
      • Mass Effect 3 also shows that Garrus and Wrex have developed into this. Having Garrus in your squad while talking to Wrex on Sur'Kesh is hilarious because of the way they just go at each other. With big smiles on their faces the whole time.[2]
  • World of Warcraft's Asric and Jadaar never stop bickering. But considering that they've stuck with each other even after their cop jobs in Shattrath fell through, they've got to genuinely be best buds (at least).
  • Touhou's Marisa and Alice spend the whole of Imperishable Night taking jabs at each other, sometime ignoring the boss to bicker some more. Alice also joins up with a boss to mock Marisa and, two stages later, it's Marisa blaming the endless night incident on Alice in front of what passes for law enforcement in Gensokyo (they're accomplices). They're also the most popular ship in the Fandom.
  • Arihiko and Shiki in Tsukihime. Fighting until they're unconscious is just... well, there's no real ill feeling behind it, it's just what they do. Shiki doesn't even know why. Arcueid and Ciel are also friends, which you might not pick up on since half the time they're trying to kill each other or something. Count the fact that Ciel is still alive yet isn't going after Arcueid 24/7 proof of Nasu's assurance that they're 'weird friends.'
  • Guillo and Milly in Baten Kaitos Origins are a cross between this and Fire-Forged Friends; they outright despise each other at first, and despite warming up to each other, they still hurl insults every chance they get.
  • In the Shin Megami Tensei Persona series, it's quite common to find a couple whose friendship is seemingly based on jabs and cheapshots.
    • Masao "Mark" Inaba and Kei "Nate" Nanjou from the Revelations: Persona.
    • Eikichi Mishina and Lisa Silverman in Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Both have derisive nicknames for each other, and argue constantly. At a certain point in the game, Lisa is revealed to be with an unsavory character, and Eikichi states that they better go find them before Lisa murders the guy. Another character (the Cool Big Sis) mentions that Eikichi is just saying that, and he really seems worried about Lisa.
    • Junpei and Minato seem to have this relationship in Persona 3
    • Yosuke Hanamura and Chie Satonaka of Persona 4. Some fans like to interpret their relationship as Belligerent Sexual Tension, but regardless, it's hard to deny that they're close.
  • Duncan and Sand from Neverwinter Nights 2 are all over this trope. While the term "best buds" might be a bit of a stretch, they are what one would call friends, and the general fan consensus is that if they ever were to stop insulting one another, they would probably just... implode... from the stress.

Duncan: Sorry I pointed out the fact that you were a charlatan, Sand.
Sand: And I didn't mean to bring up your excessive drinking, Duncan, and your long list of failed aspirations. It was uncalled for.

  • Daxter and Pecker in Jak and Daxter are the second type. While they usually show nothing but scorn for each other, Daxter has no problem letting Pecker drink at his bar for free. They even teamed up to try to save Jak from his banishment in Jak 3. it didn't work, but it's the thought that counts.
  • Banjo and Kazooie in... well, Banjo-Kazooie. Kazooie abuses Banjo, Banjo retaliates back, witch tries to harm one of them, both turn on her and kick the snot out of her with much high-fiving.
  • Tomoya and Sunohara in Clannad. Sunohara is definitely taking all the abuse, here. Tomoya doesn't really seem to care much one way or the other and most of the 'jerk' part of Jerk with a Heart of Gold comes from interactions with Sunohara. However, he really does care. Sometimes.
  • Gan Ning and Ling Tong in the Dynasty Warriors series. Despite being the blue oni to Gan Ning's red oni, Ling Tong is the more vitriolic of the pair - which is justified in that Gan Ning killed Ling Tong's father before the two became comrades. Eventually they settle into ragging on each other's performance on the battlefield and griping at each other whenever an Embarrassing Rescue is called for.
  • Jahiera and Aerie in Baldurs Gate 2. Much of their dialogue involves them arguing or otherwise exchanging barbs with each other (especially if Charname's romancing one of them), but in the end they back each other up in a fight.
  • Star FOX. Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi: although Falco is definitely more so. Fox takes playful shots back on occasion.
    • They were even more vitriolic during the original Super NES incarnation's comic, when Falco was even more cynical, Fox was even more prone to raising his voice, and the two were known to occasionally deal with their disagreements by beating the living shit out of each other, even while simultaneously expressing how much they cared about each other.
  • Left 4 Dead 2: Nick and Coach sit somewhere between this and Fire-Forged Friends. At the start, each of them sees the other guy as an idiot, but after a while, they come to have a bit of respect for each other, even though the way that Nick admits it is by saying Coach has "the stupidest idea I've ever agreed with".
    • From the original Left 4 Dead, Louis and Francis seem to get along like this; Francis's hatefilled world view and Louis's optimism clash, but if one of them gets killed the other is visibly upset.
  • Baird and the rest of the team in Gears of War, especially between him and Marcus. The two barrage each other with insults, but would risk their lives to save each other.
  • In Planescape: Torment, this is pretty much Annah's default relationship with the anyone in the party not the Nameless One, especially Morte and Fall-From-Grace. Morte himself also has a like/hate relationship with Nordom, as Nordom is part of a race that is quite literally pure, unchanging law, whereas Morte is a firm advocate of free will.
  • Tales of Vesperia has a mild case, with the Heterosexual Life Partners Different As Night and Day: Yuri and Flynn. Despite the teasing, they genuinely respect each other, and their insults are typically either endearing or something they like about the other. Of course, this is conveniently out of the other's hearing range. ... Otherwise, expect them to bicker like an old married couple, and not stop until someone else interrupts them. The prequel movie added a lot more vitriol, but there it didn't look like they were friends at all.
  • Tales of the Abyss has a case with Jade and Peony. Particularly notable in that Jade, in his role as The Gadfly, teases everyone, but actually turns it up for Peony, and Peony is the only character in the game who ever manages to tease him back just as hard.
  • Dead Rising 2: Case West has Frank West and Chuck Greene, type 2.
  • In Dragon Age II, there's Aveline and Isabela. They constantly bicker, calling each other things like "whore" and "man-hands", but hang out with each other in their free time, and by the end of the game it's obvious they care about each other. At the end of Act 2, if you opt to hand Isabela over to the Arishok, Aveline will object to the point of getting rivalry points for the act. Their relationship condensed:

Aveline: I'm the captain of the guard. I'm loyal, strong, and I don't look too bad naked.
Isabela: Exactly. And if I called you a mannish, awkward, ball-crushing do-gooder, you'd say...
Aveline: Shut up, whore.
Isabela: That's my girl.

    • Carver and Varric have a similar relationship:

Carver: Varric.
Varric: Carver.
Carver: Still think you're helping while burying us in debt to your brother?
Varric: Still riding side saddle while bitching at your betters?
Carver: Drinks later?
Varric: Never miss 'em.

    • Don't forget Varric and Aveline's frequent spats about the former's "guard serial" and who was the model for it.
    • Rivalries in general are like this. Hawke acts extremely antagonistic to his/her Rivals, but in a way that forces said Rivals to change and grow as people. The Rivals in turn will snark back and sometimes even lash out, but full Rivals will be just as loyal to Hawke as full Friends.
    • In Origins, many people interpreted Morrigan and Alistair's relationship to be something like this, even sparking a strong shipping base based on their seemingly-Slap Slap Kiss interactions, until Darkspawn Chronicles went and Jossed the fandom's interpretations, saying that they truly just plain hated each other. could've fooled us, I guess.
      • Saved by the fact that the Darkspawn Chronicles DLC was never meant as canon, but defined as alternate reality.
      • Morrigan does, however, say late in the game while proposing to sleep with Alistair to become pregnant with a Gray Warden's child that will become host to the Old God that Alistair despises her, which is why she is going to you and not him.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Unlike his relationship with his best friend Tails, Sonic and Knuckles are type 2. Sonic often criticizes Knuckles' gullibility while Knuckles is always too short-tempered and reluctant to admit that Sonic is his friend. However, when things get tough, Knuckles shows that he's one of Sonic's most reliable allies and is easily his closest friend after Tails.
  • Cole Phelps in L.A. Noire appears as Type 2 to all of his partners.
  • Uozumi and Reiji in Kara no Shoujo.
  • Red Dead Redemption has John Marston and Uncle.
    • Hell, the Marston family is one.
  • In the Lufia games, the heroes tend to bicker amongst themselves. Lampshaded in the second game where Maxim explains to an NPC, that his friends argue because they're friends, or they wouldn't bother.
  • In Republic Commando, Sev and Scorch, (even more-so than the rest of the team). It's most evident when the squad is forced to leave Sev for dead in the Cliffhanger ending.
  • Made a plot point in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords - shabby investigation leads to this trope being mistaken for actual enemies, leading to your local contact being placed under arrest.
  • Disgaea: Hour of Darkness gives us Laharl and Etna. He's an arrogant spoiled brat prince who demands utter loyalty and obedience from his vassal, and she is a tsundere Servile Snarker who claims she is constantly one last straw away from bumping him off and taking the throne for herself. They argue and insult each other constantly. But deep down Etna is devoted to making Laharl the best ruler he can be, and deeply respects how much he has matured, and Laharl truly admires her ambition and competence and basically gives her permission to scheme against him, because if there's one person who deserves to overthrow him it's her.
    • Disgaea3 has Mao and Raspberyl. One an Honor Student (meaning total jerkass) and one a Delinquent (goody two-shoes). They can't stand each other, insult each other, fight each other, and by the end of the game would clearly gladly lay down their lives for each other. They actually end up running the school together.
  • In Katawa Shoujo, Hisao has a Type 1 with Kenji and a Type 2 with Emi. Kenji gets on his nerves by constantly asking Hisao to loan him money and his misogynist rantings (especially when they're targeted at Hisao's current girlfriend), but there are times when he appreciates having Kenji around, such as when he gets Iwanako's letter in Shizune's route and when he hears that Lilly is leaving for Scotland in Lilly's route. Hisao and Emi often exchange playful insults in Emi's route, and in Rin's route.
  1. ↑ (In some animals, a cloaca functions as both genitalia and waste disposal, so among salarians, it's a way of calling someone both a dick and an ass at the same time.)
  2. ↑ well, a smile on Wrex's face anyway. Turians don't have the mouthparts to smile
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