Every party member in Octopath Traveller has a special ability that allows them to interact with NPCs throughout the world. Ophilia the cleric and Primrose the dancer can temporarily recruit NPCs into the party and summon them during battles. One unassuming old man is able to unleash Hell upon enemies. I’m pretty sure he’s a retired jRPG protagonist, and he’s become one of my favourite allies to recruit.
Vampyr's combat might not be good, but its world is full of intrigue and difficult decisions. As fledgling vampire Dr Jonathan Reid learns more about his powers, the player also learns the ins and outs of being a vampire. Recently, a misunderstanding of game mechanics resulted in me killing someone by accident. It was horrible, but a great example of what the game does best.
Sometimes in Assassin's Creed Origins, you'll have to cross a body of water and you won't have a boat. Fortunately, there's this guy who really, really wants to let you use his.
In my game of The Sims 4, there's an NPC named Bruce Biggs. I first met him as he wandered over to a park bench, shirtless, wearing basketball shorts and a luchador mask. He promptly fell asleep.
