Playable Character Poll

Gonna talk a bit about why i believe some of the characters there will NOT be playable and why i think those i will talk about, will be:

Johannes

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As purifyweirdshard said, Johannes doesn't have a look that is interesting enough to be a playable character. He has a theme song and to me, that song will be played at the room where Johannes offers his services. I believe he will be the one to forge equipment for Miriam, alongside offering quests and it is probably that he will have a really big role in the game.

Gebel

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Gebel COULD be playable, but i believe the chance is low, considering he is the main villian, at least for now. Gebel may not be the true villian, and i even believe that his design may be a reminiscent of the original design for the male hero that the game would have at first, since he looks like Alucard, so, this gives some chances for him to be playable, but, at most, Gebel will be playable only at Boss Revenge Mode. 

Alfred

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I see Alfred as a very important NPC with a plot that ties him specially with Zangetsu. I don't see him as playable because i believe hs role in the game is much more of a background NPC than anything.

Anne

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Although Anne could be our new "Little Girl Maria" if we mirror Rondo of Blood, i believe the two main roles for Anne are: be a little girl to create some sympathy and empathy for the player and; be the shop keeper when Dominique is out, as a HUGE INDICATION that Dominique is absurdly important...


Mysterious Man

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We know nothing about him, the information is too low to speculate anything.

IGA himself

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Although the game will have IGA as a boss, i believe IGA is too humble to put himself as a playable character.

A random knight with a shovel

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Shovel Knight will have a cameo in the game. Being playable is much bigger than simply a cameo, so, no.

Considering all that, my obvious choices are...

ZANGETSU

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Zangetsu is Bloodstained Belmont, much more than Johannes, that actually has a whip. He is a demon hunter and even his looks are closer to a Belmont than anyone else. At his boss fight, we can see that he has the size of a playable character AND his prostetic arm can be used to reach higher places, with could be his substitute to whatever skill Miriam will have to fly around the castle. He was the first extra character revealed and i believe he will be the one in the prequel game too. 

DOMINIQUE

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Dominique is hot and that is a good reason for her to be a playable character (i'm not joking). Not only that, it is explicity said that she has exorcist powers. Dominique takes care of the shop but Anne takes her role when she is out. SHe is out doing what? Demon hunting at the castle? That also gives her a lead on the "playable race".
THere is, although, a small part of myself that makes me think that Anne takes care of the shop when Dominique is out, because after a certain part of the game, Dominique will not be able to come back at the shop. Either because she is captured, or because she turns into a boss and must be killed...

Look at that Domi-nation

My preferences have always been leaning towards Zangetsu and Dominique.
A few reasons why:

• One male character and a female one. One anti-hero, one trusted ally, or is she really?
• Two demon-hunters/exorcists/purification experts, one oriental-styled and the other, occidental-styled.
  
• Fanservice. Do you need me to explain more of that?
  
• Zangetsu's motive is vengeance towards Gebel, he is a lone wolf. Dominique has been tasked by the Church to infiltrate the castle but is much connected to the village still. Would she be after these sacred books?
  
• Both truly are connected to Miriam. One agressively because he thinks she is still with Gebel. The other as a friend, a common past.

Why do I dismiss the others?

Johannes: I see him more as a possible quest-giver/advisor. That said, his best role would be of a minor antagonist/sabotager/double agent. His smile on Mana's artwork is not a warm one, it's a cunning one.

Anne: She may be too young to be a playable protagonist (but again, Maria Renard fought at a young age... but I don't feel that a Maria 2.0 would be positive).

Alfred: Probably the grand villain or a high-level ally of the demons. He's the one who summoned them in the first place, after all. Traditionally, arch-enemies do not have their own mode.

The Mysterious Man: Maybe he will be playable as an extra, secret character, unlocked with extremely arcane conditions. Until then, I don't call him playable.


But that is all subjective! Let's see how bets go once the game is finished!

That's good insight, Puri. I strongly believe that Gebel will be one of the playables, too. At least I hope so. Zang is my second choice.