In the world of gaming, not every great character gets their moment in the spotlight. For every Master Chief or Marcus Fenix, there’s a host of brilliant, creative, and unforgettable characters who faded into the background—often not because they lacked quality, but because they were victims of timing, marketing, or changing trends. Some defined cult classics. Others hinted at deeper stories we never got to fully explore. These are the Xbox characters who deserve a second life—heroes who could lead a revival, or villains who could steal the show all over again. It’s time to dig them out of history’s vault and put them back where they belong: center stage.
#10: Kameo (Kameo: Elements of Power)
Launched alongside the Xbox 360, Kameo: Elements of Power showcased a bright, whimsical fantasy world where Kameo—a half-elf shapeshifter—used elemental transformations to battle dark forces. Kameo’s ability to morph into different creatures, each with its own powers, was inventive and perfectly suited for imaginative platforming combat. But despite solid gameplay and a beautiful world, Kameo was quickly overshadowed by more mature titles like Gears of War and Call of Duty 2 dominating the Xbox landscape at the time.
What’s tragic is that Kameo had the potential to become Xbox’s answer to platforming mascots like Mario or Spyro—characters brimming with color, charm, and personality. Her world hinted at rich lore and hinted that future games could have expanded into darker, more epic narratives. Rare developers originally intended Kameo to kick off a franchise, but plans were shelved as Rare pivoted toward Kinect projects. With today’s love for colorful, story-driven adventure games (Ori, Psychonauts 2), Kameo could make an incredible comeback—one where her elemental powers evolve into something even more dynamic and narrative-driven.
#9: Voodoo Vince (Voodoo Vince)
Voodoo Vince was one of the weirdest, wittiest platformers to grace the original Xbox. Playing as a snarky voodoo doll in a twisted, magical version of New Orleans, Vince’s gameplay gimmick was brilliant: hurting yourself to hurt enemies. Need to take down a boss? Light yourself on fire. Need to wipe out a room? Spike yourself into the floor.
Despite clever mechanics and a genuinely funny script, Voodoo Vince was buried under bigger releases and never caught fire commercially. It’s a shame, because Vince himself—gruff, sarcastic, but weirdly lovable—was a character with huge potential. The 2017 Voodoo Vince Remastered hinted there’s still love for him out there. With today’s indie boom and appetite for weird, charming heroes, a brand-new Voodoo Vince game could absolutely find an audience. Bring Vince back, Microsoft—we need more wisecracking dolls willing to punch themselves in the face to save the world.
#8: Joanna Dark (Perfect Dark)
Once hyped as the “next Lara Croft,” Joanna Dark starred in Perfect Dark, one of the most critically acclaimed shooters ever made. Cool under fire, razor-sharp with a gun, and skilled in stealth, tech, and espionage, Joanna was poised to be Xbox’s flagship female action hero when Rare rebooted her in Perfect Dark Zero for the Xbox 360 launch.
Unfortunately, timing (and a somewhat clunky reboot) hurt her chances. Perfect Dark Zero didn’t land as powerfully as expected, and Joanna’s potential faded into the background. But Joanna deserves another shot—especially in today’s landscape, where spy thrillers, sci-fi intrigue, and strong female protagonists are in demand. With the Perfect Dark reboot now in development at The Initiative, the time is perfect (pun intended) for Joanna Dark to reclaim her rightful place as a sci-fi gaming icon. If done right, she could rival even the biggest names in action gaming today.
#7: Blinx the Time Sweeper (Blinx: The Time Sweeper)
Blinx should have been Xbox’s answer to Sonic or Crash Bandicoot. Released in 2002, Blinx: The Time Sweeper introduced players to a time-manipulating cat who wielded a vacuum cleaner-like device to rewind, fast-forward, and pause reality itself. The mechanics were wildly innovative for the time, offering players puzzle-platforming based on controlling time itself.
But despite the creative concept, Blinx never became the icon he deserved to be. Some critics found the difficulty curve punishing, and the game was quickly overshadowed by bigger blockbusters in the Xbox library. Yet even now, Blinx is remembered fondly by fans who saw the potential in his clever world and unique gameplay.
In a modern gaming landscape that embraces experimental gameplay mechanics and colorful characters (Ratchet & Clank, Psychonauts 2), Blinx could thrive. Imagine a reboot where time manipulation is enhanced with today’s physics engines—rewinding collapsing environments, fast-forwarding past enemy attacks, pausing time for intricate puzzles. The building blocks were always there. Blinx just needs another chance to sweep time in his favor.
#6: Agent (Crackdown)
When Crackdown launched in 2007, it offered players a pure, joyful sandbox: jump higher, punch harder, cause mayhem. At the center of it all was The Agent—an unnamed, super-powered operative enhanced to take down crime syndicates with extreme prejudice.
What made The Agent so memorable wasn’t just his powers—it was the evolution of those powers. Players watched as The Agent grew from a slightly enhanced human to a superhero capable of leaping skyscrapers and hurling cars. The gameplay loop was pure, chaotic joy, and The Agent felt like a living extension of player ambition.
Despite a strong start, the Crackdown series lost steam with a disappointing third entry. But the concept of The Agent—an evolving, ever-stronger super-cop—still has incredible potential. A comeback with modern graphics, physics, and open-world design could easily rekindle the magic. Imagine an Agent game where environments react realistically to your growing strength, and enemy factions adapt dynamically to your rising power. The Agent doesn’t need a reinvention. He just needs a better battlefield.
#5: Kaim Argonar (Lost Odyssey)
Lost Odyssey remains one of the greatest hidden gems on Xbox 360—a classic JRPG with the emotional weight of a great novel. At its center stands Kaim Argonar, an immortal soldier who has lived for a thousand years, haunted by memories of loss, love, and endless war.
Kaim wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t a caricature. He was a somber, deeply human character carrying the scars of countless lifetimes. His quiet strength and weary resilience made him unforgettable to those who experienced his journey. Lost Odyssey didn’t sell as many copies as it deserved, largely due to the Xbox brand’s uphill battle to win over JRPG fans.
But today, with the success of narrative-driven RPGs like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Octopath Traveler, there’s huge appetite for characters like Kaim—heroes defined by emotional depth as much as power levels. A sequel or spiritual successor focusing on Kaim’s later journeys, exploring the cost of immortality even further, could deliver the storytelling experience modern RPG fans crave.
#4: Sabre Wulf (Sabre Wulf Series)
Long before Rare became famous for Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007, they had another hero: Sabreman, the intrepid explorer who faced monstrous threats in a series of early games, most notably Sabre Wulf. In this colorful but deadly world, Sabreman was constantly hunted by the vicious, unstoppable beast known as Sabre Wulf—a creature both terrifying and iconic.
While Sabreman was the playable character, it was Sabre Wulf’s presence that gave the game its heartbeat of fear and excitement. When Rare revived the franchise for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 (Sabre Wulf), it blended puzzle-platforming with chase sequences, showing how perfectly the character could transition into modern gaming with a little creativity.
Despite the GBA game’s clever design, Sabre Wulf hasn’t seen a real comeback on major consoles. Which is a shame—because in an era of survival horror revivals, a dark, stylized game where players are either the hunted or the hunter could be electric. Imagine a reboot where Sabre Wulf becomes a persistent threat in an open-world jungle environment, almost like Mr. X in Resident Evil 2—an unstoppable beast always just a heartbeat away. Done right, Sabre Wulf could finally become the horror-icon-in-disguise he was always meant to be.
#3: Arbiter (Halo Franchise)
While not exactly obscure, the Arbiter from Halo 2 and Halo 3 deserves way more standalone spotlight than he’s ever been given. Introduced as a disgraced Sangheili commander who finds redemption by rejecting the lies of the Covenant, the Arbiter is one of Halo’s richest, most layered characters.
His quiet dignity, inner conflict, and growth from bitter outcast to honorable leader gave the Halo universe emotional gravity beyond Master Chief’s more stoic heroism. In Halo 5, we glimpsed his later role as leader of the Swords of Sanghelios—but it was just a fraction of what his story deserves.
Fans have long called for a true Arbiter-focused Halo game—a brutal, tactical campaign grounded in Sangheili politics, betrayal, and honor-based warfare. Imagine exploring the ancient cities of Sanghelios, wielding energy swords in clan wars, and fighting off threats both internal and external. Arbiter isn’t just an amazing supporting character—he’s strong enough to headline an entire saga of his own. And considering today’s appetite for complex anti-heroes, the time for an Arbiter comeback has never been better.
#2: Rash, Zitz, and Pimple (Battletoads)
The Battletoads technically got a comeback in 2020’s reboot—but it barely scratched the surface of what these chaotic, hilarious amphibians are capable of. Originally created as a zany, more extreme answer to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rash, Zitz, and Pimple became famous for their insanely difficult side-scrolling beat-’em-up adventures and their bizarre sense of humor.
What made the Battletoads iconic wasn’t just the wild character designs—it was the irreverent attitude. These weren’t noble heroes. They were snarky, reckless punks who just happened to save the universe (while punching everything in sight).
The 2020 reboot leaned heavily into cartoon humor, but it lacked the intense difficulty and gritty-meets-goofy tone that made the originals legendary. A full Battletoads comeback—one that embraces challenging combat, absurd sci-fi worlds, and a perfect blend of gross-out humor and fist-pounding action—could absolutely carve out a niche today. Modern gamers love a challenge (Cuphead fans, anyone?). And there’s always room for heroes who can save the galaxy and make fart jokes while doing it.
#1: Revan (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)
If there’s any character more overdue for a triumphant return, it’s Revan. Introduced in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), Revan was both a legendary Jedi Knight and a fearsome Sith Lord—an icon of moral ambiguity and personal tragedy.
What made Revan unforgettable was the sheer complexity of their story. Revan wasn’t purely good or evil. They were a hero who fell, a villain who could be redeemed, and a symbol of how thin the line between light and darkness truly is. Players shaped Revan’s journey, making choices that defined not just the galaxy, but the soul of the character.
KOTOR remains one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, and with the highly anticipated KOTOR Remake (slowly) on the horizon, the door is wide open for Revan’s resurgence. Whether through a brand-new RPG, an action game, or even a narrative-focused series, Revan’s story deserves to reach a new generation of gamers. Revan isn’t just an underrated Xbox character—they’re one of the most compelling figures in all of Star Wars lore. It’s time for the Dark Lord to rise—or fall—once again.
Across decades of Xbox history, these characters offered something different—something bold, clever, or ahead of their time. They may not have gotten the fanfare they deserved at first, but their stories, powers, and personalities still resonate with players who remember their impact. With the gaming industry’s renewed love for reboots, reinventions, and second chances, there’s never been a better time to bring these underrated icons back into the spotlight. Because some heroes (and villains) deserve far more than just memories—they deserve a comeback worthy of their legacy.
