Characters who get redesigns/new outfits/new hairstyles - in the story, not as extra content - over the course of a single game

[SolVanderlyn]

I love nothing more than when a character's internal growth is reflected in their external physical appearance, as well.

Luke, from Tales of the Abyss, is the most obvious example I can think of. He starts off as a completely entitled, selfish jerk, but after a major event in the story traumatizes him and opens his eyes to reality, his character starts to evolve into someone more heroic and caring.

He also has the signature haircut to go along with it.

His short haired appearance is much more in line with previous Tales heroes, and his personality slowly changes to match someone befitting of his status as the lead protagonist, as well.

I do wish he dropped the belly shirt, but I did appreciate the redesign.

Look how much better he'd look with decent clothes... alas.

What other characters physically change throughout the course of a single game in a cool way?

 

[Lotus]

A2 from Nier: Automata, and Lillie from Pokemon Sun & Moon come to mind

 

[No42.05W70.2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0iECTqkROQ

 

[kiaaa]

Everyone in FE: Three Houses.

 

[Jmille99]

Garnet/Dagger from Final Fantasy IX

Edit: Beaten

 

[DSP]

Lara Croft in like most of her games.

 

[JCHandsom]

Link from OoT is probably the most famous example, if not the most obvious

 

[Lord Vatek]

Rex from Xenoblade 2.

 

[Gold Arsene]

Garnet cuts her a hair short part way through Final Fantasy IX.

Edit: Damn beaten twice.

 

[Moogle]

oblig Noctis from FFXV, comes to resemble his father Regis somewhat after a 10 year timeskip. His posture and mannerisms become more refined, too as he grows into his role as King.

 

[Gush]

Ryu in Breath Of Fire 3

 

[Vic_Viper]

Noctis from FFXV is the one that comes to mind right off the top of my head. I wouldnt say he actually grew as a character along with the change, since he was basically thrown in stasis the entire time lol. But he did change a bit over the course of the game.

I do love this though in games and other media. I had no idea about that Tales of the Abyss character change. I never finished it, but really need to go back.

 

[Theswweet]

Does it count if it's a sequel, and they have their outfit from the first game for the first hour or so of the game?

 

[Gold Arsene]

The Persona 3-5 cast change their uniforms and clothes based on the season.

Persona 5 also has a plot bit.

Spoiler

Where your main character wears a gray hoodie whenever they go out because there supposed to be dead.

 

[Deleted member 9746]

Kloe in Trails in the Sky SC.

 

[Lord Vatek]

Does it count if it's a sequel, and they have their outfit from the first game for the first hour or so of the game?

Click to shrink...

I mean Sky FC and SC are basically two parts of the same game so I'd say it counts regardless.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Im not even the biggest fan of FFXV in general, but Old Noctis is one of the better instances out there.

 

[DanarchyReigns]

Dagger was already mentioned.

Spoiler

Serena in Dragon Quest XI cuts her hair after the big event.

 

[Jmille99]

Would Revolver Ocelot losing his hand count in Metal Gear Solid?

 

[Tuxedotank]

Most of the characters in fire emblem three houses.

 

[Birdie]

Lillie in Sun and Moon abandoning her mom's choice of clothing for what the anime calls "Ganbar-Lillie"

 

[Dice]

Lunar's Lucia

From

To

 

[VPplaya]

Most of the major WoW characters undergo appearance changes within/between xpacs

 

[Dark_Castle]

I love this trope.

FFIV is a memorable one with Cecil going from Dark Knight to Paladin.

Infinity Undiscovery and The Last Remnant too.

 

[Maximum Spider]

RIP Leon's Jacket

 

[s y]

Looks like it'll happen to Ellie a couple times in TLOU II.

Also, Sora in Kingdom Hearts II starts out in his old outfit but then gets blessed by the drip milfs

 

[rAndom]

Any game where the characters grow after a timeskip, like the FE3H characters, Ryu and Nina in Breath of Fire 3, etc.

Then there's costume change after a power up, like Cecil from FFIV and Rex from Xenoblade 2

 

[jsnepo]

Solid Snake in MGS4

 

[Pineapple]

I was going to post Luke from TOA and go on how much I hated this new look. lol

 

[Ayirek]

Rydia from Final Fantasy IV.
From

To

 

[ActWan]

Papa Nier...put some underwear on his face, I guess? Lol

 

[Cokomon]

Most of the major WoW characters undergo appearance changes within/between xpacs

Click to shrink...

Speaking of, Prince Arthas and Sylvanis Windrunner in Warcraft 3, and Kerrigan in StarCraft.

 

[Maximum Spider]

Also, Tekken 4 has one of the odder instances of this.

One of Jin's two costumes is this:

But when you get towards the end of either his, Kazuya and/or Heihachi's final few fights in Story Mode, he loses his shirt

The weird thing about this is is that they went through the trouble of making this outfit exclusively for these sections in Story Mode. You can't unlock it later and use it in any other mode.

 

[vestan]

One of my favourite tropes. While not entirely the same, I love how Younger John in RDR2 starts to reassemble the John we know and love as we progress through the game, culminating in him donning his signature garbs in the epilogue. Good shit.

 

[Hexa]

Haseo from .hack GU.

 

[stryke]

Zack Fair from FFVII Crisis Core gets hair pulled back later in the game after promotion

 

[Weltall Zero]

Since it seems timeskips count, I present what is probably the original timeskip character:

To:

It's an interesting case because it's a timeskip that only affects her, due to spending several years in the land of Summoned Monsters, where time flows faster compared to the outside world.

Weirdly, it's not the only green-haired girl in a 90's SquareSoft RPG that gets a character-exclusive age-up: Emeralda from Xenogears also fits that weirdly specific combination of descriptors:

Also predates Senator Armstrong in using "nanomachines, son" as convenient ad-hoc explanation; her instant age-up is facilitated by the fact that she's a sentient nanomachine colony.

 

[Xavi]

Cecil from FF4

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Max Payne in Max Payne 3 is like the codifier for this

 

[Weltall Zero]

Zack Fair from FFVII Crisis Core gets hair pulled back later in the game after promotion

Click to shrink...

I see he also forgot to separate the color and black laundry.

 

[PSqueak]

Lillie in Pokemon Sun/Moon, symbolizing her gained confidence after standing up to her mom.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Cecil from FF4

Click to shrink...

Indeed, which makes FFIV a game with two character redesigns. Can anyone think of an earlier game with two or more playable characters that change appearance throughout the game?

 

[Mirage]

First thing I thought of was Ramza in Final Fantasy Tactics.

 

[Dice]

Papa Nier...put some underwear on his face, I guess? Lol

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I prefer the Poppa-Nier story over Brother-Nier...but hot dang, that is one ugly dude.

First thing I thought of was Ramza in Final Fantasy Tactics.

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I always loved the elaborate crotch belts in Ramza's final form.

 

[Duraigo]

Max from Max Payne 3
These are taken from a wikia page that shows more of his looks throughout the game
In the flash back segments he looks like his usual self

For the earlier half set in the present he grows a beard

And for the later half set in the present he shaves his head

 

[Chumunga64]

Looks like it'll happen to Ellie a couple times in TLOU II.

Also, Sora in Kingdom Hearts II starts out in his old outfit but then gets blessed by the drip milfs

Click to shrink...

*drip gilfs

 

[Strings]

Both Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 make a big deal about getting Sora a new outfit, and start him off with his one from the previous game.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

Zack Fair from FFVII Crisis Core gets hair pulled back later in the game after promotion

Click to shrink...

Isn't that a Japanese vs. Western thing?

Look at Big Boss MGSV JP. CGI, his hair is all fuzzy like in the original Crisis Core art. I think it's an art style in terms of marketing

 

[MrBS]

Cecil from FFIV is my favourite example of this

 

[MasterYoshi]