They're So Fake

While some of the androids on this list struggle to understand humans, Alisa has her own emotions and is sensitive to the feelings of others. The reason she’s so human-like is because she was built by the brilliant Dr. Bosconovitch as a replacement for his deceased daughter. (She’s basically a female Astro Boy in that regard.) Alisa is highly intelligent and her speech patterns are sometimes peppered with technical jargon, but she denies that she’s a robot whenever suspicions are raised. Even though Alisa was conceived as a robotic clone, she has numerous self-defense enhancements that Dr. Bosconovitch’s daughter probably didn’t have. She can attack with rocket punches or built-in chainsaws, she can fly by sprouting robotic wings from her back, and she can even detach her head and use it as a bomb!

Ten years prior to the events of Cave Story, an army of robot soldiers invaded a floating island in search of a dangerous artifact that was said to grant extraordinary abilities. Quote (also known as Mr. Traveler) is unlike the other soldiers in that he was sent to the island to destroy the artifact. Much of the island was in ruin by the time Quote arrived, and he was seriously damaged during his mission to eradicate the island’s dark power. He was afflicted with a serious case of amnesia in the process, but this didn’t make him any less determined. Quote can withstand huge amounts of damage and is able to use a wide assortment of weapons without the need for special training. The inhabitants of the island initially view Quote as a typical “kill bot,” so he has to earn their trust before they will help him with his mission.

Rudy Roughknight was orphaned as a child and was treated like an outcast for most of his life. He became even more maligned after he used a weapon called an ARM (short for “ancient relic machine”) to protect a helpless child from a horrible monster. ARMs were believed to have been used by Metal Demon invaders in the past, so Rudy was exiled for using the weapon. Forced to wander the planet as a drifter, Rudy’s journey is defined by themes of isolation and exclusion. After his arm is severed in battle, it’s discovered that Rudy is actually an artificial being called a holmcross that shares the same traits as the Metal Demons they are fighting. Most holmcross units were destroyed out of fear, but Rudy’s adoptive grandfather taught him what it meant to be human and refused to let him become a mindless weapon.

As the last surviving model of an experimental weapons project, Aigis has a variety of armaments at her disposal. With her machine guns, rocket launchers, and rocket punches, Aigis was designed to fight creatures called Shadows that feed on the minds of humans. Given the nature of the Shadows, it’s necessary for individuals to summon manifestations of their inner selves called Personas to battle the dark creatures. Her physical body helps her identify as a human so that she’ll be able to summon Personas herself, but Aigis has no social skills to speak of. She eventually develops personality traits of her own, but she struggles to understand her emotions and her actions are sometimes strange or unacceptable. After struggling through an existential crisis, Aigis is able to find meaning in life.

Designated W17, Lamia Loveless was the 17th in a line of androids designed to be as human-like as possible. She spends a lot of time piloting other robots, but you’d never guess she was a robot herself by looking at her. Although her social skills are undeveloped, she can operate complicated technology with ease. Lamia was programmed to fight, but she was also given emotions to ensure that she could function exactly like a human. She initially prioritizes her mission over her feelings, but she eventually comes to value friendship. In the process, she becomes even more human than her creator had intended. Lamia has a calculating personality and takes a serious approach to war, but she doesn’t have a lot of experience in the living world and could be likened to a clueless child in her daily life.

Synths are artificial humans designed by an advanced scientific organization known as the Institute. They are intended to function and behave like humans, but not all models are created equal. Nick Valentine is a prototype intended to bridge the gap between the robotic 2nd-generation syths and the truly sapient 3rd-generation models. To test how synths would handle independent thinking, Nick had various personalities from former humans loaded into him. When he escaped from the Institute, he had the memories of a pre-war detective who had lived 200 years earlier. Nick Valentine put his investigative skills to good use by opening up a small detective agency. Wastelanders typically look at synths with hatred and distrust, but Nick was accepted into a small local community and treated like a human despite his mechanical makeup.

KOS-MOS is the most popular character from the Xenosaga series and certainly one of the hottest androids in gaming history. An armored gynoid made entirely of mechanical parts and nanomachines, KOS-MOS is technically comprised of smaller robots. She was designed with superhuman strength and speed, but also has the ability to morph parts of her body into various weapons. She uses logic and probability as the basis of her decisions, so her personality isn’t quite as captivating as her body. She still finds herself in many entertaining situations, however. (In one instance, she was infected with a computer virus that caused her to meow randomly at the end of her sentences.) Her popularity extends beyond Xenosaga, and KOS-MOS has also been featured as a character in SoulCalibur III, Namco x Capcom, and several other games.

In an age where the remnants of humanity are locked in battle with a machine army from another world, specialized combat androids are rolled out to fight the invaders. YoRHa No. 2 Model B – “2B” for short – is a combat android defined by her militant, no-nonsense attitude. She has to contend with enemies ranging from robotic samurai to armored tanks, but her inhuman athleticism allows her to destroy her heavily-armed adversaries with swords and other melee weapons. Despite her efficiency in battle, 2B would much rather be at peace. She is calm and composed by design, but her emotions are more complex than her stoic personality suggests. Her short skirt has inspired tons of fan art and has sparked heated discussions about her butt, but 2B would be worthy of a place on this list even without all the fanservice.

Poppi power! In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Blades are living weapons that are obtained through contact with special crystals. Poppi is an artificial Blade, but she’s fair game for this list since she’s a humanoid. She’s defined by her stilted speech and robotic movements, and her brutal honesty is downright adorable. She’s also known for her steadfast loyalty, and she always has her creator’s best interests in mind. Poppi looks harmless at first, but she’s a super strong girl who is incredibly adaptable. There are many ways that Poppi can be customized, and her personality matures with each evolution. Poppi α could be likened to a curious child, Poppi QT acts like a playful teenager, and Poppi QTπ is a grown woman. She’s endearing in any form, and she’s legitimately one of the most charming characters in video game history. Boop!

Mega Man is often regarded as gaming’s greatest robot, but I think it’s more accurate to describe him as an android given his human features. When Mega Man was first built by Dr. Light, he was named Rock and was intended to live a simple existence as a household robot. Because he spent so much time assisting Dr. Light in his lab, Rock was programmed with the ability to learn new techniques from others. This ultimately made him the perfect choice to defend the world when a disgruntled scientist named Dr. Wily tried to take it over with an army of reprogrammed robots. From this point on, Rock assumed the identity of Mega Man and became mankind’s greatest savior. Since making his debut in 1987, the Blue Bomber has acquired nearly 100 new skills just by beating up robots and taking their abilities!