When it comes to video game sidekicks, few are as memorable as Grace Nakimura. Her role expanded throughout the Gabriel Knight trilogy, taking her from being little more than a source of information in the first game to practically an equal by the end of the third title. Her relationship with Gabriel Knight mirrors this personal growth as he slowly becomes more trusting of her and her abilities as a researcher and investigator. To the point where he’s not trying to force her to stay out of the way or to keep her as much in the dark of his current case as possible. By the time that the credits roll in Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned she’s treated as an equal.

In Sins of the Fathers, we find out that Grace decided to take a break from her graduate studies and took a temporary job at St. George’s Books in New Orleans. Gabriel treats her as little more than a secretary and research assistant. She’s seen taking phone calls and messages for him and the shop throughout the game, relaying each one to him as needed. And whenever Gabriel needs a book or a topic related to his “investigation” researched she grudgingly accepts the assignment. We do see some sexual tension between the two, albeit subtle in nature. She’s shown to be concerned for his well-being when she finds out just how deep he’s become in the voodoo case. And, in turn, he shows more than a little concern for her when she becomes a “damsel in distress”.

By the time The Beast Within starts, Grace has taken over the day-to-day operations at the bookshop while Gabriel has moved in to his family estate in Germany, Schloss Ritter. When he contacts her about his current case, she remembers what happened to him before and closes the store. Heading to Germany to help out, she soon discovers that he doesn’t want her interfering. He goes so far to push her away that she stubbornly continues to help out by researching anything she can find about werewolves. And her affection for Gabriel grows as she butts heads with Gerde, the castle’s other resident, thinking she’s trying to steal the man for herself.

In Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned, Grace is finally treated as an equal, more or less, in the eyes of Gabriel. They work together on a case in France, and she proves herself more than capable both as a researcher and investigator. While they both go about solving the mystery in their own ways again, she plays a much more proactive role this time around. And the pair’s relationship deepens to the point where it’s pretty obvious that they have feelings for each other.

Throughout the trilogy, Grace can be regarded as a sympathetic character. She does what Gabriel asks for, and sometimes much more. Even when he doesn’t want her around. She’s more relatable than the main character, who more often than not is seen as a narcissistic womanizer and loner. Grace is pretty much the everywoman, and a strong and independent one at that. Perhaps this is why the character has withstood the test of time.

Serena Nelson
Social Media Intern
Phoenix Online Studios