Debate: What truly is the easiest character to cosplay?

The Sims 4 - A sim smiles while looking at her phone
(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

I spend a lot of time looking at the elaborate outfits and intricate cosplays people put together, but it's got me wondering: what is the easiest character to cosplay?

I've already shown you the dedication of cosplayers like Kaho Shibyua, the handiwork of Emily White, and the creativity of Cybertsu, all of which have thrown themselves into their craft. But what about those of us who don't quite have the skills or materials at our disposal? Is there a way we can still get involved in the cosplay community without it?

Character Select

Welcome to Character Select, a weekly column where PC Gamer takes a look at the art and cosplay created by you. Each week, I'll highlight a few of my favourite pieces, spotlight and interview creators and artists, or generally just chew your ear off about the talents of the gaming community.

I'm not talking about closet cosplays where you can take what you've already got in your wardrobe and cupboards and make an outfit, I'm talking about throwing on jeans and a t-shirt and someone being able to recognise or at least see the vision of what character you are. There has to be something in the grand scope of gaming that lets us get away with a relatively low effort attempt.

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For me, The Sims immediately springs to mind. All you need is a little Plumbob somewhere for people to get what you're going for. Any plain old clothes go then, which is perfect for someone like me who hasn't changed the way they dress in over a decade. You don't have to worry about changing your look at all—what's not to love?

I've seen a few people online suggest that Joel or Ellie from The Last of Us could be a pretty easy outfit too, but even then, I feel like you're locked into wearing something almost identical for people to get it. At least with The Sims the characters are custom made so you've always got that excuse in your back pocket. In the same vein, Life is Strange could be a free win, depending on your hair colour, but hey if you've got a box dye lying around at least that saves you the stress of having to buy an entirely new outfit.

It's sort of like those times where you get invited to a Halloween party last minute, so put on all the black clothes you own and use a marker to draw cat whiskers on. It works for the event, but it's not something you feel particularly proud of. But I feel like I'm missing something. There has to be a character that feels almost laughably easy to cosplay which I've forgotten entirely, so I want to ask you—have you ever found a character that's so easy to cosplay you've basically just gone to an event as yourself?

Kara Phillips
Evergreen Writer

Kara is an evergreen writer. Having spent five years as a games journalist guiding, reviewing, or generally waffling about the weird and wonderful, she’s more than happy to tell you all about which obscure indie games she’s managed to sink hours into this week. When she’s not raising a dodo army in Ark: Survival Evolved or taking huge losses in Tekken, you’ll find her helplessly trawling the internet for the next best birdwatching game because who wants to step outside and experience the real thing when you can so easily do it from the comfort of your living room. Right?

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