Over the past three decades, the video game industry has spawned many heroes, many of which have become recognizable not only for gamers, but also for people who are far from games.
Sometimes these heroes are full of virtue, determination and decency. In other cases, they have a “gray morality”; ready to do terrible things for a great purpose or personal motives.
Below we list the cult characters of video games, both old and new, which have a significant impact on the development of the gaming industry over the years. Its participants are arranged in random order. As new games become available, the list will be expanded.
Important: in the description of the characters there are spoilers for games!
25. Dovakin (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
Our top 25 most famous video game heroes are opened by the Dragonborn - a warrior predicted by the prophecies who is destined to save Nirn from the dragon Alduin, the World Eater. He or she has the ability to absorb the soul of a slain dragon and gain his knowledge and strength.
This makes Dovakin an extremely powerful creature, the help of which countless people and factions need.
Depending on the will of the player, Dovakin does not always make the most ethical choice. But when the fate of the world is at stake, this hero will protect him at all costs.
24. Sam Fisher (Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell)
There are heroes who act in the shade. One of them is Sam Fisher, a field operative working for the NSA unit called The Third Echelon.
He is well trained in martial arts, versed in technology, expertly collects intelligence and has used these abilities many times to fight terrorism.
He is by no means perfect, and he has his skeletons in the closet. But even when the allies rebel against him, you can always count on Fisher doing the right thing.
In 2011, the Guinness Book of Records placed Sam Fisher on the 24th line in the top 50 best characters in computer games.
23. Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil)
There are many heroes in the Resident Evil franchise, but Leon is the most popular of them. He has come a long way: from a novice policeman who arrived in Raccoon City at the very beginning of the T-virus epidemic, to a special agent who has one zombie.
Despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Leon succeeded in Resident Evil 4, fighting a lot of parasitic people and monsters, and all the while remembering to throw a joke or two to ease the tension.
He helped save the world once again in Resident Evil 6, with the help of secret service agent Helena Harper. Over and over again, Leon Kennedy demonstrated his ability to survive and fulfill any task entrusted to him with calm and cold-blooded behavior that makes him the perfect person for this job.
22. Nico Bellic (Grand Theft Auto IV)
This is not a traditional hero, and it can even be argued that he is not in the least a classic positive character.
But, as is the case with any good anti-hero, it is precisely the tormented and bewildered soul of Niko that makes him an irresistible character; those for whom you can root, despite his cold-blooded actions.
21. Booker DeWitt (Bioshock: Infinite)
A private detective receives a task to go to Colombia and release the girl Elizabeth, the daughter of Zachariah Comstock, from imprisonment.
However, “this is a turn” is that Booker and Comstock are one and the same person from parallel realities. In essence, this makes Booker both the hero and the villain of Bioshock: Infinite, who fight each other to determine the ultimate fate of their daughter.
20. Doom Soldier
Doomguy (guy from Doom), Executioner, Rock Soldier - you can call this character as you like.
You know and love him not for his name, and not even for his appearance (she is hidden behind a combat suit), but for the masterful extermination of crowds of demons in one of the worst PC games of all time. Of course, under your strict guidance.
19. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
In the list of the best characters in video games of all time, there is an obvious bias towards men. However, Lara Croft will give odds to many of them. She is a strong, beautiful and intelligent female archaeologist who travels the world exploring many different tombs and mysterious places in order to ultimately save the world.
Lara Croft has become so popular over the years that it has achieved success not only in the gaming world, but also in the entertainment industry, appearing in short films, feature films and comics.
18. Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher)
The witcher makes a living by killing monsters, and does everything possible so as not to interfere in the affairs of other people. But, like any positive hero, he cannot pass by when he sees a person who is innocent and in need of help.
This does not mean that Geralt does not do terrible things. The Witcher's life encourages him to do the dirty work that others will not do. And often he has to make a choice between “do good” and “do bad” or “do nothing”.
It is nice to see that the development of the plot and the ending entirely depend on the actions of the character, and therefore the player.
In 2018, Gambling included Geralt of Rivia in the top most coveted video game characters.
17. John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
Marston is the last person to ever consider himself a hero. He spent most of his life with bandits and did terrible things.
This is a complex character who, on the one hand, is ready to do everything for the good of his family and has his own code of ethics, and on the other, hesitates to fire a bullet at his former accomplices.
16. Ezio Auditore (Assassin’s Creed)
One of the most popular computer game heroes is charming, modest and shows an unshakable sense of justice.
Guided by an egocentric thirst for justice and revenge, Ezio turned into a perfect assassin, whose affairs had a strong influence on the history of the world in which he “lives”.
15. Android 2B (NieR: Automata)
One of the most beautiful characters in computer games demonstrates to the players exactly as much naked virtual flesh as is needed for a fantasy. This makes the gameplay not only interesting, but also excitingly sexy.
Crush enemies with the help of a charming girl with a blindfold and bewitching music - what could be more pleasant for a gamer of any age?
14. Kratos (God Of War)
We follow the story of Kratos throughout the entire God of War series, so in this sense he is a hero. But, guided solely by his desires, he is as reprehensible as possible for a game character.
And yet it is in his journey that Kratos follows the path of redemption. Although this does not necessarily wash away his sins, it adds versatility to the character of one of the best anti-heroes in the video game industry.
13. Mario (Super Mario Brothers)
Of course, the top most significant characters of video games of all time is inconceivable without this mustachioed and nosy plumber (who, incidentally, was originally a carpenter named Jumper). His first appearance took place in 1981 in the arcade Donkey Kong.
Due to the fact that Mario and his brother Luigi are known by the term “Mario Brothers”, fans have suggested that the hero’s full name is Mario Mario.
He became the first video game character to receive his own wax image in the famous Hollywood Wax Museum. And the Guinness Book of Records gave him the palm of leadership in the ranking of the best characters in computer games.
12. Marcus Phoenix (Gears Of War)
In the world of video games, there is no shortage of harsh space marines, but Marcus Phoenix is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding. Despite his brutal and ruthless appearance, he shows sincere devotion to his comrades in arms and stoic determination.
These defining characteristics gave him and the Delta squad the opportunity alone to turn the tide of the war with the Locust Horde several times and ultimately win the war.
11. Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)
This famous character was first introduced to gamers in 1991. Sonic the Hedgehog, like Mario, has achieved great success for decades, has appeared in other gaming universes, and has also received its own film and television series, and even comics.
He has won the hearts of many fans of computer games, and continues to do so to this day.
10. Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
Objectively, it is difficult to see Nathan Drake as a traditional heroic figure. He killed many people, deliberately endangered his friends, trying to find an ancient lost city or some valuable archaeological site.
However, Drake does this with such charisma and an excellent sense of humor that you cannot help but be on his side.
In real life, you should stay away from people like Drake, but in the world of computer games you want to stand next to him on every reckless stage of the journey.
9. Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat)
Perhaps this is not the most vivid character of the Mortal Kombat game series, but he fits the archetype of the hero better than anyone else, since the fate of the Earth Kingdom has several times rested on his shoulders.
Liu Kang was the champion of four Mortal Kombat tournaments. This is a feat that has not been repeated by anyone else.
Unlike many of his peers, he fights not for the sake of selfish desires, but for the protection of his world and the people in it. He is pure in body and soul, which makes Liu Kang the best that Mortal Kombat has, and a hero worth rooting for.
8. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII)
The point is not only that Cloud looks very cool, as befits the protagonist. By the end of Final Fantasy VII, he is no longer what he was at the beginning.
His journey is as internal as external, which makes him a particularly "multi-layered" character for whom it is interesting to play.
Cloud got into the top of the greatest characters in computer games according to Empire magazine, Guinness Book of Records, Electronic Gaming Monthly and Dengeki PlayStation.
7. Gordon Freeman (Half-Life)
Here is a great example of how unusual circumstances can turn even a meek person into a hero. Freeman begins in the first Half-Life as a theoretical physicist, just doing his job at Black Mesa. But when an unsuccessful experiment opens the way to Earth for an army of extraterrestrial beings, Freeman is forced to take scrap and go to save the world.
His actions speak louder than the words could, pushing him to a leadership role against the Alliance. Despite Freeman’s impressive accomplishments, we still don’t know the final fate of the warrior scientist.
6. Solid Snake (Metal Gear)
Thanks to his many exploits, Solid Snake has earned a reputation as a man who “makes the impossible possible.” He defeated many of the incarnations of Metal Gear, and thus helped the world avoid a nuclear disaster.
He survived betrayal, a hostile environment and even accelerated aging. He was an ideal soldier until his retirement and lived the rest of his life in peace. A worthy end to an eventful life.
5. Master Chief (Halo)
A character named John-117 is a biochemically enhanced super-soldier, and is easily recognizable thanks to green armor and a helmet with a “gilded” part.
Despite the fact that Master Chief became one of the cult heroes of computer games, he also received negative reviews related to the fact that hiding a person behind a helmet throughout the game is a sign of his weakness as a person and as a weapon.
However, besides these negative emotions, John-117 had a lasting impact on fans and gamers around the world.
4. Link (The Legend of Zelda)
This is one of the most popular, iconic and recognizable figures in the history of computer games, and rightly so. There are few heroes more virtuous than Link.
He has tremendous power through the use of legendary weapons, but he never uses it to carry out selfish designs or harm innocents. His actions are altruistic, and his thoughts are pure.
It is also worth mentioning Princess Zelda, who is constantly saved by Link. This character made her debut in 1986, and is often portrayed in early games as a "damsel in distress."
However, as games from the The Legend of Zelda series have evolved over the years, Princess Zelda has gradually become a more dedicated character. In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine in 2009 named her one of the three most eminent heroines created by Nintendo. And Chip magazine included Zelda in the top 3 best female game characters
The popularity of the game also led to the creation of an animated television series, books and comics.
3. "BJ" Blaskowitz (Wolfenstein)
To become a hero, you need to kill the dragon. But the murder of hordes of fascists will also work. And the hero of Wolfenstein, B.J. Blaskovich, does it better than anyone else.
In the games of the Wolfenstein series, Blaskowitz is shown thoughtful, insightful and resourceful, which makes him much more than just a one-dimensional character. And his relationship with Anna and the motivation to ensure her safety make Blaskovitsa also humane.
2. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
Whether male or female, Commander Shepard is a person who wants to imitate.
An ideal mixture of pragmatism and idealism allowed him (or her) to make friends and motivate some of the most influential people and nonhumans of the galaxy to important actions.
Using all his talents to save the galaxy from being destroyed by the terrifying power of the Reapers, Commander Shepard, without hesitation, is ready to sacrifice his life for the good of mankind.
1. Arthas Menethil (Warcraft)
Being an integral part of Warcraft III, as well as the World of Warcraft online game, Arthas Menethil is one of the main characters that players will meet. His story is a reminder of where good intentions can multiply by despair and pride.
Once he was the beloved prince of Lordaeron, but in the end he became one of the most sinister and powerful people in the history of Azeroth. Which ultimately led to the fact that Arthas, now known as the Lich King, became the most prominent antagonist in the Warcraft universe.