Ten Greatest Video Game Characters Of All Time

Video games are a pandemic cultural paradigm-Taking cues from board games toys sports and other elements of recreational leisure in their inception, and the very initiatory so deemed video game was itself inspired by radar display technology in its primitive design of analogue components to command the passage of a virtually projected dot on a trajectory to war targets(in a representation of a coordinated missile launch). And it was an oblivious pre instigator for the development of the opening of the dot between two autonomous competing nodes in games like "Pong", the evolution into the arcade icons of "Donkey Kong", "Mario" and "Duck Hunt", and that then accompanied by the ambitious endeavors of the PC and home console kings and queens of home consoles-"Pong Video" "Pinball", and eventually "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "World Of Warcraft" for instance.

It has all culminated in one of the most vast expanses in the entire entertainment industry, ranging from educational video games like "V-Tech Winnie The Pooh" games to the immensely immersive parabolic odyssey's of games that play out like films, with the kin of "Assassin's Creed", "Call of Duty", and the RPG virtues of "Fallout" and "EverQuest Online Adventures"; Through a journey of tumult and fluctuating degrees of turmoil and stability. It has retained its integrity through controversies, criticisms, ostracization and glorification alike, but what should no longer be left to a divisive ambiguity are the undisputed benefits of the honour to the virtual plane of existence that continues perpetuating its indomitable integrity. Now in possibly more tenacious force than ever before-At least commercially, anyway.

Improvements of cognitive processes, mitigating symptoms of Dyslexia, ADD and perceptive disorders (among others), accommodating the possibility of educating players and even galvanizing a greater motivation or incentive in life through a more palatable template for the procedure of their development. That, and being just generally therapeutic-They are an unrivalled credit to human achievement, and these facts are veritable and established in the opinion of an exponentially increasing multiplicity of raving fans. But what remains precarious and contentious due to its susceptibility to subjective consensus, is the profile of the alums from the games that have enshrined the raw greatness of the unadulterated beauties atop those summit echelons of exultation. The resolution of this list is to definitively confirm the tokens of fictional fascination that are the most supreme and influential iconic in as effective and entertaining as is possible to articulate.

Courageous, stoic and zealously convicted-The impeccably trained and astutely intelligent assassin is the perfect urban encapsulation of a sympathetic, but cynical and sombre protagonist with a vendetta. Following the hero through his odysseys consisting of escapades of inflicting visceral fury and vengeance upon the treacherous engineers of his synthetic genesis on September 5th 1964; Dr. Otto Wolfgang Ort-Meyer, Lee Hong, Pablo Belisario Ochoa, Frantz Fuchs and Arkadij Jegorov-The latter four becoming titan criminal overlords who essentially impelled the dreadful transgressions of violence that ultimately befell them, and the first being the primary architect of both the Hitman(Tobias Rieper)'s creation and incarceration throughout his formative years.

All leading to the proceeding of his absconding from the confined facilities of the asylum where he was held after induction into the international contract agency-His recruitment to the ominous organization coming as a result of his early unmatched proficiency in martial arts, driving capabilities, swiftness, strength, agility, perception, endurance, stealth, adroitness in weapon mastery, and much more, that made him the perfect candidate for assimilation into the agency for the further nurturing of those facets. And the captivating enticement is implicitly abundant on those merits alone, that the games where they were more than a mere lucid statement of all the talents he possesses in spades.

They manufactured enthralling and immersive allegories around the forlorn origins to facilitate a magnificent platform for exhibitions of every beneficiary element featured within them, and this is what ingratiated him to the plethora of fans clamouring for the coveted custodian of inconformity.

Some similarities can definitely be drawn between the prominent protagonist of the Halo franchise and his predecessor on this registry. Fervently lauded over synthetically manufactured Galan convicted unresentful ambition for the preservation of justice and liberty from the malignant brutality of the series adversaries-But in this instance the more extraterrestrial variety(The Covenant and the Flood); The most effective member of an elite breed of super soldiers whom is primarily unaccounted for, and solitary from his biologically engineered brethren, save for the reliable AI Cortana.

And the most meticulous construction in many of his surrounding parables is what provides the alluring depth and appeal to players of the games through the ability to convey an emotional and resonant relationship between a clone with the abilities of every rooted benefit of the enhancements of augmented physicality and an exponentially accelerated growth process, and a soulless entity with so much soul so adeptly is bewitching.

And it emphasizes the inspirational elation in John-117's ascension to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer within the Spartan Two division of the UNSC Naval Special Warfare command, after the trauma of the highly perilous and really capricious process of inorganic qualifications he was subjected to emerging on the other side as an empowered and gallantly tenacious formidable force not to be reckoned with is again their tale paralleling Agent 47's in many ways, but distinguishes itself by way of the more fantastical setting and additional dynamic of his undying fidelity to his honourable confederacy.

A sundry of consistently multifaceted games and fables have been the beneficiary platform for the portrayal of the uncompromising and acute character of Lara Croft. Adequate enough to receive infrequent criticisms, sure, but intricate and enlightened enough to negate that on the virtue of pure ambition and proclivity for innovation-All in service of a lead role that is resourceful and sagacious and unwilling to capitulate when affronted with seemingly insurmountable odds.

Lara has a fiendish penchant for the arcane archaeological endeavours that have earned her the alternative moniker of the Tomb Raider, and what elevates her above her peers thus far upon this list is primarily the fact that she is not genetically altered at all; She is a pure straight human, and is equipped only with her mental faculties and those iconic dual pistols which she wields with such charisma, that her miraculous volition for escaping all kinds of horrendous occurrences is actually somehow rendered plausible. Humble beginnings as the daughter of an involuntarily estranged father whom she has flirted with the burden of living in the shadow of, but quickly evolving into an epic stalwart to behold.

She is revered partially for the fact that she has transcended potential negligent generalizations stemming from misogynistic derogations of her iconography as perhaps the first sex symbol in gaming to be represented with an atmosphere of at least modest veneration. The protrusion of her mammary glands initially is a mistake in the rendering of the character model, and multiple statements from male players claiming the appreciation for the more feminine aspects of identity that instilled in them-Despite the over-ostentatious depiction of a glamorous female figure. But fortunately, through the course of her progression, those quandaries have been largely suppressed by the sheer magnitude of her admirability. A galvanizing pillar for every game.

Link is very much the conventional encapsulation of a hero benefiting from a coming-of-age tale while in pursuit of rescuing a damsel in distress. His primary functional aspiration is a noble modest one-Of emancipating the Princess, Zelda, and the other Hylian inhabitants of the kingdom of Hyrule from the tyranny of the great oppressor Ganon, utilizing the master short sword and lightning arrows to relinquish the incursion from the nefarious villains' disciples.

Like most of the other established gaming luminaries on this record, he has undergone many incarnations and interpretations of what the developers of his contemporary games deem the personification of his frequently mute, but affable and amazing character should be to coincide with the eras he has now transcended. The real uniqueness in contrast to his peers though is that he has had those interpretations represent almost every stage of his life from his most formative years to adulthood.

Also, a great scavenger, as he has often acquired an affluent wealth of instruments, weapons, magical items and heart containers, as he purports a lifestyle of an agency that is permeable and palatable for all ages-Which is yet another advantage of his infallible persona. He is the cardinal proponent responsible for The Legend of Zelda series being the recipient of avid and rampant fan affection and anticipation of all imminent releases, and has perpetuated a longevity for the franchise that, after years overwhelmed with a cascade of haemorrhaging installations, has not become monotonous or surfeiting.

For a gaming series that began so immaculately with its pioneering realizations of open-world action adventures, but then fell unfortunate victim of the contentious reception of discordant fans arguing the extent of over-saturation it extensively reached, one thing amidst the tumultuous haze that has remained constant is the ardent faith and adulation that the Italian ancestor of Desmond Miles has been imbued with-For reasons of the plain and obvious.

His journey from a promiscuous and audacious young reprobate, that was still charming and admirable despite his arrogance, to a dignified and righteous sage of salvation for the underprivileged afflicted with the Templar plague(that was savage and merciless in its corrupt and dissipated recklessness), was instigated by a tragedy that brought a sort of poetic profundity to the essence of the character; And across the elapsation of the series, he toiled with the adversities of duplicitous schemes of the betrayal that lead to his beloved father and brothers' deaths. The burden of responsibility being the sole protector of the remaining members of his family and allies(besides his Uncle Mario, until his untimely demise), and the surmounting of the daunting task impelled by his indoctrination into the assassin's creed-Among so much more as well, while traversing the landscape subjected to the ignorance and depraved inequity of the Italian Renaissance.

He just possessed that "it" factor to entice the vehement investment from fans, that in the resolve of his progression, was so satisfying and poignant-Whether experienced through the underrated "Revelations", or the minisode, "Embers".

The maniacal marsupial was designated the honour of being the Sony console mascot for an existentially effervescent reason. Attempting to diagnose it would render the unfortunate undertaking of the burden doomed for damnation though-Because he's just so confounded. Absolutely bizarre, and evocative of fond nostalgia for droves of reminiscent fans. Another insertion into the platformer genre in its burgeoning three-dimensional environment in 1996, or the reinvigoration of the category of gaming gratuity. And gratuitous it may have been, but also gratifying.

Innocent, thrilling, and rampaging exploits through the fictional Wampa islands of Australia were the stage for the intrepid performances exhibited in his abstruse spinning abilities and jumping capabilities, while collecting the indigenous fruit defeating numerous wacky foes and their bosses en route to the ultimate goal of conquering the nefarious Dr. Neo Cortex; Whom was responsible for his enhancement of abilities beyond that of the islands' feral fauna, in attempts to manufacture a minion to wreak havoc and madness-And also for the incarceration of his girlfriend, Tawna.

For a character that doesn't emote beyond his animated facial expression that are usually of the comical and hysterical variety, he became a remarkably redolent personality almost immediately-And a distinctly discerning and recognizable hallmark figure of the industry. There was just a hypnotic addiction that was the factor of the riveting irresistibility for the gaming series, and they were spearheaded and preserved by the astronomical force of nature spinning his way onto screens, to prove that the most elaborate and convoluted plot and characters gravitas isn't the prerequisite for a competent and entertaining video game series; Even in the more mediocre instalments, of which he was one of the few redeeming features(despite his controversial redesign), is a universally accessible inspiration.

Captain John "Soap" MacTavish is the epitome of the utmost zenith of heightened exhibitions and embracements of brotherhood, charisma, levity, charm, chivalry, resilience, courage, fidelity, nobility, and the list goes on. That is just the only way one could describe Soap. His loyal and cherished compatriot and brother in arms, Captain John Price, could just as easily occupy this position-As his contributions to the Modern Warfare series, and the seminal paradigm of gaming altogether, were incredible. But Soap is inscribed in this shrine to sheer excellence because there is not a single fleeting moment in which he wasn't such a significant feature, and that isn't deeply ingrained within the hearts minds and souls of fangirls and fanboys the world over.

There should not be a single first-person shooter fan that is not aware of, and traumatized by, that harrowing, yet iconic scene of the tower explosion saw the gallant hero meet the fate of the determination of his mortality. The palpable emotion portrayed and instilled in gamers could not have been more poignant after one of, if not, the most compelling and enthralling development arcs in gaming. It wasn't necessarily the largest evolution, but was arguably the most salient portrait of a man, persistently optimistic in resilient defiance of all the tragically malicious odds stacked against him-And the world, in which he was constantly and desperately trying to defend.

Precipitous, but prudent. Ruthless, yet considered. He is a man of amazingly congruent contradictions, and that is precisely why Infinity Ward caught lightning in a bottle when they created and united him with a completely similar, yet totally unique character to build a rapport of chemistry with, in Captain Price. But not only him-this heartthrob is a great ally and friend to all whom he encounters. Beside those foolish enough to stand against such a formidable and worthy adversary.

Witty, quippy, and tremendously swift-Everything about this icon, right down to the subversive juxtaposition of the rapidity of the character belonging to a typically docile and inert species, is a marvel to relish in. Beginning as the basic, muted 16-bit bastion of supreme speed and eternal velocity, his ambition was one relative to that of his peers in many ways-One heinous and audacious nemesis being the centric focus of the efforts to vanquish them and their malevolent intent of invading the wild and compromising its tranquility through their will to enact abhorrent transgressions of the holding of inhabiting innocent fauna hostage; All with elaborate and ominous contraptions that possessed one critically deficient fatality-The underestimation of the indomitable spirit and dedication to be in the one defiant stick-in-the-mud to oppose the tyranny.

Those were the undertones of the games in which he starred, and they were conveyed subtly at first, so that those seeking an impulsive thrust into high-velocity action could enjoy, but those examining below the surface could extrapolate those pervasive thematics and appreciate Sonic for his fearless fight against Dr. Robotnik. In later games, the blue ball of spinning, racing motion evolved beyond that physically, in his integration into the emerging and immersive 3-Dimensional landscape, and his compositional growth. Taller, faster, stronger-The inherent predication on speed being bolstered by a new boost ability and in his persona as well(by becoming brazen and immodest), was occasionally vexing. But for fans able to look past those superficial and peripheral elements.

Endearing with the cocky charm that is basically inexorable within the conformity to the archetypical tropes of an adolescent protagonist. He possesses the guile and angst of a 15 year old, but also the radical optimism-And that's neglecting the omnipotence he embodies when harnessing the power of the Chaos Emeralds he is the sole worthy custodian of.

There was a very modest and peculiar origin for the yellow circular glutton that was initially dubbed "Pucman" in pertinence to his stimulus for aesthetic appearance being based on that of a hockey puck(but changed due to their concerns over vandals scratching out the lettering on his initiatory platform of arcade machines to make the "P" resemble an "F"). And it preceded an almost immediate and rife clamoring for the basic, but compulsively engaging escapades through the narrow corridors in pursuit of nothing more than consuming the Pac dots permeating the area, while tailed by Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Clyde. He originally had no personality, and the effervescent engrossment in him and his games was founded upon the competitiveness of the everlasting endurance of the frantic transpirations of navigating the mad, miasmic mazes, and the broad environments.

The attribution of exposition in the later games that saw the character receive synthesis across all console ports, from arcade machines through every generation of homes console, two handhelds, mobile games, and even other forms of media entirely (like film, cartoons and comics) permitted the true merits of this characters early identity to be encompassed and exhibited-Through the pandemic dispersion of devoted and reverential fans, united in their adulation and commitment to him.

His abilities of synthesizing that in which he consumes to enhance himself are very elementary in their premise, but have been transmuted to the perplex protagonist so irrevocably and constantly, that Pacman's influence as the precursor for tributaries across virtually all genres of game is ubiquitous and palpable, and justifies the placement on this list. He has evolved into a paternal figure of good-willed benevolence, inspired by his marriage to Miss Pacman, and Parenthood to children; And he additionally has the responsibility of performing the more domestic duties in compelling care of his family, as well as the endeavours he embarks on in the grand extent of the universe in his facetious and whimsical, but purposeful manner-A nuanced tone that shouldn't be completely awe-inspiring, and isn't, but is so relatable and sympathetic, that any resistance to an invested adulation of him would be impossible.

The only aspect that inhibits the allocation on the top spot is the fact that his personality didn't shine through prevalently until the more recent instalments into the franchise(of which some of the surrounding parables have had a precarious and ambivalent perception). But his exposure to the world both in his novel 1980 release and the subsequent succeeding sequels has left an indelibly ineffable impact on it and is undeniably the advocate of for father for the Sonics, Links and Pokémons. And even the quirkiness of the Lego games, and the drive of first-person shooters and role-playing games; Even if not a direct inspiration. The permission for agency in the nonconformist contumacy, the rowdy, tongue-in-cheek flippancy and deeply immersive and intricate plots, that Pacman and his titular accommodating releases provided is not exclusive to the character, but could easily be considered a Pacman vintage in the resemblant pastiche that is evident in proceeding characters.

Mario's franchise of games are the most financially and critically successful in the history of the gaming industry of the world; And why is that? It's at least partially because of its leading monolithic titan of intrepid spunky traversal. He began with the setting of a precedent that made a statement of how he intended to ensue, in the fantastic cameo in "Donkey Kong", that preceded his own independent "Mario" title-As a carpenter that could not jump in the initial phases of development, but soon incorporated that ability that previously enable his vaulting over the barrels tossed toward him viciously in attempted deterrence of his magnanimous enterprise of rescuing princess Pauline. All before his transition to the professionalism of plumbing, to adapt to his subterranean stunts in the catacombs of New York, alongside his brother, Luigi.

He wasn't the first to be such an exemplary protagonist of course-Taking his cues from the kin of Pacman and the arcade generations' other dignitaries, and wearing those inspirations on his sleeve. But following the eventually consummated infatuation with 1985's "Super Mario Bros.", the exploits within the Mushroom Kingdom portrayed a character that would become the hallmark for all metric of a gaugable standard of heroic gradation to be measured against in his own right. A familiar concept of righteous and moral gallantry that has already been explored in this inventory, but executed to a most unimpeachable degree through the conduit of a stoic, but passionate hero with a proclivity for being the thorn the side of the menacing aggressor, Bowser; As he repetitively and persistently captured the re-identified Princess Peach and dispatched legions of his reptilian minions and miscellaneous foes for the fearless Italian, in a perpetual cycle of ultimately futile, but still relentlessly riveting ventures facilitating the assimilation of the variety of abilities he could access through his brutal block breaking-To be attributed the powers of higher damage tolerance and collisions with enemies, fireball throwing, flight or gliding, iceball throwing, multiplication, boomerang throwing, temporary invulnerability, and much more.

Likewise with even the more contentiously received characters in this catalog, the repetitiveness of the escapades was more of a recipe for irresistible enticement instead of a banal, toilsome carousel of diminishing returns. Also, similarly to his contemporaries, Mario has not been devoid of the game or two that was affronted with aspersions over something even as pedantic is not fulfilling the anticipation of a particular individual's eager enthusiasm-But has remained the standout consistent champion more so than all the rest. There have been periods of time where perhaps his competitors have waned in some way, shape or form, and it has been the iconography of invigoration and impeccable(yet again) perseverance that has sustained not only the integrity of the character and his games, but most prolifically, his entire genre.

And that is the most merit-worthy component of being the incarnation of the affable saviour that he is. He is just for everyone. He is accessible for every single person in the universe, and integrity is the defining superlative to refer to it with-As none else can be conceived when the magnitude of his significant influence and magnetical evasion is considered.