8 of the Greatest Videogame Protagonists

[ffronw]

8 of the Greatest Videogame Protagonists

Our community says that these eight videogame protagonists are some of the best of all time.

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[Barbas]

Well it looks like I wasn't the only one surprised by the good captain.

 

[Nazulu]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

 

[RealRT]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

 

[Nazulu]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

 

[StoleitfromKilgore]

Sigh... why are these lists always so predictable? What about Susan Ashworth from The Cat Lady? There's a character for which you wouldn't have to search for justification long.

 

[Silence]

I think I need to add an adendum to my mention:

Despite the fact that you can play the Nameless One in whichever way to choose, he has an incredibly good, heartbreaking, backstory, which you unravel layer by layer while playing the game. And it makes perfect sense in this world.

I didn't choose him only for "play like you want".

 

[Rip Van Rabbit]

My post was picked for a thing!? That can happen!?

*cough*

I'm okay now.

I can't really disagree with any other entries, I would have chosen most of them myself. More love to Blaskowicz in Wolfenstein: The New Order, his internal monologue and world-weary quips really help to ground his character and make him more relatable. Oh! Clementine & Lee? Pleasant surprises, I adore the Telltale games.

 

[RealRT]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

Yes it is a defense for Walker because the game was intentionally trying to invoke the feeling of a Generic Military Shooter #27 so it could then deconstruct the heck out of the genre and Walker's design was a part of it. You haven't played Spec Ops, have you? A great game if you hate modern military shooters.

 

[Fdzzaigl]

My opinion on this:

1) Just no. It's a flat character whose only solution is to kill everyone who opposes him / her while uttering some hilariously un-hilarious one-liners. The character was somewhat enjoyable in the second game but utterly unlikable in any of the other ones.

2)didn't play

3)"Struggles on" is a very weak single trait to put someone in a top best characters list. That said, I didn't play the newest installation.

4)didn't play

5)didn't play

6))OK

7))He's grey and uninteresting in both appearance and every choice involving him. He never changes much from the same character traits that dominate RPG protagonists despite claims to the opposite. Just no IMO.

8) OK

Not exactly a list I can get behind. Especially because there's so many more gripping characters and protagonists out there.

 

[Nazulu]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

Yes it is a defense for Walker because the game was intentionally trying to invoke the feeling of a Generic Military Shooter #27 so it could then deconstruct the heck out of the genre and Walker's design was a part of it. You haven't played Spec Ops, have you? A great game if you hate modern military shooters.

No it's not a defense. You can't say Walker has interesting design because he was meant to be intentionally bland for message sake.

 

[RealRT]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

Yes it is a defense for Walker because the game was intentionally trying to invoke the feeling of a Generic Military Shooter #27 so it could then deconstruct the heck out of the genre and Walker's design was a part of it. You haven't played Spec Ops, have you? A great game if you hate modern military shooters.

No it's not a defense. You can't say Walker has interesting design because he was meant to be intentionally bland for message sake.

Which I didn't say, I said that his design was bland on purpose so the game could get its point across better.

 

[VoidWanderer]

Remove Geralt and replace with Shepard... Please. I could never figure out why people with power keep asking the professional monster killer about politics and race relations. That is not his job, he gets hired to kill the bad things, or reverse their curses.

And how is this legendary Monster Hunter so thick? I mean from the first game, where you have to learn where the SKULL is to get the damn item to drop, up to having to figure out that blood drained body + two holes in neck = vampire seems like several steps sideways.

You can claim amnesia, but this is a guy who can still remember his various fighting styles, plus recipes, plus his magic and he doesn't know the core fundamentals of how to do his job... I cannot understand the hype for this character, but I do not judge others who do. Enjoy the Witcher III on Tuesday, guys

 

[Nazulu]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

Yes it is a defense for Walker because the game was intentionally trying to invoke the feeling of a Generic Military Shooter #27 so it could then deconstruct the heck out of the genre and Walker's design was a part of it. You haven't played Spec Ops, have you? A great game if you hate modern military shooters.

No it's not a defense. You can't say Walker has interesting design because he was meant to be intentionally bland for message sake.

Which I didn't say, I said that his design was bland on purpose so the game could get its point across better.

But that is what I was talking about. The design being bland, that it's not a point in his favour.

 

[RealRT]

Our community is only looking at the writing side, but what about the game play and design? Because gaming is more than just writing. Most of these characters look generic and forgettable.

The Boss can look however you want him/her to look, Blazkowicz is based off the original design from Wolf3D, Walker is deliberately made as generic as possible and the rest of them, especially Geralt and TNO are anything but generic.

So the boss's design doesn't even matter then. Doesn't matter what Blazkowicz original design is. That's not a defense for for Walker. And I agree TNO and Geralt are not, that's why I said most.

Yes it is a defense for Walker because the game was intentionally trying to invoke the feeling of a Generic Military Shooter #27 so it could then deconstruct the heck out of the genre and Walker's design was a part of it. You haven't played Spec Ops, have you? A great game if you hate modern military shooters.

No it's not a defense. You can't say Walker has interesting design because he was meant to be intentionally bland for message sake.

Which I didn't say, I said that his design was bland on purpose so the game could get its point across better.

But that is what I was talking about. The design being bland, that it's not a point in his favour.

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

 

[Nazulu]

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

I understand your reasoning, but you don't understand me at all it seems.

I'll just ask you; is Walkers design bland to you?

 

[RealRT]

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

I understand your reasoning, but you don't understand me at all it seems.

I'll just ask you; is Walkers design bland to you?

Maybe.

Going back to your original point, good design doesn't mean squat if the writing is bad. Writing is what characters live and die by.

 

[Nazulu]

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

I understand your reasoning, but you don't understand me at all it seems.

I'll just ask you; is Walkers design bland to you?

Maybe.

Going back to your original point, good design doesn't mean squat if the writing is bad. Writing is what characters live and die by.

Lol, I was expecting a no from you.

Bad writing can kill anything, but that's not really problem for the well designed till they have a milked out a sequel that expands beyond what it should. Writing isn't the only entertainment in video games, it's not even half. It's also design, game play, their abilities, and other things that make people enjoy their company.

I can see somewhat your main interests now, but I'm not like you RT. I actually try to see the strengths each game/developer has instead of just reflecting my own specific views only.

 

[RealRT]

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

I understand your reasoning, but you don't understand me at all it seems.

I'll just ask you; is Walkers design bland to you?

Maybe.

Going back to your original point, good design doesn't mean squat if the writing is bad. Writing is what characters live and die by.

Lol, I was expecting a no from you.

Bad writing can kill anything, but that's not really problem for the well designed till they have a milked out a sequel that expands beyond what it should. Writing isn't the only entertainment in video games, it's not even half. It's also design, game play, their abilities, and other things that make people enjoy their company.

I can see somewhat your main interests now, but I'm not like you RT. I actually try to see the strengths each game/developer has instead of just reflecting my own specific views only.

Yeah, well, again, if a character is a complete and utter twat, I can't spend an entire game with them no matter how powerful and cool-looking they are. The Assassin's Creed series is a prime example. Also, do play Spec Ops.

 

[Nazulu]

Unless there's a good reason for it and there is. The design is bland not because the developers couldn't do better.

I understand your reasoning, but you don't understand me at all it seems.

I'll just ask you; is Walkers design bland to you?

Maybe.

Going back to your original point, good design doesn't mean squat if the writing is bad. Writing is what characters live and die by.

Lol, I was expecting a no from you.

Bad writing can kill anything, but that's not really problem for the well designed till they have a milked out a sequel that expands beyond what it should. Writing isn't the only entertainment in video games, it's not even half. It's also design, game play, their abilities, and other things that make people enjoy their company.

I can see somewhat your main interests now, but I'm not like you RT. I actually try to see the strengths each game/developer has instead of just reflecting my own specific views only.

Yeah, well, again, if a character is a complete and utter twat, I can't spend an entire game with them no matter how powerful and cool-looking they are. The Assassin's Creed series is a prime example. Also, do play Spec Ops.

For fuck sake man! I've played Spec Ops. Yahtzee made a big deal out of it so how could I not.

And I agree with you with Assassins Creed too, not the type of character I care about.

I must ask, can you enjoy a game with little story and/or a silent protagonist?