The Best and Worst Character Designs

[scorptatious]

While I really like Xenoblade Chronicles. I do feel that a lot of the different armors for the characters look really stupid on them. Almost all of Sharla's outfits are blatantly fanservicey.

Seriously? What is this??

If the game gave me the option not to change the character's model when choosing different armor, I would be happy.

 

[Manji187]

Mentioning Final Fantasy for worst design in this thread already feels like beating a dead horse that's stuck under another dead horse, but GODDAMMIT IF THIS TWATCAKE ISN'T MENTIONED IN THIS THREAD THEN I WILL DO IT!

Spoiler

The worst part is he doesn't even have the worst character design, it's just that he being an insufferable little shit amplifies the atrociousness of his costume, making him one insurmountable pain in the ass.

Huh, now that I look at it, his shoes actually look quite sensible.

As for best design... weelll Kratos has been mentioned already, but he is IMO definitely as iconic as Mario or Link. Oh, and Team Fortress 2 probably has the best character designs ever.

Spoiler

Wh... wha... what... WHAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS TEABAGGING CHRIST AM I LOOKING AT? Is that a sword or... what the hell is that thing supposed to be? I know japanese character designs featuring swords often tend to stray towards the absurd, but that is just beyond words. That's like the Dragonslayer from Berserk had sex with Cloud's Buster Sword from FFVII and then irradiated the fetus until it suffered copious elephantitis. Jesus christ.

Assuming, of course, that it even is a sword, but I've got no clue what else that thing could be.

Perhaps it's a futuristic mammoth tanker's anchor? XD

 

[Asita]

We're going to be seeing a lot of "why hasn't [guy who's been mentioned] been mentioned, yet!?", I'm afraid. Also, it feels like cheating to nominate closet porn like Queen's Blade.

Oddly enough - from what I understand - the Aeria Games MMO has no relation to the Japanese franchise of the same name, hence why its localized title is "Scarlet Blade". The point still arguably stands, but because of the game itself rather than any franchise expectations.


Anyways, on the better end of the scale...I might actually have to suggest the Aeons in Final Fantasy X. Yeah, they're a bit over the top, but there's a bit of brilliance in that. Take Bahamut as a case in point. Human stance, gilded, armor-shoulder-spikes and a plethora of details more designed for form than for function. Honestly, it almost reads more like ceremonial dragon-armor than an actual dragon...which - in all honesty - it actually is. It's not a dragon, it's a ceremonial construct crafted from a human soul to be the sword and shield of a summoner. That's what an aeon is in that game, and because of that it makes sense for them to seem over the top.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I'm just given out one example of each-

Best
Male- Prince of Peria (2008) He just look very distint looking. Name me another character with that headwear and a claw/ ganunlet on one of his hand who isn't a game enemy?
Female- Juri Han. She is menacing while look bizzare (her hair style) in a good way when it come to Street Fighter characters.

Worst
Male- Vaan from FF12. As a game protaganost expecially Final Fantasy, he is just not convincing and look inferior comapared to the others FF protagonists.
Female- That X Blade chick. She is pretty much fanservice as its worse.

 

[spartandude]

there are many examples to choose from for both good and bad but theres one character who does both

Spoiler: good

Ashley Williams (Mass Effect)

Shes in the Marine Corps, as such she wears a sensible uniform like the rest of the military personel. Her hair is sensibly tied back and she doesnt wear too much make up. Also her combat gear, while form fitting (like male armour) is usually bulky (most players would put her in medium or heavy armour) and looks functional. And still shes fairly pretty.


Also shout out to Lieutenant Mira (Space Marine)

Shes a soldier in the army and she wears the exact same stuff as the men.

Spoiler: bad

Ashley Williams (Mass Effect 3)

Oh boy. she now looks like a cheap prostitute, im sorry but she does. She's wearing her body weight in make up, hair is impracticle for combat. her non combat outfit has lost all sense of believability and looks less like the Marine Corps uniform and more like the Alliance Babe Watch division. and for some reason her boobs have doubled in size.

Spoiler: snip

Witcher 2 had phenomenal character design, easily walking that thin line between fantastical and stylish without losing some sense of realism.

Spoiler

Holy crap, practical armour? In a videogame? Is that even allowed?... Apparently so.

and all of this

 

[Toxic Sniper]

Then you look at the expanded Sonic-verse and get things like...

Spoiler: Big the Cat

Ugh.

I actually like Big's design. It's distinct from other Sonic characters, it fits his personality, and it's a unique way of portraying a cartoon cat.

Best male design?

Spoiler

clean, cool looking and comfortable.

I'd say you've got that backwards. From those pictures, I can clearly figure out Max Payne's characteristics at a glance (out of shape, miserable, obviously a tourist) whereas the knight could be any knight from any game or story, utterly generic. Plus he's an absolute mess of belts. Perhaps it's authentic, but it isn't anything that stands out.

The Elite Knight Armor isn't really a "character design" as much as it is one of many sets of armor your customizable silent cipher can wear. However, I really like it as an armor set; as MacNille said, it's clean and comfortable. It doesn't look especially generic to me because there aren't many games out there with knight armor that looks within the bounds of realism.

One of my favorite designs from Dark Souls is Executioner Smough.

Spoiler

That massive frame, those squat legs, that oddly organic-looking armor that makes him almost appear to be a statue... Definitely one of the best designed Dark Souls characters; he's actually the director's favorite. His buddy Ornstein also looks great, but I think the two look best together where Smough's brutishness contrasts with Ornstein's elegance.

Spoiler

 

[Wadders]

I know Agent 47's design is fundamentally a bald fella in a suit, but it just works. Sinister and smart, and a touch unnatural.

Spoiler

Also; dat helmet.

Spoiler

Best male design?

Spoiler

clean, cool looking and comfortable.

Spoiler

Fat bald max payne looks so bad it is almost good. Keyword here is almost.

I'd say you've got that backwards. From those pictures, I can clearly figure out Max Payne's characteristics at a glance (out of shape, miserable, obviously a tourist) whereas the knight could be any knight from any game or story, utterly generic. Plus he's an absolute mess of belts. Perhaps it's authentic, but it isn't anything that stands out.

OT: Going on my hatred of belts, I'd say the worst character design is Connor's sartorial smorgasbord:

Spoiler

Ugh, so cluttered. The same guy is responsible for Garrett's new look, which explains why his body is festooned with leather belts and ties. Must take him an hour to get dressed.

Best may be the protagonist from Journey, but I'm going with...

Well okay, maybe he isn't the best, but I like Blob's clean, cheerful and friendly looking design. It does what it needs without anything excessive.

That AC3 outfit is pretty bad - apart from the first one, I never really liked the outfits in AC games, they always look far too complicated and flappy for an assassin. They only really make sense within the setting of the 1st game.

 

[Maximum Bert]

The best character designs fit the world and feel of the game as well as bringing their own individuality to it making them memorable characters in their own right. Their designs also reflects their personality, backstory (if any) and abilities as well as take into account any limitations systems may impose on their design (not usually an issue now)

The worst character design is the opposite of this. Characters do not have to be practical to the events that take place in their game in relation to our world logic because it is a game world and has its own rules and as long as the character fits in thats fine.

Nintendo traditionally has excelled at fantastic character design actually the best designed characters are quite easy to tell because they have obtained fame outside of their games and our known by others outside gaming circles even if they dont know what games they are from. This is not an absolute rule as even well designed characters can go unnoticed if they are not seen by anyone due to the game not being released in many places or selling extremely poorly.

few e.g:-

Mario
Ryu
Sonic
Lara Croft
Pac Man
Cloud
Master Chief

My two personal favourite games overall for character design are (probably) FFVII and Darkstalkers (Vampire saviour if I have to pick one game) I just think they did an excellent job in these games of nailing the design on the characters making all of them distinct and memorable through their looks actions, abilites use of text etc as well as grounding them in their respective universes. Actually I would say most (successful) fighting games employ excellent character design at least as far as looks animation and movesets go anyway mainly because the design of the characters is such a huge part of these games if they are all bland and boring odds our people wont bother sticking around even if the game engine is ok.

 

[Derek Weselake]

Horrible bottom of the bottom Designs in popular games
~~~
Riku, Axel, and Sora in Kingdom hearts
The dudemen baldies
Ashley in Mass Effect 1(Female version of a dudeman)
Modern DMC Dante
Kratos

Best character designs
~~~~
Jade beyond good and evil
Tali Mass effect
Ganon in Windwaker, OoT and Twilight princess
Elizabeth Bioshock infinitie
Anyone in Muramasa and Odin Sphere
Devil May Cry 4 Dante
Ezio
Kai in Heavenly Sword
All the Demons in SMT
Sonic
Kos-Mos Xenosaga 3




A word on sexyness in character design:
I do not mind it, the definition of fantasy is

fantasy or phantasy (ˈfæntəs&#618

? n , pl -sies
1. a. imagination unrestricted by reality


Also since the beginning of time females have purposely dressed sexy and males have dressed powerful. In cavemen days women would often paint designs around their breasts, buttocks, and stomachs to attract mates, While males would paint markings to look like blood to look tough.

Lack of clothing in combat is a sign of confidence and bravery. Stupid? sure, but bravery is just stupidity with purpose.