Gotham Knights is set for an Oct. 21 release after years of development. In the game, players will finally be able to take on the role of their favorite Batman protégé in the fight to save Gotham City from total destruction.
Video game characters, whether they be the player's character, heroic NPCs, or dastardly villains, are often what helps make a great game even better. But not all characters are created equal. Some are clearly better than others in the eyes of fans. And Reddit is the perfect place for these fans to discuss who they think some of the best video game characters of all time are.
Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)
The charismatic, sadistic leader of the Hyperion Corporation is arguably one of the biggest and baddest video game villains ever, and it's easy to see why.
With Handsome Jack, the phrase "Every villain is the hero in their own story," certainly applies. As Reddit user Onepopcornman points out, Jack is confident "that HE is the protagonist in the story." He believes that he is the hero and the Vault Hunters and the Crimson Raiders are the bad guys trying to stop him from bringing peace through force to the Borderlands. And Jack continues this belief all the way through to the very end of the game.
Doomslayer (Doom)
The original Doom was one of the most violent classic video games ever, all thanks to the super soldier that players play as: Doom Guy, later known as Doomslayer.
He rarely has any dialogue, but he doesn't need any, as his one goal is always the same: kill the legions of Hell. "The man is a one-man wrecking crew that makes the Legions of Hell cower in his wake," DASmetal commented. There is literally nothing that can stop this force of absolute destruction. Even the demons locking him away for thousands of years only slowed him down, as he was soon back on his feet ready to slay again.
Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
There is a slew of great characters in Red Dead Redemption 2, but Arthur Morgan stands above the rest of them. Characters with flaws always seem to do better than characters with no flaws, and Arthur Morgan is certainly a flawed man.
Reddit user Zammzaddy notes that he has "moments on both sides of the spectrum of good and bad and each of those moments is a genuine experience." Players feel for Morgan, even when he's doing bad things. But even when he does these evil things, his overall nature and heroism wins out in the end.
Joel (The Last Of Us)
Joel's character development through The Last of Us shows him becoming a father figure to Ellie, coming to terms with what happened to his own daughter, which is one of the many reasons why people like him so much.
Joel and Ellie's relationship grows as the game progresses shows how much Joel really cares about Ellie. " Joel and Ellie had developed a father-daughter relationship through the hardships that they endured," writes Tony_Friendly on Reddit, which is why Joel makes the decision to potentially doom humanity in order to save her life. He was willing to sacrifice a cure in order to save the life of the girl that was now his new daughter.
Heather Mason (Silent Hill 3)
Silent Hill 3's protagonist is one of the best written and best performed characters in the entire franchise, and for good reason.
What made Heather so great was that she felt like a real person despite all the horrible things happening to her in the game. As rozzy points out, "Everything from her voice acting, to her movement and body language...made her feel like a real teenage girl." This realism has made it easier for people to relate to her, making her likability and writing feel even better than it already is.
Ezio Auditore Da Firenze (Assassin's Creed II).jpg)
Ezio is one of the most well known characters from the Assassin's Creed franchise as well as one of the most well-developed characters.
What makes his character so great is, in part, his tragic backstory.
As Varmung notes, "A tragic story arc is hard to beat." Tragic backstories tend to be what drives characters down their paths, and this couldn't be more true for Ezio. He's been through a lot of hard times growing up, making his intentions and ultimate mission more appealing to fans of the game.
Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil)
Resident Evil 4 is often listed as one of the best video games ever made, thanks in no small part to its central character, Leon S. Kennedy.
What people like about the rookie cop turned seasoned zombie slaying veteran was how well he was designed. "The character design, witty dialogue and the attitude he encompasses is top-notch," writes aikr9897. His start as a rookie cop entering Raccoon City to start his job the day the zombie apocalypse was great to see, especially as he grows and adapts to the new situation that he has to deal with now that flesh eating zombies are roaming everywhere.
Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Sora is a kid that is swept away on an adventure to save his friends from the forces of evil. A noble goal for sure, and why he's such a great character.
"He's just a sweet kid who loves his friends," Lunaresse notes. Indeed, Sora goes on his adventure to stop the Heartless because his friends went missing when their home was destroyed. What fans also like about him is his upbeat, positive attitude; nothing seems to put this kid down. His focus is always to find his friends and stop the Heartless from consuming more worlds.
Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
The Mass Effect games are some of BioWare's best games, thanks to excellent writing and a cast of amazing characters, including Commander Shepard.
What makes Commander Shepard so great is that it's essentially the players themselves in the role. Players can change Shepard's gender and look at the start of the game, making the character look however they want. And it's this customizable feature that helps players feel that it is them that is saving the universe through Shepard. As jeangrey99 mentions, "I loved saving the universe as a result of my decisions."
Master Chief (Halo)
When it comes to fighting aliens and parasites, there's no one better than John-117, otherwise known as the Master Chief. He is a man of few words, but that doesn't hurt his character one bit. He's a soldier, needing very few words to begin with.
Despite his stoic nature, he has his witty moments, and he is shown to be a caring soldier, especially when it comes to Cortana. But overall, he wades into enemy hordes like a one-man army, destroying everything in his path. "The man is just an absolute badass," comments ELL_YAY.