LoC #39 - Top 50 Video Game Characters - HIGH SCORES

[Asbestos Bill]

We got as far as Soda Popinski before we were forced to call it a night.

Or his true name, Vodka Drunkinski.



This list has been a pleasing mix of characters I voted for and characters I love but did not make the list.

[Rattrap007]

Yay Lazlow! and had Little Mac on my list as well at #10.

[Relaxing Dragon]

#39 - HK-47

(41 Points) 2 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #2 - mrbaseheart

Dang, can't believe I forgot HK. He was definitely the best character in both KOTOR games (I'm the same as Pak, I took him with me whether I was Light or Dark).

#38 - Lazlow

(41 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #4 - rattrap007

I very nearly put DJ Atomika (SSX /Burnout Series) on my list, but decided that was a bit too geeky, even for me. Grammy award winning artist Veteran Child (Saint's Row 2 and voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) was another dark horse there.

DJ Atomika was a runner-up for my list, but I ended up choosing a different character from those games.

[lassieface]

Pak's Thoughts - And I'm reminded of yet another game I really need to put some hours into. I'm going to do SO much gaming once this list is over. :^) Midna's sassy, impish behavior makes her a WAY better traveling companion than ol' Navi.

[PsychoGoatee]

This list is quite glorious so far! Especially Duke Nukem and Chun-Li, the only representatives so far from my mighty list. 

[Pak-Man]

#35 - Pyramid Head

(45 Points) 6 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #3 - FLOCK of RABID SHEEP?!?!

Those others were abominations, but this. this pyramid-headed monstrosity in human form - this thing was pure evil - hate and vengence and all of mankind's worst concentrated evil.

List of Games:

Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill: Homecoming
Silent Hill: The Arcade
New International Track & Field (No, Really!)

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Pyramid Head (also known as the Red Pyramid Thing) is the name James Sunderland uses in reference to a monster who is arguably the main antagonist of Silent Hill 2, and the most well-known monster. Pyramid Head's incarnation in Silent Hill: Homecoming is known as The Bogeyman.

Across the series he is usually portrayed as, at his most basic, a violent monster. A deeper meaning given to him, however, sees him as a kind of punisher or executioner. He's typically manifested by those who feel an extreme amount of guilt or have an overwhelming desire for punishment. His acts of violence are not aimed solely at humans, as he has also wrought harm against the other creatures that inhabit Silent Hill.

Masahiro Ito, the monster designer of Silent Hill 2, was looking for a monster with a hidden face to make it less human and more disturbing. His first idea was a monster with a mask, but he realized that it was nothing more than a human wearing a mask. He then took the concept further, giving the monster a head in the shape of a triangle (with sharp right angles and acute edges that suggest the possibility of pain).

Pyramid Head's appearance is that of a well-built human male. He bears his helmet, which is always obscuring his face completely, and typically is seen wielding a Great Knife or a spear. He never speaks but muffled noises can be heard from beneath his helmet on two occasions. He is strong in the extreme and can lift James off the ground with one hand. In Silent Hill 2, his first appearance, he dons a white robe-like outfit with no sleeves, and what appears to be rubber gloves with fused fingers. His iconic pyramid-shaped helmet appears to be a rusty hunk of metal grafted onto his head, with a single hole drilled into it. A tentacle or tongue-like appendage can snake out of this hole and impale a creature he has grappled.

Pyramid Head in Silent Hill: Homecoming takes a nod to his movie incarnation, with a more angular, jagged helmet with grating and bolts attached. His robes do not cover his chest and instead drop down more, obscuring his legs completely, and are held up by numerous belts. Whereas in Silent Hill 2 he was only marginally taller than James, he towers over the protagonist, Alex Shepherd. He retains his lumbering movements, though the sexual characteristics and bouts of twitching are absent in this incarnation.


Trivia:

The sound Pyramid Head's footfalls make in Silent Hill 2 are identical to the sound heard when James falls to his knees upon witnessing Maria killed for the final time. This could point towards Pyramid Head representing James's despair as well as his guilt.

Pak's Thoughts - Talk about your good ol' fashioned nightmare fuel. The Pyramid Head is designed to mess with your subconcious fears and stuff while being pretty darned creepy without the mind games. Pyramid Head has made dozens of "Scariest Video Game Monsters" lists, and I think he deserves them. What say you?

[Pak-Man]

#34 - Falco Lombardi

(46 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #9 - Thom Serveaux

This is ridiculous! Fox, take care of that stupid frog, will you?

List of Games:

Star Fox
Star Fox 2 (Canceled)
Star Fox 64
Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox: Assault
Star Fox Command
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Falco Lombardi is an anthropomorphic falcon and ace pilot of the Star Fox team. He is also a good friend and rival to Fox McCloud.

Falco has appeared alongside his wingmates in every Star Fox game to date, and usually retains his brash, cool, and collected behavior. Although he is an ace pilot, Falco is sometimes caught in situations in which he cannot escape, and must rely on Fox for assistance.

Falco often joins and leaves the Star Fox team throughout the series of games. Falco is seen as Fox's good friend and second-in-command. He is the best Arwing pilot in the team, making him very handy in battle. However, he has a tendency to not follow advice (he dislikes authority), and also likes to be late and appear at the last minute to save the day (as seen in the end of Adventures, and in several missions in Command). He would not like to admit it, but he considers the team his family.

Trivia:

In English language games, Falco is voiced by Bill Johns in Star Fox 64, Ben Cullum in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Star Fox Adventures, Mike Madeoy in Star Fox: Assault, and Dex Manley in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Dex Manly has just replaced Big McLargeHuge as the best manly name ever. In all Japanese language releases, Falco is voiced by Hisao Egawa.

Pak's Thoughts - Falco's actually not my favorite Star Fox pilot. He's got too much of that, "Ooh, I'm a rebelious pilot with an ego and I don't play by the rules" archetype, but I suppose every squadron of star fighters or jet fighters needs one. He can still be my wingman any time!

[Pak-Man]

#33 - Princess Zelda

(46 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #8 - Doctor Who?

I had a dream... In the dream, dark storm clouds were billowing over the land of Hyrule... But suddenly, a ray of light shot out of the forest, parted the clouds and lit up the ground... The light turned into a figure holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy... I know this is a prophecy that someone would come from the forest... Yes, I thought you might be the one...

List of Games:

The Legend of Zelda
Zelda 2: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legnd of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legnd of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

And, sadly,
Zelda's Adventure
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
Link: The Forces of Evil

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, best known simply as Princess Zelda is a member of Hyrule's Royal Family and plays an integral role in the history of Hyrule. Usually, Zelda is in some way kidnapped or imprisoned by Ganondorf. In some games she appears as one of the sages or as a prophet.

Zelda is depicted as a kind and benevolent ruler. As the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda is wise beyond her years and intelligent enough to rule her people. She always wishes to do what is right for her people and is extremely self-sacrificing. Though she is not always capable of defending herself or her people on her own, she is willing to use any means necessary to aid her allies to achieve those ends, no matter the cost to herself.

Zelda is portrayed as a young girl or beautiful young woman, usually with blonde hair, although in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, she is portrayed as more of a brunette. (Her hair is slightly darker yet in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, her appearance in which is otherwise based on that in Twilight Princess.) She also is portrayed with auburn or red hair in Zelda II, and light brown hair in A Link to the Past. She often wears a royal gown of white, pink or another pale color (red in Zelda II), usually bearing the Royal Family's crest, and jewelry such as ornate earrings.

Trivia:

Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that her name was inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald.
Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda because his son is a devoted fan of the video game series.


Pak's Thoughts - There's something about a kidnapped princess that lends a sense of urgency to a game. It may be overdone, but characters like Princess Zelda are the reason they're overdone. Knowing there's a damsel in distress pulls me just a little bit further into the role of hero and makes it a little more tolerable when you're burning your thousandth bush looking for that last heart container.

[Pak-Man]

#32 - Sackboy

(47 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #3 - spaceforarent

Use the left stick to select something that says, "Hey. I'm a Sack-Person. Get used to it. - The Narrator (Stephen Fry)

List of Games:

LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet 2 (Upcoming)
ModNation Racers
LittleBigPlanet (PSP)

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Sackboy (or Sackgirl) is the name of the generic avatar in LittleBigPlanet. The original version of the character, in the prototype Craftworld, was dubbed Yellowhead and, unsurprisingly, had a large yellow head. Sackboy is made of sackcloth and stuffing, with stitches clearly visible at the top of his head, and a large zipper down the front of his/her chest. SackPeople are apparently only 8 centimeters tall. Sackpeople are stuffed with fluff and (believe it or not) ice cream!

Trivia:

In simplified prototypes of LittleBigPlanet, Sackboy's placeholder was a yellow-headed stick figure dubbed "Yellowhead".

Pak's Thoughts - Don't mistake the shortness of this entry with any kind of dislike I have for the character. (I heart Sackboy!) Sackboy's a unique entry on this list because not only doesn't he have a set personality, he doesn't even have a set game. Since both the character and the story end up being user-created (Even created by fictional users in-game!) there's very little solid information to be gathered about LittleBigPlanet's fluff-filled protagonist. LittleBigPlanet is a great game though. It's rare to see a game these days that evokes so much pure joyfulness (Especially outside of the Wii!) and Sackboy deserves his slot on this list.

[Pak-Man]

#31 - Alyx Vance

(48 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Asbestos Bill

Gordon, you know what'd be cool? Actually, I can't think of anything cooler than what just happened. Think it's dead? Maybe you should whack it with the crowbar just in case.

List of Games:

Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Episode 1
Half Life 2: Episode 2
Half Life 2: Episode 3 (Perpetually upcoming)

Just the facts/Stuff I wiki'd:

Alyx Vance is the main deuteragonist of Half-Life 2 and its Episodes. She is portrayed as a woman in her mid-twenties, and is a prominent figure in the Resistance campaign against the rule of the Combine.

Alyx, like many of the human leaders of the Resistance based at Black Mesa East, is a former resident of the original Black Mesa Research Facility. She is the daughter of Dr. Eli Vance, a scientist from Black Mesa, who appeared briefly in the original Half-Life.

Alyx's mother, Azian Vance, is never encountered in-game due to her death, but can be seen in a family photograph in Black Mesa East. Azian lived in the facility's dormitories with Alyx, but died during the Black Mesa Incident.

Alyx has brown, short hair with streaks of red, a headband and green eyes. She wears worn-out clothes, as most of the Half-Life 2 characters: a brown leather jacket with the right sleeve attached to the rest with duct tape, jeans and brown work boots, with a grey hooded sweater bearing the Black Mesa logo, with the words "Black Mesa" under it. She has black fingerless rappelling gloves and a tensor bandage around her right hand (it is unknown if it is for the looks or if she was previously hurt). She also wears a green belt where her gun and EMP Tool are attached; purple panties can also be seen from behind. Around her neck is a little box-like jewel, made out of wood or metal, which apparently belonged to her mother, according to the Vance family picture. A nevus can also be seen at the stem of her neck. At the beginning of Episode One, she gains a small scar above her right eyebrow, presumably inflicted at the end of Half-Life 2 and having been dug "out of the rubble". During Episode Two, her jacket is damaged when the Hunter wounds her.

Alyx is a skilled hacker: she is able to operate and manipulate Combine-based objects such as turrets with the help of her gear, and also wields an EMP Tool used to perform a variety of tasks.

She also "put together" the Shorepoint Scout Car with her father Eli, and helped Kleiner "resurrect" his teleport.

She is also very proficient with a pistol and in unarmed combat, and helps fight alongside Gordon briefly during both the chapters Entanglement and Anticitizen One in Half-Life 2. In Episode One, Alyx accompanies the player for most of the game and demonstrates fighting skills previously unseen, such as using a shotgun and kicking and kneeing off Zombies when they get too close. Of note is that Alyx is also able to single-handedly defeat the five Metrocops who catch Gordon during his escape at the start of Half-Life 2.

Alyx also has a good sense of humor, as evidenced by the jokes she makes about various things, including the Combine and Gordon's silence ("Man of few words, aren't you?"). An example of this can be seen in the chapter Lowlife of Episode One, where she and Gordon navigate a series of Zombie-infested tunnels. During lulls in combat she imitates a Zombie growl to scare the player, then will laugh and say "Gotcha!" when they find out it is her.

Trivia:

Deuteragonist - deu·ter·ag·o·nist–noun -- (in ancient Greece) the actor next in importance to the protagonist. Thanks, Half-Life Wiki! I learned a new word today! Why this didn't come up in the gazillion or so English and Writing classes I took on my way to my Engish degree, I'll never know. :^)

Alyx's face and body were based on Jamil Giovanni Mullen, an American actress and television host. Mullen spent several days in a motion capture studio recording running, jumping, and combat animations, which were used as the starting point for Alyx's animation library.

Alyx's Voice Actress is Merle Dandridge.

Wait -- How do you have a main deuteragonist anyway, then?

Pak's Thoughts - I've only recently dedicated myself to playing through the Half Life games (Beating Portal a few weeks ago made me hungry for more of that universe.) and I'm only about an hour into Half Life 1, so I haven't met Alyx yet, but the fanbase sure seems to dig her. As you can see in the "Stuff I Wiki'd" section, they've studied her character model very carefully. :^)

[Pak-Man]

BONUS ENTRY

Duck Hunt Dog

List Of Games:
Duck Hunt
Barker Bill's Trick Shooting
Warioware Series
Tetris DS

He's the dog you love to hate. Hit a duck, and he'll hold it up for you. Hit 2 ducks and he's got one in each hand. But miss the duck, and he snickers at you. Try to shoot him, and you can't.

Trivia:

Well actually, you CAN shoot him in Duck Hunt Vs., the old arcade port. Getting that taste of dog-blasting goodness as a kid at Chuck-E-Cheese only made me want to shoot him more when we got our NES.

[Invader_quirk]

#33 - Princess Zelda

(46 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #8 - Doctor Who?

I don't think Zelda was on my list, but now that I think about it, maybe she should have been... I dismissed her as a damsel in distress,  but she's actually an integral part of the ongoing Zelda mythology, being the bearer of the triforce of wisdom, being reincarnated over and over alongside Link... and she has a lot of good lines in Spirit Tracks...

Considering Falco's place, I expect Fox will be pretty high up the list.

Anyway, several classics in this batch. We're getting a good mix of old and new so far.

[spaceforarent]

SO glad I wasn't the only one to think of Sackboy. His/her personality and looks may change, but it always equals one thing: pure fun.

[Asbestos Bill]

#31 - Alyx Vance

(48 Points) 3 of 24 Lists - Highest Ranking - #1 - Asbestos Bill

*Phew* I was worried for a moment [/Slippy]

Alyx is one of the few NPCs that I've actually cared about keeping alive. Of course, she's competent on her own, and I'm not sure if she actually can die, but if she's in danger, I always feel compelled to rush to her aid. There's a great article about her role in Half-Life 2: Episode 1 here: ....Uh. Hm. It seems the page is missing. Well here's the text:

Many a Half-Life fan has tried to discern the true nature of the G-Man's mysterious role in the game's universe. It has often struck me that perhaps that universe is the wrong place to be looking. On the train journeys that bracket the games and that serve as a metaphorical transition between the Half-Life world and the real world, Gordon has one major companion - the G-Man.

Who else would want to make the journey from real world into the Half-Life world, other than the players? Valve's game designers have a penchant for watching their players, as expressed in their extensive use of playtesting (documented in Half-Life 2: Episode One's commentary) and statistics gathering. I'd wager that they would love to come along for the ride.

The G-Man's role to date, then, is this: He is the personification of Valve within the Half-Life world.

He's the nod and the wink that says "we both know this isn't real, but let's pretend it is anyway". He's the guy checking up on players, ensuring they don't get stuck and smoothing the road ahead. He's making sure they see everything he wants them to see and nothing he doesn't. He's the cartoon character on the front of the train, laying the track out just in time for the train to speed onto it. The G-Man and Valve's designers are both in the business of giving an illusion of choice where there is none. Both are in the shadows, manipulating their puppet into willingly doing their bidding,

But Valve have announced their intent to give the G-Man a real role in the story over the course of their coming trio of episodes. The G-Man is physically forced off the stage at the start of Episode One, even. Much like Dr. Breen in the closing minutes of Half-Life 2, Valve's designers find themselves in need of a new host body.

Step forward please, Alyx Vance.

As Gordon's partner throughout Half-Life 2: Episode One, Alyx's presence gives Valve's designers the opportunity to interact with and talk directly to players at every point of the game. She tells them when to be pleased with themselves, when to be scared and when to relax. Like the G-Man, she helps Gordon when he gets stuck, and she offers help when players gets stuck too. Like the G-Man in Half-Life 2, she is the first (living) character players set eyes on in Episode One. As if to complete their affinity, she even acquires her own "briefcase" midway through the game, replete with ambiguous contents.

That Valve's designers have gone from hiding in the shadows to hiding right under players' noses, from stalking players to riding pillion with them, is emblematic of the confidence that pervades and defines Episode One.

Upon announcing the game, Robin Walker declared "Right now, we're really, really good at making Half Life 2. We think our customers want a lot more of Half Life 2. That's what we're going to give them." A year later, the finished product is true to his word. Episode One blends action, puzzles and narration in a way that feels self-assured, natural and flowing. It exposes Half-Life 2 as fragmented and disjointed by comparison. The game revisits many favourite moments from its prequel - superheroics in the eerie citadel, zombie-induced claustrophobia and vicious street battles. Each is lean and efficient like the game's sprinting zombie-banshees, yet each has a new twist to keep its reanimated corpse mobile for a few more hours.

More than that, Valve's designers are keen to show they are still a dab hand at making more Half-Life 1. Episode One revisits many key themes and gameplay elements, from survival in a univerally hostile environment, to a subterranean struggle for the surface. As Gordon crawls into his first vent since 1998, Alyx readily expresses Valve's self-awareness on their behalf. The game's focus on Alyx's companionship is, of course, firmly rooted in Barney's camaraderie in the halls of Black Mesa.

It is with Alyx, the episode's centrepiece, that Valve's confidence is most apparent. While the G-Man's message was "this isn't real, but let's pretend", Alyx comes with no such caveat. Instead, in Episode One, Valve's designers are asking players to accept HL2's most prominent offspring as genuinely, convincingly real.

This realness is built up in progressive layers. A tricky ledge scramble at the very start of the game quickly dispels any fears that Alyx might need babysitting. Her navigation is flawless throughout - a very necessary achievement, given the damage even the slightest hiccup would cause. With this strong foundation, Alyx is shown as independent and capable, forming plans and using her knowledge and initiative inside the citadel. Established as a rational entity, her realness is powerfully rounded out in the aftermath of a traumatic train ride that exposes her emotional side. With the process complete, a number of set pieces emphasising Gordon and Alyx's interdependence build an emotional bond. Good use of humour and smaller details strengthen the attachment, like Alyx's comfort within Gordon's personal space, consistent with the behaviour of a good friend.

This cycle of capable-rational-emotional perpetuates throughout the game. Coupled with countless other aspects that I'm sure I haven't scratched the surface of, Alyx represents a landmark accomplishment. It's hard to put it into relative terms when Valve's competitors still lag behind even what Half-Life 2 achieved. It's harder still to put it into absolute terms without being made to look foolish by future progress. But I would say this: Many an armchair commentator has bemoaned the ever widening gap between graphical fidelity and character fidelity. Alyx represents a major feat in bridging that chasm (for now).

It's a blossoming romance then, but she's not a girl without issues. There are several points at which Valve's desires as designers are inconsistent with Alyx's behaviour as a friend. A call from Dad in the game's opening moments has her scrambling to pick up the phone, oblivious that she just left Gordon stuck down a well (letting Valve teach players about the gravity gun). However scarce Gordon finds his ammo, she never once offers any from her own limitless supply. And of course, unless you accept that primal male fantasy of attracting a mate through action over speechcraft, you'll wonder why Alyx pays Gordon so much interest in the first place.

At the level of feeling snubbed by a friend these are rather trivial issues, but they point to a deeper malaise within the game. Every game offers a different balance of exciting things to see and exciting things to do. For cinematic games, that balance is a very fine line between providing as much to see as possible, but not so much that a player starts to feel more like an observer than a participant.

Valve push this observer-participant balance to its very limits. Their promotional teasers for the game shout "Look at the cool things Alyx can do!" and this is very much the tone throughout the game. She climbs the obstacles you can't scale, she shoots while you point, she gets the guns you aren't allowed to have. She opens the doors, hacks the terminals and reprograms the rollermines. She stamps on the headcrabs and drop kicks the zombies. She cracks the jokes and asks if you're okay. She talks to the other characters on your behalf, like some guide dog for the mute.

An asymmetry of abilities between Gordon and Alyx is certainly more interesting and desirable than yet another omnipotent FPS protagonist - this is one of the continuing strengths of the Half-Life series. But at the point where the lack of abilities starts to feel more like disabilities, the construct of Gordon Freeman as more than just camera-with-gun-attached runs a genuine risk of breaking. Ironically, the greatest concern in Episode One is that Alyx might seem robotic, but the greatest danger is that Gordon comes across that way.

This isn't to say that this has all escaped Valve's notice. An early piece of developer commentary notes the difficulty and effort expended explaining Alyx's climbing ability. Later pieces discuss the fine tuning required to prevent Alyx impacting on players' sense of overall control. With Gordon's "direct intervention" at the core of this episode, Valve continue the series long theme of giving Gordon's actions bold and dramatic consequences - making them 'exciting things to do' even if it wasn't strictly players' doing.

Most prominent in balancing against 'exciting things to see' is of course the gravity gun, Half-Life 2's Swiss Army Knife of fun possibilities. Flinging debris into zombies' faces doesn't get old, but in case it did, Episode One's version introduces new ways of dispatching them. Coupled with a fresh, creative set of indirect and non-combat uses, Alyx's new abilities are deftly matched.

Summed together, the danger is averted. As far as Episode One goes, these problems are relegated to niggles in the back of my mind. (Though I'm curious to see whether it stays that way in future episodes, and I pity the FPS developers who are trying to keep the same balance without the benefit of the gravity gun.)

Duck Hunt Dog

[Pak-Man]

Alyx is one of the few NPCs that I've actually cared about keeping alive. Of course, she's competent on her own, and I'm not sure if she actually can die, but if she's in danger, I always feel compelled to rush to her aid.

According to info I found while doing my homework, she can die, but it takes the equivilant of 5 simultaneous sniper-shots to the head.