Video games are massively popular globally among players across a diverse age bracket. While high-end graphics, soundtracks, gameplay, and plot play key roles in creating an immersive ambiance, the protagonists play an equally crucial part in setting the mood.
This list is in honor of all those characters we’ve seen over the years and fell in love with. Since it’s impossible to mention every protagonist who brought us tears of joy, we’re listing the five most iconic playable characters here. A few names might be up for a debate! But before we begin, visit Casino Bee for similar stories from the world of iGaming.
- Master Chief – The OGs will remember Master Chief from the Halo series. Although compared to some of the other greats on this list, the protagonist is a newbie. Nonetheless, the Master Chief has been dominating the console world since 2001. An almost faceless cyborg super-soldier trained since birth for combat, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 captured the young audience’s minds across the gaming world from the very beginning. A man of few words, Master Chief is a cult favorite.
- Agent 47 – A lethal weapon for the infamous International Contract Agency (ICA), Agent 47 is the perfect killer with the ideal mix of strength, skill, and intellect. Originally conceived by the studio as a disgruntled old man, only to be reimagined as the barcode-tattooed, trigger-happy assassin, Agent 47 is an icon who occasionally goes shows compassion for the innocent bystander. Does that make him a killer with a moral compass? Probably not! The guy’s still as ruthless as ever.
- Prince of Persia – And no, we aren’t referring to Jake Gyllenhaal, although he popularized the character among non-gamers. Also keeping the pajama-wearing, blonde-haired early versions of the character aside for this one. We’re referring to the fantastic Prince from the Sands of Time trilogy. And if jumping back and forth in time wasn’t crazy enough, the sneaky and sarcastic protagonist was a whole lot of fun to play as. The signature twin cutlass remains his trademark to this day.
- Dante – Remember Devil May Cry from 2001? The silver-haired protagonist with a flowing frockcoat, twin pistols, and a razor-sharp tongue was probably one of the coolest playable characters of the day. The son of a demon who has dedicated his life to exterminating hellspawn, Dante’s cocky attitude and wit made him an overnight sensation among the DMC enthusiasts. Although the creators of DMC 2 messed up Dante’s temperament, reducing him to a silent hero, the mess was quickly sorted in the following title.
5. Gordon Freeman – Thick-rimmed glasses, ginger hair, a neat goatee, and a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, Dr. Gordon Freeman was never the average superhero. No wonder he became an icon after barely two games and a couple of expansion packs. The protagonist is the quintessential first-person shooter icon and a first-class uber-nerd who’s hell-bent on fending off the inter-dimensional invaders. Half-Life fans are still waiting for the legend’s return to the gaming consoles.