Top 10 Legendary Heroes in Video Games

Any John or Jane can put pen to paper and design a video game. Sadly, it's those that pursue the dream of creating the next BIG title, who often stumble at the first hurdle when it comes to prioritising the focal points.

You can build phenomenal landscapes, and have the perfect script for the most epic journey of the century, but would it really matter if the hero was just some drab, boring asshole that had no redeeming qualities or vibrant backstory? Probably not, no. Because without a well-written hero, the chances of standing out and crushing the opposition are slim to non-existent.

Unfortunately, that's the problem these days, and it seems a lot of developers have lost sight of the centrepiece, and focused purely on who has the better water graphics or ten-second celebrity cameos.

Sure, water graphics are quite pleasant to look at from time to time, but today's creators should still be pouring just as much creativity into their heroes as they do with their 4K riverbanks, and endless spools of profitable DLC. That's really not too much to ask for, to be honest.

We've seen franchises come and go. Some of which have succeeded and gone on to become renowned and written in the stars, and of course there have been those that sadly flopped on day one, and slipped through the cracks of our fingers in a desperate plea to stay relevant.

But let's talk about the legends that carved their names into the wall of fame, and survived the decades of competition and genre rivalry. The very legends that defined a specific franchise, and never caved in to makeover trends or corporate buyouts.

From iconic characters to best-selling franchises that still stand today; we'll take a peek at some of the most recognisable faces in the industry.

I present to you; TOP 10 LEGENDARY HEROES IN VIDEO GAMES.

#10 - LINK (ZELDA)

Still ranked as one of the greatest games of all time; Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, is one of the most well respected video games in the history of the action-adventure genre. That, of course, means our faithful little hero, Link, comes tumbling along with its successes on a merry-old road to stardom.

Everybody has heard of Link, or if not heard of him, then more than likely seen him at some point in life. With the green tunic acting almost like a centrepiece to the series of games, everybody who's anybody knows exactly who it is that wears the threads, and holds the arsenal of weapons.

Although there are multiple Link's in the Zelda franchise, there is still some sort of connection between them all. With similar backstories and almost identical appearances, you could almost mistake them for being brothers with only a year or two apart in terms of age.

With a diverse list of qualities that range anywhere from graphics to storytelling, environments to combat styles, the Zelda series always offers us a new deck of cards, and something more to look forward to for every new release.

Link has continued to gain an admirable following over the course of thirty years, and if any hero can survive that long in an industry so judgmental and toxic, you just know he's doing something right.

#9 - EZIO AUDITORE (ASSASSIN'S CREED)

When it comes to making a good Assassin's Creed game, the rules are pretty easy to follow. The first one being; don't make it anything like the third one.

Before the franchise took a wrong turn and nose dived off a cliff, a trilogy of games were released under the Assassin's kingdom that quite literally rocked our entire world.

As Ezio Auditore; the Italian lover-boy turned master assassin, we had the honour of living through his memory sequences as he soul-searched his way across the lands in an attempt to banish the Templar order, and bring peace to the world around him. With countless hours of gameplay, and years stacked upon years of memories, we were able to watch Ezio as he grew from a young boy with only street smarts to his name, to a God-worthy master of the hidden blade, itchy for vengeance.

There was romance. There was betrayal. There was vengeance. There was redemption. Let's just agree to admit, there was a whole heap of things going on in that timeline. And with that, we somehow built this odd relationship with Ezio, as if he were like a brother to us. We grew up with him, and learnt alongside him as he climbed his way through the assassin ranks; forming that spiritual connection between the character and the player as the years pushed on.

From boy to man, peasant to assassin, master to legend; Ezio watches down proudly as the face of Assassin's Creed, knowing full well Ubisoft can never come close to filling his boat-sized shoes.

#8 - NATHAN DRAKE (UNCHARTED)

Nathan Drake made his debut smash-hit title, Uncharted, back in 2007. With his stylish apparel that screamed 'explorer' from gun holster to dirty denim slacks, Drake immediately captured the attention of every action super-fan in the business.

Although being argued as a Lara Croft clone in Male form, Drake opened up and proved the world wrong when it came to embarking on his own epic quest for lost treasure. With no mutual interests other than the love for adventure and dusty forbidden trinkets, Drake reached out to us as a unique soul who carried his own hopes and dreams that deserved to be recognised.

Over the course of four major titles, and a sprinkle of spin-offs, Drake and his several associates traveled the world in search of hidden gems and urban legends. Sunken cities to deserted wastelands, India to Italy, England to Morocco, Yemen to Syria, and every little spot in between the cracks and crevices of planet Earth. We filled Drake's ambitious shoes as he cast a wide shadow over the globe, and left his mark as the kingpin of adventure; never once leaving behind a trail of stale breadcrumbs or rinse and repeat nonsense that made us want to switch off.

With exciting gunplay, thrilling chase sequences, romantic encounters and jaw-dropping scenery, Unchartednever failed to disappoint or so much as slouch at any particular moment over the series; thus marking the stamp of approval on the franchise that would later become a staple in the gaming community.

Becoming one of the most idolised men in the genre, spin-off series, and movies soon enough hit the canvas; spelling out the rise of Uncharted, and sealing Drake's place at the very apex of the global rankings.

#7 - KRATOS (GOD OF WAR)

Kratos; the demi-god that possesses a whole underworld amount of rage and anxiety. An anger-fuelled maniac that you probably wouldn't want to mess with, regardless of how much confidence you have coursing through your body. The same man that has probably slaughtered more enemies than an entire Dynasty Warriors series playthrough.

God of War first released back in 2005 on PlayStation 2, and over the years we've had the privilege of playing as the bearded psychopath, Kratos, as he hacked and slashed his way to glory in some of the most memorable worlds we've seen to date. With a whole bunch of old-school classics, and even a movie series potentially in the works, Kratos has managed to secure his spot as one of the most iconic faces in the business.

Bring us back up to present day, and the new release of God of War gave us that breath of fresh air we'd been urging for for years. With a new spleen-tearing tale and wheel of instantly recognisable weapons, we were able to dive back into the giant shoes of Kratos, and his one-track mind that simply urged to slaughter.

Kratos never fails to amaze us when it comes to dishing out nail-biting expeditions. Whether it being a short trip to the lake or a death-defying scout to the underworld; we are never once led to believe we are in for a boring experience when walking alongside our favourite demi-god.

Staying fresh and relevant, Kratos stands side by side with some of the greatest anti-heroes in the business; marking his name in the very plaque that sits upon the pinnacle of Mount Olympus.

#6 - MARIO (SUPER MARIO)

Everybody in their right mind knows Mario. Even ninety year old ladies in nursing homes know Mario. That's purely because our loveable Italian plumber made such an early impression in the gaming galaxy that he was able to secure his top spot before rivalries were even a thing.

With an iconic appearance, and a handy book full of unforgettable quotations or stories, Mario set the standard on what all games should aim to create when designing the perfect hero. Which is of course, an Italian plumber.

No, but seriously, Mario set the bar so high that thousands of contenders have tried for the top-spot, and not too much as scratched the spare leg on the mushroom throne. That's mainly because Mario is not only a perfect little portrayal of a happy-go-lucky man, but also a pioneer to the platforming world.

From Super Mario 64 to Mario Kart, Mario Golf to Super Mario Galaxy; there's no doubt Nintendo are extremely proud of their ideal creation. With more games than you could shake a stick at, Mario tops the pile as the kingpin of platformers, and the shining star to every gamer's coat of arms.

#5 - LARA CROFT (TOMB RAIDER)

Without a doubt the most recognisable female hero in the world; our beloved Lara Croft. The lady that embarked on a journey and brought back countless years of memories with her; enough to last a lifetime for the majority of us gamers.

Ah, Lara. We've had some times, haven't we? Ever since you made your debut appearance back in 1996 on PlayStation, you've never managed to lose that glorious quality that so many developers dream of portraying.

With a history of romance, adventure, betrayal, and survival; Lara has made a remarkable impression on the world as a celebrated explorer, capable of almost anything. From pushing through the smoke of bullet storms to uncovering the dark secrets encased within a lost artefact, Lara always managed to leave us speechless and thirsty for more, for every new remarkable expedition.

Tomb Raider has opened up to a whole world of video games, books, movies, and several remastered editions of the older cult-classics. And even after almost twenty-five years, Lara Croft still comfortably sits on the throne at the very pinnacle of action-adventure.

If Nathan Drake were a King to the world of epic storytelling, Lara would most definitely be the Queen holding the quill.

#4 - SORA (KINGDOM HEARTS)

Ah, Sora. The boy who quite literally holds the key to Disney's catalogue of cherished characters and their esteemed happiness.

Kingdom Hearts tells a story unlike any other, and despite being possibly the most confusing timeline in the history of gaming, there is still something that lures us in, and keeps us craving for more.

With a whole armful of loved characters from the Disney and Pixar universe, it's clear that there is a little piece of something for everybody in the Kingdom Hearts galaxy. So whether you're a fan of old-school Mickey Mouse, or a long-term obsessor over the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, you'll always find something to enjoy when cycling through the world as Sora and his band of loveable sidekicks.

Over the course of several years there have been countless titles released under the wide domain that is Kingdom Hearts. From Nintendo DS mini-games to blockbuster titles on next-generation consoles; an endless rabbit hole has dug deeper and deeper with new and exciting plots or twists that keep us on the edge of our seats and coming back to the enormously large shoes of our friend, Sora.

The iconic trio of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, have become so well recognised in today's world that any time you so much as see a Disney character, Sora may have once clashed with, you immediately think back to the time you helped them on a quest to save their Heartless-riddled homesteads.

Sora currently sits upon a kingdom cloud sewn from joyous memories and heart-warming happiness, and quite frankly, I don't think he'll be coming down any time soon.

#3 - MARCUS FENIX (GEARS OF WAR)

In 2006, Gears of War tore a page right out of an epic novel, and threw it directly into our faces; spelling out the turning point of next-gen gaming. With a post-apocalyptic world crammed with these unearthly monsters and steroid-pumped soldiers armed to the core with revving chainsaws and flesh-hungry smiles, we couldn't help but sink our teeth in the second it hit the shelves.

Marcus Fenix, head of Delta Squad, and his bundle of armed troops, took a chunk right out of our brains when the Gears series launched.With gritty gameplay, gut-wrenching tension, and a whole palmful of quotable references, the Gears franchise went on to develop another seven successful titles over several platforms; always topping the Xbox chart and becoming the leaders in shoot 'em up gaming.

Heck, they even released a board game in 2011. And like they say, 'once you have your own board game, you know you've made it into the big leagues...'

Nobody has ever said that. But hopefully you get what I mean.

Marcus has no doubt been through a whole heap of shit, what with having the weighty task of not only surviving, but also having to keep the world from burning, too. Luckily for him, though, he was able to earn his spot alongside the other greats in the community, and secure his place in history as the legend that prevented the very extinction of mankind.

What a guy.

#2 - MASTER CHIEF (HALO)

What list of great characters would be complete without our good friend, Master Chief? You know he's so plastered everywhere left, right, and centre that if so much as a venue or convention reveals even the slightest smidgen of video game merchandise, you know for a fact he'll be there somewhere.

Halo is a one of a kind series that brings a certain spark to ignite. It offers players a chance to dive right into the headspace of this absolute unit of a soldier; the Master Chief himself, and reign terror upon masses of invading supernatural creatures splattered across the world.

With a story so ahead of its time, and a balls-out gameplay style where almost anything was possible, Halo set the benchmark to all other competitors way back in 2001 when it first released.

To this day, the franchise stills expands and dominates the market with its bucketful of world-class titles that never fail to keep the audience hooked.

Master Chief has continued to be the face of Xbox for over a decade, and so long as the developers keep putting pen to paper, he'll sure as shit not be leaving the spotlight any time soon.

#1 - GERALT (THE WITCHER)

Sprouting from an anthology of Polish fantasy novels written in the early nineties, The Witcher first came to the gaming spotlight in 2007. Although technically, a tabletop role-playing game was released in 2001, but let's move past that and look towards the gleaming aura that is Geralt, the infamous rogue Witcher.

As a sex-crazed, silver haired monster hunter, Geralt could expect to catch an eye or two when promoting himself on a wheel of contenders at any gaming event. With his stern voice and careless attitude, he represented the badass hero most teenage kids aspired to be.

The Witcher franchise originally shot to fame after the first installment released on PC, and after the third title dominated the trade, the whole world knew the story, and exactly who Geralt of Rivia was, and what he was capable of.

With more awards, came more content, and after a while we were given additional DLC's, folklore, spin-off series such as Gwent, and a whole carton of Witcher goodies. And with that, Geralt acquired the fame and glory from millions of loving fans; writing out his name in the clouds as one of the most iconic men in video games.

TRUE HEROES NEVER DIE

Despite the fact that it takes years of determination and perseverance to make an outstanding franchise, I think it's fair to say the hard work pays off when standing over a hero with a grin of achievement smeared from ear to ear.

Nobody can make a relatable lead overnight, and becoming a legend is something that is only achieved by those willing to put their priorities in all the right places, and stay true to their word, regardless of whether they rise or fall.

It doesn't matter if characters choose to come, go, or stay put, because each of them possess the ability to leave an impression of some sort. It's just questioning whether that impression will be fondly remembered by future generations, or slated by every pair of lips in the room. That's a job for the developers, of course. But if executed in the correct way, there's just no telling what possibilities are in sight.

I don't know about you, but I think there might just be a few thrones left to fill up there with the other greats. In fact, I don't think we've seen anything yet in terms of character development. I think it's only just the beginning, and that there is a whole new chapter at the flick of a page. We just need to turn it and hope for the best.

So as we reflect on the cherished memories of heroes past, let us look to the horizon of next-gen gaming, for this time tomorrow, a new hero may very well be dawning.

- J Tury

Jordan Tury

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Jordan