Gushing About Characters You Like (Sugar Wiki)/Video Games



Characters from Video Games that are just that... totally... Awesome.

"Sovereign: You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it. This Troper: Fuck YEAH! Best Mecha-Cthulu ever!"
 * Alice Liddell from the American McGee's titles (American McGee's Alice, and Alice: Madness Returns). Not only would I never want to get in her way in Wonderland, but as we see in A:MR, she's not half dangerous in London too. Yep, that's pretty Crazy Awesome. But she's also a lovely person when she's not psychotic (and sometimes even when she is), although she desperately needs a father or older brother to keep her safe.
 * I believe Durandal from the Marathon trilogy is one of the most underrated characters in video games and in insane-computer-AI dominated sci-fi in general. He could easily hold his own against SHODAN, G La DOS, or HAL. For one thing, he was incredibly rich and believable. When I played the games, I actually felt like Durandal could be a real person if he was human. Yeah, he was an insane AI, but that was only one dimension of him. I also loved the fact that he wasn't really a hero or a villain, just an arrogant, self-serving, power-hungry bastard the player had to deal with. Unlike in so many other games, you're not fighting against the aliens to save humanity or something noble like that—you're fighting against the aliens simply because Durandal tells you to, and you really don't have a choice. The fact that humans benefit from it makes no difference to him; it's in his best interests, and that's all that matters. Incredibly clever if you ask me.
 * Not to mention he's trying to play God. And he succeeds in becoming a Psuedo-god. His terminal text is probably the best part of the game series. "I had an accident with a few of the defense drones, you may run into a few of them here. Don't worry, I don't think I gave them any ammo for those grenade launchers..."
 * Captain Falcon: an absolute Badass racer who may or may not have been a super cop at one point. Not only that, the man literally beat THE CREATORS OF THE UNIVERSE in a race, and was confident the whole time that he could. And of course, how could we not forget the obligatory FALCON PUNCH!?
 * Hudson. I just think Special Agent Hudson from Call of Duty Black Ops is amazing. He's an ice cube, but he actually gives a damn about Mason. He has concern, and he also crosses into Badass territory. I hope Hudson returns in another Treyarch-made Call of Duty.
 * This troper developed such a mancrush on Hudson. I would go gay for the guy, he's just that awesome.
 * Frank Woods. Everything the guy says is automatically awesome.
 * He's so awesome, he Then
 * Viktor Reznov. Such a lovably Badass Large Ham mentor deserves a better description than this.
 * Aki from Ape Escape 3. Hot Aunt with hilariously cute anime hair and a perma-cheery demeanour. A little extra incentive to finish each level.
 * Can we talk about how amazing Kyle Hyde of Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is? A hard-boiled noir-ish ex-detective who's never given up searching for his partner because he JUST KNOWS that he's alive, despite having every reason to believe he's either dead or beyond redemption, REFUSING to give up until he finds out the truth, DAMN IT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS... He's a Jerkass Woobie and Deadpan Snarker with some of the finest one-liners This Troper has ever read. He navigates a crappy hotel FULL TO BURSTING of DYSFUNCTION... and in doing so, improves everyone's life he comes into contact with. Whether he intended to or not. DECORATING CHRISTMAS TREES FOR LITTLE GIRLS? And that DORKY GRIN at the yummy steak? Yeah, someone's a Not So Stoic after all. And, lest we forget... He got himself a PAPER CLIP!
 * This troper absolutely adores Mass Effect's Tali. She's just adorable—from her knowledge of machines to her woobieness, everything about her just makes you want to give her a hug. Fortunately, you can in Mass Effect 2.
 * This troper probably loves Tali a little too much. He doesn't feel a Perverse Sexual Lust for her (A personal first.), but instead a very strong attraction, and tends to fly into a rage when anyone says anything bad about her. If you want to get beat to death by this guy, insult her to his face.
 * I'd also like to present my liking of the character. She's just so well balanced; she's good in a fight, yet isn't a Mary Sue level action girl nor is she completely incompetent. She's The Woobie, but still has a very pleasant personality, with her cheery nature and sarcastic comments. She has to be rescued a few times, but doesn't come across as a Damsel in Distress. She has a crush on the Player Character and admires him quite a bit, but will still call Shepard out of s/he does something morally wrong. Not to mention how adorable he romance sidequest is. I know Liara is being promoted as the main love interest, and Miranda has DAT ASS, but in my opinion Tali is by far the best love interest based on personality alone.
 * Ashley. Badass Action Girl that quotes Tennyson and hasn't Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions, but isn't Holier Than Thou? Sorry Liara, but my heart belongs to the homeworld girl.
 * I didn't know it was possible to love a character because he's terrifying (No, not like THAT) before I encountered Sovereign. This Troper played Virmire at two in the morning, and even though I'd been spoilered to hell and gone the line of lines still made me want to both shiver and punch the air.

"Xigbar's the guy that's having fun. With MX gone Xigbar's literally got nothing to do until Xemnas is dead and MX revives. So Xigbar literally spends the entirety of Days and KH 2 trolling people FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER! Roxas trying to be mature and serious? Troll him! Axel and Xion having a sweet conversation? Troll them! Roxas comes with orders to help you? Troll him! Saix and Xemnas having a conversation vital to the continued projects of the org, something Saix is really into? Troll him! Roxas comes with you to the Colosseum? Troll him! Zexion walking around? Troll him! Xigbar doesn't have to do this stuff, but he does, because it amuses him. He's waltzing about, knowing more about what's going on than pretty much anyone until Xemnas' death, and basically shoving it in peoples' faces but being to badass about it for them to realize. And that voice! That's the perfect troll voice, and every one of his boss taunts just reeks of "i get it, you don't". In fact, he even trolled the game! Not the developers, the game! It thinks it's being all cool by going "Look! The secret ending has other keyblade wielders! And their badass!". But no, Xigbar hogs the glory of that surprise to himself, and he's just like, "Kuh, yeah, their were others. So what?" Nothing, not Saix's pre-appearance trolling, not Axel's creative killing-spree trolling, not Xemnas' immovable trolling, not even MX's whole series backstory trolling, can compare to what Xigbar has done because he was bored. Xigbar. He drowned a goldfish."
 * Joker. It wasn't enough that he was the snarky, Crowning Crewmember of Funny, oh no, then comes the godlike piloting skills. And I covet his Normandy baseball cap.
 * Kaidan. Underneath his badass Marine exterior, he is a big dork and a truly nice guy. And his voice makes me tingly. Many, many points to BioWare for creating love interests that make this normally totally unromantic troper giddy.
 * Also, Garrus. Best best friend ever. He and Shep just get each other. When asked to go on the suicide mission, he doesn't even ask for an explanation, just walks into hell by his/her side because their relationship is one of total trust. He even gets pissed and yells back at
 * Commander Shepard. Seriously, has there ever been a space marine more awesome than him/her? Sure, Shepard is a total Marty Stu/Mary Sue, but he/she is your own Canon Sue and it feels incredible just to make him/her get out of the shuttle, break out your favorite gun, and say "Let's move out, we have a Reaper to kill" (OK, the last part was an exaggeration, but this is the gushing page).
 * Being a Marty Stu/Mary Sue also doesn't stop him/her from being and feeling like a total Badass throughout both games. Shepard is probably the only character that this troper can think of who both feels like the player, but at the same time his/her own character, primarily because s/he's voice acted but also for more. I've become so attached to my Shepards.
 * In my case I have to be a bit more specific. Female paragon spacer engineer (later infiltrator) Shepard. The first Shepard I played, and still the one I think of when I think Shepard. Jennifer Hale gives an absolutely superlative performance in a game full of excellent voice acting; Mass Effect was honestly the first game in which I was genuinely impressed with her. Shepard is compassionate, patient, tolerant of alien values, curious about other races and cultures—and in the end it works. Refusing to stoop to the level of the villains to accomplish her mission simply means she has a greater and more varied force at her back. It's so refreshing to see a game that doesn't treat being a decent person as the less practical and more self-righteous option. And it was just plain awesome to hear her summary of her entire ethos during her final conversation with the Illusive Man: she's going to save the galaxy, but she's not going to sacrifice humanity's soul to do it.
 * Liara. A Badass Bookworm, a Blue Skinned Space Babe, a Deadpan Snarker at times, and who is utterly devoted to you her Commander. Undeniably, all other romantic interests in the series have their appeal and Hidden Depths, but Liara is the only one This Troper could actually fall in love with.
 * I already liked Liara, but after Lair of the Shadow Broker, she became one of my all time favorite video game NPCs.
 * His name was Marauder Shields...
 * Wrex and Grunt. Just...Wrex and Grunt. In the Mass Effect universe, if you're a krogan, you were born a Memetic Badass. Both of them take it waaaaay past eleven: Wrex manages to unite his people, something he believed was impossible even at the beginning of the first game, and Grunt takes on a horde of enemies SOLO in the third game. And if you did his loyalty mission (and who the hell wouldn't have wanted to take on a thresher maw ON FOOT?!), he lives through it, none the worse for wear...if only hungry.
 * Oh Leliana, my love, my flower, only star in the grim sky of Ferelden. I love Leliana. For starters, she's gorgeous beyond all reason. Her blue eyes, so full of life and yet so soothingly sweet, her fiery red mane... Her voice makes love to my ears. She's sweet and romantic, not to mention rather funny at times. She's complex, real complex: inside her her compassionate, slightly naive persona and her more cynical and clever persona are in constant struggle, all while she tries to guide herself with her newfound religiousness. Her entire romance is a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming, especially when she tries to declare herself and when she talks about your eyelids (d'awww), with a side of funny ("I am a woman, and I reserve the right to be inconsistent!") and general awesome when the Warden realizes his love is requited. And let us not forget her party dialogue. The conversation she has with Alistair right after you hook up ("He wasn't ogling me, was he?") feels so damn right, her talks with Morrigan during the possible Love Triangle may well qualify as her very own Crowning Moment of Awesome, and most of the others (aside from when she's being hit on) do a lot to expand upon her character. I am going to stop here, or else I'll take up several pages gushing over a veritable cornucopia of details. But really, mere words don't do the bard from Orlais justice. Her charm is something that is truly hard to describe to someone who doesn't feel it.
 * Small note: Perverse Sexual Lust is not involved at all. My appreciation of the character is ethereally romantic.
 * Yuki, from Enchanted Arms. A deep, emotional character, with the added awesomeness of dressing like a cowgirl in an eastern RPG. Come on, western meets eastern in a little loli-bait, gunslinging Troperiffic girl. She takes on so many character roles, from comic relief to drama queen to antagonist, that the game would fall apart without her. And her hat is SPIFFY.
 * The whole good guys in Super Robot Wars are incredible, for they have yet to produce a character that is The Scrappy, all badass and amazing. But the greatest, most gushable character would be Sanger Zonvolt, The Sword That Smites Evil! The man is not only just one Badass German Samurai, he is a fabulous Large Ham and has done lots and lots of Crowning Moment of Awesome, and donBt't forget that Big Honking Sword!. And if you think he is a flat character, he goes through quite some good development, and in each installment, he gets more and more Badass. Not to mention proving that Real Men Ride Each Other. Truly the poster man of manliness!
 * One of the reasons why this troper loves SRW Advance very much is how the original characters are sooo... awesome!
 * First we have Axel Almer, who can swing either way into a Badass cold warrior, into a hilariously awesome amnesiac Casanova Wannabe, providing humors here and there. Though his persona gets a bad flak in OG 2 GBA, he gets rectified in OGs when he becomes a respectable Noble Demon, then OG Gaiden really gets him into a great, Badass Anti-Hero who pulled a Heel Face Turn and delivers a Crowning Moment of Awesome and Crowning Moment of Heartwarming in the same time, and becomes an expert in pulling of Big Damn Heroes sequences. And did I mention that his mecha Soulgain is also pretty Badass and have an awesome moustache?
 * Then we have Lamia Loveless, a Robot Girl who is Ridiculously Human, a Lady of War that can be considered a Fetish Fuel incarnate thanks to her extremely sexy body (huge breasts), sort of Stripperiffic outfit and lots of Fetish Fuel-ish hijinx she got in OG Gaiden... but above all, remains somehow to be one of the most Badass female (in a sense of seriousness and efficiency) and a well developed character, as her story remains as one of the more charming, cliche it may be, amongst other characters (Robot developing soul). How can a Fetish Fuel incarnate be THIS Awesome? Well, she can. And let's not even get with her Fetish Fuel-ish girly robot Angelg, which is also AWESOME.
 * As a youtube video description put it, some men . Kyosuke Nanbu beats the shit out of them. And that's before going into his Determinator status and his ungodly luck, and his ability to pilot the Super Prototype that can't even stand without a tesla drive, let alone fight.
 * Sylvanas Windrunner easily one of the best developed characters in the series, a hot Anti-Hero who takes over the former Capital of Lordearon, and helps the Blood Elves showing that while others have abandoned who they are, she has not.
 * Thrall, call him a Stu if you want, he's still Badass and Warcraft would be much worse off without him. It helps that he is also kind hearted while being Badass in the same time.
 * This troper would also like to toss his hat of gushing to Miss Jaina Proudmoore. Maybe she lacks the Badass aura that Sylvanas gives out, but she is still impressive on her own, and pretty much the Only Sane Human that still believes in peace between the two factions, when every other humans seems to have followed the religion of Fantastic Racism. Who cares if she displays Sue tendencies, she's still good.
 * Pshaw. Jaina is not a Sue, unless you stretch that to mean "any female character portrayed as attractive and competent."
 * Three words: FOR SIR LOTHAR!
 * Farseer Nobundo rocks my socks (read Unbroken and you'll hopefully see why) and needs to play a major role in Cataclysm. (Bear in mind that this is coming from someone who's become rather sick of the shaman class.)
 * This troper would like to add their two cents in the form of Arthas Menethil. Not just because he is one of the most epic final bosses in video games, let alone Warcraft. Not because he gets some of the best lines (FROSTMORNE HUNGERS!) or best soundtracks (try and listen to Invincible without your heart breaking). But because he is one of the best Fallen Hero villains ever written. At no point in his backstory do you lose any sense of the tragedy of it, but despite all the sympathy you feel for him, you never forget that he is the villain, and that however this may have happened he is still evil and must be stopped. He is one of the few sympathetic bad guys that loses none of their scariness or badass-ness due to their tragic past; every glimmer of light you see in him, every flash of the old, charismatic paladin Arthas, only serves to highlight to darkness and monstrous evil that is the Lich King. Darth Vader, eat your heart out.
 * This troper just love-love-loves Varian Wrynn. Finally, an Alliance leader who is actually going to defend his own people! He's pumped up the Stormwind army and is sending them out all over the kingdom to help the villages that were in trouble in his absence. He's totally accessible and is putting out calls to adventurers to go places. And he's not above going and personally dealing with problems, like during the Elemental Invasion when he tracked them back through their own portals and beat them down! When people say he's too gung-ho, I just remind them that when he didn't intervene in the past, his wife died. :( I just want to give him a big ol' hug and a big ol' thank you!
 * This troper just loves Malygos, love him to death. Because the insane previous tricksters are totally cool. I just love him, if only, just if only, Alexstrasza (and Korialstrasz)didn't tell a random group of people to go kill him for purples and blues.
 * Alucard from Castlevania his well developed, badass, and is an immortal half vampire who wields a badass sword and shield. What more can you ask for?
 * Many people complain that there is a crippling lack of Belmonts in later Castlevanias. This troper has decided to forgive it forever, ever since the awesomeness that is Shanoa. You can only love a character so completely, undilutedly badass, yet so nice and caring as well. Not to mention drop dead sexy.
 * On the Belmont side of things, the "Of Sorrow" games give us Julius Belmont. How awesome is Julius? He's the Belmont that finally killed Dracula. Like, forever. And then when he fights Soma, he is quite probably the toughest boss in the game, with just about every Belmont trick in the book, dealing hundreds of damage with just his whip; and he doesn't even start using subweapons until about halfway through the battle. And afterwards, it is made clar that he was holding back. Did I mention that he had just recovered from amnesia and recovered the Vampire killear about an hour beforehand? And that he was exploring Castlevania without his whip? Badass.
 * No one could ever forget Simon Belmont. He made his way through Drac's castle with nothing but his whip and subweapons. Nothing like Item Crashes or Burning Mode. Despite this, he still managed to kick Dracula's ass. Then of course, he learned that Dracula had cursed him, and he would eventually die. Even though he spent 7 years in cursed pain, he went on an adventure to gather Dracula's body parts, resurrect him and KILL HIM AGAIN. He did.
 * Arcade Gannon. It's impossible not to love a bespectacled, snarky, compassionate doctor with a dark past, who just so happens to be one of the (few) homosexual characters in Video Games. The fact he essentially created the Retired Badass Roundup trope helps, too.
 * Ulysses, the mysterious courier from the DLC. We know next to nothing about him currently, but the air of mystery makes him one of my favourite characters in the entire game.
 * Seriously, is there no one here from Uncharted? Well, I nominate Victor Goddamn Sullivan, for general awesomeness and badassery, and for looking fabulous in the flashback in the third game.
 * Luigi. Butt Monkey one second, Badass the next. His low status also lends him many Crowning Moments that otherwise would not happen, up to and including somebody knowing who he is.
 * Then there's Bowser, who can get hurled right into the core of the centre of the universe and live another day to torment Mario. Yes, he went through Villain Decay quite a bit, but Tropes Are Not Bad and he is quite enjoyable as an Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain in the RPGs.
 * He even got to reverse his Villain Decay from Super Mario Galaxy onwards. Now we can finally see him as an extremely powerful threat against Peach and the Mushroom World.
 * And he's hilarious. Especially in the Paper Mario series.
 * And Mario? He is video games!
 * Definitely. He's just so darn cheerful, friendly, and fun. Just listening to his voice in the post SM64 era, you can tell how much he's enjoying himself, desipte what's at stake. Don't let Mario's smile fool you, though seeing as how can take out Bowser's entire army, navy, and air force...by himself.
 * Don't forget Count Bleck. One of the best villains this troper has ever seen.
 * Not to mention Dimentio.
 * And Fawful.
 * Birdo!
 * Yoshi is where it's at. How can you not love that optimistic attitude, the ever-present smile, the endless energy? This guy was my introduction to the world of video gaming.
 * Seconded. This troper, as a little girl, playing the early Mario games, was head over heels for Yoshi and regularly wears to this day a shirt that says "I <3 Yoshi"
 * Lakitu! Lakitu's just really cool...
 * Jade Curtiss. Need I say more?
 * I will. While all the other characters are running around, being all emotional and whiny, Jade will just stand and be the best Deadpan Snarker around. Or order other people to do stuff for him. Or manipulate others into doing work for him. If he was not on the good guys side he would be a Magnificent Bastard.
 * Why should that stop him?
 * Ion. Adorably Precocious Child, yes. Dude Looks Like a Lady? Undoubtedly. Beneath all of that, you'll find an Iron Woobie who put aside his own problems in favor of aiding his friends, trying to fix the world, and being one hell of a leader to his fractured religious order.
 * One Word: Ivy.
 * Two words: Ivy's boobs. But seriously, she is pretty awesome.
 * As are her boobs
 * Seung Mina. rebellious Cute Bruiser. Hot chick with a halberd. What's not to like?
 * Sora. Say what you will about his treatment of the Nobodies, he's still just plain adorkable when he's not being badass.
 * This Troper lists Sora as his favorite videogame protagonist, because among the thousands of games that have given up on using any character who isn't cynical/dark/snarky, Sora defies them all with his idealism and sheer awesomeness. * weeps*
 * Praising Sora just for defying the cynical standard is almost selling him short - the best thing about Sora is how he's able to retain an unfailing sense of idealism despite the fact that, if he were anybody else, he could easily turn into The Woobie. The fact that none of this stops him from taking care of the bad guys who threaten those he cares about in the most awesome way possible is just icing on the cake.
 * Everything said above. Sora gets so little love it's unbelievable. The entire fanbase seems to think he's so evil for killing poor Organization XIII...admittedly, it didn't take much convincing that they needed to be eliminated, but they certainly gave him a reason soon enough. There's nothing evil about him- he's just a kid who's a long way from home and is doing his best to keep cheery.
 * And Kingdom Hearts 3D has some of his best moments.
 * Let's hear it for Riku and Kairi too. As Kairi pointed out, Sora would "be completely hopeless without them"...and he certainly would be less interesting a character without his relationships with them. Same thing with Donald Duck and Goofy for that matter. Their friendship is complete and utter win. (I mean, they're SORA! DONALD! GOOFY!)
 * Doubled on Kairi. Most girls her age can't stick with one guy for over a year when he's right there in front of them. Staying loyal for that long when he's (as far as she knows) who-knows-where and assorted magical forces are messing with her memories of him? That's a different and MAJOR kind of strength. Which is not to say Riku didn't go through Hell for Sora too, and if you ask me Sora deserves all of it.
 * Kairi is hated by most the fanbase, and she's really a great character. It's not that she doesn't try, there's just only so much she can do. The fans forget that Riku and Sora trained in swordplay all their lives, while Kairi didn't. She had no combat knowledge, but she still grabbed the Keyblade and fought with no hesistation when she was needed. She was about to actively seek out Sora when she was kidnapped by Axel, and even then she managed to get away from him-someone much stronger than her, with supernatural powers and weapons. Give the girl a medal.
 * Ah, Riku. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for a good redemption story, and Riku's is one of the best out there. The kind of strength required to keep pushing forward, to fight continuously for over a year to protect the friends he had wronged, even going so far as to give up his own humanity for their sake... it's unlike any other. He doesn't break down and despair over everything he's lost, because he knows there'd be no point. The only way to make up for his mistakes is to fix them, and dammit, he gets it done.
 * KING MOTHERFUCKIN' MICKEY!
 * This troper will always love Axel, no matter the Badass Decay.
 * Seconded. He's intelligent, snarky, manipulative and he's obsessively loyal to his friends even to a toxic point, which really just makes him all the more interesting. It's not just the looks...
 * Vexen. This troper maintains he is the unsung woobie of Chain of Memories, while also being more badass than people give him credit for.
 * OH MY GODS THANK YOUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!! I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THIS!!!
 * Larxene. Psycho Electro Dark Action Girl? Ooooooooh yeah!
 * Lexaeus. Most games will have you believe that The Big Guy/The Brute of any given group is little more than Dumb Muscle. Not Lex. Also, his weapon is probably bigger than you.
 * Marluixa; proving that flowers are badass since 2004.
 * Oh, and Zexion too.
 * Not to mention Xemnas. Hell, Xehanort in general is awesome. One of the hammiest RPG villains around who still manages to intrigue me with his unkown origins.
 * Namine. Look at how she reacts around Marluxia and Larxene and tell me she wasn't abused offscreen, at least emotionally and probably physically too. And possibly worse. Then look at her standing up to them - and getting thrown across the room once does not deter her from standing up to them again. She had almost no cards to play and managed to be a major help. Her and Kairi...who says the only strong women are fighters?
 * Xion. She really doesn't deserve the hatred she receives. Her entire existence is just one psychological trauma after another, and all she wants to do is eat ice cream with her friends. So unfair.
 * Seconded. And yet there are still so many who call her a Mary Sue...
 * Thirded. Xion was one of the best, more unique parts of the game for this troper.
 * DiZ/! I mean, come on. Look past his Kick the Dog actions during the Prologue and he's just so fascinating, mysterious, and perhaps the most tragic character in the series. He lost alot of his mind in the darkness and became a Knights Templar, enacted many a Batman Gambit, but in the end was proven wrong about many things and admitted it, even apologizing to Roxas for his Jerkass behaviour towards him. The fact that he's voiced by Christopher Lee in the English version just solidifies his awesomeness.
 * You know what? All three protagonists of Birth by Sleep are freakin' Badass, with multiple Crowning Moments Of Awesome. They all go through a lot, and none of them get happy endings, but they keep fighting for one another, no matter what. Special mention goes to Aqua for
 * Roxas, so much. And not just for his Woobie status, although that's a given. In his short existence, he grew from a blank slate with no memories into a complete and utter badass, ready to take on the Organization and free Kingdom Hearts with his own hands, all for the sake of bringing back a fallen friend. He fought hard for his place in the world, and for the two people he loved more than anything; and then, after This troper firmly believes that, pound for pound, Roxas always had the makings of a true hero...and that even though he's a part of Sora, that will never be all he is.
 * Xigbar and/or Braig. Dude's the biggest troll in the series bar none. Someone wrote a paragraph or two that says everything I could ever want to on him:

"Midna: It's really something when you have to burn down someone's house to get the bugs. Ah well, that's the way the cookie crumbles."
 * Vanitas. He's cold, cruel, sadistic, and violent. Not to mention Crazy Awesome, super powerful, and with a kicking boss theme, . The freakiest (thus memorable) part?.
 * Devil May Cry's Dante. Kicks ass, makes hilariously cheesy one-liners and looks damn good doing it.
 * Lady, too. Being an Action Girl is awesome enough, but she carries a rocket launcher named after her mother, has plenty of guns and firepower, climbed up a building after being stabbed in the leg, was able to take on and survive even after getting the crap beaten out of her... and did we mention that she's human?
 * Vergil, despite spelling his name wrong, is so much of a Badass Longcoat that you almost don't want to defeat him. With crazy katana-skills and slick hair, Vergil beat a demon-weapon into submission with his hands and feet alone, and survived unknown years in HELL at multiple times in his life (depending on what you think is canon) and is thus a literal Unholy Badass. It's no coincidence that the best DMC installments are the ones with Vergil inside them. (Of course he was in DMC4. What do you think that blue mist around Yamato was?)
 * Frank West. That is all.
 * Kefka from Final Fantasy VI is one of the greatest gaming villains of all time, but he's even better in Final Fantasy context. His flamboyant cheerfully immature mania perfectly contrasts the angsty nature of the protagonists of the game, and heck, even most of the series protagonists, and he gets the best lines by far. After hearing his Dangerously Genre Savvy "You all sound like chapters from a self-help book!" you'll never look at The Power of Friendship the same way ever again.
 * To say nothing of what he accomplishes. Tell me, how many villains aspire to become a god and rule/destroy the world? Good. Now, how many actually succeed in taking godlike power? Good. Now, how many other villains manage to attain godlike power, defeat the heroes, literally change the face of the world, and rule as unquestioned god-king for a full year before the heroes even have a chance to muster the strength for a final confrontation? That's what I thought.
 * It's great that Kefka is getting his props, but no mention of the superlative protagonist ensemble? Here are a few: Terra, Locke, Celes, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Shadow, and Setzer.
 * A few more: Strago, Relm, Gogo, Mog, Gau, and Umaro.
 * Terry Bogard would like to ask you: ARE YOU OKAAAAAAY?
 * For This Troper, by game:
 * Mai Shiranui. He likes her beyond the obvious reasons (but * not* despite of them), and regardless of her flaws. Hey, he even likes her (much-reviled) boyfirend, Andy Bogard, and the couple they make.
 * Chun-Li.
 * Kirby. It's this troper's personal Sweet Dreams Fuel. He only regrets not playing his games earlier in his life.
 * This Troper heartily endorses this statement.
 * Ukyo Tachibana. Superlative Badass.
 * Orochi and his full-blooded minions. Rugal may be the creators' favorite, but he won't top them in my list.
 * Dan Hibiki. Just...Dan Hibiki.
 * Two Words: Solid Snake. Badass extraordinaire, genius Warrior Poet, and is really damn sexy to boot.
 * Don't forget the growling. Perverse Sexual Lust indeed.
 * The Boss is, at the very least, the single most awesome character in the series, a soldier who knows she's only a Punch Clock Villain yet continues to fight anyway, and an Action Girl of the highest calibre.
 * This Troper would like to nominate Revolver Ocelot himself, for taking his Chronic Backstabbing Disorder and using it to mold himself into a Magnificent Bastard of the most awesome kind. If his Improbable Aiming Skills weren't enough, Ocelot also demonstrates that there is, in fact, a place in this world for determined, vaguely-disturbing fanboys. (also, young Ocelot circa Metal Gear 3 is Sex On Legs.
 * Big Boss as Naked Snake is awesome. He is sexy like his son/clone and he have a sense of humor. And when he got The Eyepatch Of Power, he became even more badass.
 * Raiden in MGS 4. It was a long, hard road to recover from his pansy status in MGS2 (not to say he didn't have his fans there, but I couldn't stand it), and he still has a ways to go to stop angsting occasionally, but what a turnaround!
 * This editor would like to nominate Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda himself. While it's easy to respect him for being one of the few major video game villains not to succumb to Villain Decay and for consistently delivering awesome boss battles, it wasn't until Wind Waker that he showed true depth as a character. He's tired of being the Evil Overlord, he's got a fair Freudian Excuse, and is really, really scary when he wants to be.
 * From the same game, the King of Hyrule. Ever wonder why the only ruler of Hyrule you see is Princess Zelda? It's because the King was so Badass they had to build the Gamecube just to contain him. Not that Zelda herself was a slouch in the Badass department there either. The final battle with Ganondorf in Wind Waker is Zelda at her most awesome, bar none.
 * Nintendo should really have been less surprised at the fanbase's reaction to Midna's fate. After all, they made her so darn awesome. (At least, once she gets her Character Development.)
 * I should do well to have half her wit, even before Character Development.

"I let you die. Dilly dally, shilly shally."
 * Midna as the sociopathic bitch was so... refreshing at the start of Twilight Princess. I like the Character Development, but watching her walk the line between mischevous imp and The Chessmaster made for such a change from the typical T Lo Z Exposition Fairy that I instantly warmed to her.
 * Sure, she's funny and entertaining before the first major plot twist, but this troper really fell in love with Midna after she calmed down. The scene where she places her hand on Link's cheek is counted as his favorite scene of all time in a Zelda game; it's positively adorable. If there were ever a character that I could fall in love with, it'd be Midna.
 * Agreed. She is just so adorable, witty, and badass.
 * Goddamnit, Navi does not deserve all the hate she gets in the fandom. I like asking her about various enemies - useless info is one of my favourite things to collect. Her really overexaggerated tendency towards Captain Obvious moments just strikes me as funny. And she has her very own Crowning Moment of Awesome during the final boss: "This time, we fight together!" Plus, you know, Link clearly likes her enough to leave Hyrule looking for her. Navi apparently losing her memory of all she and Link went through together turns the ending of Ocarina of Time into the Bittersweet Ending to end all Bittersweet Endings for me.
 * I actually found Navi HELPFUL. She was made for players starting the series with Ocarina of Time, as I did. And her shouting "Watch Out!" has saved players' asses countless times. I actually found Tatl in MM more annoying because of her Jerkass tendencies.
 * This troper actually loved Tatl in Majoras Mask, partially -because- she was a bit of a jerk. She was more, much more than just an exposition fairy, she had true personality (and everyone with a personality -will- have some jerky and/or annoying aspect), and she had her own agenda for helping out Link, making her a cool and fleshed out character; incidentally, she also allowed a workaround for Link never talking, since she would engage in dialogue from time to time.
 * What, no love for Link, The Hero himself? Pure of heart, practically a Friend to All Living Things, never gives up, never gives in to Wangst in spite of having one hell of an excuse, and hey, the three goddesses didn't give him the Triforce of Courage because he's cute. Perhaps the last true fairy tale hero, Link pulls off what could easily be Narm in another character by exuding sincerity—as a batch of pixels. He's a walking Crowning Moment of Awesome for the Idealist side of the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism. And he can thrash the King of Evil himself. There's a reason that, when someone as powerful as Zelda needs rescuing, there's only one Hero she'll call. Whether he's The Hero of Time, Winds or Light, he'll always be Link, the one and only.
 * I'm going to have to go a step further here and add my two rupees: Wind Waker Link is about as awesome as they come. He's, arguably, the first Link to have much in the way of a personality (not to knock on OoT/MM or anything)-- and that personality was amazing. He's just a kid from some random island—goofy and sweet and exactly what you'd expect a young boy to be like. He's not Conveniently an Orphan, has proved with several (short) lines of in-game dialogue that he's not totally a Heroic Mime and, in general, avoids most of what players think defines a "Link"... which leads to the best part. His Call to Adventure didn't have anything to do with saving the Great Sea—he was just trying to save his sister; as The Unchosen One we got to watch him grow up from the goofball we started playing as, to the first Link to successfully . How is that not awesome?
 * LINEBECK. Oh GODS, Linebeck! At first I couldn't stand him...but as the game goes on, and he develops—quite hilariously so, I might add, with some of the funniest moments in the series—I really grew to love and appreciate him so much. My heart broke in Spirit Tracks when all we got was his cheap replacement with a weird hat.
 * The Goddesses didn't give him the Triforce of Courage because he's cute, but it doesn't exactly hurt, either.
 * Saria from Ocarina of Time has always held a special place in my heart. She was Link's only friend, everybody else made fun of him or didn't accept him because he didn't have a fairy, and just something about her is so cute.
 * With Skyward Sword released, it's about time to add some of these characters:
 * Fi may get alot of flak for being a monotone Robot Girl who states the obvious, but that's the main reason why I like her. It's so different to have a "computer program" in a game that reveals in Medieval Stasis, plus the autotune Simlish isn't too bad.
 * Groose starts off as a bully who is vying for Zelda's attention, but the Character Development he receives over the course of the game is amazing. When I started the game, I thought he'd become a villain later on, but boy was I wrong.
 * Groose starts off the game full of illusions. That he's the hero, that he's going to win the race, that there's something between him and Zelda (he talks about making their 'going out thing' official). And he basically has all of these illusions shattered at once. His entire WORLD has, very rapidly, turned on its head. the fact that he breaks down about that is more than acceptable. The fact that he actually BETTERS himself for it, making the Groosenator, standing up to Ghirahim, and saving Zelda's life, is amazing.
 * Ghirahim is the most hilarious villain in the series, an amazing mix of Camp, Badass and Ax Crazy. He was quite challenging, especially at the beginning of the game when you're still learning how the motion controls work. He doesn't make things easy for you!
 * This troper loves Rinoa Heartilly. She is the cutest Final Fantasy heroine ever! It's probably because she resembles Rinoa both in looks and personality, even being born in the same month, but still. She also loves Quistis Trepe, but not exactly in the best-friends-forever way. And heck, she also loves Squall that way too! Why can't the shippers just get along?
 * Glad to know that this troper isn't the only one who thinks Rinoa is awesome. I mean, not only is she cute but she's damn hot too! Squall's lucky to have her.
 * Additionally, she has potentially world-ending Sorceress powers and a loyal puppy, and she's not afraid to convince cowardly cowboys to save her friends even if it means kicking him in the shins and grabbing the wheel. She's strong-minded enough to stand up against her father and get out of being JUNCTIONED to Adel without lasting trauma... And you know, not just any girl could melt Squall's heart.
 * Sonic the Hedgehog. Just... Sonic the Hedgehog. He's the original blue dude with a 'tude. Seriously, between his ability to cruise along at the speed of sound, his overall personality (especially in Sonic Colors), his devotion to his friends, his sheer determination in getting the job done (especially as shown in Sonic and The Black Knight) and his various Super Forms, everything about him is simply awesome.
 * On this note, Amy Rose, especially circa Sonic Chronicles. She can yell at a room of powerful arguing alien leaders and actually make them shut up, for one.
 * Metal Sonic was already pretty awesome on Sonic CD, but on Sonic Heroes he crosses every line. He managed to I still remember the chills I got from
 * Tails! Tails is the cutest geek ever. Totally why I wasn't ashamed of any geekitude I had when I was a kid. Especially in Sonic Adventure.
 * This troper is starting the Give Tails a Hug club.
 * This troper liked Tails as a kid because he was a cute geek child too and it gave him someone to relate to.
 * This troper also liked Tails as a kid for the aforementioned reason, and still does. He's probably my favorite video game character ever. I adore the AoStH episodes where he and Sonic are just like brothers.
 * Shadow. I don't give a DAMN what people say about him but he is fucking awesome.
 * Agreed, although he was admitedly way cooler before he became Sega's cashcow and a Creator's Pet for Sonic fans.
 * In what way is he a Creator's Pet or The Scrappy? Given everything that's happened to him, he's been more of a Butt Monkey than either of those. And in Expert Mode of his Day in the Limelight game, when GUN's commander apologises to Shadow, that's a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming. Seriously, Shadow is a valiant defender, risking his ass big-time. His attitude? Jerkass Facade. Those who get close to him are going to be in great danger. So he puts up the facade to keep away those who can't handle the risk. Anyone who tries to hurt those Shadow promised to protect is, to put it bluntly, up Shit Creek.
 * I reluctantly admit to liking Shadow also. I didn't like that he got more attention from the writers than Sonic, but at the same time, it's understandable: Shadow was introduced when Sonic Team was still experimenting with making plot-driven Sonic games. Sonic is classic, and making major changes to him is bound to end in an uproar, so for a while Shadow served as the drama guinea pig. As a result, he's arguably the most developed character in the series. He started out as an anger-driven Jerkass (albeit with a somewhat sympathetic backstory) and has since warmed up considerably, especially to his small circle of friends, and to date has delivered two 'Shut UP, Hannibal's to two different Big Bads, which is especially effective considering where he's coming from.
 * Blaze the freakin' cat. She needs to be in more games, and the fact that she's currently residing in another dimension is irrelevant.
 * Well, she HAS been in most of the ones since her first appearance.
 * How have we missed Knuckles? This troper particularly liked him and his story in Sonic Chronicles. Badass.
 * It's downright hard to not like Dr. Eggman at times.
 * Plus his theme in Sonic Adventure 2 is a huge Ear Worm
 * Seconded. This troper would go as far to say he's the most interesting character in the series. Some games I only played to see what Dr. Robotnik was up to.
 * To all the Mook flora, fauna, and mecha that gaming would be nothing without, I salute you! Yes, even you, Chain Chomp.
 * What are you on about? The Chomp is a Badass. It's a freakin' CANNONBALL with TEETH! There's a reason that Bowser keeps them on a leash, y'know.
 * Archer might have invented the word 'GAR', and he's a great character. But Lancer perfected the word GAR and is pretty much the best, yet undermined character in the Fate/stay night series. That moment in UBW is just so damn GAR he over-GAR'd the inventor of the word GAR!
 * Likewise, say what you will about Saber being the most favored female Servant (and all Servants), ever. To this troper, the best female Servant has got to be Rider, who only looked weak because she's severely held back by a pathetic Smug Snake, but in truth she is amongst the most powerful Servants, is completely sexy, has a nice personality underneath, and that's when she's... Has there been a, of all things in media!?
 * Heaven's Feel gives you all the Rider love you need.
 * This troper is torn between squealing over Archer or mentioning her total adulation of Issei, him of the frequent stammering and Luminescent Blush. He's this troper's personal definition of Moe. Besides which, anyone who can be best friends with Shirou and care that much for him - to the point of not calling the police on him or anything after being stripped - deserves my respect.
 * This troper has immense love for Rin. What started out as realizing that his girlfriend acts a lot like a non-magical Rin, after reading through Unlimited Blade Works, nearly every scene added to her. Nearly always in control, a resolve that matches Shirou's Determinator status, at times hot-blooded enough and the skills to back it up. Plus, she's got a servant body count to match Shirou, and, in Heaven's Feel, takes on a head to head and only "loses" because . MoeManly?
 * You should be ashamed - all of you - for leaving it up to me to mention Ilyasviel von Einzbern. She seems like such a psychotic little Creepy Child at first, but then she kills  in Fate, and you cheer. Then she shows her redeeming qualities and her utterly adorable, inner vulnerability. And then in UBW,   as we start to see her [[Tear Jerker heartbreaking] backstory. Then she comes full-circle in HF and  . And through all that, her complex relationship with Shirou constantly defines her role in the story without overwhelming it completely. Honestly, she's this troper's favourite character in the entire story.
 * Raidou Kuzunoha the Fourteenth! I mean, this guy watched  It got right in his face, and he didn't even blink! His character design is simple yet awesome, and his character, itself, is defined yet open. But this troper is not done with the characters of this game, yet. There's also his employer, Narumi. He seems lazy at first, but wait 'til you realize that he had to fight off heavily-armored soldiers and demons -he can't see-, and get through walls you -know- you need a demon for, somehow, with only a -gun-... This guy's a total Badass! And then there's Satake. You know those soldiers I just mentioned? Yeah, well, this guy can beat one of 'em up with his bare hands! And then there's Tae... What? Don't believe me? Dialogue-collect. Go out and talk to everyone at every switch. What you get from Tae is surprisingly close to the mark, sometimes. If she ever loses her job at the Daily, she'd make a decent detective... Fainting problems aside.
 * Three words: Sideburns of doom. This troper's SMT-playing friend normally doesn't care about cosplay, but made an exception for Raidou (at least until his parents said he couldn't grow out his sideburns).
 * Blue Lightning Flik and Viktor the Bear of Suikoden. One of the best duos, not just in Video Games, but fiction in general. They had such a great dynamic and were two of the more interesting characters in the series. One day, they had best return.
 * Starcraft: Tassadar. Noble, powerful, dastardly and self-sacrificing all in one. He owns this game.
 * This troper has always liked Jim Raynor for being a well-meaning man who struggles against a world where Humans Are the Real Monsters as well as Zeratul for being, as Gamespot calls him, "A Darth Vader who embraces the light".
 * Also, Aldaris. Kerrigan comes in and pulls the wool over everybodies' eyes EXCEPT him. That's right, the religious zealot who doubles the length of the original protoss campaign by way of being so damn obstinate is the only one who has the perception to figure out that "She Lies! She is infested to the Core! I for one will not listen to any of this-" Also, he's apparently more competent at creating psionic images than Tassadar.
 * Artanis should be mentioned as well in Brood Wars he is portrayed like some caveman, and pilots a Scout. In II he is pimped out in a shiny regal outfit, and commanding a Mothership! Tell me that not awesome.
 * What! No mention of Fenix? The Protoss who couldn't die! He kicks ass, gets eaten by a hydralisk, but then comes back to life and kicks even more ass! Until KERRIGAN has to kill him!
 * Jon Irenicus. Awesomeness and fury and desperation boiled down into a now-human form. Note-perfect (sinister and compelling) voice acting, "No, you warrant no villain's exposition from me", a backstory that becomes more evident and chilling on replaying... this troper's favourite Big Bad. Full stop.
 * Not to mention Sarevok, Mazzy Fentan, Keldorn Firecam, Korgan Bloodaxe, Aerie, Imoen, Edwin Odesseiron, Viconia DeVir, Valygar Corthala, Jan Jansen and most especially Minsc (and Boo).
 * The hell, let's just say all the joinable NPCs were awesome and leave it at that.
 * Harry Mason, the original protagonist of Silent Hill. Silent Hill is a horrible messed up place filled with messed up horrible people, and then there's Harry. Harry's got his issues, he's been hurt, he feels angry sometimes, but Harry always tries to make the right decision. Harry lost his wife, then lost his daughter, but he didn't let it destroy him. He kept going. The amount of love Harry gives, no matter what the circumstance... his devotion, his determination... with all that he's been through, he still knows, he still loves enough to put it aside for his daughter.
 * From the second game, we have James Sunderland. Whether one views him as a tragic victim or a or one of the many alternatives it's difficult to deny his status as one of the most complex, sympathetic, human protagonists in the medium. There's a reason Silent Hill 2 is the most popular and acclaimed of the series.
 * Also from the second game, and another reason for its popularity and acclaim, there's the implacable, rape-happy, disturbingly attractive Pyramid Head.
 * Heather Mason, of Silent Hill 3, just wants to be normal. However, she's fully capable of shooting, stabbing, and bludgeoning any ugly demon that gets between her and her dad, and later goes off on a Determinator-style Roaring Rampage of Revenge to take down . Plus, she's also a Magical Girl!
 * This troper loves a lot of characters from Touhou. However, second to none is mistress Yuyuko Saigyouji, queen of the Netherworld. Had a tragic, horrible life while she was alive, ending up with a possessed tree killing her... but in death, instead of letting her sadness overcome her and turn her into a wandering ghost, she has not only become the Queen of the Dead, but she's also become a kind, cheery, ditzy spirit who makes use of the most laugh-inducing Obfuscating Stupidity since forever, who nonetheless acts as a wise Zen master to the whole Netherworld.
 * Seconded,although Yukari Yakumo is my absolute favourite. It doesn't help that both of her themes are Ear Worms that are absolutely amazing. But even if her theme wasn't playing if I met her,I would be absolutely in awe,and I would actually LOVE it if she spirited me away! Ah...Yukari-sama...
 * Flandre EPIC Scarlet. Enough said. Call her overrated, I don't give a damn. Her power is the most badass power that can exist on the planet. Destruction of Everything and Anything, guys, no saving throw. She's got a massive flame sword. She can summon copies of herself. She can turn invisible. She can flood the screen with a thousand bullets and then some more. Flandre is ALSO one of the most complex characters out there, described as murderously insane and yet she never even makes any attempt to flee from her basement or blow the protagonists up with her full deadly power. And did I mention how much of a woobie she is? Her story frankly is quite tragic. Seriously, she's a little girl who's been locked up inside a basement for 495 years and will probably be for the rest of her life. Because she has a gift that has become her curse, and anything around her is bound to explode. A little girl who knows nothing of the outside world, going insane from being locked up for so long... or was she already? Frankly, I doubt it. To add insult to injury, her jailor is HER OWN SISTER. How unfair and how cruel, for this poor little girl to stay forever locked up inside a basement while said sister lives a dream life, cuddled and spoiled. Oh Flandre, of every and any death, I would take one inflicted by you, o Greatest of All Vampires, as long as my death brings this childlike playful enjoyment to you, Great Destroyer of Anything that Exists. As long as before I explode and turn into ashes that the wind will disperse, I get to see your smile, a happy smile of a happy little girl. (And she's got an Ear Worm of a theme, and her remixes even more so. Except for that one that shall not be named.)
 * Cirno. I love her with all the fibers of my being. Why? Is it her power over ice and cold? Is it her childlike enthusiasm? Is it because I sympathize with her, seeing how everyone in Gensokyo mistreats the poor girl and laughs at her? Is it her lovely little wings? It's all of that.
 * Rumia. The one true villain of Touhou. I firmly believe in the existance of EX Rumia and that if said side was unleashed, Gensokyo would pay dearly and drown in darkness and blood. Rumia is everything a true youkai should be.
 * Mokou. She's arguably quite insane. She's a pyro. She uses flame danmaku and appears to either be possessed by a phoenix or the living embodiment of one. Her theme music is kickass. And her backstory is tragic in its own way—want to avenge your father? Drink an elixir that will make you immortal. Target of your revenge goes missing? Spend 700 years being shunned by society for being ageless. Her relationship with Keine is cute, to add.
 * The PC-98 characters need far more recognition. Heck, the girls from Highly Responsive to Prayers alone are awesome. More specifically, Konngara and Mima. Along with Kotohime who fancies herself a policeman.
 * Irritated Statement: HK-47 finds his lack of inclusion to be disturbing, meatbags.
 * The Apeture Science Enrichment Centre admonishes this wiki for neglecting to add GLaDOS to this list, and regrets to inform you that you will be... missed!
 * Majorly seconded. Never have I felt such an odd attachment to a sociopathic AI who spends most of the game trying to murder me. Something about her calm, almost soothing voice and pitch-black humor makes G La DOS unforgettably awesome. She's frigid, sadistic, immature, sarcastic and batshit crazy, but inexplicably makes us love her for it.
 * MAJORLY thirded!!! I haven't even played the game and I love her! She's just such a Deadpan Snarker with an hilarious Black Comedy attitude! I also love her monotone voice! Ellen did an AMAZING job preforming her!
 * SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE! Oh, Space Core, how I love you and your nutty obsession with space. <3
 * Wheatley! He was pretty endearing at the start, what with him being so lovably dumb and all... I was absolutely crushed when, but he was still oh so funny to listen to. And The Stinger, where  , was the Tear Jerker to end all Tear Jerkers in my opinion.
 * Yuri Lowell simply oozes cool. The epitome of Chaotic Good, and an overall kind, caring, and sensible guy who stands up for his friends No matter what. And he tops it all off with an awesome sense of humor and crazy sword skills.
 * Estelle. Man, she is just so Moe. She's smart and naive, The Heart, and you just want to take her home with you, because she'd be the cutest sister ever. This and she's a total badass woobie that you just want to hug. You'd think she'd taste like diabetes, but she doesn't at all, because she's so genuinely sweet and awesome and wants to help everyone, even if it means
 * Jak. Just Jak. It's a testament to naughty dog's awesomeness that they can take a Heroic Mime and turn him into a Badass with a Super-Powered Evil Side and enough snark (and heavy weaponry) to save the world over and over and over and over again.
 * Wario. He can destroy solid rock with his shoulder. He doesn't lose health or die upon being set on fire or squashed flat...he uses his new status to solve puzzles. His goal is not to save the world (although he has a few times), but simply to loot whatever cash he can find. How is that not awesome?
 * It's not not awesome. Wario defines Badass. He's super strong, super durable and a greedy bastard who cares only about himself. That's. AWESOME
 * Travis Touchdown, for being able to combine Badass and pathetic. Hilariously so.
 * Yuri from Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. His design alone makes him one of the most interesting characters in an RTS, but when you add the acting... * shivers*
 * How can you bring up Command & Conquer without mentioning Kane? Aside from being the largest ham in videogaming, he's brilliantly acted, clever, manipulative, cunning, deceptive, and in general the single most awesome faction commander in any RTS.
 * Don't forget the gloriously bonkers Premier Romanov from Red Alert 2. He's just fun.
 * Oh, Planescape: Torment, what fun characters you have.... Morte, in all his snarkiness, is absolutely amazing, Annah is an awesome epitome of Hot-Blooded, Dakkon and his devotion to the religion a past incarnation of yours made up, Fall-from-Grace for making the Brothel for the Slaking of Intellectual Lusts and for staring down the Transcendent One without even considering running, Nodrom for being a chaotic modron voiced by Dan Castellenata, the ratsie salesman because I just like him, and depending on whether or not you take a high intelligence and wisdom and achieve the best ending, the Nameless One himself.
 * And this troper would like to give a mention to Ravel Puzzlewell. She didn't appear for very long in the game, but even with her rather short appearance, she managed to be well-portrayed as a complex, multifaceted character. Her last dialog as is a poignant Tear Jerker and one of the most emotionally powerful moments in the game. It's not difficult to understand why Ravel is the favorite of creator, Chris Avellone.
 * Alma. She's angry. She's brutal. She's indiscriminate. She's pants-browningly terrifying. She's  Yet somehow, despite all of that, she remains a beautifully tragic character that you can't help but either feel sorry for, or just want to flee from as fast as your legs can carry you.
 * Samus freaking Aran, Nintendo's single most badass protagonist. Not only are her games just plain fun, the Hunter herself has some fascinating brainmeats to poke at, given all she's been through. Plus, you know. She blows up Space Pirates and doesn't afraid of anything.
 * Especially awesome is that in all the years we've known her not-secret, she's never once stooped to being Ms. Fanservice or the You Go, Girl!. Well, OK. Maybe Ms. Fanservice once or twice. But the skirting (sorry) of the tired "just-as-good-as-the-boys" plot is pretty freakin' sweet too. That's just how good she is. Plus, given her team-up with Pikachu and cameos in the Kirby series, she apparently loves small adorable creatures too.
 * While we're doing all this personal gushing, I'd like to take a moment to point out the implications of Samus' character. She was violently removed from a normal family setting at a young age, bound eternally to alien technologies, brought up by an ancient race of cosmic demi-gods and has seldom been known to speak. Think about where this all leads; there's absolutely no way someone can have normal, human psychology under those circumstances. Samus is, for all intents and purposes, alien in both physical and psychological aspects. She's an eternal outsider with a bone to pick with Ridley... but even if she ever kills him for good, she'll realise that nothing will bring back the life that could've been; the love she could have enjoyed from parents, siblings, friends and a good man upon growing up. She's very much a fallen human, made cosmic angel.
 * This troper would like to congratulate the above troper for putting into words so very eloquently her own feelings about Samus. You nailed it precisely. Actually, this is exactly why this troper ships Samus so hard with Solid Snake ever since SSBB; having learned so much about the two characters, she's concluded that they would honestly be a perfect match because they might just be able to heal each other to some extent.
 * Rundas from Prime 3 is the epitome of One-Scene Wonder. He manages to be a huge showoff as well as a bit egotistical while still sounding Badass and likable. This troper considers his eventual  to be a huge epic fail on the part of the staff.
 * Ridley's one of the most fun, difficult, and badass bosses in video game history. Almost all bosses in the Metroid series involve exploiting some sort of weakness to deal massive damage; a battle against Ridley generally boils down to unloading everything you've got in the hopes that you'll destroy him before he destroys you. The tension and anxiety when battling him can be found in no other boss in the series...and he's one of the few BigBads that I know of who doesn't communicate with his Arch Nemesis at all! Ridley's actions speak louder than his (non-existant) words, and it's interesting to examine his actions and what the Space Pirates say about him to determine his motives and personality.
 * Tsukihime:
 * Arcueid Brunestud, Friendly Neighborhood Vampire princess with a mischievous streak, a happy-go-lucky demeanor and a contagious smile, who can nonetheless be incredibly Badass and wipe the floor with anyone who threatens her Shiki, be them bodiless phenomenons and Jerkass Social Darwinists in a golden armor. The best of friends, the worst of enemies!
 * Ciel, sweet and patient sempai by day, brilliant and ruthless Church Militant assassin by night. A very convoluted character, with a tragic backstory, an incredibly cool BFG, and an hilarious obsession with curry... and besides which, her quarrels with Arcueid are always a riot!
 * Akiha Tohno, the protagonist's sister, combines elements of the Clingy Jealous Girl, the Jerk with a Heart of Gold, the protective and loving sibling, The Ojou and The Woobie in one of the best Tsundere characters Nasu Kinoko has ever created. You go, Akiha!
 * And, of course, we cannot forget about Satsuki Yumizuka, the Unlucky Childhood Friend Vampire Refugee with a huge streak of bad luck combined with tremendous powers she didn't even realize she has. Few other character can be so funny, cute, moving and admirable at the same time. Oh, and let's not forget, she's one of the founding members of the ever-vigilant "Back Alley Alliance"!
 * Tohno/Nanaya Shiki may forever be forgotten by the Nasuverse fandom because he has a penis and is the supposedly normal male lead. But this guy displays a strength and courage that allows him to fight through the consequences of his powers. Unlike many characters of his ilk, his special power actually comes with a hefty toll on his body that effects him in ways most writers would never dare to subject their beloved characters to. He's victim of cirumstances that has force everyone before him to compromise their moral fiber. Shiki instead stands up to his demons and weakness and defys the odds placed against him like a pro. A self proclaimed loner unafraid of death despite it's constant presence Shiki will show you what it means to kill someone.
 * Gilgamesh from Final Fantasy V is undoubtedly the most memorable character from that game, being as hilariously pathetic as many iconic cartoon villains. The GBA translation only makes his character better with lines emphasizing his comical nature and awesomely cheesy TV references. The only letdown about him is Square's insistence on milking him for all he's worth with cameo appearances, but Square always does that kind of Pandering to the Base.
 * Jade from Beyond Good and Evil. Caring and Badass.
 * Let's get specific: Loves kids, is sweet and motherly, affectionate and friendly, and tries to help everyone possible... Also, capable of killing aliens, brave enough to infiltrate their headquarters just to take pictures, and capable of taking out fully armed guards with a stick. Also a capable shot with a laser canon and a pretty good racer, as well. If a guy strong enough to break steel with his head says he'd be afraid to face her in battle, well...
 * "I'll make you remember the name Emma Honeywell!"
 * Final Fantasy VII: Tifa Lockhart. Sweet, smart, beautiful, and capable of kicking your butt from here to kingdom come.
 * Don't forget selfless. Could you sincerely thank an old rival for watching over the guy you love? Tifa does without thinking twice near the end of Advent Children. Gotta love her. (And see Aerith below for how much you gotta love said rival.)
 * Well, they techincally were friends as well as rivals-in-love, so thanking her would be easier considering that, but still, doesn't change the fact that Tifa often puts other people ahead of herself.
 * Thanks for the correction; poor phrasing on my part.
 * Loyal, sensitive, and brave.
 * I far prefer Aerith for being just so spirited and beautiful but has no interest in the fandom's Ship War and love Tifa too.
 * Forgiving rate a mention?

""Wake me... if you need me.""
 * Plus playing Mama to Kadaj, who
 * Gentle, sympathetic, and encouraging.
 * No love for Cloud? Sure he may be a bit angsty at times, but go through what he has, and you'd probably angst too. All that aside, he's still completly charming and Adorkable, not to mention extremely handsome.
 * Seconded. Yes, the guy is angsty, but he has extreme psychological issues and by all rights should have some kind of professional help. However, the beauty of this is that he overcomes it and moves on.
 * Let's face it: Rufus Shinra has always been badass. He first appeared as the new President, determined to rule through the (cheaper) fear and siccing his pet panther on you while chucking grenades and firing his shotgun one-handed. He survived a point-blank blast from the Diamond Weapon, only to return with his loyal core Turks as The Atoner. Despite a crippling illness, Rufus plays Kadaj and the other Sephiroth clones like the ShinRa Corp. theme-song, coming out of it with his Geo-Stigma gone and in a prime position to reclaim his company and make amends. He. IS. Badass. Also, he's got a white Badass Longcoat.
 * Also, while Sephiroth's popularity has gotten annoying in post-game merchandise, he damn well earned that popularity. Uber-cool in style and fricking terrifying in much of his villainous substance, Sephiroth is one of the best video game Big Bads ever. The Sephiroth vs. Kefka debaters can suck it; they're both awesome villains.
 * Zack Fair anyone?
 * Talk about being adorkable! He's brave, heroic, honest, a friend loyal unto death (and beyond). He manages to make friends everywhere he goes, Turks included. He even causes pre-Nibelheim Sephiroth to act indulgent. Seriously, he's a big lovable playful puppy. Who cares if he can kill off a big honking chunk of the Shinra Army, defeat the likes of Genesis and Angeal, and manage to stand up (if only briefly) to Sephiroth? He's still prime glomp material.
 * Shout-outs need to go to members of the supporting cast as well:
 * Captain Cid Highwind, I salute your symbol-spouting goodness! You live in a world where magic and Materia could take care of any problem on the planet and you still stand up for science, technology, and human progress. An idealist in Grumpy Bear clothing.
 * Barret Wallace, you are insanely cooler than you get credit for. Square could have just left you at the Token Black Guy level of development, but they added in some Well-Intentioned Extremist cred and then gave you a daughter to get all macho and protective over. And it made you awesome.
 * Red XIII, you are truly a great warrior and wise and mature beyond your years. Your father (and grandfather) would be proud.
 * Yuffie Kisragi, you may have pulled that Wutai Theft, but the laughs you provided afterwards, not to mention your ability to become a surpringly powerful party member, definately rescued you from the scrappy heap.
 * This Troper still thinks Yuffie is awesome and the Internet can't tell me different.
 * There shouldn't be anything different to tell you. Yuffie IS awesome.
 * Carmine is the ultimate Red Shirt! Just as loveable as he is green, Carmine is immortalized as a huge fan favorite of the Gears series.
 * Leon S. Kennedy, specifically in Resident Evil 4. He's an all grown up emo-kid who manages to be a complete Badass while making horrible jokes about the antagonists. The  unlockable just makes him even more awesome.
 * This troper wishes Kapp'n was her bus driver. Sure, he's a bit of a Dirty Old Man, but he's always good conversation, he's got plenty of compliments and advice to dish out, and he's so warm-hearted and friendly. Who knows! Maybe, if you bribe him with a cucumber float, he'll sing you one of his patented, extremely catchy sea chanties.
 * K. K. Slider may be the coolest guitar-playing dog that there will ever be. This Troper actually tears up whenever he hears anything from his astonishing repertoire, and he's never even played an Animal Crossing game..
 * I'm gonna go ahead and throw in most of the main characters from Tales of Symphonia.
 * Genis Sage is an amazing character. He's a 12 year old, partially self-trained mage, who has one of the largest spell repetoires in Tales history, and having an awesomely developed characterization.
 * Genis' older sister Raine, who not only taught him everything he knows, but raised him since he was a baby and their parents abandoned them. In a world that hated their race. When Raine was eleven. The fact that they're both alive, reasonably free of racial prejudice, healthy and well-educated is nothing short of amazing, and a tremendous testament to Raine's strength.
 * Especially after writing extensive Fanfic for him, this troper is deeply fond of Yuan. He's a wonderfully snarky Manipulative Bastard from the moment you meet him, but it's not until you get deeper into the game, and then even deeper into analysis of his past, that it becomes clear just how tragic his life is, and how strong he had to be to accomplish everything he did.
 * Presea. Cute Bruiser, Emotionless Girl, and gets pretty good development! Not only is she a strong fighter, but she's so adorable, and kind despite being previously unwillingly submitted to experimentation.
 * Zidane is everything this troper loves in a videogame protagonist, who is confident without being arrogant, flirty without being lechy (much), and becomes a positive influence in all the lives of his friends by his good heart and kind character. He's the guy who has a hilarious Big Brother moment with Vivi by them peeing together under the stars and escapes from a forgotten continent and travels for almost a year just to get back to the girl he loves.
 * Agreed a hundred times over. And while we're at it, Beatrix! If only it had been her instead of Quina, Eiko or Amarant as the eight permanent party member!
 * Let's be honest: We've seen the Rebellious Princess a hundred times. What makes Garnet different? Well, she spent half the game running from her fractured past... and the other half putting it, and her kingdom, back together. She tames the most powerful Summons who obeyed her dead people, she forgives the adopted mother who lies to her and descends into madness, and over the course of the game she matures from an uncertain girl to a Queenly woman. And even so, she never forgets Zidane... <3
 * Vivi. Just...Vivi.
 * No love for Freya? SHAME!
 * Steiner, who goes from the main source of comic relief, often irritatingly so, to a real honest-to-goodness knight who pulled this troper through alot of battles.
 * Wallace from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Sword. So what if he's not the best unit gameplay-wise? From a story perspective he's a badass Large Ham complete with Bald of Awesome. Nothing short of epic.
 * Ike from Path of Radiance. Trying his best to lead his team to victory, protecting the ones he loves most, giving engouragement to those who are low in esteam, and just has a heart of gold.
 * Don't forget fighting for his friends.
 * Who could forget Hector and Matthew? Definitely the two characters that carried me through that game.
 * Then there is Nino, a Plucky Girl/mage who outscores the main characters in some popularity polls
 * Also: Oswin. Partly because he's a serious, loyal character with a nice story arc, but also because he was single handedly the solution to most tactical problems. "Oh shit, forty guys attacking at once, what do I do?" "Oswin."
 * Let's not forget Lucius! Orphaned at an early age, suffered through a long, hard childhood, being teased about looking like a girl...and still remains the most upbeat, faithful, and reverent character in the game. And also a one monk crazy dodging army.
 * Florina! She's an adorable epitome of Moe.
 * This Troper is surprised Lyndis hasn't been mentioned yet. Hector is truly beastly, yes. But from story to character to stats, Lyndis has it all. A Swordmaster in Lord form with the added bonus of bows upon promotion and probably the coolest critical animation to date. She's also technically been with the player the longest, from chapter one to endgame it's Lyndis. She's loyal, pretty, strong of heart, and just great.
 * Joshua, from the eighth installment., became a honorable mercenary with a thing for kind-faced women and gambling, has some shared background with Caellach, and has long, blood-red hair underneath one of the sleekest hats to have ever graced the series? Spectacular.
 * From the same installment, Innes, the imperious Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
 * Shinon. A Deadpan Snarker Archer who manages to be a lovable character even while being a Jerkass (hell, especially when being a Jerkass). And at one very memorable moment in Path of Radiance, he gets drunk and Hilarity Ensues. In Radiant Dawn, especially, he can also back up his claims of being the best...to the point where those debating Character Tiers unanimously consider him the best archer in the game, and the question has become "Is Shinon the best archer in the Fire Emblem series? Discuss."
 * Who cares if Aran only got a small part? He still has one of the most interesting backstories in Radiant Dawn, his conversations with Laura are the funniest part of the game, and together they can take on half the map with no problems.
 * I dunno... The 3-13 archer is definitely up there...
 * Naesala. Pretty much the epitome of a Magnificent Bastard, to the point that this troper believes said trope could be renamed The Naesala with no loss whatsoever. At one point in Path of Radiance, he literally
 * Ahem. Gordon Freeman, the quintissential Badass Bookworm. And the wonderfully creepy G-Man.
 * Every Vortigaunt ever. Especially the All-Knowing Vortigaunt. Plus, of course, DOG.
 * Don't forget Alyx. Somehow manages to be gorgeous eithout being a bog-standard, Stripperiffic game character.
 * Isaac Clarke, because he's just that badass. Honestly, he's pretty much just Gordon Freeman IN SPACE... but that's okay. He's a pro at cutting alien zombies in to tiny, tiny bits, so that makes him pretty alright in my book.
 * It's not just the awesome fighting skills. In Dead Space 2 you get to see the more human and emotional part of him. There's just something about the way, a man who was fucked over by fate once, and left with serious trauma, manages to stand up and do it once again. Plus the emotional parts like  puts a LOT of weight and realism into his characters. He's not only a badass, he's a very realistic and determined badass.
 * Gex! He's my favorite Mascot with Attitude next to Sonic, and one of the only ones who is genuinely cool. He is also one of the most quotable video game characters ever, and all of those quotes will be hilarious when you hear them. It helps that he's voiced by a comedian in America and the United Kingdom. The series villian, Rez, is an evil alien with a totally badbutt suit of metal armor and his levels give a slightly Nightmare Fuel -ish aptmosphere to the usually wacky series. By the way, please don't tell me that I'm the only one who would think that he would be even cooler if he was voiced by Tim Curry.
 * Balthier. Smarmy, cunning, and the only reason I played as far through that game as I did...
 * You can't have Balthier without Fran. They're a package deal, and besides, she's a cool character in her own right. She may be Ms. Fanservice incarnate, but that's not all she is. Complicated past, great lines, the occasional Mist-induced Unstoppable Rage, and a sweet ass, all rolled into one.
 * I hate everyone except Francis....and vests.
 * Yes! I so second that.
 * Nick is my favourite example of the Jerk with a Heart of Gold of all time. He can go from 'hilariously cynical quips' to 'panicked fear' to 'desperately helping someone from dying' to 'near-weeping from the death of a survivor' and it doesn't feel contrived. I also find his growth more interesting than most arcs in actual character dramas.
 * All hail the Prince of Persia! At his best, a snarky, charismatic, and genuinely heroic fellow with a good sense of self-deprecation. And his World Of Cardboard speeches are awesome.
 * Also, hail Elika, the beautiful, snarky, and utterly dependable sister-in-arms! In a world where everyone else is trying to kill you, she makes it all worth it.
 * This troper nominates both Phoenix Wright and his eternal rival Edgeworth for being possibly the only lawyers you'll ever like. Both men don't want victory - they want justice! (It also helps that their relationship could go either way, but it still makes perfect sense whenever something happens.)
 * Franziska von Karma would like you to know that you are ALL foolishly foolish fools! And yet, this Defrosting Ice Queen with the... complex familial relationships and the unerring aim? How could you resist it when she broke into tears?
 * Godot, Godot, Godot. ESPECIALLY during the last section of 3-5,
 * This troper would like to offer that Godot redefines 'hot coffee'.
 * Professor Layton. Critical thinking is the key to success... and so is sword-fighting, playing the MacGyver, and never refusing the request of a beautiful lady.
 * This troper also wants to get in on the Laytonlove, for all the reasons listed above plus one more.
 * Oh yes. But let's not forget Bruno, who (do not highlight unless you're climbing the tower!), well enough that (finish the game first!).
 * Oh come on! Despite his bad stats, Montblanc is obviously handsome-cute! Except for the one from Final Fantasy XII that is... Or maybe this troper is just crazy. Especially at the Radio Drama, he sounds so dang awsome!
 * March may be a twin, but this troper thinks she's more adorable than her sister. However, that may just be due to her sweet and friendly nature, quite the opposite of how Salsa describes her. But lest this should cause you to think her ineffective in combat, you should know that she's quite good with a pair of chakrams, and she'll be perfectly polite before she pounds her foes. And she gets some neat-sounding (free verse) poetry before she unleashes her Echo-enhanced special moves.
 * I have not one, but three characters to gush about from Disgaea. There's Vyers, the Gratuitous French-speaking Butt Monkey who also tends to have a lot of Big Damn Heroes moments and may or may not love little girls. Then there's Etna, the Stripperific Pettanko Little Miss Snarker (you heard me) who easily proves that Everything Is Better With Penguins. Lastly, there's Pleinair, the gunslinging Cute Mute who batdodges everything and, similarly to Etna, proves that Everything's Better With Bunnies. They are all awesome and I love them all to little pixelated bits.
 * This troper harbors deep affection for Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories's Rozalin. It might be her arrogance, or her complete disdain for anything practical as "baser pursuits." Then again, especially for a demon princess, she's remarkably loyal and compassionate to the people she cares about—quite literally a Noble Demon. Whether acting assertvely or displaying a moment of vulnerability, she always conducts herself with composed eloquence. Plus, she uses a pistol, and she's got a snazzy dress and a killer rack. (In addition to his dee p affection, this troper also harbors Perverse Sexual Lust.)
 * And this Troper absolutely loves Beryl. 2nd biggest Badass Adorable in my opinion (after Kirby, who is the trope personified).
 * Daiskenojo Bito. What we have here is a genuinely complex Idiot Hero whose a Badass Determinator who has half the games Crowning Moment of Funny lies. Add the to the best Character Development in the game and you have Beat.
 * I can't agree with you more about Beat. Hands down my favourite character in TWEWY, and probably across any fandom. Up until about the last 10 minutes of the game (and arguably after), Beat gets more plot than all of the other characters combined. He's one of the rare believable idiot characters in fiction who still manages to make you want to give him an enormous hug after every line, and judging by accounts I've heard of the Japanese version, Woolseyism actually improved his character. Yo.
 * Thirding this. He's perhaps the most well-developed of all the characters in TWEWY, if you ask me, and everything that everyone has already gushed about is on my list of reasons I love Beat so damn much.
 * And on the same note, Rhyme! Cute, hopeful, and the much-needed balance to her partner's Hot-Blooded ways, she's a cross between a Plucky Girl and a Cheerful Child and oh-so-cute! True, she spends most of the game as, but she  . And, the way her Game ends makes a Bittersweet Ending that, considering how everyone else makes it out scot-free, may well make Rhyme The Woobie.
 * I'm sorry. I know he's a horrible, horrible person, but I can't get enough of Joshua Kiryuu. I went through the required post-game period of HATING HIS FREAKING GUTS but then three days later I realized that, as much as I hated him, he was also my favorite character. His attitude is just so obviously grating and smarmy that it's hilarious, and what with The Stinger,
 * No love for Shiki? I found her character amazingly human and flawed(which is not a bad thing), and face it: Who hasn't had those thoughts about wanting to be so perfect and everything? And on that note, Neku too! The whole game was about his Character Development. And Mr. Hanekoma, and Sota and Nao, Konishi, Minamimoto, and...
 * As somewhat of an introvert who would like to be a better Deadpan Snarker than currently, I really made a connection with Neku. This was the first time I've really found myself able to connect to a character.
 * Sho Minamimoto is one of the craziest, most entertaining villains I've ever seen. Plus, he makes maths fun.
 * Axl from the Mega Man X series. His personality helps balance the seriousness of the rest of the characters, hovering helps in a pinch, and being a walking armory is pretty cool too.
 * Speaking of Mega Man characters, I can tell you that Sonia Strumm/Harp Note from Mega Man Star Force is the best of all Mega Man characters even better than Luna Platz.
 * Let's not forget Dr. Wily from the Classic Series. The poor guy tries so hard...
 * Agreed on Wily. He's just trying so hard to make the world a better place for robots, even though he's doing it in a pretty bad way. And who's to say the guy didn't really make so many robotic sons for more than just his revenge schemes? Maybe he even made them to be a large family because he's got a lot of love to give and just wants a lot of sons?
 * And let's hear it for Wily's first solo creation, Metal Man. Everyone may mock the guy for being weak to his own weapon, but remember, he's the one that gave you the ALMIGHTY METAL BLADE that smote your enemies and him in the first place. And who is it that has perhaps one of the coolest jumping poses in the Mega Man series? No other Robot Master has jumped with their feet together like that and made it look awesome. And the guy runs on a freakin' conveyor belt while fighting. Not to mention this troper thinks Metal Man is probably the most adorable Robot Master ever.
 * Mega Man X himself. He's a kind and sensitive person who wants peace for the world and hates hurting other people. That is, until you hurt innocent people or his friends, in which case he becomes an unstoppable One-Man Army tricked out with the best weapons and armours imaginable. And despite the fact that fighting is something he hates, he keeps fighting the good fight for centuries because he's living out Doctor Light's dream of humans and reploids living in peace. I don't care if people say he's a wuss, I don't care if they say he's not as cool as Zero, he's my favourite inspirational hero who went above and beyond his dedication to peace.
 * And speaking of Zero, why the hell isn't he here yet? Zero is goddamn awesome. He's a sword-swinging badass that thrashes everything in his way. But the best part about him is that despite all the horrible things that happen in his life and the disturbing reason why he was created, he flips destiny the bird and becomes the best Anti-Anti-Christ, Atoner, and hero ever. Not even fate can stop this guy.
 * You're all forgetting the original Mega Man! Without him, none of the above could have been possible! I mean, look at him. He's a badassadorable superhero that never gives up, and one of the first successful video game protagonists!
 * Pang Tong may be the most jovial Deadpan Snarker in video game history, and this troper loves him for it. Not that way, mind you. Seriously. Stop looking at me like that. ... freaks.
 * Zuo Ci. One game, and he gains Ensemble Darkhorse status.
 * Final Fantasy X offers us Jecht, who also plays a fairly major part in Dissidia: Once you get past Tidus' hate, you discover that Jecht was a man searching for a cause, who found it in Spira just in time to . He's a Jerk Jock who turns out to be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, he makes more than one Heroic Sacrifice and if his reconciliation with his son (in X or Dissidia) failed to make you tear up, you have no heart.
 * This troper CANNOT be the only one who adores Tidus. Why? Because he carries the whole story. Unlike Yuna, he could have given up the pilgrimage whenever, but he didn't. He knew he . And he DID IT ANYWAY. That was more moving that Yuna's sacrifice - Yuna had had eighteen years in which to make her decision. Tidus had less than a month. If   isn't awesome and badass beyond belief, this troper doesn't know what is!
 * Tidus, hero worth of more recognition than what he gets. Right. This troper agrees.
 * Also, Final Fantasy X has Auron, who is the fucking man. That is really all that needs to be said.
 * What about Yuna? She's beautiful, sweet, and gentle but is every bit the hero Tidus is and gets almost as much awesome moments as Auron. That's gotta say something.
 * Wakka needs more love, ya?
 * This troper particularly has a fond relationship with the protagonist of Persona 4. Granted, he's a Silent Protagonist. Granted, he doesn't even have a name (Unless you count the one from the Manga). But let's look at him for the characteristics that the game can give him because of the activities he's allowed to do. Sport Clubs and Art Clubs of school aside, the guy can take many jobs. Three of them are "stay in home" jobs, such as doing translations. Another one involves him taking care of several children (all the while wearing an apron!), another is working as janitor at a hospital, doing what? Cleaning. And the last one involves him tutoring a younger boy to help him with his classes. So you can take for granted he's gonna be good for raising kids and keeping the house in order. Add that to the fact that it's made clear that he has quite some cooking skills, and you got it: The guy's a perfect househusband! And that alone is awesome! After all, how many RPG protagonists take such modest archetype instead of being the manly warrior? Even further, where else are you gonna see a potential househusband God, if this guy ever has children, poor of whoever dares mess with them!
 * Naoto Shirogane. First of all, in a game where almost everyone [potentially including the protagonist] involved with trying to solve the murders are Lawful Heartwarmingly Stupid at best, Naoto is a revolver-toting, formal-to-a-fault ace detective who is one of the youngest in the cast. This already earns some significant badass points, but the androgynous charm very much pushes some players over the edge, who will happily gush for many weeks if not stopped. I know I would.
 * While this Troper's favorite Persona 4 character is Naoto Shirogane, Kanji Tatsumi deserves a special mention. Muscular manly man who is also... skilled at sewing? Hell yes! The way that Kanji and Naoto are both used to address traditional gender roles and how they can adversely affect people's lives makes me all happy and tingly inside.
 * There's Uncle Dojima. He seems cold and intimidating, but go through his Social Link and you'll see how he's been able to put up with more in a short time than a few men could probably handle in their lives. He's an overworked man who misses his wife and is scared to face his young daughter. But you eventually help him through his character development, and his late game actions show that he really does care deeply for his daughter. Dojima is very flawed, but that's what makes him a good character- He's the paragon of the Parents as People trope.
 * This troper is completely all heels over Blaz Blue's Litchi Faye Ling. She's not exactly top tier powerful character, but in a world full of psychos, monsters, weirdos, jerks... She remained normal and the most genuinely kind person in the setting and helps people in need. It also helps that she is drop dead gorgeous and a 5-star hottie. Boobie Lady sure is wonderful!
 * Personally, this troper has developed a major crush on Kokonoe from the same game. Ah, if only she were playable...
 * Taokaka. Bouncy, cute, a total idiot, and the attention sp- I smell food! Did you eat lunch?
 * Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate?! That is all.
 * Seconded! He has more personality than most video game protagonists and I LOVE his voice! Dominic was great! I also love Elaine;for the fact that she totally subverts the whole Damsel in Distress gig, Le Chuck for having one Badass Beard and Murray for his hammish lines and becuase he's such a Card-Carrying Villain!
 * This troper has recently developed a deep respect for Gekkou, Zangetsu, Izayoi, and Tsukinowa; the ninjas under Edge in his chapter of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. The reason I like them so much? because they actually act like ninja. Putting aside the whole ninjutsu magic thing, all four of them value stealth and disguise. Specifically, Zangetsu, Izayoi, and Tsukinowa spend a long time in the countries they are dispatched to, building up the disguise of a trusted member of the community, like actual ninja would. Zangetsu manages to disguise himself as another species, and Tsukinowa (a kid ninja) even nearly drowns himself on the shores so that the mages of Mysidia will "save" him and take him in. Their presence represents the fact that someone in the Final Fantasy team actually knows how ninjas work. And that's awesome.
 * While we're on the subject of The After Years, Edward. Whiny, useless, and fragile in the original, he Took a Level In Badass in the 17 years since the first game,, and disposing of in a decidedly Badass and ironic fashion. If you do not come out of the game with a new found respect for the bard, then you clearly haven't been paying attention.
 * Oh, and the thing he used to dispose of It was a  This also means that he can't have opened to box to see what it was beforehand, because if he opened it to confirm what  gave him, . He went into that encounter almost blind. Too bad you're controlling the bad guy during that encounter. Seeing Edward beat  would've been the icing on the cake. As it stands, it's still a really awesome cake.
 * After all this, This Troper decided to pug him in the final party, even if his combat abilities are lacking, because dammit, he earned it. Then said troper learned just how potent the combination of his Escape and Salve abilities are, and Edward carried the whole damn party through the finale.
 * Everyone has their favorite Team Fortress 2 class, but this troper has to pick the Spy. While the other classes are trying to out-gun the opposing team, the Spy excels in outwitting them. There's no better feeling than to trick an enemy Medic into healing you and leading him right into a nest of your own team's sentries, or to get "killed" by someone who found you out, only to stab them in the back when they discover too late you had the Dead Ringer. I never really was on your side...
 * To say nothing of the steadily increasing range of Paranoia Fuel that he can evoke, due to his improving abilities. It used to be a sort of Lensman Arms Race between improving the disguise and finding new ways to spy-check; blood spatter, flames, teleporter glow, lack of an übercharge meter on Medics, lack of disguise on friendly Spies, etc. Now? You can only be sure it's a Spy if you bump into him or he catches fire. And even if he dies, he could still be around with the Dead Ringer. Completely empty space? There could be a Spy around, using the Cloak and Dagger! Get away from that Dispenser! There could be a Spy on top of it, recharging the vanilla Invisowatch! SPIIIIES! Oh, and one of the playtest items for the Spy in the current beta-test is a flame-retardant suit. "Right behind you."
 * This troper's favorite paranoia-inducing spy move is disguising as a member of your own team and using the Dead Ringer. When you get "killed" you drop your teammate's corpse, not your own... so now your opponents can't be sure they've killed anyone on your team!
 * This Troper's personal favorite isn't any of the classes, it's Saxton Hale. The guy runs a company named MANN CO., whose motto is "We sell products and get in fights." There's also this CMoF comic.
 * This troper will gush over Medic in 3...2...1..How can anyone not gush over him!? Hes pretty much the most important class of the whole nine, keeping teamates alive and sometimes even roughing it himself. And it dosen't hurt that hes rather attractive and German on top of it.
 * Engie! Got a problem? Just use more gun!
 * The Scout. Need someone to take that point, down that Medic, and outrun his Heavy's retribution? He's your man, and this Troper's class of choice. Birds fly, grass grows, the sun shines, and brother, he hurts people. Boink!
 * Neeshka. All the NPCs in this game are enjoyable to the point where I actually let them finish their sentences. But Neeshka is the only one that had me dig up her lines in advance and spend half the game looking forward to her saying them.
 * Ratchet. Literally a walking, talking bucket of Pure Awesomeness. Unique combination of cute, funny, and cut-your-heart-out-with-a-spoon-Badass. In his coolness, he surpasses Horny Vikings, Space Marines, and ranks somewhere near Megas XLR. He managed to make his Crapsack World a pretty nice place to live, saved entire galaxies on numerous occasions, and mopped the floor with every baddie he came across. And then, he pulls out his BFGs. If you are separated by an entire population of Murdertown from your objective, and you absolutely, positively must kill every single motherfucker in between, accept no substitutes.
 * This Troper would like to additionally nominate General Alister Azimuth, with his unique visual design, pretty name, unmatched badassery, enigmatic and troubled personality, and Big Freaking Wrench. Now where is the rest of the EstrogenBrigade?
 * Clank. Just...Clank. Has the ability to be adorably innocent, insufferably smart, and unusually badass all at the same time. His loyalty to Ratchet makes us wish we all had best friends like him. And that laugh makes me want to hug him to death.
 * Cipher, Blaze and Mobius 1. You on the battlefield? Better have their permission.
 * All of the protagonists of Persona 3 are made of awesome. Between the atoning Badass Longcoat, the Blood Knight White-Haired Pretty Boy (who may or may not be a Lightning Bruiser), the Defrosting Ice Queen redheaded heroine with skeletons in her family closets, the Tsundere Action Girl, the Idiot Lancer (who has depths so far hidden, he wasn't even aware of them), the gunslinging Ridiculously Human Robot Girl with amnesia, the Kid Hero with  and a weapon bigger than he is and the Evil Detecting Heroic Dog, it gets kind of hard to gush about just one. And this is without mentioning the main character...
 * What about Fuuka? She has a good character arc, both in the main game and her S. Link, she puts her seemigly lame powers to pretty awesome use- ten hours in Tartarus, and not getting attacked once. Also, she's cute.
 * Mitsuru Kirijo. That is all.
 * Oh, oh Shinjiro. He was cool enough in the original game, but then P3P made him a Social Link for the female protagonist, peeling back that Jerkass Facade completely to show just how much of a Stoic Woobie he really is - unfailingly kind to the heroine, worried about whether the rest of the team is eating right, clinging wistfully to a few precious moments of normalcy before he tries for redemption in death, and convinced that the heroine should be doing anything other than spending time with him. And all the while, still the only teammate stone-cold Badass enough to headbutt a tank.
 * If you can get Prototype's Alex Mercer to give a damn about you (which should theoretically be possible ), you can be 101% sure no one would dare to mess with you. Absolutely no one. Ever.
 * Halo's Master Chief is the personification of Badass. Add to that the quiet Crowning Moment of Heartwarming at the end of Halo 3...

"Time for a celebration...cheeeeeese for everyone!"
 * The Doctor from Cave Story. Not because he makes me feel happy; quite the contrary. He makes you hate him so very much. And in that he's everything a Big Bad should be. He delivers one Player Punch after another, gloats unrepentantly and generally makes your life very difficult. So by the time you finally get to face him, it's not just another boss battle. It's Personal.
 * Guildmaster Wigglytuff from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. There's just something to love about a big pink bunny who just wants to be everyone's friend... until you mess with him or his friends, at which point your defeat will be painful and swift.
 * And on that note, Grovyle for being all-around Badass, and for a  on the behalf of a player character who spent half the game trying to beat the stuffing out of him.
 * Lip! Lip, Lip, Lip! Every single time I see her, I'm reduced into a blathering loon who can't help but gush over every one of her cute features (and there are a lot) in an explosion of overyjoyed babytalk. [[media:lip 473.gif|Just look at that adorable face]]... If her cuteness isn't enough, she's also a pretty big Badass Adorable and a princess. She (and the game she's from) is probably the deepest, richest well of Sweet Dreams Fuel anyone has ever created. If she, or her equally-adorable descendant Furil, isn't a character in the next Smash Bros. game, I will be sorely disappointed...
 * Captain MacMillan from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the ultimate Cold Sniper . His voice is Fetish Fuel in audio form, and his lines are just plain awesome (Oi, Suzy!). Plus he keeps his Improbable Aiming Skills even after having a friggin helicopter crashing on top of him. Totally badass.
 * Gaz, arguably The Squad 's resident Deadpan Snarker.
 * Captain Price. There's a reason his nameplate reads "Captain Price" and not "Cpt. Price".
 * "Ze Professor" from Conker's Bad Fur Day / Conker: Live and Reloaded.This troper loves his chair, and his ridiculous plans, and his anti-gravity chocolate, and his rant about the duct tape, and his everything about him is so freaking hilarious.
 * And Conker himself. How many other main characters in a video game are truly Chaotic Neutral, and only do things for their own personal gain rather than for good or evil? And yet, you truly feel sorry for him at the end, when he becomes the victim of his own greed.
 * Every single Psychonauts character. I can't decide my favorite character in that game, because they're all just so great!
 * Milla deserves a special mention. She's so happy and funny, but if you find the back story in her mind (or that room) she suddenly comes off as rather bittersweet as well.
 * Guillo. Where to even START? Oh right...with Guillo's wit. Guillo is one of the elite few able to actually surpass Jade Curtiss. The fact that there is a thread on GameFAQs devoted entirely to Guillo's wit that has lasted TWO YEARS, and is very near three, should be rather telling. Guillo alone is funnier, more interesting, and just flat out better than pretty much the entire cast of the first Baten Kaitos combined. And the casts of many other games, for that matter. It's not often you get a character who is the most popular character in their game...despite . More awesome than even Palolo II (the game's resident Badass Ninja who is a Deadpan Snarker in his own right), which isn't easy to do. Oh, and one last thing. Think Guillo is less awesome in battle? Think again.
 * Nina Williams from Tekken. That is all.
 * While every single character in Valkyria Chronicles is amazing, I'd have to say that Welkin takes the cake. He's kind, level-headed, loving, and a nature-obsessed nerd. In fact, at the end of the game, I couldn't stop wondering why a guy like him doesn't exist.
 * Wendy Cheslock. Hands down, my favorite character in the whole series. She gets precious little screen time, but she's just so adorably insane. Went out of my way to include shocktrooper support in every mission so she'd be there, giggling at inappropriate things in her d'aww-worthy way.
 * Ellis from Left 4 Dead 2. Discuss. Please, because I can't do it all alone... But I suppose for starters he's the most hilarious character in either game, endearingly a Cloudcuckoolander, fun, friendly, easygoing and laid-back, and almost childlike while still being as Badass as the others (as Nick put it, "He's like a five-year-old. With guns. And a comprehensive grasp of every swear word in the English language."), seems like an airhead when he's actually a Genius Ditz, I daresay freaking cute in a way, and there's his good looks and Southern drawl. God, what about him isn't weirdly charming?
 * I second the nomination. And I think you said everything. He's just awesome.
 * This troper can't help finding Ellis to be pretty much poster boy for the Moe trope.
 * Iji, just Iji. You just want to create a perfect world for her.
 * For this troper, I'd have to say just about every character in Dragon Age: Origins (except the named villains: Arl Rendon Howe and Teyrn Loghaine, but that's another story for another time). Specifically the people you can have in your party. Despite being characters in a fantasy world (albeit one of the most detailed I've ever seen), they're surprisingly realistic; they seem like people you could actually meet in real life. Except maybe Sten; I've yet to meet a person with a Sweet Tooth to the point that he actually does steal candy from babies. But that's what makes the game more fun and easier to get into. :)
 * While I'm on the subject, I just have to say it: I think Morrigan's outfit should be the new "standard" witch costume, a much-needed upgrade from the cliched old tattered black dress and pointy hat. Come now, how many witches do you know wear nice-looking black leather accessories and shirts with Impossibly Low Necklines? Unless the witch in question looks like Morrigan's mother, Flemeth.
 * And of course, special mention has to go to Wynne. She's practically the nicest lady one could ever meet in a computer/video game. She's a Team Mom indeed. :)
 * Alistair. He has a deeply-held sense of justice, hides his insecurities beneath a veneer of sarcasm and bad jokes, and he likes it when I sass him. He couldn't have meshed better with my character if I had written him myself. But although he was my favorite, all of the characters are fantastic and nuanced, and it was definitely worth the time to get to know them all. Their random banter while walking around was one of the highlights of the game.
 * Come on, not all of his jokes are bad. I like this one in particular: "If you must know the truth, I'm a bastard. And before you make any smart remarks, I mean the fatherless kind."
 * In Dragon Age II, Varric. Omg, Varric. The jokes, the Genre Savvy, the hilarious conversation, etc. Especially, the Imagine Spot in Bartrand's Mansion. This troper has a save specifically at that point so he can play that part over and over. Also, Leandra and Bethany. Carver only gets better later, but the Hawke ladies are awesome. Bethany is an apostate, but has possibly the purest sense of justice out of all the mages in the party, not even considering blood magic for a second. The closeness between Hawke and her is heartwarming and any time they suffer, its really raw and powerful, and resonates with the player. And for good measure, I'll put in Cullen. The Cullen from the first game was on the verge of insanity from his ordeal with Uldred, but here he has mellowed out in a big way . If all Templars were like him, the problems with mages would never have gone so far.
 * Hell yeah, Varric, Cullen, and the Hawke ladies! I actually came here to gush about Cullen in this game, but since the above troper said all I had to say, I'm going to gush about Carver and Merrill. As resentful and jerky as he can be at the beginning, Carver has some wonderfully adorkable moments, even in Act I. He geeks out over Meeran, the mercenary who helps you get into Kirkwall at the beginning of the game. He fumbles for words in party banter, especially when talking with Isabela. He sticks up for Hawke in Fenris' recruitment quest.  Then there's Merill, my beloved little elven maleficar. I just adore the way she babbles endlessly. I love her accent. I love how when she's sad, her eyes make me just want to go through the screen and give the girl a hug.
 * I'd like to add the entire main cast of Tales of Legendia. (Yes, even Shirley, whom I found to be a great subversion of The Messiah and great example of ) The whole party may be a buch of cliches, but their interaction with one another never fails to make me smile.
 * "A man chooses, a slave obeys." And damn, does Andrew Ryan make that clear.
 * Atlas is pretty magnificent, even before you find out that  Damn.
 * Elanor. 'Nuff said.
 * Sly Cooper, Bentley, THE MURRAY, Carmelita Montoya Fox, is there a single character from the Sly Cooper games that WASN'T awesome in some way or another?
 * Dimitri. Motherfuckin. Lousteau better be the top character for that series. Seriously, he's fuckin awesome. He's got a rather kick ass theme, weird, yet funny way of speaking(and in my fangirly case, adorable), he walks like a boss and is erm, rather, uh...gorgeous for a Marine Iguana. I shit you not when I say that if I'm ever feeling down, I listen to "Dimitri's Greasy Sweet Remix". He's just that damn good, imo, you'd have to be rather "different" or something NOT to love him.;)
 * "I am SHODAN. When the history of my magnificence is written, your species shall only be a footnote..."
 * Miku from Fatal Frame. A mansion full of horrifying, violent ghosts isn't going to stop her from finding her big brother. Not only does she find him (even though he ), but she also frees all of the trapped spirits in the mansion and gets rid of the Malice turning them all insane.
 * Speaking of Fatal Frame, the second installment brings us Mio, who is along much the same lines as Miku. We are also intrudoced to her twin sister Mayu, who manages to be disturbing as hell despite being a protagonist damsel in distress. And of course, there's Sae.
 * Also, a shout out to some ghosts. Seijiro Makabe unwittingly walks right into a trap and becomes a sacrifice to the Hellish Abyss, and is excited about it because he gets to see Hell with his own eyes. Yae Munakata (nee Kurosawa) was a kindhearted girl who tried to forsake the life she knew to save her sister (which, sadly, did not work too well) and who went on to have a happy family...until she drove herself mad hunting ghosts in Himuro Mansion and, when her daughter disappeared, hung herself. Quite a Wham! Episode if you played the second game before the first...
 * Out of the characters in Digital Devil Saga, Gale is this troper's favourite. This is mostly because of his Character Development, and how utterly badass he can be, especially in the second game. The fact that his voice actor is really good helps a lot.
 * Whoah-ho-ho, how did we get this far without mentioning the resident Badass / Badass Adorable of the Kirby series: Meta Knight! Keeping a code of honour he throws Kirby a sword... And usually hands you your arse. That and the fact he isn't a villian, just trying to keep whatever unholy eyemelting abomination it is this week locked up. Of course Kirby being Kirby there is a hell of a lot of Nice Job Breaking It, Hero moments...
 * And on the subject of Kirby games... Marx! Oh, Marx! I was just smitten with him the second I saw him - a little bouncing jester who goes stark raving mad? Come back from the dead, even more insane before? What's not to like! I might just love him... a little too much.
 * What, no Kratos yet? This guy kills Aries, the original God of War, then kills the Fates (who said he was destined to fail), then kills Posiedon, Hades, Helios, Hermes, Hercules, Hera, Kronos, Hephaestus, Gaia and Zeus, in that order. He also slays anything and everything that gets in his way. Basicly if you don't help him, you die. He puts Perseus in the Clash of the Titans remake to shame.
 * Starting the Okami section right now. Beginning with Okami Amaterasu herself. She's GOD.
 * Otohime. For a video game princess, she spends more time being a politician than a damsel. Oh, and guess what? She's also a dragon.
 * Waka. Just Waka.
 * Ume is a pink dog. I love pink dogs. Shallow as that is, it's true.
 * Orochi. Most intimidating video game villain EVER. (And if you do some mythology research and find out that his full name is Yamato no Orochi, like in "Ark of Yamato," he could easily be the Magnificent Bastard behind the entire game.) Yami may be the incarnation of evil, but he ain't got nothin' on the dragon.
 * Despite Rao's raciness and her...um...Reveal, she always stands out to me as awesome. In all her forms, if you know what I mean. Especially since one of those forms is pretty much the iconic Japanese mythological character.
 * Mr. Flower for the sole reason of HE HAS A TREE ON HIS HEAD.
 * Kaguya is such a sweetheart...I think her goodbye to Mr. Bamboo was the Crowning Moment of Heartwarming.
 * Ajimi the imp chef in the Moon Cave dungeon. Because of him, I was actually sad to kill Oni from then on.
 * Hayabusa just because of his saga of loyalty.
 * Susano doesn't seem awesome at first, but after the Moon Cave dungeon, your respect for him probably went through the ROOF. And you can tell he truly loves Kushi.
 * On the matter of Kushi, she kicks butt with sake. What do you mean, it's not awesome? Made even cooler if you talk to her in Kamiki after the Hitoshi Spring incident. Remember that bucket that was too heavy for her to carry? She carried it. All the way down the hill, up the other hill, and through the huge field.
 * Mr. Orange, who is the Michael Jackson of Okami. By that, I mean he MOONWALKS.
 * Sakuya. And, for that matter, Shakuya.
 * How come no one's mentioned Issun yet? He's a tiny little kickass bug... thing. And he still scores with the ladies.
 * And if we're talking Okamiden KUROW!!!!!!! He is just epically amazing in general. Hilarious and awesome. Every part with him in it is the best part of the game.
 * Sam Fisher: saving the world with gruffness and sticky shockers
 * CJ and The Truth from San Andreas were both pretty awesome. The Truth had some of the funniest dialogue and most creative missions in the entire series, and Carl was just an ordinary guy who'd gotten in a little over his head, the only real likeable player character so far in the series, and not again until the mission packs for GTA IV.
 * Wait a moment! No love for Lufia so far? It has such good characters! Most of all: Dekar! Seriously, how can you not love the guy?
 * How has no one mentioned the ultimate ham that is Sheogorath?

"Grandpa: *reads his grandson a story with heroes and sorcerers and such* Chibi!Adol: Wow... did stuff like that really happen? Grandpa: Yes, my boy, and it's still happening now. There are still places where people are attacked by dragons and sorcerers. Chibi!Adol: Poor people...Sucks to be them, huh? *frowns* Grandpa: *blinks* I suppose you're right. Chibi!Adol: ''...You know what, when I grow up, I'm going to save all those people." *nods*"
 * "...and out come the intestines! And I skip rope with them!"
 * Really? Cloud was mentioned but not Cecil Harvey from FFII (or IV)? He starts out as a Dark Knight, who questions himself and the King, for their evil actions, gets lost in the middle of nowhere, and becomes a shining beacon of light. Then rips the embodiment of hatred a new one.
 * so during all this time neither John Marston nor Niko Bellic didn't get a mention some the funniest, witties and saddest stories of this generation and two of the most soulful leads of gaming they are great, smart, badasses, and to top it all off woobies.
 * Let's hear it for the Ace Attorney cast. Mia for being an interesting a deep character despite being Ms. Fanservice. Phoenix from changing from a rookie to an expert to a cynical hobo who still doesn't give up. Godot for being a genuinely complex Anti-Villain. Edgeworth for giving us gamings most satisfying Heel Face Turn and Pearl who manages to seem like a genuine eight year old while still being a complex character.
 * How about Gumshoe? He's utterly incompetent, yes, but he tries so hard that you can't help but feel for the guy. Not to mention, any scene containing him is nothing short of hilarious.
 * This troper has a major crush on the utterly badass Detective Tyrell Badd.
 * I'm disgusted in you all, No Love for Crash Bandicoot!? The greatest platform character ever created, halarious, awesome, charming, nice, cool, laidback, if only those Damn Producers would start making real games again instead of cancelling them & replacing them with iPhone racers, the fact that hundreds of people signed that pettition to bring him back to Consoles before 2 weeks shows that he's more awesome than Sonic or Mario ever! Crash for President!
 * This bisexual male troper tends to do this with Nines Rodriquez. I mean, look at his smile, and his Goatee! how can you say no to him, huh?
 * Oswald the Lucky Rabbit's return/portrayal in Epic Mickey. IGN's explanation for naming him Best Character of 2010 says it all. His seperation from Walt Disney and years of obscurity may have been sad, but I'm glad for them, otherwise he wouldn't be the fascinating character he is in this game.
 * This troper loves the way BioWare crafts its characters as much as the next and she always liked the Fable series, but much more casually partly because she never thought it even came close in that department. Hammer, Garth, and Reaver in II she got attached to, stuck her brain on thinking of them as being good as it got, and stalled and eventually forgot about getting III until she got it for Christmas. And oh lordy I love Sir Walter Beck thiiiiiiiis much. I might make this more coherent and/or have more steam for gushing later, but still, Lionhead, you made one heck of a masterwork set of brass knuckles while you were at it.
 * While we're on the subject of Fable III... Ben Finn. Oh, Ben, how I wish we could marry you, and not just because of any PSL I may harbour for you. (That haaaaiiiirrrr.) Ben Finn, you are akin to what I want my boyfriend to be, as you are equal parts snarky and caring. When Lionhead gave us to you without making you romanceable, I screamed and through a pillow and my computer, because... Dammit, Ben, you're perfect. I literally cannot find a flaw in you. Seriously.
 * Lightning. I'm sorry, she is just that Badass. As a normal human, she takes out a train full of soldiers by herself, manages to best and destroy a huge lobster robot with minimal help, manages to take on everything that the Sanctum throws at her and Sazh; and actually succedes in killing(?) Anima...albeit with help, and turned into a L'cie. Now she takes on whole battalions of soldiers by herself and wins, wrecks a fleet of robots...by herself...and wins, skydives and messes crap up with a gravity technology thingy, takes on actual god-like beings and wins, is the leader of the group of L'cie and yet she still has time to have a lot of Character Development and to be a Deadpan Snarker...hell, she probably has a fighting chance against Chuck Norris! You do not mess with this woman.
 * Seconded. Lightning has alot more redeeming value to her character other than just being Badass than most people who write her off think.
 * The Tsviets from Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus. IMO, they're the only reason to even play the game. They're all so complex (even the one who doesn't say much) and, lets face it, their backstory is far more interesting than Vincent's (Not that Vincent isn't. It's just that we've heard it before. Repeatedly. "Lucreciaaaaaaaaa" is probably getting tired of it at this point.) But anyway.
 * Adol of Ys has the best origin story ever. While most game protagonists have some generic angsty stuff, or didn't have a choice in the matter, or don't really care about heroing, Adol is doing exactly what he set out to do. He was the one to Call to Adventure at a very young age. According to the anime, it went something like this:

"Quan:You will serve me in the netherrealm -squee-"
 * And he does.
 * Tarkus in Dawn of War 2 just about everything he does is awesome, weather he be loyalist or traitor, he does it magnificently.
 * I am completely, utterly, terribly, grossly ASTONISHED that The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater isn't on here yet (well, now she is). Gracious, the entire Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater page is dedicated to her awesomeness. What female MGS fan is not a lesbian for The Boss? She's our dream lover - older, protective but sensitive, and I'll be she could %$@& our brains out. Um... this is getting scary, isn't it?
 * Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. The way he goes from an Arrogant Kung Fu Guy (admittedly one with the skills to back it up) to a truly wise and humble man, willing to admit his mistakes, is some of the best character development this troper has experienced in a video game.
 * Always, always bet on Duke.
 * Bayonetta
 * Lanturn, Lanturn, for Arceus' sakes, Lanturn. Most adorable Pokémon EVER. (Besides Celebi, of course. I saw it in the fourth movie when I was little and I never stopped loving it since.)
 * If we're going to mention specific Pokémon, then I'm going to say that Scrafty and Scraggy are one of the best designed Pokémon of the fifth generation. Awesome typing, great and unique stat placement, a very good movepool and abilities and a Crazy Awesome inspiration (gangster lizards that wear molted skin as baggy jeans? Awesome!)
 * Why the FUCK aren't there ANY Mortal Kombat characters here? For SHAME, tvTropes, for shame. I'll start with my all time favorite, Quan Chi. A badass who could single handedly kick pretty much any kombatants ass while barely trying. He's got two kick ass fatalities in the new game as well. I loved this bastard as soon I saw him wayyyyy back when he was introduced. I wasn't allowed to play the games back then but I found him funny looking and kinda cool. I didn't get to play as him until Deadly Alliance though. And damn me, but his voice good Gods; pretty much every appearance he's had this voice that causes me to squee like an idiot. Especially the newest one. Also, he's pretty attractive for a pale bald guy...much like another one mentioned here before...


 * Let's add Shang Tsung, the other Evil Sorcerer. Just typing that name gives me a mixed reaction of fangirlyness(Young form plx), fear and downright shivers from sheer awesomeness.Seriously, there is no being better at identity theft then Shang Tsung. And my Gods, is he fucking pretty when he's young. Why wubs Netherrealm Studios for bringing a frightening yet sexy Shang for me to squee over, plus his Joker fatality is one of the funniest things in the game. Even if he gives me nightmares, I still can't help but fawn over him when I rewatch the last few chapters of story modes cutscenes as well as all of armageddon when he's there... Oh God I sound like a stupid fangirl don't I? Also he is a smug jackass who can be considered Sophisticated As Hell.
 * Roy Earle from LA Noire. Smug Snake, yes. Racist, yes. Misogynist, yes. But he's completely hilarious to listen to.
 * There's a reason why Rance managed to have the longest on-going story line out of any videogame character. He is just that Crazy Awesome. Rance is Lovable Sex Maniac taken Up to Eleven and then some, saves ENTIRE COUNTRIES because he feels like it, could easy become the king of one of two out of the four human countries of the world, is a sufficiently justified user of Rape Is Love (due to being a Warrior Therapist), makes rape HILARIOUS, is an expert at Shut UP, Hannibal, has an epic Slasher Smile, has had a badass Leitmotif which is an epic remix of the East German national anthem even before it merged back with West Germany, and his story is STILL ONGOING!!!
 * With so many characters in the series that I love from Earthbound and Mother 3, it's so hard to gush about just one! The Chosen Four, a set of kid heroes, the innocent but helpful Mr. Saturns with their quirky speech patterns, Lucas the Combat Medic, Duster, a Handicapped Badass with an array a thief tools at his disposal, Kumatora, the Black Magician Girl with attitude, Boney the Team Pet, the Badass father Flint... I can't help but like them all!
 * If you do not find Lucas an utterly adorable Woobie who needs a huge hug, you really need to check if you even have a heart.
 * Ramza Beoulve. A noble that would denouce his own title because he rejects the viewpoints of the aristocracy. A mercenary who would go against his own boss because he refuses another diplomatic scheme. A man who fights to save a chaotic-post-war world that not only brands him a heretic but would NEVER know of his deeds until centuries later, because it's the right thing to do. Most Final Fantasy heroes, spinoffs or not, can't compete with that. Best part is that he faced five or six demons as a lowly Squire with a small loyal military company.
 * Joshua Graham, the infamous Burned Man from Fallout: New Vegas. The Atoner, very spiritual, well read, intelligent, soft spoken, and yet he's still probably the most badass character in the game. He can wipe out armies of tribals with nothing but a pistol, fight his way through dozens of Legion assassins after being horribly injured, and he survived being shot five times in the head, blown up, lighten on fire, and thrown off the Grand Canyon. In addition to that, his character arc is very interesting as he struggles with his inner demons and his past, and his voice is just wonderful (and I'm a straight man!).
 * Roman Bellic. Yes, a lot of gamers hate him, but there's just something about his unstoppable optimism that's very admirable, as well as his unflinching loyalty to Niko, despite his inability to cope with the situations he and his cousin get into.
 * The characters of Ghost Trick are all very awesome. Especially Missile, a Pomeranian that's small in stature, but makes up for it in a huge way with his sheer bravado and energy.
 * Bryant. Badass extraordinaire.
 * Skullgirls is just chock-full of totally cool characters. But the most magnificent of them all has got to be Peacock.
 * From her appearance to her attitude, Peacock practically bleeds awesome. She's like the embodiment of 1920s-1950s cartoons, all wrapped up into one dynamite little package. She's a 13-year-old who chain smokes cigars and lights you on fire with them. She's a walking arsenal, a cyborg built to destroy her world's recurring Eldritch Abomination. She pulls out whatever random implements her twisted brain can cook up, anything from dropping anvils to pies in faces to anthropomorphic bombs to chainsaws to attack with. She's got a crazy gang of cartoon lackeys that'll drop in and help her beat her opponent in a really brutal way. And though she's all old-timey and cute, she occasionally whips out a technique, or simply a look, that makes her look really scary. Her backstory is full of trauma, but she's not angsty, just crazy! Peacock is just this super-animated, adorable-yet-creepy, and batshit insane little firecracker of humor and maliciousness. There's not a whole ton of information on her at the time of this writing, and yet she manages to be a compelling and captivating villain! And with an awesome character design to match, so lively. Peacock just... kicks so much ass. In every department.
 * Miror B. Crazy Awesome and has the best battle music ever.
 * You know who doesn't get the recognition she deserves? Bianca. She gets overshadowed by N, Cheren and the PC, but look at what she goes through over the game—she tries to become a trainer alongside her best friends and everything in the region tries to tear her down. Among other things, her Munna gets stolen, her dad tries to drag her back home and she's constantly reminded that she can't compete with the player and Cheren. But what does she do? She decides that, even if training isn't for her, she can still work with Pokémon. Moreover, in the finale, she . She's the type of character that anybody with any type of insecurities can sympathize with, but-- for some reason-- most everybody online calls her an idiot and puts her down.
 * What probably sucks the most about Bianca is that no one gives her the attention she deserves, not even her creators. In the sequel? She's there, but most likely has no plot importance. In the anime? A side character. In Adventures/Special? Satellite Character, along with Cheren. Most other manga? Brief cameo appearance, if that. Most fanart and fanfics? Not there at all. If there was ever a character that needed a lot more love, it's her.
 * Asura from Asura's Wrath, for far too many reasons this troper can explain.