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20 Toughest Video Game Characters
Of All Time
http://www.gamebasin.com/news/far-cry-4-10-essential-features-it-
must-have
In recent times the uber‐tough, powerful, near‐unkillable super‐soldiers of classic video gaming
have been joined by more sentient, emotionally‐aware lead characters who will aid in a developer’s
ability to create a vivid and encapsulating narrative. Notable examples of these more complex
characters include Ethan Mars (Heavy Rain), Yorda (ICO), Cole Phelps (L.A Noire) and Lee Everett
(The Walking Dead). However, just because video gaming – as an entire medium – has become ever
more complex and sophisticated doesn’t mean there is no longer room for a badass to come onto
our screens and distribute a satisfying beat down to a squadron of enemies, making full use of their
implausible muscles, improbably large guns and world‐class combat skills. For the purposes of this
list and in the interest of fair‐conduct, we have taken the approach of imagining a Battle‐Royale‐
style situation (as seen in 2000 action‐thriller film) where a large group of the very toughest
characters in all of gaming have been placed on a remote island and been instructed to fight to the
death. The Ethan Mars’ and Cole Phelps’ of the world would quickly be annihilated, but eventually
the toughest would rise to the top. The last 20 survivors would receive a coveted place on this
Whatculture list of the 20 Toughest Characters in Video Gaming History:
20. Genghis Khan
First Appearance: Sid Meier’s Civilization (1991) Genghis Khan must either be a glutton for pain,
hate his people or just want to demonstrate exactly how tough he is. We are inclined to go for the
latter option. You can be involved in a game of Civ where everything is going right – the Barbarian
population is under control, trade between civilisations is booming and everyone is happy with the
distribution of land – yet Genghis Khan will still be skulking in some remote corner of the world
amassing an army to slaughter his rivals. While his upsetting a potentially peaceful game of Civ can
be incredibly frustrating, it would be a crime to not credit Genghis as being tough – the guy simply
loves war, pillaging and fighting. Even if it will result in a consortium of other empires ganging up
on him, the ultra‐aggressive Mongolian will still cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war as he simply
knows no other way. Firaxis’ portrayal of the historical leader is far tougher than his real‐life
counterpart who is supposed to have died just from the impact of falling off of his horse.
19. The Boss
First Appearance: Saints Row (2006) The Boss in the Saints Row series can be whoever you want
them be and if you’re anything list most people, they will be a better‐looking, more muscular
version of yourself. If you choose to go down this route you’ll be particularly happy at how tough
your virtual doppelganger is; spending the first and second instalment of this franchise clearing the
streets of rival gangs, while reeling off one‐liner after one‐liner at every suitable interval. Some of
these gangs are ruthless and have no issue with killing your friends, leading to the third game
taking a slightly more tongue‐in‐cheek approach that pits you against more rival gangs and a
specialist army sent to take you down. That’s right, you’re so tough even the army can’t stop you.
In the fourth game, after becoming President (yes, President) you head into outer space to take on
aliens, having exhausted the supply of opponents Earth had to offer. Of course you win. The Boss
is so tough nothing can stop him/her/you.
18. Batman
First Appearance: Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) The man representing the entire sub‐genre of
superheroes in video gaming on this list, Batman – as interpreted by the supremely talented
developers at Rocksteady Studios – is without doubt the toughest game character to have jumped
out of the pages of a comic book. In every instalment in the Arkham franchise, Batman finds himself
nearly completely isolated in hostile territory, surrounded by seemingly endless groups of gangs
belonging to different super‐villains. Using his formidable strength, insane martial arts skills, stealth
and plethora of incredibly‐cool gadgets, the Bat must not only survive being surrounded by the
many baddies who would love to crack a pipe over his head, but must also find a way to bring their
malevolent leaders to justice. During the Arkham series we have seen Batman overcome every
obstacle – plucked from the DC canon by Rocksteady – thrown at him. He managed to stay
composed in the face of the psychological barrage thrown at him by the Scarecrow, found a way to
resist the incredible strength of Killer Croc and eventually defeated that master‐of‐evil, the Joker.
17. Captain John Price
First Appearance: Call of Duty (2003) Captain John Price is one of the Call of Duty series’ recurring
characters. Though he is known as being a goofy leader he is very capable of getting serious to deal
with a suitably perilous situation. He has been caught in a tanker truck explosion, imprisoned in a
Russian prison camp by Makarov and his terrorist group, thrown like a ragdoll down a waterfall,
survived the inferno of a helicopter crash and has been bitten by more enemy bullets then any
British soldier in recorded history. You would be right for thinking that his countless displays of
valour in the Modern Warfare series are enough to warrant John Price’s place on this list. However,
his achievements don’t stop there. Price was also one of the key soldiers smiting down Nazis with
his Lee‐Enfield rifle in the original Call of Duty games, set during World War II. Risking life and limb
in a global conflict is incredible display of toughness in its own right, but fighting in two World Wars
and somehow overcoming the wear and tear of old age certainly makes you one of the toughest
guys going. Infinity Ward tried to make a bogus excuse that the John Price of the original games is
the grandfather of the one we see in Modern Warfare but we won’t believe it: the unaging super‐
soldier that is John Price cannot be rubbed out.
16. Pyramid Head
First Appearance: Silent Hill 2 (2001) While we’d love for this list to be full of heroes who have
reunited children with their lost kittens, rescued damsels or saved humanity, it just can’t be. There
is one very large, pointy villain we have to acknowledge. Perhaps the most unoriginally named
character in gaming history, Pyramid Head is terrifying. A now iconic symbol of the Silent Hill
franchise, Pyramid Head first made us cower behind a pillow in 2001′s Silent Hill 2, appearing as a
manifestation of the main character’s desire to be punished for killing his terminally ill wife. He also
rapes and kills some of the other monsters in the town for good measure. After two Pyramid Head
creatures kill themselves towards the end of the game you think you’re free but no – he’s there
again in Silent Hill: Homecoming, Origins, Book of Memories, The Arcade and even as a spin‐off in
the DS version of International Track & Field. His existence as a psychologically‐fuelled
amalgamation of all things unpleasant seems to make Pyramid Head un‐killable. Modelled on an
executioner and sporting a huge ‘Great Knife’ (basically a helicopter blade), Pyramid Head can kill
anything foolish enough to linger in his wake, making him one of the toughest (and scariest) video
game characters in history.
15. Minsc (& Boo)
First Appearance: Baldur’s Gate (1998) Minsc, the Rashemen ranger, doubtless saved the hides of
Baldur’s Gate gamers the world over, absorbing all manner of damage on the frontline snugly
protected by his trusty full‐plate armour while swinging wildly with his two‐handed sword. And we
mean WILDLY – the loopy ranger’s berserk ability means that you are liable to lose control of him
from time to time as he is seized by bloodlust. What definitely makes Minsc tough enough to
warrant his place on this list is that he is able to slaughter gnolls and behead giants while his
whiskered sidekick Boo the Hamster hides safely beneath his armour. It is his peculiar attachment
to the cute little rodent and the off‐the‐wall remarks he makes about Boo at every suitable interval
that mean Minsc is certainly the toughest (and craziest) character to come out of any D&D based
game. Created when Baldur’s Gate designer James Ohlen collided with an all‐night session of D&D
and a crate of Red Bull, Minsc, his tattooed face and his fury partner‐in‐crime appear in both
Baldur’s Gate games and are as tough a duo as you are ever likely to run into in the Sword Coast.
14. Luigi
First Appearance: Mario Bros (1983) Some of you may have expected the inclusion of Mario on
this list to have been a given. It is undeniable – the short little plumber in the red overalls is
incredibly tough, capable of dispatching untold numbers of enemies by just jumping on their heads
(or shooting them with the Fire Flower power‐up). However, what of his younger, lankier brother?
Luigi – sporting his preferred green overalls – has accomplished more‐or‐less the same as Mario
and is equally as tough as his more famous sibling. The fact that Luigi is able to continue fighting
off the hordes of Koopa Troopas without constantly being praised and celebrated like his brother
makes him the tougher of the Italian siblings. Forever operating in the shadow of Mario is a difficult
task, yet Luigi is still able to do exactly what is required of him without ever asking for thanks.
Furthermore, in the many entries into the Mario franchise, Luigi is portrayed as the more easy‐
going, good‐natured of the brothers where Mario is generally the quicker to anger. This heightened
emotional maturity in spite of his younger age is a sure sign that Luigi is the mentally tougher of
the two. No need to go unthanked any longer for your services to the Mushroom Kingdom Luigi –
Whatculture knows who the real hero is.
13. Dante
First Appearance: Devil May Cry (2001) When Devil May Cry was released in 2001 we all had the
pleasure of meeting Dante. At first glance he doesn’t look like a tough guy, with his pristine white
hair and long red trench‐coat, but as we have all come to learn the guy is one of the finest warriors
out there. A demon hunter by trade, fuelled by wanting retribution for his murdered mother and
brainwashed brother, Dante has fought beasts more than forty‐times his size and still managed to
defeat them with style points. The fact that he himself is half‐demon not only makes Dante ever
more appealing as a protagonist but also doubtlessly adds to his toughness. His chosen weapons
are normally firearms and swords. When the situation is particularly perilous he can enter his
demon state – which gives him extra power – for a limited amount of time. Dante is an incredibly
powerful warrior who has for over a decade now seen off the most powerful nasties hell has
thrown at him. Physically and emotionally tough, Dante belongs on this list.
12. Commander Shepard
First Appearance: Mass Effect (2007) Mass Effect gives you an entire universe of options to do with
Commander Shepard whether it be in terms of appearance, personality or background – the only
thing set in stone is the name Shepard. From the very beginning the psychological profile options
you have make the commander sound incredibly tough; ‘Sole Survivor’, ‘War Hero’ and ‘Ruthless’
are hardly titles given to someone who gave Nelson Muntz their lunch money. Depending on how
you play the game, Commander Shepard basically saves the galaxy three times over from some of
the most intimidating enemies in the whole universe. Along the way he is able to overcome difficult
decisions, gigantic robots and even larger aliens, as well as being so tough, he/she has died and
been bought to life, only to act like nothing ever happened. If Mike Tyson was the baddest man on
the planet, then Shepard is the baddest man (or woman) in the galaxy (though perhaps lacking
Tyson’s ridiculous hand‐speed).
11. Sephiroth
First Appearance: Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Without doubt the coolest character of any Final Fantasy game, though Sephiroth is eventually
vanquished by Cloud (assuming you got through the game’s lengthy campaign), it is still hard to
argue that he isn’t tougher than FFVII’s hero. Wielding that irksomely large Masamune and
sporting his lusciously long platinum locks, Sephiroth is not only shockingly evil but somehow
manages to look incredibly cool committing the many atrocities we witness. Without doubt the
most memorable of these crimes is his slaughter of Cloud’s lady‐friend, Aeris, arguably the most
distressingly shocking twist in the history of video gaming. It is this unspeakable act against that
much‐loved character that demonstrates just how much of a badass Sephiroth truly is – he is
entirely devoid of any kind sentiment and is willing to trample anyone and everyone en route to
his end‐goal of becoming a God. It is the slaughter of Aeris that truly motivates Cloud to pursue
the demise of Sephiroth. In order to defeat his diabolical nemesis, he must defeat the two
formidable forms, before again doing battle with Sephiroth who – exploiting his connection with
the game’s hero – enters Cloud’s mind. Horrifyingly tough to defeat, Sephiroth is certainly
deserving of his place here.
10. Isaac Clarke
First Appearance: Dead
Space (2008) Isaac Clarke was a normal ship engineer (if you consider working on space ships
normal) who had fallen in love with a co‐worker. When the ship his love – Nicole – was on sends
out a distress signal, Clarke volunteers to be part of the crew sent to investigate hoping he ascertain
the fate which has befallen his woman. On the ship, the crew are attacked by monsters leaving only
Isaac and two others alive, which after discovering these monsters are infected humans, Isaac
becomes more desperate to find Nicole. After seeing her but not being able to meet, Isaac is
betrayed and left for dead by one of his crew members. It is then revealed that Nicole is actually a
hallucination and the real Nicole killed herself days ago. Not only was he heartbroken but he was
then captured by government forces. So, a heartbroken man has to fight killer aliens while seeing
visions of his dead girlfriend in order to prevent them taking over the universe… you can’t deny
this guy is tough. Armed with an awesome array of both engineering tools and – more boring –
conventional weaponry, Isaac Clarke is arguably one of the loneliest men in all of video gaming and
must fend off corridor‐after‐corridor of some of the scariest enemies we have seen come out of an
console in recent years.
9. Marcus Fenix
First Appearance: Gears of War
(2006) Marcus Fenix could quite possibly be the apotheosis of the third‐person shooter genre: as
bulky as a double‐decker bus and so ripped he would make a topless Arnold Schwarzenegger (circa
1982) hurriedly reclothe himself from embarrassment. When you take control of Marcus Fenix you
have a genuine sense of power as you butcher locust by the hundred. Part of the reason Marcus
feels so powerful is thanks to Epic’s superb animation. Utilising the full horsepower of the Unreal
3 engine, as you sprint across the war‐torn battlefield – clad in that uber‐thick armour – you feel a
genuine sense of weight as Marcus’ feet pummel the dirt or as his back slams into the conveniently
shoulder‐high cover. Though that incredible ‘Mad World’ advert promoting the original game
would have you believe differently, Marcus Fenix isn’t the most emotionally complex of characters.
He is very much a man of actions rather than of words. Marcus found himself involved in a dog‐
fight for his place on this list with Jim Raynor of the Starcraft series – a character he is highly
comparable to. However all it took was one glance on Youtube at Marcus using his Chainsaw
Bayonet to cleave a Locust in half for our minds to be made up for us.
8. Nico Bellic
First Appearance: Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) Niko Bellic – the timeless symbol of the American
Dream’s failure and GTA IV’s loveable protagonist – has been through an awful lot. Coming from an
abusive family, Bellic participated in a war when he was younger. He witnessed many atrocities
during this conflict and also lost his elder brother. During one pivotal moment, Niko’s unit were
ambushed by the enemy but he managed to escape, later realising he had been betrayed by one
his own. Niko dug up the corpses and identified the missing men to see who was responsible and
he later exacts his revenge on this cowardly traitor. Along with being a war veteran, Niko also
worked in a crime‐ring until he angered the boss and was forced to flee to a life of apparent luxury
with his cousin Roman stateside. Despite his change in continent, crime always seems to follow
Niko. Like with all GTA protagonists, h arsenal of skills allows him to rise to dominance in Liberty
City by eliminating – or intimidating – the city’s criminal populace. Niko’s relentless desire to
achieve his goals, his world‐cynicism and comical dry wit make him a very likeable character who
is the toughest ever presented to us in the GTA franchise. We very nearly gave this spot to GTA V’s
Trevor but realised that Niko’s more astute tactical mind give him the edge in a hypothetical brawl
between the two.
7. Lara Croft
First Appearance: Tomb Raider (1996) Lara Croft is a real tough cookie. Having been on our screens
since 1996 Lara Croft and her fantastically pointy boobs have travelled the globe while kicking the
virtual asses of many a ferocious enemy (and a T‐Rex) who were foolish enough to underestimate
her. Whether it be a crocodile, another human contracted to kill her or an ancient demon which
the greed of other parties has revived, Lara has beat them all whilst being sharp enough to deliver
one of her trademark one‐liners. Her toughness doesn’t stop there though. She has also survived
a plane crash, managed to climb a giant pyramid and somehow survived almost certain death after
being trapped in a crumbling temple at the end of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. This tough
character has spawned an entire franchise complete with games, novels and films. Lara may have
recently received a reboot to extend her appeal but she has always been too tough to die.
6. Gordon Freeman
First Appearance:Half Life (1998) Though perhaps not tough enough to top this list, Gordon
Freeman is certainly one of the most compelling characters in all of video gaming. In a genre
dominated by implausibly muscular protagonists with more veins popping out of their biceps than
brain‐cells, Gordon Freeman is likely to be far more similar to the gamers garnering so much
enjoyment from controlling him. With his thick glasses, ginger hair and slight frame, Freeman is
essentially one of us (admittedly he was given the Hollywood treatment in the second instalment
to resemble Hugh Laurie). Despite his PhD in Theoretical Physics, the green‐eyed geek‐fantasy can
handle himself with aplomb. Whether he is blasting at Combine soldiers with a hefty SPAS‐12
shotgun or smashing aliens’ oversized heads in with that iconic crowbar, Gordon Freeman is a
tough one. Indeed it is an ironic twist on an iconic weapon that a character so intelligent should be
so heavily associated with such a primitive blunt weapon. We may have only had the pleasure of
seeing him in two proper games but on both occasions Freeman has proved his mettle by stepping
up and saving humanity.
5. Chris Redfield
First Appearance: Resident Evil (1996) Resident Evil has given us a long list of some of the toughest
guys (and girls) in video gaming history, but Chris Redfield stands apart from the rest as being the
guy to go to first when the dead of the earth start to clamber out of their graves. Chris has been
here from the start, making his first appearance in the original 1996 Resident Evil game. Since then
Chris has also featured in Code Veronica X, The Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil
6 and Revelations. During this time he has probably hacked down, head‐shot and generally
obliterated more zombies than any other character in all of fiction (maybe JUST beaten by Dead
Rising’s Frank West, though everyone knows those zombies are the harmless kind). In the original
Resident Evil, Chris and his team members were betrayed by the highly creepy Albert Wesker,
causing Chris to hold a vendetta against the Umbrella Corporation and setting up an ongoing battle
between himself and Wesker which finally culminated in Resident Evil 5. Chris’ character was
designed to be the ‘tough guy’ and he has certainly lived up to that – more jacked‐up than Leon
and less emotional than Jill, Chris is more of your archetypal zombie‐smasher. Hey – if you’ve
survived against zombies since 1996, you must be tough!
4. Kratos
3. Link
First Appearance: The Legend of Zelda (1986) We have already highlighted the achievements of a
character kept in the dark by the overly‐celebrated Mario and now here is another. Though by no
means as underappreciated as Luigi, Link will ever be regarded as the ‘other’ creation of Shigeru
Miyamoto after the Italian plumber. The Legend of Zelda’s hero, Link, has – for over 25‐years –
undergone the arduous personal and physical journey of transforming from a child of humble, rural
origins to becoming the hero who will eventually vanquish evil in the world. As he travels into
distant foreboding lands, ventures deep into perilous dungeons and embarks on epic quests, it is
clear that Link is the embodiment of what it is to be a hero. He may not have the bulging neck of
Marcus Fenix, the killer‐instinct of Kratos or the awesome hair of Sephiroth but Link is still one of
the toughest characters in any video game – he is but a child who is willing to risk everything by
adventuring out into an unforgiving land to promote good in the world. Inspired by the childhood
memories of creator Miyamoto as he explored the countryside surrounding Kyoto, Link is not only
incredibly tough but is without doubt one of the best loved heroes in gaming.
2. Solid Snake
First Appearance: Metal Gear Solid (1998) During his long tenure as American super‐soldier and
general badass there have been very few things Solid Snake hasn’t had to deal with. Among other
things we have seen Snake survive the hardships of aging, torture, enemy gunfire, icy coldness,
blistering heat and copious quantities of cigarettes. As well as these physical obstacles, Snake has
been forced to endure the emotional strain of being betrayed on more than one occasion – indeed
with all the double‐crossing he has experienced you will be forgiven for thinking that he is named
Snake to remind him about the dangers of betrayal. Despite his obvious toughness, Solid Snake is
an expert in minimalising the risks he takes during a mission. A good Metal Gear Solid player will
always endeavour to avoid an enemy rather than engaging in combat; this is the secret to survival
in the world of war, espionage and nuclear‐warheads which Snake occupies. On the many
occasions that you will inevitably die during a play through of MGS, you are reminded of just how
inexpendible the incredibly tough Snake is to the USA – on the game over screen you hear your
commander yelling “Snake? Snake! SNAAAAAKE!”, mortified that his ace‐in‐the‐hole has perished.
1. Master Chief
First Appearance: Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) The mascot of the Xbox brand and slayer of untold
numbers of Covenant foot soldiers, Master Chief is without doubt the toughest character in all of
video gaming. As per Halo 2’s manual, Master Chief stands approximately seven feet tall and
weighs 1,000 pounds in full armour. His imposing stature doesn’t limit his agility though –
humanity’s saviour is able to sprint, leap and chase down luckless Covenant, wielding a gigantic
gravity hammer without ever tiring. Master Chief ticks all the boxes of being a world (or universe)‐
class soldier – he is proficient in all types weaponry (both those belonging to his own faction and
to the Covenant) and is also an excellent pilot. Master Chief has shown on numerous occasions
that he prefers the odds to be stacked against him. Like Lebron James taking a game winning free‐
throw, Frank Lampard smacking in a penalty or Roger Federer hammering home the match winning
serve, Master Chief has ice in his veins and thrives under the immense pressure presented by the
Covenant’s superior technologies, being that he is nearly always outnumbered. At a cursory glance
Master Chief may seem a little one dimensional – capable of sniping a Stalker at 80‐yards but
lacking any emotional depth. Indeed, Master Chief isn’t exactly the most charismatic of heroes,
barely speaking throughout the entire franchise. Halo’s developers revealed the logic behind their
mostly‐mute hero – by barely having Chief speak, Bungie allows the gamer to become Master Chief;
the toughest badass in video gaming history.
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