50 Video Game Characters: 12

12. Big Daddy (Bioshock)

Lurking beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean lay the city of Rapture. Inside said city resides frightening monsters in deformed diving suits. This is the Big Daddy.

Heavily spliced and physically grafted to their antique atmospheric armor, Big Daddies were once human, but whatever once made them human has been stripped from them. Their bodies changed in horrific ways, their vocal chords ripped so they can only emit a whale song-like noise and, of course, mentally conditioned to protect the ADAM harvesting Little Sister.

Rosies, Bouncers, Alpha series, all Big Daddies present a physical representation of the paradoxical morality of Rapture and Bioshock itself. Andrew Ryan's desire to free himself and others from the shackles of government and church oppression lead to the creation of the Big Daddies, humans which are mindlessly enslaved to assist Little Sisters(also programmed, to harvest from corpses) in the collection of ADAM.

Yet when playing as an Alpha series in Bioshock 2, pair-bonded to Eleanor Lamb, the Big Daddy-Little Sister relationship becomes almost simultaneously more alien and more human. Subject Delta needs Eleanor to live, that's how his body was conditioned. Suddenly, living as a Daddy, you understand why they did what they did. It's not just programming, it's caring. Sure, for Subject Delta it's a literal and metaphorical bonding to his Little Sister, the child he looks after, but the other Big Daddies don't have pair bonding. So why do they look after just one Little Sister? It's caring. Because it's still human.

Beneath the Atlantic Ocean is Rapture. Inside Rapture is the Big Daddy. And inside the Big Daddy, is a person.

Best moment: The shocking transformation you take near the end of Bioshock 1, where you explore the compound that creates the Big Daddy. And you become one yourself.

50 Video Game Characters: 13

"Get a load of this!"



13. Dr. Robotnik (Sonickal Hedgeman)

Sonic the Hedgehog is a destructive force of nature. Aside from being faster than the human eye, once thought a scientific impossibility for a creature his size, he is also a vicious eco-terrorist, going to any means to destroy all of Ivo Robotnik's(alias Dr. Eggman) technological advancements.

Despite Robotnik attempting to further Mobius'(or Earth or wherever the fuck) into the 21st century, Sonic, like a violent Luddite, seeks to destroy all that he, as a hedgehog, does not and refuses to understand. And even when Robotnik tries to make something for all, like a family themed park dubbed Eggmanland, Sonic still barges in and destroys it all before it can be opened for the public to enjoy.

Effortlessly marching forward, Robotnik ceases to give up, much like his grandfather Gerald, a forefather of bioengineering. Persevere, Ivo, your time will come soon enough.

Best moment:

50 Video Game Characters: 14

14. King Dedede (Kirby's Dream Land)

The monarchy of Nintendo games seem to differ greatly from the standard monarchy. I'm not sure what duties the King of the Koopas is meant to perform, but it's probably...I dunno, turtley? I'm gonna go with turtley.

Regardless, Dedede is a penguin and he rules Dream Land somehow. Does he come from a long line of penguin kings or did he stage or coup to overthrow the previous king? Was the previous king a tern? I'm delving too deep into Kirby canon.

Much in the same way that Kirby is a lawful glutton, eating all he sees to further the cause of good(and because he likes food), Dedede is an evil glutton. Arrogant and greedy, Dedede began his semi-antagonistic streak by feeding his appetite through forcing his army of Waddle Dees, Bronto Burts, Gordos, etc. to snatch up all the food in Dream Land.

While Dedede may seem like purely a bad guy, he is a lot deeper of a character than he seems. Despite his flaws, he is determined to protect Dream Land for his people, going so far as to break apart the Star Rod and gaining full control of the Fountain of Dreams. While this would at first seem like another selfish act, as it left the citizens unable to dream, Dedede had actually done this to keep the people from experiencing the monstrous Nightmares living within the Fountain. Also he's been possessed a lot.

So for all his scheming and dickishness, Dedede is a p. cool guy. The p stands for penguin. He's penguin cool.

Best moment: That thing he does where he sucks in air and floats around. That's p. cool. That p stands for pretty.

50 Video Game Characters: 15

"Humans were never meant to bring each other happiness. From the moment we are thrown into this world, we bring each other nothing but pain and misery"



15. Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)

Every member of FOXHOUND was a bit different. Sure, Sniper Wolf was an expert at long-range battle and Revolver Ocelot could do the spinny thing, but Psycho Mantis? Dude was the master of mindfuckery. He will destroy you without ever having to see you or touch you.

A former KGB agent, Mantis moved to the States after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He found work in the FBI, where he would probe the minds of suspected killers to judge whether or not they committed the crime. He eventually dove too deep and went insane, and a psychotic psychic is probably the worst thing to ever be a thing.

Mantis was a beast on all levels, attacking both physically and mentally. Even unstoppable in death, Mantis was able to harness his psychic abilities as a part of Screaming Mantis' brain and is even shown behind the lady Mantis, presumably pulling the strings.

Psycho Mantis presented the player with something they had never seen before: a villain who not only was bent on beating the protagonist, but on beating you, the player, as well. He knows you're pulling the strings and he wants to stop it.

Best moment: His numerous mind tricks where he

50 Video Game Characters: 16

"I'm selling these fine leather jackets"



16. Guybrush Threepwood (The Secret of Monkey Island)

Have you met someone so inept, so monumentally clumsy, that their own awkwardness comes off as charming? Because that's Guybrush Threepwood.

With a name derived half from his sprite file and half from a P.G. Wodehouse character, Guybrush plays the role of the protagonist throughout the Monkey Island games, evolving from inept teenager with dreams of being a mighty pirate into an inept mighty pirate with better problem solving skills than swordfighting. While he tends to get into a lot of danger(as is such with the pirate life), he luckily can rely on his much more skilled significant other, pirate governess Elaine Marley, to get him out of scrapes.

What he lacks in grace, he makes up in brains. Kind of. More often than not, he defeats the ghost pirate LeChuck through sheer luck and usually by accident at that. While LeChuck may see him as a threat, the rest of us treat Guybrush as the bumbling swashbuckler(swashbumbler) that he is.

Best moment: Any time he gets to show off his unparalelled skills in the art of insult fighting.

50 Video Game Characters: 17

17. Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)

Fear is one of those things that could be considered a great unifier. Whether it be a fear of heights, the dark, or just the unknown, we are all afraid of something. Well, what if our fears could manifest themselves into our greatest nightmares? Unfortunately for James Sunderland, his guilt has caused him to come to the town of Silent Hill and those fears are about to become more real than he can ever imagine.

The meanest of those is Pyramid Head, a massive hulking pale monster with a triangular helmet. A creature representing James' desire for punishment and his guilt over the death of his wife. While other monsters have a more feminine appearance, Pyramid Head is undoubtedly masculine. A manly tormentor hellbent on punishing James for his misdeeds.

Best moment: The brutal rape and murder of two Mannequins in his first appearance. It's a frightening scene that solidifies that not only is he a beastly monster, he's also powerful enough to overtake other monsters.

50 Video Game Characters: 18

"Okay...the key to surviving situations like this is to avoid phrases like, 'it's too quiet in here' or 'everything's going to be alright'."



18. Captain Qwark (Ratchet and Clank)

There is an old saying, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." Captain Qwark is the living embodiment of that. Qwark will do anything for cash and fame, even if it means siding with the forces of evil.

But of course, beneath the machismo and feats of daring do that he does, is a coward. A wolf in hero's clothing. Well, not really a wolf, per se. While Qwark is a deluded, selfish butt, he's just trying to save himself. By any means necessary.

Qwark does eventually come to terms with his cowardice and, while he's still a big dumb weenie, he realizes he should at least side with the good guys instead of trying to save his hide with baddies. For being a big dumb moron in green spandex, Qwark isn't a bad guy, really. He's just careful. And dumb. Really, really dumb.

Best moment: His myraid of uninspired disguises, most famously Steve McQwark, which is just a fake moustache.