30 Days of Video Games

[PSI Wind]

Duh. Who else other than the Blue Blur himself that we all know and love? His cocky attitude, his need to save the innocent, his design. Everything about him is just timeless. He loves adventures, and we all do as well and it's perfect for him because that's what his games ARE. He never generally actually gets too serious and is always up and about and never gives in. He's pretty much the best protagonist you could ask for.

[Indigo Rush]

I couldn't possibly pick a better choice.

Sonic has all the moves.

Sonic has all the speed.

Sonic has all the skills.

Sonic has all the attitude.

Sonic has a heart of gold.

Sonic has the best music.

Sonic has seen the world.

Sonic has saved the world.

Sonic has seen other worlds.

Sonic has saved other worlds.

Sonic has taken down colossal war ships.

Sonic has destroyed countless space stations.

Sonic has faced all the odds, even when they stack against him.

Sonic has the best fanbase.

Sonic has changed the industry.

Sonic has changed the world.

Sonic has changed lives. (Real people)

Sonic doesn't quit.

Sonic doesn't care what you think.

Sonic doesn't say die.

Sonic doesn't always do things by himself.

Sonic does the impossible.

Sonic does everything.

Sonic does anything.

Sonic can fight.

Sonic can break the sound barrier.

Sonic can run through giant loop-de-loops.

Sonic can fall several thousand feet and not get injured.

Sonic can turn into a sentient spiny pinball of death.

Sonic can hydroplane on large bodies of water.

Sonic can carry massive amounts of golden rings in inexplicable places.

Sonic can travel through dimensions.

Sonic can survive in a volcano.

Sonic can survive in airless space.

Sonic can survive in the polluted airs of Beijing.

Sonic can survive in the frigid cold wearing only gloves and shoes.

Sonic can't stand to see injustice, but he doesn't sit there and mope. He does something about it.

Sonic can't swim underwater, but he doesn't hide like a wuss when it rains. He dives right in to save the day.

Sonic can't always go it alone, but he's not afraid to. Even when he thinks does, he still has his friends to back him up.

Sonic can't stand to stay in one place for too long, but that's because he's an insatiable embodiment of awesome that has to go on adventures.

Sonic has been a video game.

Sonic has been a Saturday morning cartoon.

Sonic has been an anime.

Sonic has been a manga.

Sonic has been a comic.

Sonic has been a book.

Sonic has been an arcade machine.

Sonic has been a collector's plush.

Sonic has been every toy imaginable.

Sonic has been a music album.

Sonic has been in music videos.

Sonic has been among the stars.

Sonic has been known as the most famous video game character in the world.

Sonic has been more recognized than Mickey Mouse.

Sonic has been in Smash Bros when the world could have picked hundreds of others.

Sonic has been used to label a living biological protein.

Sonic has been loved and adored for 20 years.

Sonic is awesome.

Sonic is a force to be reckoned with.

Sonic is free.

Sonic is a super star.

Sonic is incredible.

Sonic is unrivaled.

Sonic is famous.

Sonic is unforgettable.

Sonic is for kids.

Sonic is for teenagers.

Sonic is for adults.

Sonic is for everyone.

Sonic isn't slow.

Sonic isn't lame.

Sonic isn't afraid of the odds.

Sonic isn't forgotten.

Sonic isn't boring.

Sonic isn't alone.

Sonic showed us that Nintendo isn't the only one packing heat.

Sonic showed us that platformers can be different.

Sonic showed us that being blue is cool.

Sonic showed us that speed is cool.

Sonic showed us that even if the hardware fails, you can't stop the blue blur from racing into your home console.

Sonic showed those creeps the real super power of teamwork.

Sonic is the best.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[Lady Soniko]

Day 18 - Favourite Protagonist from Vidya

no contest... as much as i love Sonic the Hedgehog to pieces, and he has made 95% of who i am today i just can't turn my eyes on...

Samus Aran

From a young age Samus was a fighter, after her parents where brutally slaughtered along with most of her world's population under a space pirate attack lead by Ridley, the Chozo took her in and raised her to become the Galactic heroine she is known as today, they gave her their technology which gives her the power to become a one-woman army pretty much, the suit she wears boosts her natural athletic ability tenfold, it can take ballistic damage and keeps her safe from harm in extreme heat... the suit she wears is also highly upgradable with other Chozo technology making her adaptive in any situation.

but its her actual mysterious character that makes me admire her so much, she's strong willed and compulsive, not thinking twice about her safety and she does the jobs everyone turns down, like eliminating an entire species from the galaxy, and saving the Galaxy from the Space Pirates grasp... she is a lone bounty hunter that works alone, and gets the job done without a word spoken.

She doesn't let her past hold her back, but strives for a better future, but she does believe in getting even with Ridley for killing her parents, he's No.1 on her Bounty list and she won't stop until he's eradicated from the galaxy for good.

she means a lot to me, i've gone through shit times where i thought i wouldn't make it myself, but idolizing her and Mr Sonic made me realize that i can be successful in life.

[Marcello]

Day 18 - Favorite Protagonist from a Video Game

There are quite a few I like a lot, but for now I'll go with...

Kazooie!

Why do I choose her? Well, let's be honest, she does the hard work in the series xP But what I like about her is a attitude. The way she makes fun of everyone is always a hoot. Rare pulled of the sarcasm great. Yet she's still a good err..Breegull..

Let's look at what the poor girls has had to go through:

And more..

Edited February 2, 2012 by MarcelloF

[Tori Himemiya]

Day 18 Favorite Video Game Protagonist:

I'm not sure if I'm thinking too much or too little for these now but I decided to go with...

...Travis Touchdown from No More Heroes.

At first Travis was an otaku that hardly did anything. But then he bought a beam katana off a net auction and is flat out broke that all changes when he decides his career choice, being the top assassin in the world. He does manages to kill the Rank 11 guy and decided to go for the top and so this is where Travis' story starts.

While he's supposed to be a parody of a sterotypical otaku most of us can relate to him. Also he's pretty funny, making a wise crack here and there. But he's also pretty deep since he does have such as honor and some diginity. Not to mention he's always in a circle of revenge that he can't seem to escape from it. All he wanted was to avenge his parents deep down but it lead him on a giant killing spree since that's probably the only thing that he knows at this point. But regardless he does develop to be a hero by his own standards and fights for what's right.

At the end of the day being an otaku armed with a beam katana who can't help but tell everyone to fuck off or die is pretty fun to play as.

Runner Ups:

Laharl - Disgaea: I needed to give Disgaea a break for once. Laharl was a fun character but now he's trying to take over everyone's game. I find it funny but you know I gotta give it to Travis in the end.

Naked Snake/Big Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: He's an interesting character but I also needed to give MGS a break as well.

Zetta - Makai Kingdom: The most bad-ass fricking Overlord. Nuff said.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Dream of the Endless

[Emmett L. Brown]

Eighteenth: Favourite protagonist

Samus Aran...would have been my obvious choice if Other M hadn't demonstrated at length that the Samus Aran I've admired and enjoyed playing as was a figment of my imagination. The character she was given disgusted me, so she's disqualified as my favourite. My imaginary version of Samus Aran remains the epitome of badassness and feminine assertiveness, however, so kudos to her. Meanwhile the prize goes to:

Sonic the Hedgehog

You're still cool, Sonic. You recovered magnificently from that whole embarrasing matter in 06, and you're back on top as my favourite video game protagonist. Promise me you'll never stop going fast, having fun, and keeping that cool laid-back attitude in the face of egotistical madmen. Watch out, though, if Samus does as good a job of recovering from her lowest point she might give you a run for your money in the Number One Favourite spot.

[Solkia]

HELL YEAH AMMY!

Amaterasu Okami is awesome. I never thought a wolf could be so badass. I mean, she fights with a MIRROR.

Hardcore shit my friends.

She's also just such a lovable character. The silly look she constantly has on her face, the battle cry at the end of bosses, and her clumsyness are all just so cute >w>.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Solkia :U

[JezMM]

Boring answer:

These jerks.

Do I really need to write about why they're awesome? I'd hope not.

Here are some worthy, more interesting second placers:

Marina from Mischief Makers

She was as unorthodox as the game was, with a pretty aggressive (but kind) personality, wacky moves and a unique, memorable appearence. Please revive Mischief Makers somehow Treasure, she's just begging to be in Smash Bros. Shake shake!

Subject Delta from BioShock 2

I've mentioned before that I love how sad and haunting the story and world of BioShock is... Big Daddies are the absoloute personification of that. Playing as one did zero to spoil the illusion. You get really attached to your own character, who is nothing more than a father who will do anything to get his daughter back. What is so sad is that the both of you have simply been programmed to believe this bond is real. Even when you are explicitly told this (it's no secret), that doesn't change anything, because to you - and your "daughter" - the feelings are real.

[Covskin]

Guybrush Threepwood, the implausibly named hero of the Monkey Island series.

There's a bit of Guybrush in all of us. Who didn't want to be a pirate growing up? But for Guybrush, its more than just a fantasy. He's a determined sort. He's also quick-thinking when a problem arises, and is pretty witty when met with a nasty piece of work like Fester Shinetop, Largo LeGrande or LeChuck in full evil mode.

He goes through a fair bit of character development over time. SMI, he's as I described, and becomes a badass at the end of it (Part 4 - Guybrush Kicks Butt). In MI2, he's got himself an ego after his success, but is constantly bought down to earth. CMI onwards, he's somewhere in between, a good balance for an adventure game hero.

And as I said, he's often hilarious.

[Jeffhog]

I can go on to say Sonic the Hedgehog like most have done already, or I can go on about Nintendo's leading stars, but instead, I'm going for something different.

It all started this Monday. Yes, this Monday the 30th of January 2012.

I finished my final class of the day and was about to head home.

Before so, I asked for some of your input on whether or not I should acquire this game.

Receiving numerous "yes"es, I purchased the game and, seeing as there's nothing better to do on a near hour long bus ride, I went through my iPhone and began to play.

Since Monday, I haven't put the game down since.

With that, ladies and gentlemen of the Court of Sonic,

I present to you the protagonist whose character and game have skyrocketed up my list of favourites within mere days, and now one of, or perhaps my most

Day 18 - Favorite Protagonist from a Video Game,

I present to you,

Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney!

[Carbo]

No More Heroes is one of my favorite video games of all time. I thought for the longest time that gaming was all about challenging and overcoming, but while that is always a quintessential part of what I play games for, it was only with No More Heroes that I ultimately started believing that there is more to gaming than just victory, and ironically for me to realize this, it took me a game where the entire game revolved around just that; victory.

Travis Touchdown is the amalgamation of every possible American nerd stereotype, and is the definition of a Heroic Sociopath. He loves anime, watches wrestling, plays video games, buys porn, collects action figures, wrestling trading cards and gundams, and has most importantly taken up the underlying subliminal task of every gamer out there; to become number one. How does he do this? By buying a beam katana on eBay and starting to assassinate random, faceless mooks. He's swayed by the sexy Sylvia to join the United Assassinations Association, and is then tasked to assassinate a slew of colorful bosses, all well characterized and defined, only serving to make Travis look like an uncultured, unrefined swine, with his fuckhead-scoffing attitude and his everlasting ability to not give a single fuck. But that's what makes him so endearing, because he's not a fish out of water. He's a genre-savvy projection of the player giving an accurate representation of how the subliminal mind interacts with all of this cutscene and plot development bullshit taken to the nth degree, and you just can't help but love how obnoxious he is, because as far as relatable characters go, he hits a bit too close to home for all the reasons we never consider.

In the sequel he gets some arguably well needed character development when his best friend is murdered by a member in the very Association he thought he could trust. Before, Travis was in the game, and now he's outside of it. A picture perfect representation of a guy who clearly has a sense of honor and dignity since he's very well aware how corrupted this shit is and how he won't stand for it.

Besides, you know he's a keeper after seeing this intro which is the best fucking intro ever.

Jump to (1:50) to witness the glory of the Touchdown.

[Tornado]

Wow! A category where I can legitimately suggest Sonic?

...

nah.aj

And I already hear your bitching. "How 1996 of you." Well, I enjoyed Forever in spite of itself (so bite me), and let me tell you why: Duke should be, by all reason, an anachronism. He was made to parody something that is supposedly dead and gone. And yet, somewhere along the lines (*cough cough* Modern Warfare *cough cough*) the thing he was designed to parody came back. Only instead of movies, games themselves had gotten themselves stuck so far up their own asses that it seemed like (outside of stuff like 2Fort) we weren't allowed to have fun anymore. Or, rather, we were allowed to have fun but we weren't supposed enjoy it (as little sense as that makes). "Don't Do This Cool Thing" all over the place, is what I'm trying to say. And then, BAM! Duke.

Who cares if the stuff it made fun of was hypocritical? That's a problem with the game. Not the character. Sure, it urks me when a game with a two-weapon system and regenerating health makes fun of how games that have a two-weapon system and regenerating health are dumb. But when it is delivered with such a gruff, "I couldn't fucking care less" tone I can't help but grin regardless. Duke is a walking self-parody who seems to realize he is a self-parody, and just doesn't care.

And that's just talking Forever. Nevermind all the awesome (and admittedly usually far cheesier) stuff from Manhattan Project and 3D. For example, from the first boss in Manhattan Project:

Let's see:

• Opens a door by kicking it, torpedoing it off the hinges.

• Shakes off a massive explosion and basically just responds with "Come at me Bro!"

• Fights an attack helicopter with a shotgun (Protip: The pistol actually works better).

• Jumps onto the ladder of the helicopter when it tries to escape and keeps shooting at it while it is flying.

• Rides the thing down to the ground after he blows it up.

(As an aside, it is quite a shame that none of the bosses in that game could quite match the first one)

And, of course, who can forget this?

Edited February 2, 2012 by Celestia

[T-Min]

Day 18: Favorite Protagonist

Hooray for predictability!

But seriously, Sonic is so cool he's awesome. What other character can make use of momentum physics to roll and bounce around like a friggin' pinball? What other character can gain a prolonged burst of speed just by collecting Rings? What other character can use the spikes on his head to tear sh*t up? What other character can change his path in freaking mid-air toward an enemy with such force that he actually destroys it? What other character has a legion of fans that argue about the color of his eyes?

Bad. @$$.

Edited February 2, 2012 by The T-Man

[Danj86]

I agree with Jez. Mario and Sonic go without say...

So, here's some other personal favourite protagonists of mine.

Devil May Cry: Dante

Lets Rock!!

His freakin' awesome, over the top, move. The cool long red coat, badass sword, Rebellion and sweet twin guns, Ebony and Ivory. Add his tradmark white hair and his party loving, demon kicking attitude. And you have an awesome protagonist. It's a shame and a crime that he has not appeared in more games.

Capcom! You dumbasses!! XD

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness: Laharl

Upon hearing his name, even the dead will awaken.

He's an embodiment of evil, who sheds neither blood nor tears.

Any demon will run from him naked in fear and confusion.

That name, is Lord Laharl.

A noble prince that controls the demon world, and the god's archenemy;

people kneel before him begging for life.

"Know your place! Underlings!!"

His demonic parade makes people's body hairs stand.

He can be stopped by no one.

He marches on the dark path nobly and righteously

with all sorts of demons and rampant domination.

The stage platform of evil shall be eternal.

He's an elite of evil admired by all.

He's a role model who doesn't wash his hands after using the toilet.

His favorite hobby is playing with fire and laughing wildly in the dead of the night.

That name, is Lord Laharl.

He carried out countless evil deeds, #1 in the demon world.

His favorite words are "atrocity," "insolence,"

and "good children's idol."

His demonic parade makes people's body hairs stand.

He can be stopped by no one.

He marches on the dark path nobly and righteously

with all sorts of demons and rampant domination.

A stage platform of evil.

Let everything in this world be engulfed by darkness.

Nobody can disobey him.

He turns dreams and hopes into nightmares.

He's a dark hero who crushes those that befriend justice.

His evil ways of life shall be eternal.

[Double Agent Motobug]

My favorite protagonist? GiantMainProtagonist!

Oh, one that's actually in a game?

Not in this post apparently! xD

This guy, right here. Yeah, you should all know and love this guy by now. I mean, He's courageous, he's explored countless islands, and he's got his very own boat! How cool is that?!

Wait, Link? No! I was talking about Captain Linebeck! He's a main character in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, and one of my favorites. He's got quite the hilarious personality, and he's always willing to lend a hand...for a price! When the going gets tough, he gets going, which lead for a bunch of pretty funny scenes in Phantom Hourglass. When you first meet him, he's trapped inside the game's main temple, and you have to save him. After that, he pretty much rides on your coattails throughout the rest of the game, begrudgingly letting you use his boat to get around since if he helps Link save the Ocean King (and Zelda!), then he gets one wish! He's always got a snarky attitude about him unless he's tooting his own horn by telling invigorating tales of his (or rather, your) adventures.

But towards the end of the game, he has to step up to the plate and save Link from the final boss, and in the process he's possessed by it and Link must then save him. After it's all over, instead of wishing for a ton of treasure like he originally wanted, Linebeck wishes for his boat to be repaired so that he can continue to adventure and see new places. He proves deep down he's a good guy and that he can be courageous~ :3

Honorable mentions:

Sonic, Duh

Blaze the Cat (wherever she's a main character)

Toon Link

Luigi (whom I ended up using in my next post...bah!)

Edited February 2, 2012 by Aptiva

[Solly]

Surprised it took 18 days to get to this question. Get ready to be blown away by a generic answer!

Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. They're both so dumb, but so great at the same time.

Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario, once explained that the character represents love, joy and a sense of adventure. I think he was right, and no matter what age I reach it's pretty much impossible for me to hate Mario. He's not a deep character by any means, but his cool powers, can-do attitude, carefree nature and cheerful "yahoos" have a charm to them. Mario is cuter than any other chubby, hairy Italian man could ever hope to be.

Sonic, on the other hand is a character I like for a different reason. Sonic manages to be genuinely cool and so bad he's great at the same time. I like him both legitimately and ironically. He's RADICAL. He has progressed since the 90's, and yet he hasn't. Not to mention, I just like his character design, and his powers.

Runner up

Link is the quintessential adventurer. He's the Indiana Jones of videogames. And like the Zelda series, Link means something different to everybody.

When you read the name "Link" what do you think of? Was it the kid in Wind Waker? The adult in Ocarina of Time? Many people will think of a different one, which is one of the things that makes him and his series awesome.

[Arcade Racer CC14]

Is there any other choice for this?

Sonic

Sonic is the original mascot with an attitude. I love his cocky personality, his speed, his simple, yet awesome design (Both of them!), his rivalry with Dr. Eggman, his extreme likeability, and his determination to always fight for good and never give up. I couldn't ask for a better video game hero.

Edited February 2, 2012 by chaoscontrol14

[SuperStingray]

Wario

Let me ask you something- when's the last time you played as a video game character whose intention was no deeper than yours at any moment? Mario wants to save the princess, you want to get to the next level. Master Chief wants to save humanity, you want to gun down alien's shit. Chell wants to escape Aperture labs, you want to play with Portals. But Wario... Wario wants to collect treasure, pound the shit out of anything in his way, and call it a day. He's the world's most determined hedonist, going on adventures and saving the day solely if it means he gets money and swag, apathetic to any other implications of the situation. But what's more, this personality is probably as reflective of the gamer as any game protagonist will ever get. In video games moreso than any other medium, it's all about the moment, what you see on the screen at any one time. Books or movies may have you focus on the carrot dangling over the protagonist's head, but for games, what you see is what you get; we're not really going to be thinking of the princess' well being when we've just come across a goldmine of points, items or currency. Wario's a brilliant parody of this mode of thought. My favorite example of this is the ending of Wario Land: Shake It.

So he finally reaches the Damsel in Distress, eternally grateful to him for his efforts. So what does he do? Kiss her? Bow humbly? No, he picks her up, THROWS HER OVER HIS SHOULDER, grabs her bag of money and leaves. And be honest- how often did you actually think of the princess past the first cutscene? I would expect never. And how often did you think of throwing enemies at each other and collecting treasure? I would expect every waking second of gameplay. Wario doesn't beat around the bush- he knows what you came to play the game for, and he seeks just that and nothing more. In any other context, he's a self-centered, greedy, egocentric sociopath- you laugh at him and his unbelievably goofy and self-serving behavior, but when you're actually in his shoes and playing as him, he's the most relatable video game character ever for these very reasons, and it's that dissonance that makes him so interesting, unique and just freaking awesome.

Runners up: Mario, Sonic, Gordon Freeman, Sissel, E-102 Gamma, Sam Gideon, Bayonetta, Cole McGrath (the good version)

---

Also Aptiva, not to burst your bubble, but Linebeck's a deuteragonist, not a protagonist. Just saying.

Edited February 2, 2012 by SuperStingray

[gato]

Day 18 - Favorite protagonist.

Oh look... It's this game again!

StarCraft - Jim Raynor.

Raynor is the closest thing StarCraft has to a protagonist, former outlaw, former marshal, former captain, part time rebel, full time awesome.

This are not the weirdest guys he has hung out with...

Little James Eugene Raynor was just your regular man who grew up in a farm in Shiloh, joined in the Marine Corps to fight in the guild wars and his life became a freaking rollercoaster from this point...

He became lance corporal, then he got out and became an outlaw, later he would turn around and become a Marshal in Mar Sara.

Years after that the great war exploded and Raynor was caught in the middle of it, safeguarded a group of colonist and saved another group from being infested by the Zerg... And turned to be an unfortunate decision since the Confederacy didn't like the destruction of one of their (infested) centers and arrested him... They also abandoned the planet and let the Zerg do whatever they wanted with it.

Being left with little other choice in the matter (and it's not like he didn't want to after all he had to go through) he joined the rebellious faction of the Sons of Korhal and started fighting against the Confederates. (he also got his own military unit).

He helped rebel leader Arcturus Mengsk to rise as the new leader of the Terran space... And realised a little too late the kind of "man" this guy was (), he left the newly formed Terran Dominion and begun a rebel movement of his own (named Raynor's raiders... Yeah... Creative).

FUCK YEAH!

But that wouldn't be the end of Jimmy's adventures...

After taking control of one of the Dominion's flagships he was in a pretty bad situation without really having a fixated objective, after that he started having weird dreams who called him to planet Char... Then he finds out one of his best friends (and something else *wink wink*), Sarah Kerrigan, became an infested Terran who was able to lead the swarms at her will (and she didn't have desire for peace or to talk things up), tried to escape but most of his ships got infested and promptly destroyed by a Protoss fleet commanded by Executor Tassadar.

Raynor wanted to give some complaints to this guy who destroyed a big chunk of his fleet with little regards for any survivor, he tracked him down... But later he found himself fighting alongside him and Dark Templar Zeratul out of necessity, the battles ahead formed an alliance that would be pivotal in the events to come. So here is little James Eugene from an old farm in Shiloh, learning about Zergs command chain and getting firsthand information about Protoss culture and history...

After a little more fighting in char the combined forces started to get overrun and were forced to flee out of the planet, the reinforcements came from a Protoss fleet led by Executor Artanis, but it turns out this fleet came to arrest Tassadar for treason, after some talk Artanis agreed to help the former executor and go back to the Protoss homeworld of Aiur.

There he met prelate Fenix and became close friends with him, also took part in an attack to the Conclave when they managed to arrest Tassadar and finally, his fleet was a vital part of the final stand against the Zerg Overmind.

Things didn't go so well after that, without the Overmind the Zerg began to run wild and killed a 70% of Aiur, Raynor and Fenix were left behind (because they wanted) to protect a group of protoss leaving the planet... Later they would be contacted by Raynor's old infested "could have been girlfriend" Kerrgian, she tells him about the new Overmind in the making and the fleet coming from "Earth" to conquer the whole sector.

And here is old Jimmy aqain, fighting alongside his raiders, a bunch of Protoss led by Fenix, a big chunk of the Zerg Swarm led by Kerrigan and what's left of the Dominion fleet led by Mengsk.

They succeed at stoping the Earthlings but soon after that Kerrgan betrayed them, destroying both Dominon and Protoss forces and killing Fenix in the process... Needless to say, Jim was not pleased for this and swore to be the man who would kill her.

My good pal Zeratul is a pretty cool guy, eh beheld the births of negative suns and doesn't afraid of anything!

Things didn't go well for good ol' Jimmy after that... but I don't really have the time nor the drive to babble about SC2's campaign.

But this was just backstory, why did I actually chose Jim Raynor? Well, he is a leader, a badass, the guy who always try to do the right thing, the guy who is always portrayed as cool but most of the time comes as corny as hell... Your typical hero archetype that might not be so appreciated nowadays, but I guess what I like the most about him is the context he's been put in...

I mean... He is just a regular guy, who was born in a farm and just wanted to do the right thing, and at a point of his life he gets in the middle of a war between a swarm of demonic locust-like creatures and some highly advanced demigod-like aliens... And he (and his brave mostly unnamed raiders) manage to fight in equal terms with them!

He gains the respect of the Protoss (the demigod-like aliens) and they not only protect him from time to time, there are Protoss who come and ask HIM for help! The most advanced race of the whole sector asks Good ol' Jimmy for support! Some even consider him a brother!

And as I mentioned before, he is a hero... Which wouldn't be as interesting if it weren't because his kind is seriously lacking in the K-Sector.

Or as Christ Metzen said: "He is a honest cop in a universe full of demigods walking around." He has no superpowers and isn't the brightest guy, but he's just a cool cat and doesn't give up. He is the "loneliest person in the universe" and his journey for redemption and rocky relationship with Kerrigan makes up the heart of the StarCraft universe.

"James Raynor was the most decent man I ever encountered during the fall of the Confederacy. Everyone else, I can safely say, was either a victim or a villain or quite often both. At first glance, Raynor seems like a backwoods cowboy, one of those good old boys swapping lies about the days gone by. There's a cocksureness, an overconfidence about him that makes you bridle initially. Yet over time you come to see him as a valuable ally and -- dare I say it? -- a friend. It all comes from belief. Jim Raynor believed in himself and believed in those around him. And from that strength came the strength that allowed him and those who followed him to survive everything else the universe threw at him. Jim Raynor was a most decent and honorable man. I suppose that's why his is the greatest tragedy in this godforsaken war."

- Michael Liberty (another character from the series)

Honorable mention goes to Sonic the Hedgehog () and Kane (because you know he is the real protagonist from the C&C series)

I would also like to add Dante from the Devil May Cry and Leon from the Resident Evil series (he is a protagonist right?) to the list.

ps: Sorry for saying the Orks were unintentionally funny, I didn't really want to say that... That post was a mess done with little to no time.

Edited February 2, 2012 by gato

[Carbo]

My favorite protagonist? GiantMainProtagonist!

Oh, one that's actually in a game?

This guy, right here. Yeah, you should all know and love this guy by now. I mean, He's courageous, he's explored countless islands, and he's got his very own boat! How cool is that?!

Wait, Link? No! I was talking about Captain Linebeck! He's a main character in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, and one of my favorites. He's got quite the hilarious personality, and he's always willing to lend a hand...for a price! When the going gets tough, he gets going, which lead for a bunch of pretty funny scenes in Phantom Hourglass. When you first meet him, he's trapped inside the game's main temple, and you have to save him. After that, he pretty much rides on your coattails throughout the rest of the game, begrudgingly letting you use his boat to get around since if he helps Link save the Ocean King (and Zelda!), then he gets one wish! He's always got a snarky attitude about him unless he's tooting his own horn by telling invigorating tales of his (or rather, your) adventures.

But towards the end of the game, he has to step up to the plate and save Link from the final boss, and in the process he's possessed by it and Link must then save him. After it's all over, instead of wishing for a ton of treasure like he originally wanted, Linebeck wishes for his boat to be repaired so that he can continue to adventure and see new places. He proves deep down he's a good guy and that he can be courageous~ :3

Honorable mentions:

Sonic, Duh

Blaze the Cat (wherever she's a main character)

Toon Link

Luigi (<33)

What Stingray said about this one; as you might want to save that one for one of the upcoming days, wink wink.

[krazystitch]

Day 18 - Favorite Protagonist

Sonic the Hedgehog

You guys do know that I'm on a forum for Sonic the Hedgehog for a reason, right?

Anywho, this guy is one hell of an awesome character. The cool, cocky attitude but still going out of the way to help his friends, his awesome ability to be able to run at the speed of sound, the way that he was designed is also very great, I think. He goes on all these great adventures with his group of friends and the games he's a part of are just tons of fun to play. He's a cool guy who's full of himself but just tries to have a good time on his adventures. Sonic the Hedgehog has been with me since I was a child, and I think he always will be for as long as I live.

Edited February 2, 2012 by krazystitch

[Senator NinjaShark]

Day Numbero 18: or how I stopped worrying and Loved the Numbers - Ninja's Hardcore as Hell, "Kami's pick looks like Mike Dawson in comparsion", Favourite Video game Protagonist(s) Ever!

You better pray you wear a Nice thick Helmet when these Brothers are Around.....and then pray that they forgot their Hammers.

So yeah, what is there about thse Two that hasn't been said.....I would say "They suck" but then I would be Lying in all Honestly.

These two I pretty much knew since day One. They are Iconic as it gets to Video Games. Mario the Carefree Older Bro, Happy go lucky Guy and Luigi the Cowardly yet still brave younger Bro. Both of them have Entertained me since many, many Years, and have been in games wich I like to call my All time favourite games and I doubt it's gonna change anytime soon.

if you can see him like that, you have about approximatly 3 seconds to Live.

While Solid Snake deserves a SPecial mention for being Awesome, I gotta give it to His Dad Big Boss here, I'm afraid.

Good Ol Naked Snake here went through alot of Crap during his Live, he was forced to Murder the One Woman that taught him everything He knew, His allies threw the World into total Chaos, and his own Son went out to Kill him.

But DAMN if he isn't one Heck of a Badas. Founding his own Mercenary State is Only the Beginning of it. Big Boss managed to go through whole Armies and Giant Mechs on foot and Lived to tell the Tale, and there is Just something Great about a character who still Belives in Santa Claus and gets a Squee at a new gun like a Little Child on Christmas Morning. it's those Little Quirks that I Love about him, and what makes him one of my favourite Characters.

9 Different ways to Die, PICK YOUR POISON

I already talked about TF2 and how Much I Love it aplenty, but I just HAVE to give it one more mention, since, while the Gameplay is Great, the characters themselve are even better.

The Beauty behind each of them is that noone is like the Other. The Medic is a Mad Scientist who is more then eager to Perform all sorts of questionable Expiriments with his Teammates and Enemies, the Heavy is about as Boisterous as they can get once his Minigun starts fireing and Holds a Ph.d. in Russian Literature, the Spy is Sophisticated as Hell but will drop it to mock his Enemies mercelssly, the Demo is balls blindingly Drunk about 24/7 (unless on his Morning off), the Engineer is a Southern Fried Genius that doesn't mind hacking of his own Hand to test out a new Weapon, the Sniper Throws Piss on his Opponents like it's Nothing, the Scout is an obnoxious Little Prick with a Bronx accent, the Soldier is off the shit's insane and god knows what lies beneath the Pyros Mask....

I Love each of these characters, nothing else needs to be said. The Writing for each of these characters is Great as it can get and constantly make me wanna play each class from time to time.

Honorable Mentions:

Sonic The Hedgehog: Yeah, Pretty Obligatory choice but heck, I still like this Guy. He is cool, he does bst2win.exe and he's got that one Little "Peng" thing that I like.

Link, Samus Aran, Kirby, The Various Playble Pokemon Trainers, Doneky Kong and Heck, Just about any Nintendo main character. I Love all these characters even if some of them (Link, the Trainers) show little to No actual Personality, I still enjoy them and Look forward to each game starring them.

Dante, Devil May Cry: Fun. Thats all I can say about Dante. He isn't a character that you can relate to in any way, but he is Fun to play and Fun to watch, and I Love Him and every moment with him where the Party is getting Cuhraaaaaaaazy!

Edited February 2, 2012 by Mr. NinjaShark

[Double Agent Motobug]

..bah, can't do anything right today!

This guy, then! He counts as a protagonist! He's starred in a few games, and has a new one coming up that's all to his lonesome as well.

Poor Luigi, he lives in his brother's shadow all the time, even though he's better at jumping, which is Mario's trademark. People often call him a wuss or a scaredy-cat, but honestly I think he's the bravest of the Mario cast. Think about it, what's more courageous, running through a haunted house to find the princess, or running through a haunted house even though you have a fear of ghosts, startle easily, and got owned once already by them, to save your brother? (Whom might I add allows you to live in his shadow!) I'd say the second option!

Plus I mean, he's green, and green is cool. :3

[Meow]

I like lots of characters this is hard. Really hard.

But here we goooooooooooo... I'll pick one I guess. But trust me when I say there are LOTS of favourites I have haha.

DAMN STRAIGHT ITS MIDNA.

I argue for her as a main game protagonist considering she is vital to the story, and when in wolf mode she actually does stuff. The experience of the game is definitely one that focuses around both her and Link, and its mainly her plot that drives the story. Either way Midna was super cool. I like her imp design better, it had a lot more personality to it with the cool helmet and the funky hair thing (though that concept art of the 'human form' is wicked, the one on the bottom right). Basically I wish that there would be a Zelda game that took place in the twilight realm because that entire place was cool. Zant was a wicked villain too, especially in his design. Midna takes the cake though for my favourite of the bunch though.

Even then she changes a lot as a character throughout the game, which I really enjoyed. At the start she treats you like crap and seems to be a huge jerk, but over time you learn that that isn't the case and she begins to respect Link/the player.

Runner ups for sure include Marina Liteyears (DUHR), Zero (from the MMZ series only though), Megaman Trigger, Sonic and Knuckles, Taokaka. Etc. Lots. But I decided to pick Midna this time for the hell of it.

[Carbo]

I seriously wouldn't call Midna a protagonist either. She is a deuteragonist, a side character, even if vital to the story and playable to an extent.

There's going to be a category for this stuff eventually so I suggest picking something else. There's a time and place for everything here.