Inspired by the recent podcast...

Who is the best leading game character? You know you have a favourite. 

So, tell us why you are putting forward your candidate for best game character. Then we all vote for the best based on the descriptions (you can't vote for your own)

Mine would be Ray from Disaster Day of Crisis. 

When you first see Ray he's a hero already. No he's not brandishing a gun or massive axe, he's not in some fancy superhero outfit, he's not some specially trained ninja master. He has no bionic arm, or any other kind of gimmicks. He's not some legendary hero, or a knight, or mage. He's a regular guy. 

But that's what makes his character so appealing. He's your everyman. The game starts with him as a rescue team member. He's on the side of an active volcano and he's rescuing a man stuck on the mountain. He gives this meaningful patter to ease the guys nerves. It's cheesy but you can tell that Ray means it, he's the kind of guy would be very lucky to have a best friend. Reliable and kind. 

Then his friend gets killed and he lives in regret for a year or more - he's a new age man who feels things and not just feelings of revenge and killing people. His friends sister (who he's never met) gets kidnapped by terrorists and so to honour the promise to his dead friend, he goes on a lone crusade to save her and stop an elite group of army soliders. All while the city is crumbling around him. 

So what makes Ray special? Well, firstly he's an ordinary guy and secondly: he cares. Yeah that's right, he's genuinely a caring guy, who goes out of his way to rescue dogs from tidal waves, lead lost little girls down volcanic mountains, give CPR to grannies having heart attacks and more. There is one scene in which he actively gathers survivors of the earthquake to group together to save themselves. He's inspiring to others and wants to save everyone. 

But he has flaws, he can't seem to recover from the death of his friend so he tries his hardest to save everyone, struggling all the time. He's handy with weapons too and as a one man army can take out a myriad of terrorists, all while dodging tornadoes. Also, he can break down doors with his bare hands. 

He's not selfish either, even at the end when he's basically got Steve's sister at his mercy he has no romantic illusions. Ray's journey from the days start to the end is one of redemption. All around he's a good guy and he does the right thing - but he still kicks ass. 

MUST SEE VIDEO HERE:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/40149.html 

Also, he fights bears. 

Iga_Bobovic said:

Samus Aran

blows up planets for a living!

 You have to say more than that to get a vote. 

Fabio = epic leading character!

gamingeek said:

You lazy bastards. I thought you would tell us in more than a sentance why you nominate someone. All I see is shirtless guy pics.

That's all you want to see anyway.

I will answer this later when I have time to give the topic the somber dignity it requires.

This is just a stealth Disaster thread.

Anyway my choice, and I think its a damn easy one, is Solid Snake.

He is the ultimate gaming hero. He is not a cliche, he is not that over the top one liner hero. He is as deep a character as any in gaming. Why does he choose to help a country that treats him as an expendable asset. Why does he keep on fighting when everyone tells him he cant no more. He is as interesting a character as they come. He can be an ass when he wants to or be the motivating friend for someone in need. He can be funny and be dead serious. In terms of heroism no one comes close, he fights giant robots by himself. He shrugs off helicopters as if they are flies. Nothing will stop him from accomplishing his mission. The story of Solid Snake is the most interesting in all of gaming for me.

Sam Fisher from the Splinter Cell series is my choice for best lead.

Voiced by Michael Ironsides, that's a plus for a start.

When the original came out on the XB it was a breakthrough in terms of providing a credible environment (no exclamation points appearing above guards here).  The lighting added to the sense of realism, the eastern european setting and voice acting was new, and right in the middle of it was Sam Fisher, who was relunctant hero pulled back into action.

Wiki states it best, "As a covert agent of the government, Fisher approaches his target objectives in a gruff, no-nonsense manner, but maintains a light-hearted relationship with his colleagues and even with his momentary hostages (even if he is going to kill them) . Fisher has little patience for government bureaucracy or political maneuvering. A political realist, Fisher maintains a cynical, jaded and sarcastic sense of humor about the covert, illegal, and often morally ambiguous nature of his work. In Pandora Tomorrow, when Lambert informs Fisher that "Nobody knows whether [Norman Soth]'s a US Agent or a terrorist" Fisher replies that "Those things aren't mutually exclusive."

At the same time, he is highly loyal and a staunch believer in the ideals his work ultimately protects. He is quickly angered by the casual slaughter of civilians or unarmed military personnel by his enemies."

Foolz said:

So Ray cares about everyone including dogs, but not bears?

Speaking of main characters what about Guybrush Threepwood?

I would google that name, but I'm in a public area.