Master Chief - Killing aliens is always a good time in Halo. Whether you’re dropping Flood from afar with a sniper rifle, picking them off slowly with a battle rifle, or pistol-whipping them it always feels good. The thing is, Halo isn’t just about who or what you’re shooting. Halo is about the man behind the mask. Longtime Halo fans know about the man that is John 117, some of us have even seen glimpses of his face. We know about the Spartan program and how children are basically pressed into the UMSC from early childhood, we know the horrors that Master Chief has experience. And that’s why we love him, because, despite everything that’s come his way, the Chief has stood tall through it all and saved humanity, probably the universe a dozen times over.

Commander Sheppard - What can I even say about Commander Sheppard? It’s hard to give an introduction to a man that died, came back to life, and saved the galaxy. No one listened to Sheppard when he warned them about the Geth and the Reaper invasion until it was too late. No one believed Sheppard even though he was risking life and limb as Commander of the Normandy, flying himself and his crew into harm’s way day after day trying to keep the galaxy safe. But that’s what makes us love him. Sheppard was never out for fame or glory, Sheppard only wanted to help people, and the loyalty missions you could go on in Mass Effect 2 and 3 prove that. Sheppard went out of his way even when the galaxy itself was on the line to help take care of his crew! If that doesn’t show what kind of man he is, I don’t know what will.

Ezio Auditore Da Firenze - Altair may have introduced gamers to the Brotherhood of Assassins back in 2007, but Ezio is the man that popularized it. We got to know Ezio as a ladies’ man in Italy, being told by his mother that he needs hobbies besides vagina. But over time, he grew from a playboy into the wise, stoic, but kind-hearted, deeply passionate, and deeply loving mentor and leader of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. He worked hard and even gave his life to stop the Templars from seizing the Apple of Eden and his sacrifices are why Ezio means so much to Assassin’s Creed fans.

Gordan Freeman - Never underestimate a theoretical physicist. Gordon Freeman proves exactly why you should never bully a nerd. His genius-level intellect allows him to create items like his HEV suit and gravity gun to combat the alien invasion that’s attacking City 17. Gordon has always been a fan favorite character because most of us can see ourselves in his shoes, he isn’t some badass with military training, he’s a regular person, just like the rest of us, that was put in a traumatic situation and chose to rise above.

Nathan Drake - Treasure hunting never felt this good. Uncharted filled the void Tomb Raider left during the time when Square Enix hadn’t been putting out new games in the franchise. Uncharted launched in 06 with the PlayStation 3 and introduced the world to Nathan Drake. A scrappy, rebellious treasure hunter that’s eager to bring value to his name, claim riches and get the girl at the same time. The thing that’s wild about Nathan is he quips more than Peter Parker, fights more guys hand to hand than Batman, and solves more puzzles than you do in the entirety of LA Noire and he makes you smile the entire time! The more you learn about Nate and his past with characters like his brother Sam and his mentor Sully, you realize just how amazing it is that he’s come so far and he’s still functional. Nate doesn’t hold grudges or hate people, he just wants to make life better for himself and the people he loves.

Geralt of Rivia - Probably the most stoic, and misunderstood character of our time. Geralt is seen by passers-by as an old, grumpy, violent man that kills everything he can get his hands on. Truth is, Geralt is one of the most detailed, complex, nuanced characters you can find in modern gaming, not just because of the strength of his writing, but because of the fact that you get to choose who your Geralt will be. He roams the countrysides of Vizima and Novigrad looking for monsters to slay but also getting mixed up in political intrigue because despite what he says about remaining altruistic, Geralt’s heart is just a little too big to let people suffer and not do anything about it.

Kratos - They say that revenge doesn’t make for a good story, but they’ve clearly never met Kratos. Ever since God of War debuted on PlayStation 2 back in 2005 audiences have been enamored with Kratos and his quest for vengeance. God of War’s storytelling is simple, and that’s one of its greatest strengths. Kratos was betrayed by the Gods and tricked into murdering his wife and child, as a result, he wants to kill them, all of them. It’s a simple premise that leads to some bloody action, and yet somehow you end up feeling for Kratos because you see the toll his hatred has taken on him. It’s easy to love Kratos, and easy to feel bad for him. You come for the blood and gore, you stay because you want to see him find peace after he’s done destroying Olympus.

Solid Snake - It’s hard not to root for Snake, even if you don’t really know what’s going on. Metal Gear Solid’s plot is a twisting and turning narrative of confusion. Snake, Solid Snake, Ocelot, Liquid Ocelot, Boss, and Big Boss, it’s hard to keep things straight at times. The thing is, Solid Snake is an easily lovable character because he’s ruled by his heart. Instead of being part of some massive government coup or assassination plot, Snake is doing his best to keep a promise he made to his mentor, the woman he loved before she died. If that doesn’t make you feel for him, I don’t know what will. David Hayter giving Snake his voice for over two decades just makes it even easier to love him as well.

Samus - The thing that makes Samus so cool is she’s an unrequited badass. Whether you’ve been following Metroid from its origin days back in 1986 or you’ve only recently joined the franchise with Other M and Samus Returns, Samus is a character that commands your attention the minute you see her. She’s built a reputation for completing impossible missions and vanquishing foes that no one else could possibly kill. Everything Samus does, she does in style, and it’s hard not to root for one of the coolest characters in gaming. Her Exo suit makes her almost as much of a problem to fight as Master Chief is!

GlaDOS - I never knew it was possible to love a villain so much until GlaDOS came into my life. Ironically, she was never even supposed to be a villain. GlaDOS was designed as a tutorial guide for the original portal, but she proved so popular Value decided to expand on her character in the sequel. She’s dark, malicious, violent with a backstory that explains why she’s so evil, but also relatable, likable, and in many ways absolutely hilarious., Her attempts to try and kill you aren’t personal, they’re logical because GlaDOS is an AI program. She’s doing what her programming tells her to do, and it’s hard to fault her for that.