Least/Most Cliched Protagonists

[Mr. Omega]

Most: While I agree with the guy who said every FF lead for the past decade, seeing the OPs description of Marcus Pheonix makes me wonder; is this guy supposed to be a parody of the cliched action hero? Honestly, he fits SO perfectly into the mold I can't help but think he's a parody of the archtype. That's why I pick you, Marcus, as my most cliched character.

Least: Mario. Let's face it, after the 80s, people just stopped trying to copy this guy, 'cause it COULDN'T BE DONE. What archtype would you classify this guy as? Sure, he doesn't have a lot of talking parts, but he's far from the silent protagonist. That's about the closest one I could think for him. (prepares flame sheild.)

 

[Vraeyda]

Most Cliche: Mario. Yep. I said it. Little portly Italian plumber who likes pizza, pasta and had one of the most ridiculous cartoons on old school tv.

Least Cliche: Raz from Psychonauts.

 

[LegendaryMan]

Most Cliched: War from... I don't even remember the name of the game. Yahtzee reviewed it. End of the world. 4 horsemen of Apocalypse. Like God of War, but... He looks like someone started drawing him and never stopped.

Least cliched: Does not compute. Does not compute. Error! Error!

Thats Darksiders and yes he was very cliched.

 

[T-Bone24]

I'm lazy, so I'll just use two Street Fighter characters.

Least: El Fuerte. Mexican luchador/chef who is extremely fast? Never heard that before.

Most: Ryu. "It is all about honour. That is why I fight. *glower*"

 

[Breaker deGodot]

Most: Probably Master Chief, or Serious Sam

Least: Raz from Psychonauts

 

[Xero Scythe]

Oh and I disagree with your least cliched pick, she DOES dress slutty and she IS white. At least based on the picture you posted.

I fail to see how she dresses slutty. Because her shirt shows her midriff? Perhaps you're just a prude.

As for her being white, there's not much I can say aside from "no, not really."

She isn't exactly wearing jeans and a shirt. More like a bra and an open jacket. As far as white goes she is clearly white in that picture. Granted she is a bit tan, but clearly white. I get that you are biased because you love this character, but come on man.

That's just a bad picture. In the game, she's asian.

Anyway, Haseo from the .Hack//G.U. games actually has personality. At first, he's just a hardass who wants to kill all PK'ers, but he actually cares about his friends. The game also gives a good reason as to why he goes from the most badass lvl 133 person in the entire world to a weak but playable lvl 1.
I also like KH's Roxas, because he sorta acts like you or I- He hangs out with friends, screws around, gets scared when random things start attacking, and wonder what the hell's going on with him.
Although he is an amnesiac, which is pretty cliched.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Clichéd: The Silent Protagonist. It was OK in BioShock and Half-Life, but anywhere else just bothers me.

Yeah I'll go with that. Especially in Metro 2033, where they give the protagonist a voice but only use it during loading screens. When people talk to him and he doesn't respond... well I just feel awkward!

As far as least cliched goes, I'd probably say Alyx. First off, she's... well, a she. Secondly, she doesn't dress like a stripper, something that seems to be a rarity when it comes to female characters. Thirdly, she's not white. I don't think it has to do with racism (at least not on a conscious level) but you don't really see a whole lot of non-white main characters, and what few there are are usually stereotypes. It's refreshing to see a character who is neither white nor a stereotype from time to time.

There we go, fixed that for you! Yeah well she's not a protagonist I KNOW but damn that picture of Jade reminded me of her and the description seemed to fit Alyx better. Plus... she freakin' rocks! Gotta get credit for at least being the least cliched supporting character, no?

 

[Xero Scythe]

I'm lazy, so I'll just use two Street Fighter characters.

Least: El Fuerte. Mexican luchador/chef who is extremely fast? Never heard that before.

Most: Ryu. "It is all about honour. That is why I fight. *glower*"

mate, have you ever seen a real Luchador? Those guys can fucking fly.

 

[Hybridwolf]

Least: I'd say John Marston was a refreshing change for recent times, as he seemed to me reasonable, and fairly just when it mattered.

Most: Nearly every recent FPS character can be summed up as either being a power armor assisted character with "issues", best (Worst Example being Section Eights main character).

 

[Broken Orange]

That Picture of Fenix is even clichéd. Look at the color intonation; Teal and orange, it's as generic as action movies and games can be.

Someone has been reading their cracked.com

 

[T-Bone24]

I'm lazy, so I'll just use two Street Fighter characters.

Least: El Fuerte. Mexican luchador/chef who is extremely fast? Never heard that before.

Most: Ryu. "It is all about honour. That is why I fight. *glower*"

mate, have you ever seen a real Luchador? Those guys can fucking fly.

Spoiler: Indeed they can...

... but they aren't particularly common in vidjagames.

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

I was going to say Marcus for most cliched, but you beat me to it.

Oh and I disagree with your least cliched pick, she DOES dress slutty and she IS white. At least based on the picture you posted.

I thought she was Hispanic.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

Oh and I disagree with your least cliched pick, she DOES dress slutty and she IS white. At least based on the picture you posted.

I fail to see how she dresses slutty. Because her shirt shows her midriff? Perhaps you're just a prude.

As for her being white, there's not much I can say aside from "no, not really."

Jade was left ambiguously brown on purpose. No one can say what race she is because it's never said and her name gives no real hints. I know plenty of girls darker than Jade that are white.


Now, if you're going for a female lead that's neither slutty or some writer's fantasy, look no further than Heather Mason.

As for least cliched, I would go with James Sunderland. The first four Silent Hill games in general did a good job with this. They're not superheroes or badass marines. They're regular people off the street thrown into some dimension of horror.

 

[SturmDolch]

Most clichéd: Anyone from Starcraft II

Least: Anyone from Perfect Dark 64

 

[HT_Black]

NAft3r Alyx Vance.

But I don't see Faith, of Mirror's Edge fame, or Chell of Portal, anywhere on that list...

 

[maturin]

Well, Chell is just a pretty face (literally).

For all we know she could be carrying on a stream of interior monologue that is completely cliched.

 

[-Drifter-]

Oh and I disagree with your least cliched pick, she DOES dress slutty and she IS white. At least based on the picture you posted.

I fail to see how she dresses slutty. Because her shirt shows her midriff? Perhaps you're just a prude.

As for her being white, there's not much I can say aside from "no, not really."

Jade was left ambiguously brown on purpose. No one can say what race she is because it's never said and her name gives no real hints. I know plenty of girls darker than Jade that are white.

I think it has to do with facial features too, though. Maybe it's just me, but I think she has a very asian look about her.

Also, as far as Heather not being slutty...

Just sayin'

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

Well, Chell is just a pretty face (literally).

For all we know she could be carrying on a stream of interior monologue that is completely cliched.

More than that.

Chell is an empty shell. She says nothing, she's no different a character from the moment she wakes up to when glados is defeated, and she has no past. If we hadn't been told her name, she would be called the Portal Girl now I wouldn't be surprised if it's revealed in Portal 2 that she was a machine the entire time.