Poll: Is Gordon Freeman the greatest character in gaming? Why?
- Thread starter MortalKomic
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He's iconic as the protagonist from a popular game, just like Mario or Link. However, he is not a strong character. We know even less of who he is as a person than Mario or Link (and that's saying something!), and I really don't see how he's a compelling person to project yourself through when you spend the whole game letting people talk to you and doing whatever you are forced to do. Yeah, Half-Life is a good game, but if I'm looking for the best character in a video game, I'll look to someone who actually has some characterization and doesn't rely on a "project yourself" argument.
It "doesn't work" because the 'blank slate' argument doesn't argue he's even a character. Arguing Freeman is a bad character is like arguing that a giant ice cube will make for a poor sun lounger. (To be fair, no one else in the thread seems to understand this either. And to be even more fairerer, I've seen several people use the 'blank slate' argument and not get that themselves either.)hazabaza1 said:
OT: Yes.
Because I love seeing him get to the top of these sorts of polls and watching everyone lose their shit about how he got there.
Ahh the internet. You never cease to amuse me. Yes of course he is. Because he is me. And everybody knows what a charming bastard I am. I would say get it while it is still oht but let's face it. I am outliving the sun itself at this rate.
Seriously It was just some dumb poll in the internet and internet loves Half Life and Valve. It is not neccesarily wrong or right. It is fucking democracy.
Seriously It was just some dumb poll in the internet and internet loves Half Life and Valve. It is not neccesarily wrong or right. It is fucking democracy.
Nope. I do enjoy a good silent protagonist, and Gordon is one of better ones, but he's not the best. I'd say Chell from Portal is actually a much better-implemented silent protagonist, because aside from one established personality trait (that she's insanely tenacious), she's even more of a blank slate, and therefore easier to get into her role. With Gordon, we know where he went to school, what his occupation was, who his friends were, the sorts of shenanigans he used to get into at Black Mesa; enough that it could be a bit harder to imagine oneself as him.
But of course, the question wasn't "is he the best silent protagonist," it was "is he the best character?" Of course, the answer to that is also no, because he's not a character. He's a tool. Nothing more than a mask for the player to wear and a name for the player to be called by while they inhabit the game world. Comparing him to real, fleshed out characters like James Sunderland is like asking if a diary is a better piece of literature than Hamlet; the answer depends on what you write in that diary.
But of course, the question wasn't "is he the best silent protagonist," it was "is he the best character?" Of course, the answer to that is also no, because he's not a character. He's a tool. Nothing more than a mask for the player to wear and a name for the player to be called by while they inhabit the game world. Comparing him to real, fleshed out characters like James Sunderland is like asking if a diary is a better piece of literature than Hamlet; the answer depends on what you write in that diary.
No. You know what, I hate silent protagonists when it isn't an RPG. He has no personality to speak of, and is thus hardly a character at all.
He's the best non-character in gaming? As far as a character that feels everyman enough that the player can effective step into his shoes without any kind of major cognitive dissonance, he's pretty much perfect. You don't play as Gordon Freeman, you are Gordon Freeman, and for that he is an achievement.
Just not as a defined character, in the same way (staying in the same universe) Alyx is, or Breen is. They're characters - Gordon is a vessel.
Just not as a defined character, in the same way (staying in the same universe) Alyx is, or Breen is. They're characters - Gordon is a vessel.
Freeman is a good slate for projection, and perhaps he's the best slate, be's not the best character. He's not even a good character, seeing as beyond a name, a face, and a story around him, he doesn't really have any character traits, does he? Only the ones you give him, really.
No, he's pretty much the worst type of protagonist you could come up with. He's mute so that you can basically place yourself in his role. Okay, that's fine. Except he's completely fully designed all the way from visual appearance to personality to the his relationship with the other characters in the world. There's really nothing to inhabit or take as you'd like because it's all been planned for you already.
As already stated, he's a blank slate with no real characterization. I am not sure if he's a mute, if whatever he says is up to us or if his part of the conversation is blocked for us, but either way, he's not really a good character.
Now take Link, he's also a mute character, but we know from people's reactions that he is talking. In Wind Waker this is combined with some visible emotion giving you a view of his personality. I still wouldn't call him a good character because just like Gordon Freeman he could easily have been replaced without changing the course of the game at all. I define a good character by how valuable he is to the plot or overall experience.
Now take Link, he's also a mute character, but we know from people's reactions that he is talking. In Wind Waker this is combined with some visible emotion giving you a view of his personality. I still wouldn't call him a good character because just like Gordon Freeman he could easily have been replaced without changing the course of the game at all. I define a good character by how valuable he is to the plot or overall experience.
It's easy to pull out the "but he's a blank slate" technique instead of bothering to make an interesting character. A linear, story based game gains nothing from having a bland protagonist. I'd say he's a pretty bad character.
So no-one else speaks to the NPCs for Gordon when playing Half Life? He never struck me as mute, I always felt capable of supplying a voice for him. I don't speak out loud of course that would be weird.
Anyway he isn't Cate Archer, April Ryan, The Nameless One, or Jan Jannsen so no, he isn't the greatest character in gaming.
Anyway he isn't Cate Archer, April Ryan, The Nameless One, or Jan Jannsen so no, he isn't the greatest character in gaming.
For a blank slate character, he's a total dud for me.
I have never once saw myself in his shoes.
I have never once saw myself in his shoes.
The issue with Gordon Freeman is he isnt even a character and he fails as a blank slate to project a character you want on to him. Other games that have blank slates such as any elder scrolls game or Dark souls give you enough freedom to project whatever you want on them. They can have any kind of philosophy, religious beliefs, and political idealogies and while it wont effect the game it allows for further roleplaying
Now I have to stress, Ive never played that jewel encrested golden treasure from the vaults of Xerces called Half life 2. I havnt played it because its predecessor was just awful and could barely hold my interest for more then a couple hours. In those couple of hours we found out hes a scientist and quite intelligent, making breakthroughs thought previously impossible. However the part that kills me is we dont know his motivations for any of what hes done in the past, what he does in the games, or what he'll do in the future. It seems just as likely that hes being driven by intellectual curiousity as it is him doing it all "for the lols"
To be fair, lets look at another character in his specific place of having a set name and history but being far less characterized. A good recent example is Adam Jensen. At least in his case we get to see what his motivations and individual character is as the game unfolds. Hes still a blank slate in such a way that we can make him the style of character we want him to be but he has clear character behind him. Gordon freeman doesnt.
From where I stand Gordon Freeman just seems like an extremely badly designed character. In fact I found Lightning (final fantasy 13) to be more of a character then him and thats bad when I can put her as better characterized then any other character
Now I have to stress, Ive never played that jewel encrested golden treasure from the vaults of Xerces called Half life 2. I havnt played it because its predecessor was just awful and could barely hold my interest for more then a couple hours. In those couple of hours we found out hes a scientist and quite intelligent, making breakthroughs thought previously impossible. However the part that kills me is we dont know his motivations for any of what hes done in the past, what he does in the games, or what he'll do in the future. It seems just as likely that hes being driven by intellectual curiousity as it is him doing it all "for the lols"
To be fair, lets look at another character in his specific place of having a set name and history but being far less characterized. A good recent example is Adam Jensen. At least in his case we get to see what his motivations and individual character is as the game unfolds. Hes still a blank slate in such a way that we can make him the style of character we want him to be but he has clear character behind him. Gordon freeman doesnt.
From where I stand Gordon Freeman just seems like an extremely badly designed character. In fact I found Lightning (final fantasy 13) to be more of a character then him and thats bad when I can put her as better characterized then any other character