Hmmm, tough choices; So far the top contender's looks like, Kratos, Master Chief, Duke Nukem, Jack from Bioshock, Nico Bellic, Solid Snake, Sephiroth, Gordon Freeman, Marcus Fenix, Kain/Raziel, and possibly Nathan Drake.
So, let's break it down:
Kratos: Ok for starters, he has been killed like 3 times, no one else can boast that (maybe Sephiroth if you count coming back as a memory/lifestream/ghost/whatever). Second, he doesn't have any bigass guns or shields or alien technology, he has two giant blades seared to his arms by the FIRES OF HELL. Also, and this is the only other evidence that I need, IF YOU FUCK WITH HIM...HE WILL RIP YOU IN HALF ... WITH HIS COCK!
Master Chief: Not sure that I give him the badass/hardest award, he probably gets more of the most Efficient Killing Machine Ever; But not really the badass material.
Duke Nukem: The only award he gets is the Now Has testicular Cancer From Too Many Steroids award.
Jack from Bioshock: He shoots FUCKING BEES FROM HIS FUCKING HANDS.....case closed.
Nico Bellic: Russian, mobster, street racer, assassin, ladies man, avenger, and... he has a permanent 5 o'clock shadow. Enough Said.
Solid Snake: Defiantly has a strong case for the sneakiest bastard ever, not particularly badass about it, very good, but not bad ass. Sam Fisher has him beat.
Sephiroth: The guy tells physics to fuck off, has a sword as long as a 1976 Buick and... and never ruins his glorious locks of hair while battling for the control of existance.
Gordon Freeman: Takes on legions of aliens and zombies with nothing more than a crowbar and glorified vacuum cleaner, always saves the girl, without saying a word. DONE and DONE.
Marcus Fenix: Dude, chainsaw assault rifle... do I even need to say anything else.
Kain/Raziel: Ok starting off, their both vampires, one eats blood, the other souls. I you havent played these games, sign off these forums, buy a copy of Blood Omen, and Soul Reaver; and dont come back till you've finished the series. These character thas the most amazing dialog ever, as they whisper in your ear while you fall dying to the groud, you will not care, because it will be the most gloriously rought death threat ever.
Nathan Hale: ***** please.
I fear I would be remiss to not point out another name that must be present to vote on. Altaïr ibn La-Ahad from Assassins Creed. If you play the game for more than 5 minutes, you automatically blow a giant badassy load, and it's FUCKING AWSOME. For those of you who have had to clean up the mess, you know what I mean.
But if I had to put up a top three it would go as such.
1. Altaïr
2. Kratos
3. Gordan Freeman
Apologies to the characters I have left out.
Also C&C'c Kane is a total badass.