Worst Protagonists.
- Thread starter the protaginist
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Any corporate mascot character from anything in the 80's or 90's.
While I don't like the Japanese pretty boy trope, some do, so I can't say they're the worst.
Xan from Baldur's Gate. Does listening to the NPC whine every time he's clicked on sound fun?
Grandfather from Prey. You'd have a tough time finding a bigger walking cliche or more stereotyped character. The 'Injun's' in 40's westerns had more depth.
Shaq from Shaq-Fu.
While I don't like the Japanese pretty boy trope, some do, so I can't say they're the worst.
Xan from Baldur's Gate. Does listening to the NPC whine every time he's clicked on sound fun?
Grandfather from Prey. You'd have a tough time finding a bigger walking cliche or more stereotyped character. The 'Injun's' in 40's westerns had more depth.
Shaq from Shaq-Fu.
I liked the arbiter. he has a cool back story and is the one of the only really developed Halo charactersshatnershaman said:
I was going to say him, but you did a great job of summing up exactly why, so I'll just quote it. Bear in mind also that I've only played it for about three hours so far, which is testament to how irritating it is in just the handful of times I've heard it so far. God knows how I'm going to play it through without going mental.PedroSteckecilo said:
Vaan from FF12 was particularly horrible, as was Tidus from FF10. I sort of consider them to be the same person for various reasons. Sticking with the Final Fantasy thing, Yuna was absolutely unbearable in FFX-2 (or FF: Barbie Edition, as I've taken to calling it). That game would've been a complete waste of time if it wasn't for the fact that I honestly believe that including Rikku could save even the worst game ever.
I must admit that I don't often find myself interested enough in characters outside of Final Fantasy games to notice their good and bad points, so other references are likely to be few and far between. I wanted to slap Nero for every second of the hour that I played DMC4 before vowing to never go near it again. Raiden never really bothered me, he's not great but far from insufferable.
I'm not particularly trying to defend him but I should probably say that I liked Squall for exactly the reason most of you dislike him... he reminds me a lot of myself at that age.
I know im about to get hated on a little for this, but i gotta defend a few guys here. Master Chief *dodges the rotten tomatoes*, and Gordon Freeman.
Yeah i know the chief is considered too much of a super badass to be realistic or whatever, but if you read the backstory from the books, you find out a lot about it. and dont say that you dont have time for the books, those of you who played every single one of the final fantasys. theres two books tha really add on to the story from the halo series: Fall of Reach, and First Strike. i will agree that halo 2 sucked balls, because there were many problems with the story, and they shoved the arbiter on you in the middle of the game. while the arbiter had more speaking parts and was a religious nutcase for most of the game (very appealing to some of you im sure), he was a horrible character. he makes me think of the americans in Call of Duty 4. he so stuck up on his belief that hes gods messenger ready to destroy all nonbelievers, that he chokes when he learns hes being played. not to mention he learns this "horrible truth" from the enemy and instantly believes it.
gordon freeman. no speaking at all. backstory shrouded in mystery. somehow unstoppable main character. all things you seem to not like in a protagonist. but thats how his character is supposed to be. and his role in the story helps you care a lot for the other characters too. sorry. im not a good speaker, so im probably missing all the points i want to get across any way. this is all the defense i have for gordon right now.
what are the spects that define a bad protaganist? if we could set up guidelines for what one is, then it might be easier for everyone to come to an agreement.
Yeah i know the chief is considered too much of a super badass to be realistic or whatever, but if you read the backstory from the books, you find out a lot about it. and dont say that you dont have time for the books, those of you who played every single one of the final fantasys. theres two books tha really add on to the story from the halo series: Fall of Reach, and First Strike. i will agree that halo 2 sucked balls, because there were many problems with the story, and they shoved the arbiter on you in the middle of the game. while the arbiter had more speaking parts and was a religious nutcase for most of the game (very appealing to some of you im sure), he was a horrible character. he makes me think of the americans in Call of Duty 4. he so stuck up on his belief that hes gods messenger ready to destroy all nonbelievers, that he chokes when he learns hes being played. not to mention he learns this "horrible truth" from the enemy and instantly believes it.
gordon freeman. no speaking at all. backstory shrouded in mystery. somehow unstoppable main character. all things you seem to not like in a protagonist. but thats how his character is supposed to be. and his role in the story helps you care a lot for the other characters too. sorry. im not a good speaker, so im probably missing all the points i want to get across any way. this is all the defense i have for gordon right now.
what are the spects that define a bad protaganist? if we could set up guidelines for what one is, then it might be easier for everyone to come to an agreement.
Why does everyone hate Tidus so much, I actually thought the way he grew as a character throughout the game was endearing.
Also attacking "silent" protagonists is a cheap shot, they're not meant to be characters, but rather as a window for you to experience the game on your own terms. Not that your entirely wrong about it not being the best way to make a protagonist, it's just, as stated, a cheap shot.
Also attacking "silent" protagonists is a cheap shot, they're not meant to be characters, but rather as a window for you to experience the game on your own terms. Not that your entirely wrong about it not being the best way to make a protagonist, it's just, as stated, a cheap shot.
Ethan watabe (? can't remeber last name) from Phantasy star universe.
he's dull, meh voice acting, and the character never realy gives you a reason to like him.
Shadow (the hedgehog) while probably not the worst, is up there.
I was one of the few that, while dispointed with raiden, didn't
go into a frenzy that it wasn't snake as the main in Mgs2. Figured kojima knows
what he is doing kind of thing.
he's dull, meh voice acting, and the character never realy gives you a reason to like him.
Shadow (the hedgehog) while probably not the worst, is up there.
I was one of the few that, while dispointed with raiden, didn't
go into a frenzy that it wasn't snake as the main in Mgs2. Figured kojima knows
what he is doing kind of thing.
I thought Raiden was alright. then again, MGS 2 was the first MGS I played. I can see Snake's appeal as being better, but Raiden was by no means that bad.mechsword42 said:
Worst protaganist probably goes to Pariah. Ok, so I'm a Doctor whose transporting this weird psychic chic, but wait, oh no, I'm gonna hand her over to these other weirdos. And top myself. It had a cool ending, one of the coolest endings in a game I'd say. But the character himself had no appeal through 95% of the game, and the game itself was a Halo clone.
while I wholeheartedly agree that nero was a whiney dildo in all DMC4s cutscenes, I enjoyed playing him so much that I can't consider him a bad character. He's no dante though 
I would submit Buffy, from either of the two equally awful Buffy games. That quip wasn't funny the first time, ms summers. It remains unfunny the 1000th.
I would submit Buffy, from either of the two equally awful Buffy games. That quip wasn't funny the first time, ms summers. It remains unfunny the 1000th.
Strange lads where you live. Also, wouldn't the opposite of Lara be fat, not athletic?Necromaniacal said:
I despise Dante from Devil May Cry. He's like that guy who loves to show off his big muscles and six-pack. He is that guy. And there's this other guy who is also that guy, who everyone seems to love: I'm sure I'm missing something with Solid Snake, but I've never wanted a protagonist to succeed less than I did him in Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes.
Hi, I'm Snake. I talk like Ken Kaniff from those old Eminem skits. I'm meant to be trying to stop terrorists launching a nuclear weapon but I've got time to flirt with this chick with a bangin' body and make a reference to "the battleferrrlllld" every other sentence. You're meant to identify with me.
This coupled with the fact that I generally like Link (whose character did develop in Wind Waker, at the very least, even though he wasn't able to give an "I have developed my character!" speech) means my tastes in protagonists must be inverted.
Hi, I'm Snake. I talk like Ken Kaniff from those old Eminem skits. I'm meant to be trying to stop terrorists launching a nuclear weapon but I've got time to flirt with this chick with a bangin' body and make a reference to "the battleferrrlllld" every other sentence. You're meant to identify with me.
This coupled with the fact that I generally like Link (whose character did develop in Wind Waker, at the very least, even though he wasn't able to give an "I have developed my character!" speech) means my tastes in protagonists must be inverted.
I didn't mind Desmond. I always assumed the reason he hung around was because he was just as curious as the Templar dude. Altair was ok in his own way too, from arrogant twat to more humble murderer. I can name tonnes worse.the protaginist said:
I always thought Link was ok too (although I haven't played Twilight Princess) Just like Gordon Freeman, he fits his purpose rather than being a mouthy twat.
As for Master Chief, he's not a bad character, they just leave a lot out. Why do we need to know? He's a genetically modified super soldier with a cool husky voice capable of killing wave upon wave of strange pointy people from another planet. Again, he fits his purpose.
However, I'd have to say one of the best characters ever (I know, kinda off topic) is Max Payne. That dude is fucked up.