The best heroes in video games are famous characters with legendary backstories. These figures might signify a lot to many people, whether they be someone you admire, someone you relate to, or someone you want to learn more about.
In addition, these video game heroes have carved out a legacy that is often more popular than the games themselves.
Additionally, Characters like Sonic, Samus Aran, and Master Chief are the types of heroes who stick with you long after you’ve completed their game.
Maybe they educate you more about humanity and justice or make decisions in-game that help you with a problem you’re dealing with in real life.
Furthermore, these characters are all heroic legends, no matter what they do or who they are. We’ve compiled a list of the 21 best heroes in video games history in an impressively diverse list that spans eras and genres.
1. Ellie (The Last Of Us)
Ellie is Naughty Dog’s zombie narrative’s thudding heart and sympathetic soul, ensuring that it was more than just another undead shooting party. She’s the ideal foil for Joel, the widowed smuggler you control for most of the game.
And she avoids the clichéd damsel in distress situations that so many female characters are forced into. While Joel handles the majority of the fighting, Ellie is the one who gives us something to fight for.
Additionally, she’s just a regular adolescent girl – who likes blueberries and carries a joke book. She also has to maintain a semblance of innocence in the face of a terrifying pandemic.
Furthermore, the role reversal in The Last of Us, when she has to become the caregiver and face the horrors of the world on her own, feels all the more desperate because of the bond you create with her as Joel.
Ashley Johnson, the actress who provided the motion capture and voice acting for Ellie and helped define her character, deserves credit for the film’s success.
We have no idea what Naughty Dog has planned for Ellie and us in The Last of Us 2, but goddamn it, I want to be there to find out.
2. Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
Arthur Morgan is one of the best heroes in video game history. Many were unsure if Arthur Morgan could live up to John Marston when he first appeared in the Red Dead Redemption 2 teaser.
Furthermore, after completing the game, Arthur became one of the best, if not the best, protagonists of all time. Arthur is an outcast who has come to terms with his identity. Nonetheless, he fights with it as well.
After all, Arthur has a history of committing crimes and causing harm to others. Rather than lamenting his mistakes or begging forgiveness, he seeks to do the right thing.
However, after spending so much time with Arthur, the players genuinely wanted him to succeed.
In addition, Arthur Morgan is a one-of-a-kind figure who may never be duplicated. Anyone on the fence about playing RDR2 should at least read Arthur’s notebook as he travels around America at the turn of the century.
3. The Demi-Fiend (Shin Megami Tensei 3): Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne’s primary character is the Demi-Fiend. The game was first released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 and then remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2021.
Based on the God-destroying powers he achieves by the game’s finale, Nocturne’s Demi-Fiend is by far the most potent protagonist in any videogame.
Additionally, he possesses omnipotent power and can defeat the God of all creation, giving him control over all multiverses.
If the Demi-Fiend follows the path of the True Demon, he will put an end to the cycle of Death and Rebirth, as well as the universe and the concept of time.
Furthermore, Characters such as Amaterasu can create the world around them, but the Demi-Fiend can destroy the multiverse and everything within it.
4. Nathan Drake (Uncharted Series)
Nathan Drake is one of the best heroes in video games history. The protagonist of the Uncharted series is gaming Harrison Ford.
Like Han Solo, he’s a scoundrel with a golden heart who always manages to save the day despite his devil-may-care attitude.
His knack for treasure-hunting and ancient civilization knowledge is more than a little inspired by Indiana Jones.
Always ready with a true zinger of a quip or the near-infinite upper-body power to scramble his way up just about anything, Nathan’s enormously appealing and immediately sympathetic to anyone who’s had to grapple with an awful day.
Furthermore, Nate’s company reflects his moral character; his romance with Elena is one of the most accurate, empathic romances in AAA gaming. His connection with Elena is one of the most realistic, empathetic romances.
5. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect Series)
Few games can maintain character continuity and the Mass Effect series. Commander Shepard, the player character, goes on a three-game journey.
Additionally, Players have the option of customizing their backgrounds to varying degrees. Furthermore, Commander Shepard is a terrific video game hero because of his decisions throughout the games.
Many crucial characters could survive or die over the trilogy, depending on Shepard’s choices. Fans will recall the heartbreaking DLC Citadel, in which the squad has a sort of “Last Supper” before embarking on the ultimate suicide mission to eliminate the Reapers.
6. Amaterasu (Okami)
Amaterasu from Okami is one of the best heroes in video games history. There are few fictional figures with more power than Amaterasu from Okami. She can make anything she wants.
Stars, ice, lightning, weather, bridges, trees, wind, fire, water, bombs, and anything else fall into this category. She can also slow time and cut anything from buildings to trees and stone.
Additionally, she is also a healer, able to bring dead plants back to life. She can manufacture anything in seconds, so it requires minimal effort.
However, her ability to create anything serves as her ultimate weapon and shield, allowing her to defeat any other video game character. Amaterasu is endowed with godlike skills that have no bounds, thanks to the power of creation.
7. Joel (The Last Of Us)
Joel is another Naughty Dog character who is the polar opposite of Nathan Drake. The Last of Us is a bleak, melancholy story about survival and grief.
Joel is a shell of his former self twenty years after the death of his daughter and a literal zombie apocalypse.
It’s implied that he’s engaged in some questionable behavior to survive this long. However, there is little doubt that external factors influenced these activities. It isn’t until he takes care of Ellie that he realizes he has something to fight for.
Additionally, the story of The Last Of Us is driven by his father-daughter connection with Ellie. Joel makes one of the most morally questionable decisions in video game history in the finale.
8. Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn)
Aloy from horizon zero dawn is next on our list of best heroes in video games history. Being an outcast has the potential to make you resentful.
I wouldn’t blame you if you resented a society that had disregarded you your entire life or if you were hesitant to aid anyone because you’d been fighting alone for so long.
Despite being sent to the Nora tribe’s outskirts, Aloy hasn’t held a grudge. However, merely being a decent human does not make someone a hero.
The Seeker is a hero because she utilizes her long history of persecution to fuel her insatiable curiosity about why she’s been rejected. Additionally, Deep down, Aloy merely wants to understand the world around her, and she doesn’t laugh when she discovers that Nora’s gods are AI.
9. Kassandra ( Assassin’s Creed Odyssey)
On Metacritic, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is one of the highest-rated games in the franchise. Kassandra, one of the game’s two possible heroines, holds a lot of the game’s charm. Her no-nonsense, humble approach seems to go well with her destructive powers.
Helping her navigate the game’s various twists and turns has a unique quality that no other AC game has matched since the first one with Desmond. Despite the success of the most recent installment, Valhalla, many fans prefer to revisit Kassandra.
10. Asura- Asura’s Wrath
Asura’s WratWrath’sn character is one of the most powerful and best heroes in videos games history. He is a demigod and a god-killer who exacts vengeance on gods and deities the size of cities and planets.
Furthermore, Aura’s strength comes from his wratWrathich was inspired by the Dragon Ball anime series and should offer fans of that series an idea of Asura’s potency. Even figures like Kratos, another rage-fueled warrior, would be overwhelmed by Asura’s savagery.
11. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect Series)
What’s fascinating about Commander Shepard is that no single, definitive version of the spacefaring hero exists.
“My Shepard” is everyday phrase fans use while discussing the character. While many games with customizable protagonists at the time were left with a blank (or silent) slate, BioWare expertly blended player choices with a defined persona and history. Furthermore, you may be brutal or forgiving, greedy or generous.
Still, you were always the first human Spectre on a mission to save the galaxy from extinction, and your decisions were always backed up by top-notch voice acting and writing.
Additionally, this creates a strong bond between players and their interpretation of Shepard, allowing the character to appeal to a broader audience.
12. Kratos (The God Of War Series)
Due to his high death count of gods, Kratos is frequently regarded as the most powerful video game character. He was able to eliminate the entire Greek pantheon. He is a divine being.
While many of the heroes on this list have killed gods, Kratos makes it appear simple. Meanwhile, he’s been to Hell and back, and he’s killed his way out each time.
His opponents’ magic, stature, intelligence, and strength never seem to deter him. Furthermore, he’s had a lot of battle experience and can pinpoint anyone’s weak spot.
13. Geralt (The Witcher Series)
Next on our list of best heroes in video game history is Geralt in The Witcher series. Geralt is a fantastic hero precisely because he isn’t one.
While other characters on this list may shine with noble righteousness or strive admirably against adversity to rise above conflict, Geralt is considerably more intriguing than those stereotypes.
He’s a genuine guy living in the real world, surrounded by assholes and nonsense, and he doesn’t need to cater to any of it.
Furthermore, he’s a decent person in general, but he’s not flawless and has no desire to be. As a result, everything feels relatable and emotional when you play as Geralt, from the biggest monster hunt to the slightest local annoyance.
14. Master Chief (Halo Series)
Sierra 117, Master Chief John. He is a guy of many names and talents who has saved the galaxy from extinction.
Master Chief has grown as a character from his first appearance in Halo to his impending sequel, Halo Infinite, providing additional weight to his actions and the bond he shares with Cortana.
In addition, he is a supersoldier who also has feelings, as evidenced by 343 Industries’ work with him in Halo 4 and 5. While his humanity allows us to empathize with John, his alien butt-kicking skill puts him on the map.
15. John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
Like many of the characters on this list, John Marston can’t seem to get away from his past. The federal government forces John, a former member of the Van Der Linde gang, to track down the surviving members. If he does not, he will never be able to see his family again.
Additionally, Rob Wiethoff’s voice brings a lot of nuance to this character, who is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Despite his troubles, he is adamant about completing the work and returning to his family.
Furthermore, the prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, delves more into John’s reasons. As the games demonstrate, he genuinely desired to raise his family as a rancher. However, once an outlaw, always an outlaw.
16. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider Series)
Lara Croft is the first female video game protagonist. While being heavily sexualized (because of her triangle breasts), she managed to attract a new gaming audience in the shape of young girls.
Because Lara Croft wasn’t just pretty when she arrived, she was also bright, fearless, and capable of doing anything a male adventurer could, such as plunging headfirst (literally) into tombs full of lethal traps, evading large rolling boulders, and solving puzzles.
Furthermore, there aren’t many video game characters who have gone from being just a character in a game to appearing in commercials, movies, and other media. And, of course, she’s also been transformed into a modern-day hero, with the help of the
17. Samus Aran (Metroid Series)
Next on our list of best heroes in video games, history is Samus Aran. At the end of the original Metroid, Samus Aran, the series’ mainly quiet protagonist, was revealed to be a woman, shocking gamers.
Furthermore, when you finish the game soon enough, you’ll be able to see Samus outside of her Power Suit, which leads to the first reveal.
Samus’ space escapades and valor immediately propelled her to stardom, one of her Alien series inspirations, alongside Ridley.
Additionally, Samus speaks through her actions as an interstellar bounty hunter rather than words. She’s wiped out the Metroid race, demolished Space Pirate bases, and defied instructions to save others. Samus is a dangerous opponent even when she isn’t wearing her Power Suit.
18. Bayonetta (The Bayonetta Series)
Bayonetta is a Bullet Witch with a wide range of skills. She is an immortal who travels beyond space and quickly re-enters the earth’s atmosphere. She possesses unimaginable superhuman strength, as seen by tossing skyscrapers and tanks like toys.
Furthermore, Bayonetta can also master any weapon, summon demons, shapeshift, manipulate time, etc. After struggling with Jubileus, she has also demonstrated power enough to defeat a deity.
Perhaps even more intriguing, Bayonetta’s abilities have no time restriction, making her potentially even more potent than Dante from the Devil May Cry series.
19. Clementine (Telltales Walking Dead)
Clementine in Telltales walking dead is also one of the best heroes in video games history. Clementine’s story is one of the most human and emotional I’ve ever read.
Additionally, her adventure through the apocalypse of The Walking Dead began when she was only eight years old.
While her parents undoubtedly influenced her, it appears that Lee Everett shaped a large part of Clementine’s personality. Lee was a wise and kind leader who took extra care to guide Clementine into the new environment.
However, these are attributes that Clementine would adopt through her eight years of surviving as she and AJ migrated from group to group. While many characters grow older and change across their series, few do so with the players that control them.
20. BJ Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein Series)
Giving an accurate, emotional, and philosophical soul to the hero of a game where you can shred mecha-Nazis with dual-wielded shotguns takes a unique blend of careful writing and perfectly pitched performance, but the modern Wolfenstein games and The New Colossusnail it.
Additionally, unlike most games, the main difference is that the contemporary Wolfensteins are primarily concerned with a hero who has previously failed.
Everything is lost by the time The New Order gets to the second mission. Furthermore, the Nazis have triumphed, the world is theirs, and there is no longer any resistance.
21. Link (The Legend Of Zelda Series)
Last on our list of best Heroes for video games Is Link in The Legend of Zelda series. Humble beginnings, bravery in the face of ultimate horrors, and undeserved rewards are all part of the story.
For almost 30 years, Link has walked the hero’s path, beginning as an ordinary youngster and progressing through a course of adventure and personal growth to become an evil-defeating, green-garbed warrior of legend.
Additionally, as the holder of the Triforce of Courage, Link never shies away from a challenge, whether battling monstrous monsters, defeating ancient villains, or competing in rupee-gathering competitions.
Link is not merely brave; he is the personification of courage and heroism, embarking on epic missions on his own, assisting those in need no matter how modest the task, and displaying his kind-hearted soul to everyone he meets. Furthermore, Link performs all of this for little more than the occasional reward.
