All Time Greatest Game Hero

[Vampyr]

For anyone who doesn't know, Gamespot has been running a bracket-style popularity contest to determine the greatest video game hero of all time. Gamefaqs runs something like this every year, where people fill out a bracket, then the contest begins. It's almost always Mario/Cloud/Link who wins.

This tournament has been a bit more high class, with images/videos for each character, a nice looking picture for each ones profile, and some history for the character. As well as an actual decent looking bracket/voting system.

And this time, things may be about to change. The final round is currently going on, and Gordon Freeman (of Half-Life fame) is beating Mario (yes, that Mario), 60.2% to 39.8%.

Gordon beat Link in the last round in an epically close poll, something like 50.1% to 49.9%...up until Valve actually took an interest in the competition and began posting to their Facebook status as well as having an actual ad pop up in Steam asking people to support Gordon. After that he shot up to 59.4%. Prior to that he beat Snake by a margin so slim the system actually displayed each as having 50%.

Another notable upset includes Bub and Bob, who defeated Sonic and Master Chief. They also went on to defeat Samus, but it turns out there was some cheating going on with those votes, so Samus was named the victor.

You can see how everything has played out here:

http://www.gamespot.com/greatest-video-game-hero/index.html

[Combine 017]

Gordon Freeman is beating Mario , 60.2% to 39.8%.

Woooooo!

[Angrist]

Meh, Gordon is pretty boring.
I like Link. :)

[TheSlyMoogle]

Err well Gordon is kind of a hard-ass. He's one of those people that wasn't a badass but got thrown into a situation where he had to be one. Totally cooler than mario.

[Combine 017]

Freeman is the most badass theoretical physicist around.

[DarkMaster]

Most of these characters aren't even characters, though. Not to be hating on Gordon or Link or whatever, but these dudes are only as cool as the player controlling them. I mean they have no dialogue, it'd be like saying your Xbox avatar is the coolest character ever.

But whatever, I guess it's just a silly contest. Go Gordon!

[TheSlyMoogle]

Most of these characters aren't even characters, though. Not to be hating on Gordon or Link or whatever, but these dudes are only as cool as the player controlling them. I mean they have no dialogue, it'd be like saying your Xbox avatar is the coolest character ever.

But whatever, I guess it's just a silly contest. Go Gordon!

Mine is the coolest ever, he's a fucking old man... I love old men. YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

[KillerGremlin]

You know why Freeman beats Mario? Because despite all of Mario's triumphs, he still hasn't banged Princess Peach yet! Besides, Freeman is just a fucking awesome action hero. Half-Life is hands down the best linear, story-driven, single player FPS, EVER. Just talking about it is making me tingle in the pants. Time to go install Half-Life Source, bitches.

[Combine 017]

I wish I could install Half-Life Source. :(

[Angrist]

KG, you think Gorman got more action with Alyx than Mario with Peach? :rolleyes:

[Dylflon]

Yeah, I really wish they limited those contests to characters with personalities.

[BreakABone]

Most of these characters aren't even characters, though. Not to be hating on Gordon or Link or whatever, but these dudes are only as cool as the player controlling them. I mean they have no dialogue, it'd be like saying your Xbox avatar is the coolest character ever.

But whatever, I guess it's just a silly contest. Go Gordon!

You know this comes down to how you value video games because I think it is exactly those reasons why it came down to Mario and Gordon.

Beyond a few quips from Mario, they are like everyman, they are what you make them out to be. On paper, neither is really superhuman nor do they have much of a backstory, but through your own imagination and the world crafted around you, you get to appreciate the characters.

There has to be a reason why Mario remains revelant after 20+ years in the market, and why Gordon Freeman is heralded as a hero.

Snake grows old, Sonic has too much tude, the Prince was ruined by a darkside, and RPG characters are good for one game, but Mario and Gordon have shown flexibility.

Of course, I would have voted Mario but other day.

[Vampyr]

I get tired of people saying game heroes need personalities. It honestly annoys me when the character I'm playing as talks too much.

And besides, there are many ways to define a hero. We can define them by their accomplishments rather than their charisma.

[Dylflon]

I get tired of people saying game heroes need personalities. It honestly annoys me when the character I'm playing as talks too much.

And besides, there are many ways to define a hero. We can define them by their accomplishments rather than their charisma.

It comes down to those who like a good plot in their games and those who don't really care.

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a Mario game where Mario says things and reacts to the situations he's in.

Otherwise the characters are just an avatar and are interchangeable. If Mario was replaced by Luigi, or Gordon Freeman, the game would remain the same provided the mechanics don't change.

So instead of voting for characters (which they almost aren't), you're voting for which game franchise you like best.

I'm not saying platformers aren't as credible as other types of games or that they need stories, but in a character-based vote, I think personality should be what matters.

[TheGame]

It comes down to those who like a good plot in their games and those who don't really care.

Agreed.

Though.. to Mario and Link's credit.. I'd say the main character doesn't have to have a personality for a game to have a good plot.

Therefore, I think that some people are voting based off of how good the games are that the characters are in, opposed to how cool the chatacter themselves are.

[Combine 017]

Are you saying Half-Life doesnt have a plot?
And the reason Valve didnt give Gordon a voice is because they wanted the player to speak for him. Like if Alex said something stupid, you might tell her to shut up. Or if something explodes beside you, you might say "holy fucking shit balls!".
I mean, maybe not literally out loud, but in your mind.

I'm not saying platformers aren't as credible as other types of games or that they need stories, but in a character-based vote, I think personality should be what matters.
The problem with that is that characters have a limited personality. They will just say and do the same things.

[Vampyr]

The Free Man triumphs:

http://www.gamespot.com/greatest-video-game-hero/blog/index.html?topic_id=27072104&tag=topslot;img;2

[KillerGremlin]

Half-Life is pretty epic....more so than any Mario game, I would think. Not to undermine Mario. Through all the games Nintendo has kind of revealed Mario's personality, even if they don't really give him a direct voice. And he is basically Peach's bitch. :D

Games like Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64, and Paper Mario would all make me question this battle, but beating Half-Life did leave me feeling like a hero.

[BreakABone]

It comes down to those who like a good plot in their games and those who don't really care.

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a Mario game where Mario says things and reacts to the situations he's in.

Otherwise the characters are just an avatar and are interchangeable. If Mario was replaced by Luigi, or Gordon Freeman, the game would remain the same provided the mechanics don't change.

So instead of voting for characters (which they almost aren't), you're voting for which game franchise you like best.

I'm not saying platformers aren't as credible as other types of games or that they need stories, but in a character-based vote, I think personality should be what matters.

Even though its a newer term, I've always looked as video game characters as an avatar.

I don't want them to give long winded speeches or react to everything because it forces you to feel a certain way... its like the tracks TV shows have such as the laugh track or that "aaaaaaaaahhhh" sound effect for something sad.

Mario has always worked because there really is nothing special about him. He is a man in this mythical world who doesn't question it and go with it. And on the same hand, its why he is so easily pimped out. Oddly enough Nintendo has given everyone around him a personality, Wario, Luigi, and etc.

As for Freeman, I believe its the same as Adam say, you can gauge his thinking from the reactions of those around him, but on the same hand he is your eyes into the world, if they gave him a voice, it would screw up your idea of him.

Case and point, I don't care for the character of Master Chief and he only has a few lines of dialogue.

[Combine 017]

Case and point, I don't care for the character of Master Chief and he only has a few lines of dialogue.

Ya, the Chief is lame.
Thel 'Vadam is way cooler.

[KillerGremlin]

How can you not like Master Chief? Maybe I'm biased in that I never played through Halo 3 and I sort of played through Halo 2 and tried to erase all those horrible memories from my memory bank, but in Halo 1 Master Chief was the resident 'special weapon' badass that fucked shit up when things got too hairy for the marines.

Master Chief is pretty sweet.

[Vampyr]

From the Steam Facebook page:


To celebrate Gamespot's "All Time Greatest Game Hero" award to Half-Life's Dr. Gordon Freeman we are offering all Half-Life games at 55.8% off!

There
are other great game heroes, and we're gonna let you play with them,
but Gord...on Freeman is THE BEST GAME HERO OF ALL TIME at least according
to 55.8% of the gaming public.

[Angrist]

I don't know whether the Kane West reference is funny or really really lame.

[Terraeon]

In my opinion the block from Pong is the greatest game hero becuase he layed the foundation for all the other heroes lol