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-vid...ero/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]

Originally Posted by 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!

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?

[Dylflon]

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

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by 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!

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Dylflon

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.