The action hero trope never gets old. Nothing is more thrilling than watching a butt-kicking protagonist dangle from a cliff, run away from an explosion, or shoot a bad guy while spouting a one-liner. Whether they’re subtle and nuanced or cheesy and full of quips, they’re always satisfying to play as in video games.
Some of the most famous game series, like Metal Gear Solid and Uncharted, star action heroes who laugh in the face of danger and can escape even the most dire scenarios. The archetype has become a staple in gaming, leading to many awesome moments and iconic characters.
10 Samus Aran Is One Of The Coolest Nintendo Characters
Aliens beware, you’re in for a scare. This galactic bounty hunter from the Metroid series is brutal. Unlike most action heroes, Samus is quiet and reserved. She’ll stare an enemy down and ruthlessly destroy it without speaking a word. Talk about menacing.
Samus is essentially a one-woman army. She makes exploring the dangerous caverns of planet Zebes look like a stroll in the park and can annihilate an entire species of aliens by herself. But under that stoic exterior is a compassionate heart that will show mercy under certain circumstances.
9 Duke Nukem Is The Epitome Of Awesome
He’s here to kick butt and chew bubble gum. And he’s all out of gum. Duke Nukem is like if the Terminator and Rambo had a really buff baby. He’s a government operative who gets hired to wipe out armies of aliens and looks cool doing it.
Duke is a parody of ’80s action movie heroes. He’s dripping with confidence and has an endless supply of delightfully cheesy one-liners, many of which reference iconic films. He even has a passion for music. Watching him blow an alien’s head off before singing Stayin’ Alive never stops being funny.
8 Dante From Devil May Cry Hunts Demons With Ease
If you combine gothic mythology with anime superpowers, you get Dante from Devil May Cry. This half-demon bounty hunter is one of Capcom’s most iconic characters.
He’s had many redesigns over the years and never lost his laid-back and carefree attitude. Almost nothing phases him. He can get impaled by a sword and shrug it off, or watch someone burst through his wall and assume they just really need to use the bathroom. But don’t let his demeanor fool you. He’s a skilled fighter whose demonic powers let him mow down enemies easily.
7 Bayonetta Is A Powerful Witch
Arguably PlatinumGames’ most famous character, Bayonetta is well-aware that she’s always the most powerful person in the room. She doesn’t just kill her enemies, she plays with them first, constantly taunting and teasing her opponents before unleashing a barrage of powerful attacks.
Bayonetta is a shape-shifting witch who wakes up from a 500-year slumber to realize the rest of her people have been wiped out. She uses a mix of firearms and devastating magical attacks to destroy anything that gets in her way. She even has guns implanted in the heels of her shoes. It doesn’t get any cooler than that.
6 Max Payne Is A Gritty Detective
His name is a pun, but he’s no joke. Max Payne feels like he was taken out of a crime thriller graphic novel. He has everything you’d want from a neo-noir detective: a gritty, no-nonsense personality and plenty of inner monologues where he narrates his actions and broods over his tragic backstory.
Max is basically a human tank, unafraid to barge in on a drug ring operation with no armor or backup. As a rogue cop, he’s more than willing to solve problems with his fists. He can single-handedly defeat hoards of bad guys and dodge bullets Matrix-style. You do not want to get on his bad side.
5 Ellie Is The Heart And Soul Of The Last Of Us
Most action heroes have an endless supply of quips and remain calm in the face of danger. Ellie from The Last Of Us is more grounded. She’s a teenager who’s put in a post-apocalyptic nightmare full of zombies and cannibals. It’s impossible not to root for her.
She may be young, but she’s more than capable of putting up a fight and can even talk her way out of dire scenarios. While she can be foul-mouthed and extremely blunt, she manages to maintain some semblance of childlike wonder.
4 Jill Valentine From Resident Evil Is An Iconic Hero
Jill Valentine has the most stressful job on the planet. Throughout the Resident Evil series, she encounters some truly horrifying things. She gets brainwashed, relentlessly pursued by an eight-foot-tall bazooka-wielding zombie, and watches many of her friends die. Despite all of that, she never gives up hope for the future.
The remake of Resident Evil 3 turns her into a more grounded and nuanced character. If you want some schlocky action with catchy one-liners, you can always revisit the PS1 classics. Either way, she’s always cool to play as.
3 Nathan Drake From Uncharted Is Endlessly Charming
This wise-cracking treasure hunter is basically the video game equivalent of Indiana Jones. Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series always has a snarky comeback and remains cool as a cucumber during the most intense situations. Pirates are attacking his ship? Not a problem. Someone has a gun pointed at his face? He’s seen worse.
Drake travels the world using his love for reading and extensive knowledge of history to find lost treasure. While he acts like he doesn’t take anything seriously, he’s an outstanding investigator and is famous for being able to escape even the most impossible scenarios.
2 Lara Croft Is A Legendary Protagonist
No one is more synonymous with action-adventure games than Lara Croft from Tomb Raider. This fearless archaeologist adventures around the globe to explore the most dangerous catacombs and caverns. You know someone is brave when they have the audacity to wear short sleeves during a blizzard.
Lara uses her high intellect, incredible martial arts skills, and a lot of luck to escape death countless times. She never shows weakness, even in extreme circumstances. She brings plenty of sarcasm to the fight and is unafraid to pull out a quip in the face of danger.
1 Solid Snake Is The Most Iconic Action Hero
Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid is one of the most famous video game characters ever. Many action heroes like to burst through the door, guns blazing. Snake is more calculating and subtle, specializing in stealth and espionage missions.
With an IQ of 180, fluency in six languages, and a barrage of combat skills, there’s no obstacle he can’t overcome. He has full control of his emotions, remaining reserved with a bitter sense of humor, even with a gun pointed at him. He’s a gaming icon with a legacy that will live forever.
