Who is the greatest video game protagonist of all time?

Mascots built to sell consoles sit next to characters written to be argued about.

1. 1
   Mario

   Nintendo's plumber, the most recognisable character in games and the star of four decades of platformers.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Cloud Strife

   The spiky-haired mercenary of Final Fantasy VII and the face of the JRPG boom.
   943pts
3. 3
   Link

   The silent hero of The Legend of Zelda, reincarnated across every era of the series.
   709pts
4. 4
   Gordon Freeman

   Half-Life's silent physicist, a protagonist defined entirely by what the player does.
   640pts
5. 5
   Nathan Drake

   Uncharted's wisecracking treasure hunter and the model for the cinematic action game.
   585pts
6. 6
   Arthur Morgan

   Red Dead Redemption 2's outlaw, widely called the best-written character Rockstar has made.
   585pts
7. 7
   Ellie

   The Last of Us survivor who carries the series from passenger to lead.
   524pts
8. 8
   Sonic the Hedgehog

   Sega's mascot, built as the fast, attitude-heavy answer to Mario.
   454pts
9. 9
   Lara Croft

   The Tomb Raider archaeologist who became gaming's first global crossover star.
   374pts
10. 10
    Samus Aran

    Metroid's bounty hunter, whose 1986 reveal reshaped what a game hero could look like.
    374pts
11. 11
    Geralt of Rivia

    The Witcher's monster hunter, whose games made him better known than the novels.
    374pts
12. 12
    Commander Shepard

    Mass Effect's customisable commander, whose choices carried across a whole trilogy.
    374pts
13. 13
    Kratos

    God of War's Spartan, rebuilt from a vengeance machine into a reluctant father.
    282pts
14. 14
    Master Chief

    Halo's armoured super-soldier, the face of Xbox since 2001.
    175pts
15. 15
    Carl 'CJ' Johnson

    Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas's returning son, the most beloved protagonist in the series.
    175pts
16. 16
    Solid Snake

    Metal Gear Solid's infiltrator, the centre of one of gaming's most ambitious stories.
    48pts