Countless badasses appear across the video game medium. These characters embody prowess in combat and success against overwhelming odds. Simultaneously, badasses perform enormous feats through sheer skill and unflinching resolve. A character must demonstrate each of these virtues to earn the title of badass.
Only characters who predominantly appear in a video game series will appear on the list. Characters like Batman, who may appear in video games but originally come from another medium, will not be examined. With that said, here are our top five video game badasses.
Number Five – Samus Aran
Samus Aran is a fearless bounty hunter and ex-soldier of the Galactic Federation. Her power armor has numerous abilities and weapons to help her defeat any alien threat. She can fire rockets and energy beams. Her suit allows her to grapple across large gaps or form into a ball to pass through narrow tunnels. Samus’ visor can scan her surroundings for information or help her see in dark areas.
Samus has repeatedly foiled the plans of a group of alien outlaws called the Space Pirates. She has single-handedly defeated their leader Ridley on several occasions. Samus even saves an entire planet on the brink of annihilation in Metroid Prime II: Echoes. Most notably, she defeats a series of rival bounty hunters in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Later, she saves the entire galaxy from the spread of a dangerous element called Phazon by destroying the planet Phaaze. Her biggest flaw is complete reliance on her power suit. Without her suit, her abilities become far more limited.
Number Four – B.J. Blazkowicz
B.J. is a marine who fought the Nazis in WWII but becomes comatose for over a decade after suffering a traumatic head injury. He later wakes up in a nightmarish world ruled by a global Nazi empire. Instead of surrendering to evil, B.J. refuses to accept the new status quo and leads a crusade against the Nazis’ tyranny. He never stops fighting for freedom and takes on any challenge the Nazis give him.
Throughout his years of combat, B.J. survives fights against hundreds of Nazi soldiers. B.J. liberates an entire concentration camp and infiltrates a Nazi base on the Moon. He later kills Hitler himself. B.J. shows proficiency with several firearms and military equipment, including assault rifles, shotguns, and grenades. B.J. even demonstrates prowess in stealth, eliminating entire rooms of Nazi soldiers without being seen once. His feats in the face of pure evil make him the ultimate soldier.
Number Three – Master Chief
Master Chief is a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier with excellent proficiency in all manner of firearms. He can dual wield two different weapons at once if necessary. Chief even demonstrates great control over land and air vehicles. He has foiled the Covenant and saved all sentient life across the galaxy from extermination more than once. Chief can stand against even the most powerful members of the Covenant’s armies like the Elites and Brutes.
His steadfast determination allows him to find a winning strategy in the worst scenarios. Chief successfully rescues Cortana from High Charity in Halo 3 while surviving an onslaught of Flood. In Halo 2, he rides a bomb through outer space and then detonates the bomb inside a Covenant spaceship. The Master Chief has even escaped the destruction of a Halo ring more than once, a feat many thought was impossible. His heroism and ability to survive under enormous pressure make him one of the greatest video game badasses.
Number Two – Darth Revan
Darth Revan is a former Jedi who defied the orders of the Jedi Council and saved the Galactic Republic. When the Mandalorian clans nearly conquered the Republic in a war, Revan assumed command of Republic forces and subsequently destroyed the Mandalorians. He, or she, won many strategic victories against the Mandalorians and eventually killed their leader Mandalore.
Eventually, Revan fell to the dark side and became a powerful Sith Lord. Following the light side path for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Revan eventually becomes a Jedi once again to defeat his old apprentice Darth Malak. He kills Malak and saves the Republic a second time. Mastering both the dark and light side of the Force, Revan’s abilities outmatch many other Jedi and Sith. Outside mastery over the Force, Revan’s victory against the Mandalorian clans demonstrates his tactical prowess as a military commander. His nearly unrivaled abilities earn him the title of second-most video game badass.
Number One – Doom Slayer
The Doom Slayer embodies every virtue of a badass. The Slayer is not simply a man but an unstoppable demigod who is feared by every demon from Hell. For centuries, the Slayer has waged an endless war against Hell’s armies. His proficiency with every weapon in his arsenal makes him the perfect warrior. The Slayer uses shotguns, rifles, rocket launchers, and even a chainsaw to slaughter hordes of demons. He can even rip demons apart with his bare hands if necessary.
Throughout the years, the Slayer has accomplished amazing feats. In Doom: Eternal, the Slayer single-handedly stops a demonic invasion of Earth. When the Slayer needs to reach the inner core of Mars, he fires a giant gun and creates a hole in the Martian surface. Even when an extradimensional civilization intervenes to stop the Slayer from ending Hell’s invasion of Earth, the Slayer kills their matriarch and still succeeds. Nothing can stop his crusade against evil. Against overwhelming odds, the Slayer has limitless resolve. His stalwart defense of humanity earns him the undisputed title of best video game badass.
Honorable Mention – Duke Nukem
Whether killing aliens or saving babes, Duke Nukem is the classic 90s badass. Duke has saved the Earth from an alien invasion more than once. He can use many different firearms and explosives. Duke even has a shrink ray to shrink aliens and crush them beneath his boot. His other equipment includes a jetpack, scuba gear, and holograms.
Duke is a spoof of 90s action heroes with many memorable one-liners and cheesy comebacks. Sadly, Duke has fallen into disgrace after the disastrous release of Duke Nukem: Forever. Since then, Duke remains a relic of the 90s, but his firm place in the history of badasses earns him an honorable mention.
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