The 10 Best Soldiers in Video Games, Ranked
It’s no surprise that warfare is often romanticized and glamorized in video games. The consequence of these stories is that video games often feature characters who are exceptional soldiers. This is not a unique phenomenon to video games. There are also incredible soldiers in films and other novels.
But there’s something about video games that allows players to embody these remarkable personalities. It doesn’t matter whether they’re overcoming impossible odds or leading vast armies with their legendary status, these soldiers have become icons in the industry. Here are some of the best soldiers in all of gaming based on their ability to lead and defeat large numbers of enemies.
10 Point Man (fear)
There are many nameless soldiers in video games, but few of them have as detailed a story as Point Man from the FEAR series. He was a remarkable soldier with psychic sensitivity who took out an entire psychic threat single-handedly. But his story gets even more complicated when it’s revealed that he’s actually the son of Alma, the series’ biggest psychic villain.
Things get even more twisted when he finds out that the game’s second villain, Paxton Fettel, is his brother. This creates a well-rounded mythology that allows the player to connect with a soldier without a real name, especially when he returns later in the series.
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A natural talent for psychic phenomena
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Defied and defied his family history of villainy
9 Kratos (god of war)
Players become so engrossed in what Kratos accomplishes during the God Of War games that they may forget his past. His best-known image is that of a lone warrior who sets out to find solitude, defeating mythical beasts and corrupted gods. But before all that, he was actually a soldier in an army.
He was a ruthless and brutal leader who led his troops with great inspiration. In fact, his bloodlust and worship of the first god of war was so great that it actually cost him his family and condemned him to carry this flaw forever, and thus began his journey in the hack and slash series.
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Killers of mythological beasts and deities
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Bloodthirsty leader of human armies
8th Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell)
It might be understandable that super spies are not considered soldiers. After all, their mission is often not the same as that of an infantryman on the battlefield. But they still have a goal and orders to follow. Furthermore, most of them actually started out as soldiers, as they needed training and were familiar with all the tools needed to deal with combat situations.
This is where Sam Fisher falters. He is the main protagonist of the Splinter Cell series. By definition, a Splinter Cell is a single agent who is dropped into an area where it is not supposed to operate and conducts espionage activities. It’s extremely dangerous and Sam Fisher is the best.
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Perform solo stealth missions in dangerous environments
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Dedicates his life to duty and his little remainder
7 Doom Slayer (Doom)
Doom Slayer is such an old character in the world of gaming that it hasn’t even really been thought of to give him a detailed backstory. This trend more or less continues with the latest installment as Doom fans continue to love the series. Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by his accomplishments and fan appeal. The iconic cover image of him fighting alone in Hell against a whole horde of demons makes him a truly remarkable soldier. This carries over to the gameplay, as the game allows for multiple weapons and abilities to overcome impossible odds.
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A virtual one-man army against demonic forces
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Overcome overwhelming odds to win at all costs
6 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
There is hardly a soldier who has a more difficult mission than Commander Shepard. Sure, there are tons of soldiers in video games who face incredible odds and universe-destroying threats. But Commander Shepherd has to deal with something not many of them deal with: politics. The world of Mass Effect is full of different alien species, all with their own agendas, egos and cultures. Shepherd enters this field as a relative newcomer and must find a way to unite all of these races in the fight against a common threat. It’s no easy task, as the game’s controversial ending shows.
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A born leader of humanity
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Inspiring for all species, not just humans
5 Rico Rodriguez (Just Cause)
It’s almost inevitable that soldiers in video games will get involved in politics. Sometimes that’s actually not a problem. But in a game about overthrowing corrupt governments, it’s difficult to separate politics from a soldier’s mission. Rico Rodriguez stars in Just Cause and does just that.
Even the game’s title references the fact that its mission is noble and just. And it’s hard not to admire how successful he is at his job. He is a lone agent who is sent into an enemy country and orchestrates its downfall. Although he doesn’t have super armor, he can still look back on notable achievements.
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Political disruption factor for corrupt governments
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Operates alone throughout the country
4 Marcus Fenix (Gears Of War)
Based on his upbringing alone, Marcus Phoenix is one of the most unique characters on this list. Because unlike most soldiers, he wasn’t raised from nothing. He was born into privilege from a very wealthy family. And yet Marcus’ tough exterior made him a favorite of Gears of War fans.
In fact, it was his grizzled demeanor that made him one of the COG’s most dangerous forces when the Locust attacked. He is extremely passionate and loyal, which leads to him disobeying orders and being thrown into prison. Nevertheless, Marcus never gives up a fight and humanity would not have survived without him.
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Inspires through examples rather than words
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Defied a privileged upbringing for a life of duty
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Finds a way to win despite desperate situations
3 Prophet (Crysis)
Soldiers could become nothing more than weapons for governments and armies to use at will. In terms of video games, this concept was intensified with the introduction of the super soldier. There have been many in the world of gaming, but perhaps none have sacrificed more than Prophet in Crysis.
He was a character who literally gave his life to turn his entire body into a weapon. And just when it seemed like he had given up on the ultimate sacrifice, the Prophet was brought back as a copy of his mind for the third part of the series.
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Technologically advanced to be a one-man army
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Gave up his entire previous life to become a weapon
2 Master Chief (Halo)
It’s amazing how much of an icon of a soldier Master Chief has become after appearing in one of the greatest FPS of all time. His backstory was fleshed out incredibly in the Halo novels and there was no question about how he became a super soldier and what it cost him to get there. What’s even more remarkable is that he wasn’t even created to fight against the unstoppable Covenant army.
But when the Alliance arrived on the scene, Master Chief quickly changed his mission to win at all costs. It’s a common thread throughout the entire Halo series: no matter what happens, Master Chief has a single focus on completing his mission.
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Tortured and trained to be a super soldier
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A natural ability to be lucky
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Inspiring to all the powers of humanity
Although he has nanotechnology enhancements and other sci-fi elements to enhance his performance, Solid Snake is nowhere near the level of the other super soldiers on this list. But he embodies something far more important. Rising above the concept of a single soldier, Solid Snake is an individual who emerges like no other in a world of war and politics.
Big Boss, also known as Naked Snake, has attempted to achieve this on multiple occasions. But in the end, Big Boss let his ego to change the world get the better of him. Solid Snake distanced himself from such geopolitics and instead followed his moral compass to simply do the right thing.
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A legend among soldiers and mercenaries
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Philosophical about the nature of soldiers and politics
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Infiltrate enemy fortresses yourself
