It’s no surprise that warfare is often romanticized and glorified in video games. The consequence of these stories is that video games often feature characters who are extraordinary soldiers. This is not a unique phenomenon to video games. Movies and other forms of fiction also have incredible soldiers.
But there’s something about video games that allows players to embody these remarkable individuals. It doesn’t matter if they are conquering impossible odds or leading huge armies with their legendary status, these soldiers have risen to become icons of the industry. Here are some of the best soldiers in all of gaming based on their ability to lead and defeat huge numbers of enemies.
10 Point Man (F.E.A.R.)
There are a lot of nameless soldiers in video games, but few of them have such a fleshed-out story as Point Man from the FEAR series. He was a remarkable soldier with psychic sensitivity who took out an entire psychic threat on his own. But his story gets even more complicated when it’s revealed that he’s actually the son of Alma, the series’ main psychic villain.
Things become even more twisted when he discovers that the secondary villain in the game, Paxton Fettel, is his brother. This creates a rounded-off mythology for the player to become connected to a soldier without a real name, especially when he returns later in the series.
- A natural proficiency for psychic phenomenon
- Defied and opposed his family history of villainy
9 Kratos (God Of War)
Players get so wrapped up in what Kratos accomplishes during the God Of War games that they may forget his past. The most prominent image of him is one of a lone warrior on a quest of solitude while taking down mythological beasts and corrupted gods along the way. But he was actually a soldier in an army before all of this.
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 doomed him to carry this mistake forever, thus beginning his journey in the hack-and-slash franchise.
- Killer of mythological beasts and deities
- Bloodthirsty leader of human armies
8 Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell)
It might be understandable for super spies to not be considered soldiers. After all, their mission isn’t often the same as an infantryman on the battlefield. But they still have an objective and orders to carry out. Plus, most of them actually started off as soldiers as they needed the training and with all to handle combat situations.
This is exactly where Sam Fisher falls. He’s the primary protagonist of the Splinter Cell series. By definition, a Splinter Cell is a lone operative that is dropped into an area he’s not supposed to be operating in and conducts espionage activities. It’s extremely dangerous, and Sam Fisher is the best.
- Conducts solo stealth mission in dangerous environments
- Dedicates his life to duty and his little else
7 Doom Slayer (Doom)
Doom Slayer is such an old character in the world of gaming that it wasn’t even really contemplated to give him a fully fleshed out 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 with his accomplishments and fan appeal. The iconic cover art image of him in hell taking on an entire horde of demons by himself is what makes him a truly remarkable soldier. This carries over into gameplay as the game allows multiple weapons and abilities to overcome impossible odds.
- A virtual one-man army against demonic forces
- Overcomes overwhelming odds to win at all costs
6 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
It’s hard to think of a soldier who has a more difficult mission than Commander Shepard. Sure, there are tons of soldiers in video games that face incredible odds and universe-ending threats. But Commander Shepherd has to deal with something that not a lot of them trouble themselves with: politics. The world of Mass Effect is filled with many different alien species, all with their own agendas, egos, and cultures. Entering this field as a relative newcomer, Shepherd has to find a way to unite all of these races towards a common threat. It’s not an easy task, as evident by the game’s controversial ending.
- A natural-born leader for humanity
- Inspirational to all species, not just humans
5 Rico Rodriguez (Just Cause)
It’s almost inevitable that soldiers in video games are going to run into politics. Sometimes this isn’t really an issue. But in a game that’s all about overthrowing corrupt governments, it’s hard to separate the politics from a soldier’s mission. Rico Rodriguez stars in Just Cause and does just that.
Even the game’s title refers to the fact that his mission is noble and just. And it’s hard not to admire just how successful he is at his job. He’s a single operative who’s dropped into a hostile country and orchestrates its downfall. He may not have a super suit of armor, but he is still full of notable accomplishments.
- Political disruptor to corrupt governments
- Operates solo within an entire country
4 Marcus Fenix (Gears Of War)
Just given his upbringing alone, Marcus Phoenix is one of the most unique characters on this list. This is because, unlike most soldiers, he wasn’t raised from nothing. He was born to privilege from a very wealthy family. And yet, Marcus’s rugged exterior led him to become a fan favorite from Gears of War.
In fact, it was his grizzled demeanor that made him one of the COGs most formidable forces when the Locust attacked. He’s extremely passionate and loyal, which leads him to disobey orders and get thrown in prison. But even still, Marcus never gives up on a fight, and humanity wouldn’t have survived without him.
- Inspires by example rather than words
- Defied privileged upbringing for a life of duty
- Finds a way to win despite desperate situations
3 Prophet (Crysis)
Soldiers might be nothing more than weapons for governments and armies to use as they wish. In terms of video games, this concept has been 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 up his life in order to turn his entire body into a weapon. And just when it seemed as if he had given up the ultimate sacrifice, the Prophet was brought back as a copy of his mind for the third installment of the series.
- Technologically advanced to be a one-man army
- Gave up his entire prior life to become a weapon
2 Master Chief (Halo)
It’s amazing just how much of an icon of a soldier Master Chief has become after appearing in one of the greatest FPS ever. His backstory was incredibly fleshed out in the Halo novels and there wasn’t any 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 the unstoppable Covenant army.
But when the Covenant arrived on the scene, Master Chief quickly shifted his mission to win at all costs. It’s a running theme throughout the Halo series that no matter what, Master Chief has a singular focus to accomplish his mission.
- Tortured and trained to become a super soldier
- A natural proficiency for being lucky
- Inspirational for all of humanity’s forces
Even though he has nanotech enhancements and other science fiction elements to improve his performance, Solid Snake isn’t nearly on the level of other super soldiers on this list. But he embodies something far more important. Solid Snake rises above the concept of a single soldier to be an individual who carries himself in a world of warfare and politics like no other.
Big Boss, AKA Naked Snake, tried to accomplish this on numerous occasions. But in the end, Big Boss’s ego to change the world got the better of him. Solid Snake separated himself from such geopolitics and instead followed his moral compass to simply do the right thing.
- A legend among soldiers and mercenaries
- Philosophical on the nature of soldiers and politics
- Infiltrates enemy strongholds by himself