30 Days of Gaming: Day 2 (Your Favorite Character)
By wunder_ 11 Comments
Hi guys, thanks for those of you who took the time to read my first blog entry. Hope more of you will jump on the bandwagon and keep reading about my random video game interests! Maybe a few of you might want to take up the challenge too, but remember to give credit to Aurahack, I stole it from him~
Gordon Freeman
Hrm. This was a really hard choice. Gordon Freeman is probably one of the most iconic characters in video game history, next to Mario and other NES classics. What makes him extremely unique is that his character and his attitudes are constructed around his silent interactions with his companions and colleagues. It's remarkable that he's able to stand there as a figure created in the late 90s, with all the great mascots of the 80s. I think it's a true testament to Valve's storytelling that they can create the stereotypical hero, without having all the smarm and cockiness.
The silent protagonist role is a common one, but also extremely hard to give a character any, well, character. It's tough to build on his personality and how people feel about him, without him being able to talk. Having to rely on mainly outside forces to relay Gordon's personality is something that Valve managed to do well, with Barney being the bumbling sidekick, and the addition of Alyx as a potential love interest and a companion that can hold her own, it's clear that Gordon is the well-to-do hero.
In Half-Life one, there isn't that much known about Gordon. He's an excellent theoretical physicist and works at Black Mesa. He isn't in a high position of power in Black Mesa, and is actually late to work most of the time. However, after the events of the Resonance Cascade, Gordon manages to take the helm and manages to show G-man, and the player, that he is capable of being a hero. However, it is only in Half Life 2, where we truly see his leadership abilities. We see him rebel against the oppressive Combine, alongside with Alyx and the human resistance, and overthrow Breen and the Citadel. Of course, the story isn't finished, but one can see that Freeman has become an iconic figure in the few games he's been a part of, spanning across longer than a decade.
Freeman will always have a place in my heart, what Valve managed to pull off with a silent protagonist is nearly unparalleled, and should be awarded as such.
As always, please check out Aurahack's blog~ He's about 10 days ahead of me, so read his blog if you want to see what I'll be talking about tomorrow!
30 Days of Gaming Archive
12th March, 2011 - Day 1: Your Very First Video GameAs I promised in Day 1, here's a puppy.
EDIT: Images seem to be broken. COME BACK LATER AND SEE THE PUPPY.
