Resident Evil 4's leading man is the sort of soft-headed hero we need more of in gaming.
Characters like Leon, Cloud, and Ichiban are much easier to root for, and as anyone who has played Yakuza: Like a Dragon can tell you, having a loveable protagonist with a heart of gold and brain of rocks does not soften the emotional punches one bit.
VGChartz's Evan Norris: "Those that made it onto the Shortlist below are each special in their own way. Alan Wake 2, a long time in the making, dazzled players with its cutting-edge graphics and brilliant narrative. Baldur's Gate III wowed critics and consumers alike with an amazing cast of characters and dizzying gameplay freedom. Final Fantasy XVI impressed with its beautiful cut-scenes and fresh take on action combat. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a game under the shadow of impossibly high expectations, invigorated its audience with endless opportunities for experimentation. And Resident Evil 4 riffed on an 18-year-old formula, in some instances improving on one of the best games of all time."
VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "As the average game script balloons in dialogue there's greater demand for marquee acting talent. And as illustrated by both good & poor examples from 2023, sympathizing with a protagonist's struggle greatly relies on both the writing and delivery. This is emphasized in two unique ways by this year's shortlist: the addition of a voice fundamentally altering Dead Space remake's story beats & the dual protagonist structure in Alan Wake II. A fumble in either of those respects would've resulted in lesser works; fortunately, they're among some of the year's most celebrated titles."
VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "2023 was a notable year for VR hardware, with both Sony's PSVR2 and Meta's Meta Quest 3 arriving on the scene. Both of them have primarily earned a considerable amount of praise for their technological advancements, but that's not to say their software output was extinct. Granted, early adoption tends to favor older ports with improved visuals and new controller/headset gimmicks; it comes with the territory. But within that flow of ports and updates came an exclusive for each respective platform reaching our shortlist. It's too early to tell if that presages a bountiful surplus of future masterclass VR games, but it's a welcoming sign all the same."
“Horizon Call of the Mountain” had more bells and whistles and has some wow moments for VR newbies. But I had more fun playing “Synapse”.
I'd love to see more games involving a curvy, scantily-clad but air-headed female protagonist as this representation is sorely lacking. I am also willing to overlook any bad character traits around them.
"Where's everyone going? Bingo??"
Nah, any type of protagonist can work, just have a good writing team. I have no issues rooting for Joel, Kratos or Link, and they are very different from Leon.
He is Leon "S." Kennedy.. Respect the "S" !!! and his NAME!!! :-P
I don't understand, how is Leon a Himbo? Dude doesn't put up with sh*t and gets the job done!