Most video games revolve around some form of conflict. And a large percentage of those are all about war and military combat. Thus, over the years, the gaming industry has been introduced to many different soldiers. They all vary a little in personality. However, they tend to showcase incredible guts, determination, and combat skills.
RELATED:Best Military Simulators
Plus, most of them fight on the side of good. There have been some villainous soldiers, but it’s usually a position saved for the heroes. There have been plenty who have successfully lived up to the title over the years. The following are the most notable examples.
9Sonya Blade - Mortal Kombat Series
There isn’t an abundance of female soldiers in gaming. Yet, being one of the few isn’t the only thing that makes Sonya Blade notable. She is an iconic character that has been around since the early years of the Mortal Kombat series.
In her years of existence, she’s changed quite a bit, even becoming a mother. But something that has never changed is that she’s an incredible fighter. In canon, she is a member of a special forces unit designed to combat the forces of Outworld. This means she regularly faces all sorts of dangerous creatures. That doesn’t concern her, though, as she’s always ready to fight. She doesn’t even usually need weapons.
8John Price - Call Of Duty Series
A common practice in theCall of Dutyseries is to change protagonists with pretty much every new instalment. Thus, the FPS series has introduced many characters over the years. And considering these games are all about war, most of the people in them are soldiers.
Thebest of the lotis John Price (aka Captain Price). He stands out as the most iconic character in Call of Duty history. What’s interesting is that you don’t often play as him. Instead, he is typically your commanding officer. As such, he is the gruff military type, but he also displays wit and wisdom throughout the Modern Warfare games.
7B.J. Blazkowicz - Wolfenstein Series
The Wolfenstein series started back in the ’80s, and B.J. Blazkowicz has usually served as the main protagonist. He’s developed a lot as a character over the years, as he used to be just a bland paint-by-numbers military hero. In recent games, he’s shown a softer and more philosophical side to his personality.
RELATED:Game Series From The 80s That Are Still Going Today
In all the entries, though, he has been a true American patriot with an intense hatred for Nazis. And the hatred is mutual, as B.J.’s incredible determination, survivability, and combat skills mean he’s been a major thorn in the side of the fascists in every instalment. He doesn’t even need many allies to severely hurt the Nazi regime, as he is the true embodiment of a one-man army.
6Doomguy - Doom Series
The protagonist of the Doom series has never actually had a canon name. ‘Doomguy’ came from the fanbase and has somewhat stuck. The lack of a name fits this character very well. After all, he is the perfect example of a no-nonsense badass. He goes about his business ruthlessly and pretty much silently - as he doesn’t say much.
That business is killing demons, as this is a marine who usually fights the forces of Hell. So, as you’d expect, he comes up against some tough opposition, but he’s a beast that takes them all down with his incredible strength andlitany of amazing weapons.
5Marcus Fenix - Gears Series
When thinking of video game soldiers, Marcus Fenix is always one of the first names that come to mind. This is because he stars in one of the greatest military shooter series ever, Gears Of War. While he’s not the protagonist in every entry, he is usually heavily involved.
In many ways, he is the classic soldier archetype with his grizzled looks, masculine personality, and deep love of fighting. Yet, he does show a softer side on several occasions. But he doesn’t get much time to do so, as he is continually in conflict with either Locust, Lambent, or Swarm. Each one is a collection of aggressive creatures threatening humanity. Marcus is usually the man in charge of stopping them.
4Cloud Strife - Final Fantasy 7
Without going too deep into Final Fantasy 7 spoilers, Cloud Strife’s credentials as a soldier are questionable. But he technically was a type of soldier for the evil corporation known as Shinra. Thankfully, he soon ditched them and joined the side of good.
RELATED:Cloud Strife Vs. Zack Fair - Who’s The Better Final Fantasy 7 Protagonist?
Interestingly, he shows more fighting capabilities after leaving the organized military behind. Equipped with one of themost iconic swords in gaming, Cloud wipes out many of Shinra’s forces in his attempt to bring down the corrupt company. Plus, along the way, he becomes more open and caring to the people around him. This helps his transformation from mercenary to hero.
3Commander Shepard - Mass Effect Series
Commander Shepard doesn’t have a defined look, gender, or personality, as you decide all of that. However, the character remains one of the most iconic in gaming history. The main reason for this is the things this soldier manages to accomplish over their trilogy ofMass Effectgames.
In each entry, they manage to stop forces that are not only a danger to humanity but are also a threat to every species in the galaxy. They do this using their incredible leadership skills that allow them to bring all sorts of powerful allies together to make a united military force. And they’re always on the frontline of that army.
2Master Chief - Halo Series
There are plenty of space marines in gaming, but few of them are as famous as Master Chief. He was a product of a Spartan program designed to create elite supersoldiers who were physically and mentally superior to the average troop.
Chief is shown to bethe best of them all during the Halo series. This is proven by the fact the hero saves the day on countless occasions. It doesn’t matter what species he’s facing off against, Chief is able to defeat them almost single-handily every time. All he ever needs is his power armor and a gun.
1Naked Snake - Metal Gear Solid Series
TheMetal Gear Solidseries is home to several of the greatest soldiers in gaming history. Naked Snake (aka Big Boss) is arguably the most impressive, though. After all, during MGS3, he manages to defeat the legendary warrior known as The Boss, making himself an iconic soldier in the process.
Then he goes on to create his own Private Military Company from the ground up, which causes major problems for much bigger organizations. This is what is so great about the man - he’s always able to punch above his weight. And on the battlefield, he’s able to accomplish superhuman feats despite being just a regular human wearing camouflage. This is down to his unbelievable combat intelligence and ingenuity. It also helps that he’s a master of stealth.
