20 Best Video Game Heroes Of The 21st Century - Ranked

Compiling a list of the greatest gaming heroes of the 2000s is no easy task.

There are so many great game characters introduced every year, and what one person loves about a character may not be universal. Not everyone loves Sonic's 'too-cool-for-school' attitude, for example.

However, there are times when a character's greatness simply cannot be denied.

When a character makes enough of an emotional impact, performs amazing feats, becomes the face of their game or just has a stand-out personality, that's when you know you've got something truly great.

With this in mind, there's a good chance that you'll recognise a lot of the characters on this list. All of them have had an impact on gaming in some way, and all of them have resonated with gamers all over the globe in one way or another.

These are the heroes who have defined this generation, who have shaped the gaming landscape and who have ended up being some of the best the medium has to offer.

For now we're limiting ourselves to just looking at characters from the 2000s, so even though some characters got better over time, they cannot be counted.

Let's have a look at our star-studded line-up.

"Step forward if you want to die."

Easily one of gaming's most unsung heroes, Kazuma Kiryu is also one of the best.

There's a lot of things that make Kiryu so popular, but it's his compassion and relationship with others that really put him on top. Even though Kiryu is a member of a crime family, what he really cares about is his family and friends, and his genuine heartfelt moments are some of the best in gaming.

As well as that, the Yakuza series is full of badass moments and almost all of them come from Kiryu himself. Whether he's taking a metal bar to the face with no consequence or punching a shark in the face, his lack of limits is truly endearing.

The fact that the language barrier hasn't stopped how popular Kiryu is should indicate how great of a character he truly is.

Even if he's now had his last adventure, Kiryu will always have a place as one of the coolest dad's in gaming.