20 Greatest Video Game Heroes Of 2012

By Todd Eisenhauer / December 28, 2012

7.Lee Everett (The Walking Dead)

Earlier I claimed that Clem was what held The Walking Dead game experience together, and it would be wrong to ignore the fact that Lee is another big part of that, as he hold the actual group of characters together. The game is set in his hometown, so right from the start you are pulled into an emotional roller coaster. In the back story to the game you'll see that Lee was a professor who was involved in a murder that included his wife who was cheating on him with a state senator. He clearly is a good man as he takes to Clem like a daughter and does his best to keep everything on an even keel with the group. But that's the best part, and that's my Lee. Maybe your Lee was best friends with Kenny and stuck with his family to the end; maybe he thought Kenny was an insufferable redneck who was just mucking up everything. Maybe he grew fond of Carly, maybe he let Carly die - the thing that makes Lee such a good video game hero is that he's your hero, and you develop him through the events of the story.

6.XCOM (XCOM: Enemy Unknown)

Not so much a single hero here as it is the entire XCOM initiative. From the soldiers in the field to the scientist and engineers that make it all roll along, these men and woman from across the globe are putting their lives at stake for the sake of mankind. This game came out of nowhere for me this year and instantly became one of my favorites, and part of the reason is because of the awesome characters in your base and the customization that you have for your troops. Of course naming them after your friends and family can make the experience vastly different. When they all inevitably end up dead your friends might not be so appreciative.