10 Annoying Characters That Stopped Great Video Games Being Perfect

9. Barry - Alan Wake

Employing an agent as the apparent sidekick to the titular author in Remedy's Alan Wake was never likely to give players an endearing foil to the protagonist. Worse still, however, was the fact that he embodied everything you'd expect from the stereotypically professional slime-ball agent.

Barry Wheeler's involvement in the supernatural events of Alan Wake is fortunately fairly sporadic, and we never have to spend too long in his company at any one time. But for every spine-tingling sequence of wandering solo through the mists of Bright Falls, there's another exchange with the sleazy agent just around the corner. "Listen, Al..."

The personification of Barry is obviously intentional, as Remedy would have wanted to employ such an obnoxious and recognisable character as they attempt to make Alan's confusion at what's really happening more believable. He may have seemed like a useful tool to add to the mystery around the plot and setting, but in truth he's simply just a tool.