10 Gaming Characters Who Never Deserved To Die

3. Killzone 2 - Colonel Mael Radec

I had a brief internal debate on whether to do this title, or Resistance, but... I believe that Killzone has the larger fan base.

The premise of Killzone isn't too complicated. In the near future, humanity exhausts the Earth's natural resources, leading to tense diplomatic relations. This escalates when countries begin exchanging nuclear warheads, and once the smoke clears, it isn't pretty. The survivors with common sense realize that humanity can't live this way, so as a result, a cease-fire is formed and humans begin to explore extrasolar space for potential planets to expand Earth's reach and ameliorate their resource problems. Not one but two planets are found - Vekta, a lush, green planet, and Helghan, a planet with a harsh environment, that isn't as nearly hospitable as Vekta, but has far greater mineral resources and fuels.

Over the course of time, humanity travels to the two planets, and the Helghan corporation settles them both, gaining immensely, until the ruling class of Earth, the UCA, steals Vekta from the corporation, leaving the survivors and like-minded to be exiled on Helghan, where the harsh conditions cause them to evolve into the Helghast - a humanoid race with increased endurance, strength, and ability to endure conditions on their formidable planet.

Now, keeping in the theme of this list, death is everywhere. The first Killzone game details the failed invasion of the human-held Vekta by the (rightfully) angry Helghan descendants, and the second game details the efforts of the Vektan ISA to travel to Helghan, deposing of the regime led by the tyrannical Scolar Visari, in hopes to ease the Helghan passions into peace.

Getting tired of violence yet? Me neither.

The ISA's aspirations to depose the Helghast regime fail miserably. In addition to hostile planet conditions, the Helghast fiercely oppose the ISA presence, killing nearly the ENTIRE army and destroying most of the ships sent to the planet. However... I won't spoil those details here.

In the climatic end of the second game, the final opponent is Colonel Mael Radec, the brilliant tactician who leads the Helghast forces, who combats you (Sergeant Sevchenko) in a final battle. Upon defeat, rather than succumbing to death at the hands of a lesser foe, he commits suicide with a pistol, defiant until the end.

Now... considering the hilariously corrupt practices of humanity in the universe of Killzone, most of the actions of the Helghast military (despite the corrupt regime ruling them) are justified. And as an extension, I don't believe Radec should have died when technically, in the scope of the game's canon, he wasn't necessarily fighting for the wrong reason.

That being said... Killzone: Shadow Fall better be a good game, dammit.