10 Iconic Video Game Heroes Nobody Admits Are Absolute Dicks

Video games are home to some of the most lovable fictional characters of the all time. Especially over the past few years, as the medium has become more complex and a focus on writing and performance has become more integral to new releases, the industry has amassed a rather impressive cast of iconic heroes.

Yet... some have gained a positive reputation that their games just don't support. Whether it's the fault of revisionist history or just the fact that great writers have fooled us into thinking they were more likeable than they really were, there are some gaming icons that nobody admits have always been complete dicks.

We all love a good anti-hero, but these characters push that moniker as far as it could go, revelling in creating as much anarchy as possible and being completely fine with screwing over anyone they come into contact with. Whether they were blowing up civilians or just being snarky, arrogant know-it-alls, it's clear that some of our favourite gaming characters aren't quite the saints they've often remembered as.

So, while fandoms and even the games themselves cast these characters are the greatest protagonists to ever grace consoles, it's time to admit that some of our favourite "heroes" have simply been nothing but...

Max Payne usually tows the line between being a compelling tragic figure and lovable anti-hero, but even with that in mind you can't deny that Max's actions over the course of his three games have often caused more harm than good.

The latest release in the series in particular casts Max in a rather unsympathetic light, and in the early game he's shown in every scene to be nothing more than a washed-up drunk.

Not only that, but he repeatedly fails at his job; given charge of security detail for a wealthy Brazilian family, Max is shown to barely care at all for his employer's safety, and is aggressively reluctant to hunt down their daughter when she's kidnapped on Max's watch.

The character does redeem himself in the second half of the game when he goes sober and hunts down the girl of his own accord, but in all the preceding scenes he's portrayed as nothing more than an emotionless husk who couldn't care less what happened to either himself or the people around him.