7. John Marston & His Family - Red Dead Redemption
Before Red Dead Redemption came along in the summer of 2010, effective storytelling and superb open-world gameplay seemed to be mutually exclusive qualities in these types of games, with the former usually getting the short end of the stick. It seemed as if the basic foundations of sandbox gameplay just weren't conducive with telling a story in an effective way, given how easy it is to be distracted and pulled away from the main narrative. Red Dead Redemption showed that this isn't true. Offering some of the best gameplay ever seen in a game of this type, and taking place in what may still be arguably the most stunning open world ever realized, Red Dead Redemption was a triumph in every way. But where it really took people by surprise was with its story, and the strong emotional core that was formed by the relationship between the protagonist, John Marston, and his wife and son. John Marston is a man trying to escape his past. An ex-outlaw who has settled into a peaceful life on a ranch with is family, John is suddenly dragged out of hiding by corrupt law enforcement officials who force him into rounding up members of his old posse in order to secure his own future of peace and happiness. As John is dragged once again into a wild and sprawling adventure across turn-of-the-century Southwestern America, his focus never wanes: he must get back to his family, no matter what. His desire for this drives everything he does, and adds significant weight to moments that are seemingly unrelated to his underlying goal. Marston is one of the most noble, well-written characters in modern video games, and it is this achievement that makes his plight so meaningful and heartfelt. Eventually, John Marston has a reunion of sorts with his family. Simple things, like teaching his boy how to hunt and running errands for his wife, only add weight to this relationship, and make the emotionally-charged ending of the game all the more memorable. Red Dead Redemption is not only one of the best games of the seventh generation of consoles, but also one of the best Westerns to ever be created in
any medium, and so much of this is centered around John Marston's devotion his wife and son. Red Dead Redemption is a landmark in open world gaming, and hopefully future games of this style will build upon it's success.