2. Metal Gear Solid 2 - Raiden
It is significant that this is the only game on this list which is from a last generation console. That is the extent of the outrage I felt towards Hideo Kojima and the Metal Gear team when I was forced to play as this floppy haired, effeminate, wimpy, wet behind the ears, mummy's boy. The decision to replace possibly the most iconic gaming character of the time with Justin Bieber's older brother still baffles me to this day and it is only due to the quality of the gameplay that I was compelled to continue. It was made even worse by the fact that you were allowed to play as Snake at the start of the game. And it was awesome! A beautiful cutscene revealed a new, grizzled, Snake climbing aboard a tanker which you proceed to infiltrate in any way you see fit. It was a wonderful beginning to one of the most anticipated game of that time and really showcased what was possible on the PS2. I had visions of terrorising hapless soldiers like some demented cross between James Bond and Batman. That's how cool Solid Snake was to me. Then Kojima pulls the rug from underneath us. The story moves to Big Shell and you are introduced to the true 'hero' of the game. Yeah, it's him in the picture. I know he has never been mentioned in any of the pre -release material, nor does he appear in any of the game artwork, nor would anyone in their right mind want to play an entire Metal Gear game as a different character but, see, that's the twist. Genius right? Wrong.