8. Marcus Fenix - Gears Of War Series
Another badass soldier for the list, battling the Locust horde as Marcus alongside the rest of Delta squad was an insane amount of fun. Chainsaw bayonets is probably one of the best things to happen to the action genre all generation and not only was the Gears series gritty, dark and action packed, but there were moments of humanity in the series from Marcus and the rest of the squad that highlighted the devastating effects of the war and the world on the survivors. One particularly poignant moment from the series is Dom's sacrifice in Gears 3, particularly due to the devastating effect it has on Marcus. Watching his best friend die naturally had a huge impact on the guy, resulting in a rare moment of weakness which seemed at odds with his stony exterior. Despite this heartbreak, Marcus managed to (literally) soldier on and eventually end the war, showcasing not only his awesome abilities as a fighter but his strong resolve as a person. But beyond the more human moments of the series, Marcus was a truly cool protagonist, almost an action hero in his demeanour and abilities in battle. This definitely makes him one of the highlights of the last generation for me.
High Point For This Character: Battling on after several heartbreaks that would be the end for lesser men. Watching his best friend sacrifice himself for the cause would have destroyed many, but Marcus soldiered on and never faltered in how much of a badass fighter he was.