1. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 3)
Here it is, the number one video game hero of 2012 and probably the number one hero since 2007. Whether Shepard was a boy or a girl, a renegade or a paragon, he/she finally got the sendoff that was due. Without getting into a debate over the ending, I think we can all appreciate the story of Commander Shepard and his story: from small starts as the first human Spectre to being the face for all of creation in its battle against the reapers, the Commander always put himself on the line and brought together the best teams in the galaxy. This story was special because it was also a goodbye. No matter how it ended or how you thought it should have ended, everybody had wet eyes when it was over. There will be more Mass Effect, but it won't ever be the same without Shepard. Do you agree with the choices on this list? Should someone else have won, or even been included? Share your thoughts below.