25 Greatest Video Game Heroes Of All Time

5. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

At a time when the video game industry was dominated by male protagonists, Lara Croft came in to show that girls could kick butt too. With her duel wielding pistols and maverick attitude, she sought out adventure at every opportunity she could.

Not only is she a force to be reckoned with physically, but she is incredibly quick-witted and intelligent. Her passion for history compels her to travel all around the world, which of course gets her in trouble with all sorts of competitors and ne'er-do-wells, but it's nothing she can't handle.

The more recent games have shown off her humble beginnings, revealing how life and death circumstances made her into the strong-willed women she is so famously known as. Lara Croft is as much a survivor as she is an intellectual, and that's quite a potent combination.