6. Niko Bellic (GTA IV)
GTA IV was the game to bring the GTA franchise into the contemporary sphere once again, and while Vice City and San Andreas similarly dealt with a criminal trying to rise up the ranks, no game encompassed the theme of the American Dream as strongly as GTA IV. Niko arrives in Liberty City with grand dreams of success, only to find himself lied to by his cousin Roman, and soon enough ends up getting his hands very dirty to stay financially afloat, and also to protect Roman. Though Nico might not be as vibrant a protagonist as CJ or Tommy, his more grounded, down-to-Earth nature suited the more gritty, realistic tone of the game, and helped make us sympathise with him far more, as he wrestled with own morality about committing mass murder in the pursuit of prosperity. He might not be near the best or most likable of the GTA protagonists, but he held his own all the same.