2. The Last Free Man
Of course at the core of everything sits the Last Free Man. Gordon Freeman. Hes a symbol, a metaphor for the idea that sometimes, great things come in quiet, unassuming packages. That one day, the meek shall inherit the Earth. Despite the fact that hes yet to have a
single line of dialogue, he might just be the most powerfully pure character ever to exist in gaming. Why? Because
he is whoever the player is. Hes never spoiled by his own opinions, his own reactions to the madness, all we really know about him is that hes got a killer aim and he never stops moving forward toward his ultimate goal. In short, I am Freeman. You are Freeman. Were all Freeman. As a result, I dont think Ive ever felt so personally connected to a video game character in my life, despite the fact that he doesnt even have a voice. As a life-long gamer, when I assume control of Gordon Freeman, Im home. Sure I love other games, and I love other characters, but when a new Half Life is on the table, nothing else matters. I cant wait for Half Life 3 simply because I cant wait to see what new madness Freeman and I will face together - and as one - next.