A collective breakdown of our favourite characters from the king of exclusives.
When it comes to gaming, it goes without saying that PlayStation is one of the most recognised brands on the market today. Since it’s inception in 1994, PlayStation has produced some of the most critically-acclaimed games in the medium, holding some of the most beloved characters in gaming as a whole. Seeing as more than half of the Game Hype Crew are Sony Ponies, we thought we would take the time to celebrate the impressive list of first-party Sony titles by giving our rundown of our favourite characters from said titles that we deem our all-time PlayStation Allstars.
Kyle Doherty (@Antigenetic92)
PlayStation Allstar: Deacon St. John
Game: Days Gone (2019)
This was a hard one for me. Games such as Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996) and Metal Gear Solid (1998) were very much at the forefront of my formative years; and while both Kain and Solid Snake will be some of my all time favourite video game characters, there is one paticular character that has struck a lasting chord since his formative game from 2019: Days Gone. In a sea of angry, dark-haired, white male protagonists, Deacon St. John, may seem every bit the generic protagonist that would fall in line perfectly with all of the other angry, dark-haired, white male protagonists; however Sam Witwer‘s performance as the grizzled, former outlaw is nothing short of powertful, showcasing (over the course of the game) the juxtaposition to what Deacon was like prior to the Freaker outbreak, vs what he turned into following the events that caused him to lose his wife, as well as what he is willing to do to keep those memories alive. While Days Gone was a bit of a mixed bag when it released in 2019 (my own thoughts on the game can be seen here) due to it’s familar open world mechanics and on again/off again story; Deacon’s character and the general narrative of the game as a whole are definitely something that should be experienced by everyone; especially if shows like Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead are your jam. If you’re playing on a PlayStation 5 (the game is currently free as part of the PS Plus Collection) the game is virtually perfect in the sense of that crisp 4K 60fps, which is definitely how the game should be played.
Aaron Moger (@aaronvaanmoger)
PlayStation Allstar: Nathan Drake
Game: Uncharted (Series since 2007)
There are many PlayStation Icons you can easily just think PlayStation as soon as you see them. Over the years Crash Bandicoot, Sackboy and Ratchet and Clank stand out to me as worthy Iconic mascots for the PlayStation but there is one that stood out to me ever so more. Nathan Drake is easily one of PlayStations biggest stars and for good reason. When Uncharted came out I was not in store for the adventure that I expected. What I got was an engrossing light-hearted adventure with the most likeable character who always tries to make the best of a bad situation. This would-be treasure hunter then goes on to span four mainline series games a standalone expansion and a Vita game also. We see Nathan Drake as this eccentric goofball in the first Uncharted game who then becomes this grown man by the end of the fourth Uncharted who has a lot of love to give. His relationship with his colleagues is like no other. His charisma and his ungodly luck with surviving any obstacle in his way and his comedic one-liners make him one of PlayStations most Iconic stars to date. If you’ve been a fan of PlayStation then you will have heard of Nathan Drake. Nobody could ever portray Nathan Drake as well as his voice actor Nolan North. Nolan North is Nathan Drake and even when I hear his voice in another voice acted game I say that’s Nolan North.
Ryan Perrow (@NBFlying)
PlayStation Allstar: Regina
Game: Dino Crisis (1999)
I imagine some of you are thinking Who? Well, if you’ve never met Regina (it’s actually her code name, her true name remains a mystery to this day) you really should. The hero of Dino Crisis, a survival horror game from the team behind Resident Evil, Regina is a reserved red headed bad ass capable of going toe to claw with the most impressive of prehistoric nasties. While she may not be as famous as other PS1 era heroes such as Jill or Lara, Regina certainly made an impression on a young me. In fact I’d love to see Dino Crisis get a RE engine remake so that a whole new generation can laugh as you use Regina to trick ‘raptors into pouncing face first into laser gates.
Caleb Moran (@Rad_Sh1ba)
PlayStation Allstar: Kratos
Game: God of War (First appearance 2005, latest release God of War 2018)
God of War was a landmark title for the PS2, an amazing hack and slash adventure set in Greek mythology, playing as a man who is literally too angry to die. Kratos original adventures in Greece were filled with epic battles going against masses of undead hoards, legendary beasts, the Titans, Olympians and even Fate itself. It was a bloody mess and Kratos was always brutal in how he (often literally) tore apart his enemies. Through all this though, he never showed any fear and often mocked his opponents despite being at overwhelming odds, and would continue mock them as he pummelled them into the underworld. However despite his over the top character of blood and gore, his backstory was a lot more reserved and followed a classic Greek tragedy. Kratos has huge guilt for his past actions, and even though he expresses his hatred for the Gods for what they have done to him, yet he he understood it was his actions that made him a monster, something which is built upon heavily in the critically acclaimed God of War 2018. After his battles in the Greek realms, Kratos leaves it all behind and moves to the Norse realms, and starts a new life for himself. However what we see now is a much more older and more reserved Kratos, he understands that fighting is sometimes not the best option and sometimes refuses to fight. The story told in this game is a lot more personal and we see more of Kratos emotional side, even more so that now he has a son with him on his journey, and he’s a lot more venerable as he has something to lose. Whilst I love God of Wars original arc with Kratos bloody hate filled aggression, it’s amazing to see him evolve into a more down to earth character, one where we can empathise with his journey and what he has to lose, and I cannot wait for how God of War Ragnarok continues his story.
Agree with our comments? Feel like we missed an integral character? Let us know your favourite PlayStation Allstar in the comments below.
