Golden Lance for Character of the Year
Video games can be many things to many people. Some games live and die solely based on their gameplay. Games like Tetris or Rez are perfect games that exist devoid of character or storytelling. It is a testament to the flexibility of the medium that these kinds of games can coexist with the games whose characters make up this list. This year the best character vary more wildly than in any year we can remember. We have two protagonists and an antagonist. We also have a character that despite his two dimensional appearance is anything but. With all that said, here are our winners for Golden Lance for Character of the Year.
Winner: Kratos from God of War Ragnarok
Kratos has had quite the journey since he killed Zeus which led to the destruction of Mt. Olympus. In God of War 2018, Sony Santa Monica introduced us to a calm, protective, and wise take on the character. Kratos now finds himself in an uphill struggle with raising his son Atreus who is also coming to terms with him being not only a god but also a giant courtesy of his mother, Faye.
What makes Kratos stand out with this new take on the character is the incredible performance by Christopher Judge. His amazing portrayal of Kratos takes the iconic character to new heights. The amount of emotional delivery gives Kratos immense depth and leads to some of the most amazing cinematic fights rivaling those we see in blockbuster movies. The impactful character growth along with the incredible writing and cinematography is why Kratos is worthy of being the Best Video Game Character of 2022.
Runner Up: Savathun from Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
A great villain is one that haunts our memories long after they leave us. Destiny’s Light and Dark saga have utilized the Hive from the very beginning. Savathûn herself is the Hive god of deception. Previously, she played the puppeteer to every shortcoming guardians experienced. The Witch Queen was the first real encounter with the villain. Savathûn is one who kept me guessing even when she was defeated. She survived all this time even after the fall of her brother, Oryx. She deceived the Witness, the end adversary of this saga. In doing so, we the player actually owe humanity’s salvation from the Collapse to her.
Our figurative god, The Traveler, even blessed her with the light. Her “greatest trick” of all? Causing a civilization to question the very religion that brought about a golden age of prosperity. Even in death, she continues to haunt players with riddles in her throne world. She calculated we would kill her. Savathûn is cold, calculating, an enigma, one who is always two steps ahead and has the determination and cunning to be the last one standing. That is what elevates her above countless other characters in media and why she is the runner-up for the character of the year.
Runner Up: Andreas Maler from Pentiment
Pentiment was a surprising hit by critics and gamers alike, and a lot of that success comes down to its main protagonist, Andreas Maler. He is an up and coming artist who was commissioned to illustrate a manuscript, a tradition that is quickly being replaced with the advent of the printing press.
To say Andreas sees and goes through a lot is an understatement. Everything from solving murders, and uncovering long-standing mysteries to witnessing the beginning of the Reformation movement, Andreas went through it all. It added to his character and players see that development throughout the game. Best of all, players can add their own unique touches on Andreas by selecting his educational background. But in the end, Andreas is a relatable and likable character that was fully fleshed out.
