1107
rate

GamesRadar's Top 7 Laziest Character Cliches

July 22, 2008 in Top List comments 25

GamesRadar goes through their list of the Top 7 Laziest Character Cliches in Videogames. You will certainly find most of these character types present in pretty much anything you play.

I outlined several below, but the full article has much more detail.

The Strong Pretty-Boy- Usually Doesn't Show Emotion
Read: Sephiroth, Cloud, Squall, etc...

The Pure Hearted Love Interest
Read: Any Princess, Riona, Aerith, Yuna

The Masked Mystery Man
Read: Master Chief, Grey Fox (Cyborg Ninja)

The Stereotypical "Black-Guy"
Read: Barret, 50 Cent

The Half Naked Armor Clad Woman
Read: Does it matter?
Deathsythe via gamesradar.com »
Favourite this article Add source
| More
Report!
News story attached to:
Images about this story:
Latest comment:
Most recently commented on by on Jul 26, 2008

Comments

Register as a member to subscribe comments.
  • 1
    Cruxis Mana Jul 22, 08
    Half of these were probably started and are still upheld by SquareEnix.
    • 0
      Jaw Knee Jul 23, 08
      Don't you mean all of them?
  • 0
    TurMoiL911 Jul 22, 08
    Here's another characteristic of the stereotypical black guy: usually armed with the biggest gun in the game. Seriously, look at half the shooter games and movies out there.

    In Predator and the Doom movie, the black guy had a hand-held Gatling gun. In Call of Duty 4, Griggs had the only machine gun. In Halo 3, Johnson had a Spartan Laser. I wouldn't be surprised if the Big Daddies in Bioshock were black guys inside those diver suits.
    • 0
      reaver11 Jul 22, 08
      The black guy in Predator did not have the Mini Gun.
      • 0
        Raziel_326 Jul 22, 08
        If you're referring to the bald black guy, yes, he did have a mini gun the last I recall.
        • 0
          Seproth Jul 22, 08
          No, Jessie Ventura had it...he's white...and bald with a biker stache. The guy you're thinking of "Mac" grabbed it after Jessie got shot. Then he mowed down a forest.

          Slight CoD4 spoiler*

          When did Griggs have the only machine gun? You mean the light machine gun he grabbed after he was captured? Not a whole lot a choice there.
        • 0
          Raziel_326 Jul 22, 08
          Yes, I'm referring to that scene.
        • 0
          TurMoiL911 Jul 22, 08
          No, Seproth, if you follow Griggs, he has the M249 in almost every level he's in.
        • 0
          Seproth Jul 22, 08
          Oh really I hadn't noticed. Anyway squads always have a light machine gunner. He just happens to be black. He has a personality and it fits him signing up for that position. I don't think it had anything to do with stereotyping.
  • 0
    redneonfish Jul 22, 08
    I wonder how many people would class it as stereo typing black people?
    • 0
      Cruxis Mana Jul 22, 08
      Probably a lot.

      See "Resident Evil 5".
  • 0
    Capn Droid Jul 22, 08
    Look at the list of animals; sheesh. I'm surprised the list didn't say "completely skew natural color of animal".
    • 1
      BANDITO ATTACK Jul 22, 08
      really... the list of the animals was massive. @___@

      plus the 'inspiration' picture made me lol
  • 0
    Big Willie Jul 22, 08
    Well the crew cut space fairer just makes sense. Zero gravity makes for a bad hair day.
  • 2
    RabidChinaGirl Jul 22, 08
    Awesome read. The antidote characters they show are just as great (if not better) than the guilty parties. I laughed at a lot of it.

    Some of them are *very* true, and I especially loved his bit on the half naked women. It's refreshing to read a guy's sensible take on marketing tactics *for* men/boys. My only issue, that I can think of, is the first one. Yeah, there's brooding pretty boys, but Travis Touchdown himself is a blatant stereotype, often tossed into the mix to COUNTER the emo girly-man. Those two archetypes right there are frequently found side by side in the same game.
    • 0
      Seeker X Jul 24, 08
      Everyone knows a guy will not pay attention to a female character unless half her boobs are showing. All jokes aside, at least it's a good way to make up for a shallow character with no background. Though seriously, it's kinda pathetic that there is only a handful of female characters I can think of that doesn't need to be half naked in the action/shooter genre; starting with Alyx Vance.
  • 0
    Zeon I Jul 22, 08
    God, I hate the Token Black Guys. What makes people think that all Black Video Game characters have to be buff and never smile? I do like CJ however, I just find it painfully ironic that he's a West Coast Gangbanger who's killed more people than Cole-Train. :/ I actually don't mind Cole-Train, because every guy in his game is big, buff, vainy, and never smiles.
    • 0
      chautemoc Jul 23, 08
      RACIST !!!!!!!!!!
      Etc.
  • 2
    chautemoc Jul 23, 08
    Someone should do a list of GamesRadar's weakest excuses for journalism/site traffic..haha.
  • 0
    Seproth Jul 23, 08
    I honestly dislike this article. A lot of the "emotionless" characters showed plenty of emotion. Other things as well. Grey Fox wouldn't have worked as well if he just ran around going..."oh hey you thought you killed me rememeber, lol" Why not throw every superhero in there while you're at it?

    Lazy perhaps, but there's another term for them...tried and true. Movies have used characters like this for ages with good effect.
  • 1
    Shadow of Death* Jul 23, 08
    While these are all overused, pretty much EVERY character in every game is some type of character foil/archetype, even if you don't see the type often....

    This applies to the antithetical (antidote) characters they suggest to counter the overused character types....Even Amaterasu, to a degree, is one....The 'supernatural representative of something found in nature'....I suppose of this list, the 'normal woman in portal' is the least cliche.....Still a character foil, and the archetype of 'dull/average'....
    • 0
      Final Blade Jul 24, 08
      Yes I agree, although Im surpised I didn't see Tidus mentioned or listed anywhere.
      • 0
        Bale Fire* Jul 24, 08
        Well he is pretty but he didn't have the emotional bleakness that both Cloud and Squall have. He was generally happy even until his (spoiler)...


        Death now excuse me I have to go and cry
        • 0
          Final Blade Jul 26, 08
          I disagree with you SM. Lawl another minus thumb, looks like we have tidus haters.
  • 0
    Bale Fire* Jul 23, 08
    A good read, but then most characters are a stereotype of some kind, like tallteen said.

    Stereotypical Mr T black dudes especially annoy me, why can't they be like I don't know normal

This news story is archived and is closed to comments now.