Top 5 Rockstar Games protagonists of all time

Rockstar Games has been on a hot streak since the turn of the century. While some titles have been received better than others, almost every title under the Rockstar banner has been received positively.

Rockstar Games is far from the only publisher around that makes quality AAA games, but there is a reason why Rockstar is so uniquely successful. A big reason behind the success of games like those in the GTA franchise and Red Dead Redemption series is the writing. It has struck an indelible chord with the fans.

Players spend most of their time with is the protagonist. Players then get an intuitive sense of the writing, design, and performance through the protagonist. The protagonist of a game can truly dictate what the player feels and whether they are invested in the world that the game inhabits and its story.

Rockstar has gifted players with some truly magnificent characters over the years, and picking the best wasn't an easy decision.

---

Top 5 Rockstar Games protagonists of all time

#5 - Michael De Santa

After Michael De Santa speaks his first few lines in the game and the player has spent a good chunk of time with him, it is easy to notice that he does not fit the bill of a typical protagonist.

Michael De Santa is out of shape, complains constantly, is prone to violent bursts of anger, and has no facet of his life under control.

Michael De Santa is the embodiment of a mid-life crisis and a consequence of excesses offered by "Vinewood" excess. He subverts expectations. This is exactly what makes his character, so fun to dissect and witness first-hand in GTA 5.

There are layers to him that previous GTA protagonists never really possessed. Ned Luke's incredible performance as Michael De Santa will go down as one of the most memorable performances in gaming history.

---

#4 - Niko Bellic

GTA 4 is as big a swerve as there ever has been in the franchise's history. It ditched the over-the-top California madness of San Andreas with a moody, melancholic, and oppressive Liberty City.

Gone were the laughs and ridiculous missions like invading a top-secret government facility. They were replaced by introspective and harrowing character moments. Niko Bellic was just about the perfect character Rockstar could've picked to embody the shift in tone with GTA 4.

Niko Belic was far from the trigger-happy megalomaniac Tommy Vercetti from GTA Vice City. Nor was he the blissfully murderous Carl Johnson from GTA San Andreas.

His character had a lot of layers and would be a hallmark of upcoming GTA games. The trauma of his past was apparent during the quieter character moments, of which there were many in GTA 4.

While his character could've certainly been explored more, Niko Belic is still one of the most well-written characters in the Rockstar Games pantheon.

---

#3 - Max Payne

Blood, bullets, and sad violin tunes are among the many things that every player visualizes when they first think of Max Payne. Max Payne is one extremely unfortunate individual. Each game pushes him further down a hole of misery, murder, and vengeance.

Max Payne first appeared as a street-smart undercover and hard-boiled detective. He was hot on the trail of his family's murderers. By the second game, he is a broken, grieving man with very few moral lines left to cross.

By the time the third game rolls around, Max Payne is a shell of his former self with very little left to offer. However, he refuses to stay down.

Max Payne has gone through a ton of brutal experiences. His character avoids the trappings of the typical, gruff protagonist.

This is also what makes him very fascinating. It was certainly helped by the fact that James McCaffery delivered some of the best monologues in the history of gaming in his role as Max Payne.

---

#2 - John Marston

After Niko Bellic, Rockstar proved their mettle by creating captivating characters with depth and layers to them. In 2010, Red Dead Redemption marked the arrival of John Marston; an extremely likeable, layered protagonist who had a poignant story to tell. The story has stayed with players long after the game's heyday.

Red Dead Redemption, in many ways, was Rockstar's statement to the world that it is a masterful storyteller. It was a statement that it could succeed outside the realm of satire.

John Marston, in contrast to the other protagonists from Rockstar, was a reluctant anti-hero. His sole priority was to protect his family.

His journey through the game sees him square up against the ghosts of his past; a past that he has so desperately tried to bury. The conflicts that exist within John Marston as both a father and husband while also being a gunslinger is fascinating to experience.

John Marston is a character that stays with the player long after the credits roll.

---

#1 - Arthur Morgan

Anyone who's played Red Dead Redemption 2 could've guessed who the top spot belonged. Rarely has the gaming community agreed so unanimously when it comes to video game characters.

Arthur Morgan, voiced by the phenomenal Roger Clarke, is unanimously agreed upon as the greatest protagonist in Rockstar's amazing history. He is the most captivating character in a game full of rich characters.

Regardless of what direction the player decides to take in terms of honor, Arthur Morgan is the epitome of the duality of man. This is a theme that all the characters in Red Dead Redemption 2 contend with.

Deceptively blunt at first, Arthur Morgan reveals himself slowly to the player. Before they know it, he has slowly crept into their minds before making a home in their hearts. Arthur Morgan is the most complex character (after Dutch van der Linde) in the Red Dead universe. He's hands-down, the best protagonist from Rockstar.

Every moment the player spends with Arthur Morgan becomes a treasured memory by the time the curtains draw on his story in Red Dead Redemption 2.

---

This list couldn't be complete with some honorable mentions. Here they are:

• Carl "CJ" Johnson
• Tommy Vercetti
• Trevor Phillips
• Cole Phelps