Techradar's most loved and hated PC gaming characters

Introduction

While we might remember a game's sprawling levels, high-powered weapons or snazzy graphics every so often, it's the characters that tend to stick in our heads.

As part of our annual PC Gaming Week, techradar takes a look at a few of our most loved and hated PC characters past and present.

Salwa Azar - Social Media Editor

Loved: Kain - Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (pictured)

John McCann - Mobile Phones Deputy Editor

Loved: Big Bertha - Total Annihilation

Hated: Kane, Brotherhood of Nod - Command & Conquer (pictured)

Kane Fulton - Computing Editor

Loved: Fin Fin - Fin Fin on Teo

Fin Fin was a flying green dolphin-bird that starred in its own game at the height of the Tamagotchi craze in 1997. My first PC game, Fin Fin used to fly into view when I spoke into my PC's microphone. At the beginning, he would perch on a nearby branch to nip fruit out of my virtual hand and sing a song under the stars. At least, he did for a while, anyway. Like a cat, he began disappearing for days at a time. Flicking through the fictional world of Teo's various locations, I would sometimes find him in a cave or splashing around in a watering hole. But that was rare. His absences lengthening, Fin Fin grew distant. My green pal hardly ever visited. He became indifferent to my fruit offerings and his jovial birdsong faded over time. In the end, I was left whispering into the mic like a defeated librarian while staring into the empty forest. I miss you, Fin Fin. Please come home. (Sadface.)

Hated: Claptrap - Borderlands (pictured)

Borderlands' aptly-named character is meant to be annoying, which is of little consolation to me. CL4P-TP, to give the loquacious cycloptic robot its proper name, is the very worst type of companion a game can place by your side. Whether he's questioning what it would be like to have a belly-button, making farting-slash-beatboxing noises or dashing headlong into danger (every five minutes, then), I found myself constantly wanting to throw him off the nearest cliff. Fallout 4's Dogmeat is just as stupid, but at least he can't speak.

Cameron Faulkner - Mobile Editor, US

Loved: User-created avatars

Hated: Boomer, Left 4 Dead & L4D2 (pictured)

The Boomer is a signature character from Valve's hit zombie-shooting FPS series, Left 4 Dead, but for me, its notoriety comes from places both good and bad. First off, it totally fits the vibe and it a horrifying creature. But, man, I hate it. Its sole purpose is to screw you over by waiting around corners and barfing on you, which attracts a horde of zombies all at once. It makes popping it off from a distance all the more satisfying.

Patrick Goss - Editor

Loved: Barney - Half-Life (pictured)

Matt Hanson - How To Editor

Loved: Guybrush Threepwood - Monkey Island series (pictured)

Sadly, building and maintaining rides comes at a cost, and if you spend too much time placing rides and designing themed parts of your park (otherwise known as 'the fun stuff') and not enough time micromanaging staff salaries or altering how much salt you put on the fries (the more salt = thirstier guests, making them pay for a drink as well), you'd soon get a meeting with the bank manager, telling you you've run out of money. Thankfully a few choice cheat codes would keep the bank at bay - why doesn't that work in real life?

Joe Osborne - Senior Editor

Loved: Minsc and Boo - Baldur's Gate series

Kevin Lee - Associate Editor, US

Loved: Mordin Solus - Mass Effect 2 & 3 (pictured)

You might not remember FFVI being PC game, but technically came to Steam last December – so there. Anyway, Kefka is arguably the greatest video game villain of all time. While the big bad in most games are just there as comedic relief, Kefka has committed genocide twice over, burned down cities and essentially becomes god by the middle of the game. It's rare to see the good guys lose and that's exactly what happens in FFVI, and the cost is billions of lives, which all adds up to make Kefka one of the most hated video game characters in history.

Marc Chacksfield - Managing Editor

Loved: Big Daddy - Bioshock (pictured)

That sound, that slow, suffering sound. Big Daddy could have been one of the most annoying characters in a gaming franchise but he ended up being one of the best for me, thanks to not just the look of the character but the whole thinking behind it. The idea that there's this monster encased in a diving suit, dealt a card that means they forever protect the little sisters from the real monsters of Rapture. And they had a drill for a hand, which will never not be awesome.

Johnny was the worst character in Mortal Kombat but put him in any franchise and he would still be the worst. If I could sum up what's annoying about Cage, it would be everything: his stupid fist pump, the way he puts his glasses on when he wins a fight, his splits special move… then in later sequels to the game he has a tattoo of his name on his chest. Which goes to show that he isn't just a terrible fighter but a Grade A tool.

Gabe Carey - Contributing Editor & Producer

Loved: Chloe - Life Is Strange (pictured)

Far Cry 3 came out when I was in high school, and I was super pumped for it. At the time, I adored the story. I regret to say I found the characters relatable and the story engaging. That is, until I went back to play it last week. The opening scene of the game explains with minimal dialogue why I despise Jason Brody. He's a fraternity-born douche hat with unbridled access to an arsenal of guns, and I hate myself for ever thinking he was cool.