Ratchet & Clank
Lord almighty, that might just be the biggest durn gun we ever did see! The gentleman holding that cannon [though it could be a grain elevator with a trigger) is Ratchet. That cute little bucket of parts tied to his back? — That's—how did you guess?—Clank.
Ratchet is a grinning idiot who's hell-bent on becoming as cool as his heroic idol, Captain Quark. He's also a Mr. Fix-it who gets the chance to save the world from evil. (Bet you never heard that plot before.)
And Clank? He's the star of the show. He can mutate into literally dozens of weapons and gadgets, but more importantly, he carries this duo with his personality. Plus, he's super-cute. Come on, admit it!
Lara and Kurtis
Even if you've played all five previous Tomb Raiders, seen the movie, and know Lara Croft's measurements by heart|34D-24-35, for those of you not fitting this description). Core and Eidos hope to surprise you a bit with the sexy Brit's new image. In The Angel of Darkness, Lara is one pissed-off chick out to clear her name after being framed for murder. Forget all you think you know about her until you play the game.
Also, forget about playing as Lara the whole time. Kurtis Trent joins forces with Lara in their quest against a common foe, the Alchemist. Seems this magic man from the past is responsible for the death of Kurt's father, leaving the glaive-wielding hero as the one and only survivor of an order called the Lux veritatis, and thus its default leader. He's only got limited magical powers, but you can bet they come in handy.
Mark Hammond
That's The Getaways Mark Hammond below. Dark eyes, deliberate, concentrated gait. It's the walk of a man who's got nothing left to lose. His wife, the love of Mark's life, has been murdered. Instead of grieving, though. He's on the run because London's finest is blaming him for her death. Potty-mouthed, keenly competent and an ex-gangster in his own right, we've got a feeling Mark might just clear his name and avenge his wife's tragic death. After all, he does know all of the seediest spots in London. That's why his gun's loaded and ready to fire.
Sly Cooper
Don't let this cartoony artwork fool you. Sure, Sly may look like he's a bit light in the proverbial loafers, but his game is anything but dainty. And besides, you’ve got to be light on your feet in his profession; as a master thief from a long line of master thieves, no less-this raccoon is always on the go. And he's got the moves to keep the thieving profitable; With the help of his hooked "thief tool, Sly climbs, crawls, swings and creeps his way through dozens of beautifully animated worlds. His aura of mystery prompts a multitude of questions. For example: Are those short pants, or is it fur? Why bother with a mask when, as a raccoon, he's born with one painted on? And what's with that hat? The world may never know.
Dirk and Daphne
Sure, Mr. and Ms. Pac might have beaten them to the punch, but Dirk the Daring and Princess Daphne can still claim one of the longest relationships in gaming history. When Encore releases its 3D remake of Dragon's Lair this fall, we'll get an even more in-depth look into what makes these two tick. For those uninitiated with these creations of Don Bluth I The Secret of Nimh. Titan A. El. Dirk is a knight as heroic as he is bumbling, who only speaks in grunts. Mean-while, Daphne promises to show us that she's more than just an airheaded damsel in distress with a really annoying voice.
Hotsuma
Joe Musashi, the star of previous Shinobi games, has seemingly retired. Taking his place is the flamboyantly dressed gentleman to your left the's kicking a kind of Storm Shadow/Snake Eyes/Grey Fox vibe. His name's Hotsuma, and he's the type of stealth master who can carve the buttons off that oxford you're wearing before you even know he's in the room.
Stealth aside, the thing that makes us love this guy is that blood-red scarf that floats behind him like a sheen of silk.
As part of an ancient Japanese clan, Hotsuma defeated his brother in battle. which earned him the messy honor of wielding a magical sword that craves blood. If it's not someone else's blood, the sword won't mind turning on you to get it. That's the excuse this game uses to ensure maximum carnage. As good à device as any, we figure.
Beyond the Grave
We'll be honest: Grave barely made the list. The reason? All during Gungrave, he wears a friggin sarcophagus on his back. Besides that lame accessory, though, he's possibly the biggest gaming badass to come along since Dante.
An undead assassin, Beyond the Grave lives only to take down The Syndicate, a criminal organization that betrayed him. Worse yet, they killed the woman he loved. Hell hath no fury like a man with a coffin on his back scorned!