5 Most Iconic Gaming Characters of the Early 2000s
The first decade of the 2000’s was a golden era of gaming, with home consoles like the first Xbox being solidified alongside early PlayStation experiences to shape the medium as we know it. With the decline of arcades and the establishment of larger gaming experiences, the access to stories involving various game characters was easier than ever. Instead of Mario and Sonic, the 2000’s saw the introduction of new figures who would leave a lasting impact across multiple decades.
Games that weren’t even known for big stories managed to create memorable characters in the 2000’s, such as the multiplayer focused Call of Duty series making Captain John Price. From Gears of War‘s Marcus Fenix or Team Fortress 2‘s collection of colorful characters for individual roles, multiplayer focused games made an effort to have strong characters for its single-player mode or larger lore. However, the games built around a narrative first tended to build characters that were far more recognizable over the course of the 2000’s.
5. Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
The Uncharted series began in 2007 on the PS3, and could have easily become an action-adventure game that faded away over time. Part of the reason it became a PlayStation staple is due to the charm of its main character — Nathan Drake. Much like the Indiana Jones movies, Nathan Drake had an innate charm as a suave, swashbuckling treasure hunter, with a quick-wit that made the character shine in over-the-top world trotting adventures. The funny and handsome demeanor of Nathan Drake was offset by his willingness to fight dirty, using tricks and risky gambits to get out of tight spots.
This game, created by developer Naughty Dog, would establish the cinematic AAA experiences of The Last of Us, the modern God of War titles, and even games as new as 2026’s Marvel’s Wolverine. This was due to how Nathan Drake’s adventures were a combination of gameplay segments and story cutscenes, making players feel like they were playing through an exciting action movie. To fit that bill, Nathan Drake is arguably the perfect protagonist for that sort of story, possessing incredible luck and a rugged swagger similar to Harrison Ford or other action movie stars.
The best part about Nathan Drake is that he only gets better as the Uncharted series goes on, becoming a deeper character and going on adventures with even higher stakes. The character also became a poster child of PlayStation exclusives, convincing players to buy the console to experience his journeys. Unlike games with similar protagonists, like Tomb Raider, Uncharted was something special for PlayStation only, making Nathan Drake a figure that sparked curiosity to see what that console series was all about.
4. GLaDOS (Portal)
GLaDOS is one of the few villains from the 2000’s who had as much of an impact as several protagonists, even transcending beyond her game to become someone truly memorable. The final boss of the first Portal from 2007, GLaDOS is remembered not for being a hard enemy to fight or even because she is the architect of the puzzle “tests” you go through within the game. Instead, GLaDOS is remembered most for her condescending dialogue, which is filled with hilarious insults and jabs at your character delivered in a monotone voice.
In a way, GLaDOS is a cynical, more comedic take on 2001: A Space Odyssey‘s Hal 9000, the malevolent AI that also speaks without any emotion. The robotic comparisons here are enhanced by the fact that GLaDOS is constantly commenting on your actions in Portal, never slowing down or becoming annoying in the process. The creativity of Portal‘s writing comes through every time GLaDOS speaks, whether it’s to threaten you or talk about a cake reward awaiting you at the end of your trials.
In a game already full of satisfying problem solving through the titular portal mechanic, defeating GLaDOS is just as fulfilling. Over the years, it’s impressive to see how GLaDOS has become a blueprint for memorable gaming antagonists, despite the character only existing in two games. GLaDOS’ expanded role in Portal 2 made her an even better character in 2011, but even her first appearance four years prior established her as an all-time great gaming character.
3. Ezio Auditore de Firenze (Assassin’s Creed 2)
Despite the fact that the first Assassin’s Creed came out in 2007, the series really didn’t capture players until two years later with the release of Assassin’s Creed 2 in 2009. This could have been for a variety of reasons, from the game’s bright Renaissance era Italy setting to the expansion of gameplay features made from the first series title. However, one contributing factor to the game’s explosive success was undoubtedly its main character, an Assassin named Ezio.
Ezio’s story is an instantly memorable one, as it revolves around him fighting back against the Templars who killed his family in a dramatic story with plenty of twists and turns. From the start of the game, players are introduced to Ezio through a number of hi-jinks of him causing mischief in Florence, Italy, painting him as a lovable rogue with a heart of gold. As the game goes on, Ezio becomes an Assassin that still remains a good soul, defending what family he has left and making sure to punish those who abuse their power during an era of stifling authority.
As Ezio would later star in the next two Assassin Creed games to follow the second one, the character became the key figure for the franchise. Whenever someone thinks about Assassin’s Creed now, Ezio is likely the first character they think of, as his visual and gameplay qualities are the quintessential picture that defines the series’ tropes. Although Ezio wasn’t the first to equip the hidden blades on his wrists, he was the one to popularize the image of Assassin’s Creed, turning it into a juggernaut series within gaming as a whole.
2. Kratos (God of War)
Before being re-invented in 2018, the God of War series started with an epic tale meant to evoke classic Greek mythology, using the character of Kratos to do so. Back in 2005, the first God of War showed the story of the Spartan warrior Kratos, as he made a deal with the Greek god of war Ares to strike down his enemies in exchange for his service. However, Ares tricks Kratos into slaying his family, whose ashes stick to his body. Enranged, Kratos then goes on a journey at the behest of the goddess Athena to kill Ares by hunting down an artifact that can take down such a deity.
At this point, Kratos was the poster child of the phrase “too angry to die,” a moniker he would continue to prove in the follow-up Greek God of War games released in the same decade. Throughout the course of five real-world years, Kratos would hack-and-slash his way through the entire Greek pantheon, brutally killing heroes, monsters, and gods alike. The sheer power Kratos displayed made him an instant icon in gaming due to his angry nature, but fans would also praise the series for having more nuanced story telling that made Kratos’ struggles feel both grandiose and extremely personal.
Players remember the first God of War for its incredibly fun boss battles, which were amazing spectacles where you could feel the scale of the enemies Kratos was up against. From the Hydra’s massive size to the ultimate confrontation against Ares, the battles in God of War were truly as epic as promised. Kratos’ use of unorthodox weapons like the Blades of Chaos also made the character memorable, with his harsh attitude helping differentiate himself from other “good natured” gaming protagonists.
1. Master Chief (Halo)
If any character from the 2000’s was to be singled out as the most important figure in gaming from that time, Master Chief would likely be selected every time. The Master Chief is the main character from Halo: Combat Evolved, the flagship title for the original Xbox released in the year 2001. Without this game, the Xbox would never have taken off as well as it did, as the game was truly a revolutionary title that helped create the modern first-person shooter.
The sci-fi battles of Combat Evolved were fought by Master Chief, a fictional SPARTAN super soldier created to fight against the various aliens of the religious Covenant. This first game in the Halo series sees players embody Master Chief as they travel to a mysterious ring world, discovering dark secrets and helping to rescue humanity trapped on the ring with him. The traits of Master Chief are exemplified by any player’s actions, making you feel like you can take on entire Covenant armies all by yourself.
The pure exhilaration of being a one-man army is part of what makes the character so easy for players to envision themselves as. This doesn’t mean Master Chief is a completely blank slate though, as the character has moments of dialogue and even humor through their AI companion Cortana. Seeing how Master Chief interacts with events around him, and how his allies trust him completely, makes him (and therefore the player) a natural leader. When it comes to game characters that make you feel like you can do anything, Master Chief is one from the 2000’s that captures that spirit.