1. Handsome Jack – Borderlands series
Although I adore the first Borderlands, it’s no secret that the game failed to build upon its characters. Antagonists are typically implemented to create a compelling reason for the main character to rise against the odds and justify hours projecting onto the protagonist. The Vault and its resident, cervix-esque monster, The Destroyer, failed to really fill this void.
Bring on its sequel and everything is forgiven. Gearbox really made storytelling strides with the second game, creating a more realised world and, more importantly, introducing us to Handsome Jack. Even with a colourful cast of characters to play as, who each come with some nuance of personality, Jack just outshines all of them. Handsome Jack is charismatic, funny and is possibly one of the most outstanding villains in gaming history.
Overall, it’s Handsome Jack’s well written dialogue and incredible performances that make him as likeable as he is. All the way through Borderlands 2 he manages to make some of the most berating comments possible, but the snarky delivery makes it campy and highlights just how unhinged Jack actually is. Heck, they even made him loveable in Tales from the Borderlands by giving him more emotional depth and character development.
Oh, did we mention he’s handsome too?
~Jose Herrias
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