Summary
- Arthur Morgan is a top-tier Rockstar protagonist due to his complexity, voice work, and character development.
- Niko Bellic from GTA 4 showcases depth and balance through humor, violence, and resilience.
- John Marston and CJ are memorable A-tier heroes, offering unique stories within Rockstar's varied protagonists.
Rockstar is a developer whose reputation precedes it. Responsible for several of the most iconic and successful single-player games of the past two decades, the company is best known for its strong writing, detailed open-worlds, and the breathtaking realism of recent releases like Red Dead Redemption 2.
That said, Rockstar's games can take many different forms, despite their many overlapping elements. For instance, while GTA and Red Dead are both series that pride themselves on broad open-world environments and side content, the latter is far more sober and self-serious, prioritizing realism over bombastic action set pieces or over-the-top theatrics, which can't be said for most GTA games. This flexibility has allowed Rockstar to approach its many stories with distinct intentions, making them tonally and narratively varied, and leading to a wide array of stories starring all manner of main characters, some being more captivating than others.
The following tier list will only focus on the more notable Rockstar games; the protagonists of long-forgotten IPs like Smuggler's Run will not be making an appearance.
Rockstar Games That Are Difficult To Replay Nowadays
Rockstar is famous for making some amazing games, but time is cruel, and some of their most famous titles are hard to go back to and replay nowadays.
S-Tier Rockstar Games Protagonists
- Arthur Morgan - Red Dead Redemption 2
- Niko Bellic - Grand Theft Auto 4
Arthur Morgan is not only the best protagonist of any Rockstar game, but one of the greatest video game protagonists of all time. His sorrow, guilt, and self-loathing are nuanced and complex, yet still easy to understand, making him simultaneously relatable, likable, and detestable, and his journey from calloused outlaw to penitent hero is ceaselessly compelling. Brought to life by the incredible voice work of Roger Clark and the true-to-life facial movements courtesy of Rockstar's animators, Arthur is the best part of Red Dead Redemption 2, and among Rockstar's greatest achievements.
Not far behind him is Niko Bellic, the star of Grand Theft Auto 4. In a game that takes a decidedly more grounded approach than its predecessors, Niko injects the story with life thanks to his deadpan sense of humor and undercurrent of cold, clinical violence, which he only uses as needed and without revelry. Like Arthur, he is troubled by a traumatic past, having experienced war in his home country. He chases the American dream, and is betrayed and disappointed a number of times, but his heart of gold gleams through the story's darkest moments, exemplifying his resilience in the face of adversity.
A-Tier Rockstar Games Protagonists
- John Marston - Red Dead Redemption
- Carl 'CJ' Johnson - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Tommy Vercetti - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
The iconic Red Dead Redemption hero John Marston would have made the cut for the S-Tier, were it not for his successor Arthur Morgan outshining him. Still, Marston shouldn't be discounted, as his solo story sees him set upon a dusty, messy warpath, attempting to make up for his past mistakes and provide a better future for his family. His tragic end, coupled with his expanded characterization in Red Dead Redemption 2, helps make him a memorable and multifaceted hero who, while not as complex as Morgan, is nevertheless engaging. His heartwrenching and cruel fate may be unfair, but it cements him as a redeemable man who simply couldn't outrun his past.
There are a lot of great protagonists in the GTA series, not the least of which being CJ and Tommy from GTA: San Andreas and GTA 3, respectively. Tommy has the honor of being GTA's first voiced protagonist, and while he isn't anywhere near as complex as Niko Bellic, his story of revenge and ascension through the criminal underworld is entertaining and reminiscent of classic mob flicks like Goodfellas. CJ, on the other hand, channels West Coast gangster culture, and his experience with violence and poverty are what drive his criminal behavior. He is motivated by justice and grief over the death of his family members, allowing audiences to connect with him and forgive some of his more unsavory actions.
B-Tier Rockstar Games Protagonists
- Jimmy Hopkins - Bully
- Cole Phelps - L.A. Noire
- Trevor Philips - Grand Theft Auto 5
- Michael De Santa - Grand Theft Auto 5
Perhaps it can be chalked up to his age, but Bully's protagonist is notably less complex than many other Rockstar heroes, even if there is more to him than first meets the eye. Jimmy's presence in Bully shows more potential than anything, with him being remarkably mature for his age, but otherwise a fairly standard, youthful hero in an unfortunate set of circumstances.
Similar criticisms can be leveled against L.A. Noire's Cole Phelps who, while not without his personal demons, is something of a boilerplate detective character, prioritizing justice and truth above all else. Admirable, yes, but not consistently interesting.
Trevor and Michael suffer from having to share the spotlight in GTA 5. They are easy to understand and often highly entertaining, but also one-note and unlikable. This is especially true for Trevor, who is usually more of a source of shock or gross-out humor than a fully fleshed-out, multifaceted character. They work for GTA 5's over-the-top tone and setting, but would likely struggle in stories that take themselves more seriously.
C-Tier Rockstar Games Protagonists
- Franklin Clinton - Grand Theft Auto 5
- Claude - Grand Theft Auto 3
- Red Harlow - Red Dead Revolver
Franklin Clinton, while certainly the most likable of the three GTA 5 protagonists, is also the most one-dimensional; Michael at least has his family struggles to beef up his narrative, and Trevor's unpredictability makes him fun to watch, but Franklin is a bit too milquetoast by comparison. The game hints at certain struggles in his life, but these aren't treated with the reverence or attention needed to make them evocative.
If Franklin is bland, then Claude is totally flavorless. A silent protagonist, he is more of a vessel through which the character can experience the game world than a character in his own right. His desires and motivations are shrouded by his silence, and while this gives him a certain allure, it hardly elicits an emotional response.
Red Harlow, though not a silent protagonist, is similarly stoic, and his hardened exterior and quest for revenge are derivative of other Western stories. Lacking the vulnerability of characters like John and Arthur, he is the weakest protagonist in the Red Dead trilogy.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 26, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
