Naughty Dog's meteoric rise in the video game landscape has been nothing short of incredible. The developer has transformed quite a bit since its early years of being known for making tough and engaging platformers with cartoon mascots. In modern times, Naughty Dog is a major video game company known for creating cinematic, story-driven games with impressive set pieces that have become flagship titles on the PlayStation lineup of consoles.
One of the many hallmarks of Naughty Dog's storytelling prowess is its ability to create memorable and relatable protagonists. The studio has introduced players to a range of characters that have captured the hearts of players all over the world. From smart-mouthed adventurers to complex antiheroes who have gone through their fair share of strife, Naughty Dog has a great lineup of heroes that are all pretty engaging in their own right.
8 Jak
Naughty Dog may be lauded across the board for a number of reasons, but one consistent complaint fans have is the fact that this company has seemingly shelved the popular Jak & Daxter series. Sure, some people can argue that this platformer simply doesn't capture mainstream interest anymore... but then that same statement should apply to the Crash Bandicoot series, which has been revived courtesy of a modern makeover.
The worst part about this is that most new fans won't get to witness Jak's fascinating character development across the games. He started out as a fairly generic hero before being twisted by inhumane experiments and developing an edgy personality, albeit in a way that was quite believable.
7 Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot was Sony's mascot for the longest time before the PlayStation brand expanded to more mature and story-heavy games instead. This trilogy of platformers stars the eponymous bandicoot who faces off against a litany of villains, including the evil Dr. Cortex and his minions.
This hero has been revived for modern platforms courtesy of a great remake that makes these games look pretty modern. Crash Bandicoot's difficulty can be quite tough to deal with, but players who get past this hurdle will love the emotive and goofy nature of the main character.
6 Abby Anderson
Abby is a new character introduced in The Last of Us Part 2, initially appearing as an antagonist before becoming a playable character midway into the story. Her character is pretty interesting, and controlling her makes the moral ambiguity of the game quite apparent indeed.
However, a huge complaint players have with this game is the manner in which her story segments are integrated. It was hard to connect with Abby's friends since players already knew their fates, making her sections in the game feel somewhat boring compared to Ellie's action-packed quest for vengeance.
5 Sam Drake
There are many people who found the existence of Sam Drake to introduce its fair share of plotholes in Uncharted, especially when it comes to the third game. That being said, there's no denying that Naughty Dog did a great job of introducing this character and making his motivations quite believable.
His dynamic with Nathan makes this sibling duo shine pretty bright in the game's emotional moments and helps Uncharted 4 become the best game in the series. While he may just be playable during his escape from prison, the impact he has on the series and its fans is quite substantial and worth a mention.
4 Chloe Frazer
Throughout Nate's adventures, he meets several unique and entertaining personalities along the way. One such character is Chloe Frazer, a British thrill seeker who can easily match Nathan's banter if not eclipse him at certain moments.
They have a fling in the second game, and players were saddened to see Nate going back to Elena despite the scintillating chemistry he had with the sassy brunette. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy allows characters to control her as she embarks on an adventure with Nadine Ross, making for an unlikely yet entertaining pairing.
3 Nathan Drake
Nathan Drake is the charming and adventurous protagonist of the Uncharted series, playing a critical role in each entry. This modern-day Indiana Jones travels the world in search of treasure, getting into compromising situations and death-defying shootouts time and time again.
Nolan North really helped in bringing this character to life, with his sharp wit and likable nature making him an easy protagonist to root for. Uncharted 4 may have been the perfect way to end this adventurer's journey, but most fans would agree that this boisterous personality will be sorely missed.
2 Ellie
A character who initially seems like nothing more than an ungrateful brat, it doesn't take long for Ellie to show her true colors and become a beloved figure in The Last of Us. Both Joel and the players feel a sense of agency as they protect her at every step of the way in the first game.
By the second game, Ellie has grown up and is more than capable of taking care of herself. Joel's death sends her down an endless spiral of murder and revenge which adds an interesting dynamic to her personality, even if some people didn't like how brutal she became over the course of the game as she hunted down Abby and her gang.
1 Joel Miller
Joel is the quintessential grizzled and protective father figure everyone thinks of when describing the video game dad archetype. His early moments in The Last of Us make for one of the most emotional introductions in gaming history, shaping how his character would evolve over the course of this epidemic.
After finding Ellie, Joel finds another reason to live and strives to protect her at every step of the way, going so far as to doom humanity just so that she could survive. There's a reason why so many people aren't fond of The Last of Us Part 2 — the unceremonious manner in which this beloved character was done away with angered many fans, and understandably so.