The 2013 Vidya Gaem Awards

Maybe he's better off than most FPS protagonists, but Booker's characterization doesn't go far enough, and by the time serious revelations are made, most players already hated him, and for good reason. Troy Baker's phoned-in performance doesn't help any more than the "YOU SHOULD FEEL THIS WAY BECAUSE BOOKER IS SAYING HE FEELS THIS WAY" writing.

We're making a game about a world-class wisecracker with a strong sense of justice and a stronger sense of style? Let's reboot him as a bitter, edgy psychopath that hates everything! That'll go over REALLY WELL! No, don't worry about anyone that says it's a bad idea, they're just mad about the hair color! Oh, and did we mention the reboot's original concept was a complete self-insert of the lead developer?

Refer to the Best Character entry except read it with a furrowed brow.

Ellen is a teenager who swears and kills people, so she's already on our edgy list. Still 10/10 writing on Naughty Dog's part. I liked the bit where she acted like a useless child and ran around whilst I was trying to sneak up on a dude with a gun. You think this is easy Ellen? I gotta try to avoid staring at dem jeans you are non-sexually wearing whilst you run ahead of me like you're at fucking Disneyland. Come on.

David Cage is somewhat of a novelty for the cinematic gamer crowd. He should be capable of writing a good female character based on his high regard among his peers. Beyond shows us that this is not the case, and that we should not let Cage near a game ever again unless David Bowie is involved somehow. At least we got some awful 3D nude shots of Ellen Page which is a thing we all thought we wanted until we actually had it.

Lara Croft has a lot in common with Samus Aran. Two previously strong-willed adventurers turned into sniveling sacks of emotion for the purpose of "good storytelling". At least Croft didn't have to worry about a baby.