11 March 2024
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
As one of the rare national holidays honoured globally, St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching, and we believe it’s reasonable to state that we’re the best people on the planet 😊.
Photo: William, Nioh (screenshot youtube.com/@BossFightDatabase)
We thought we’d compile a list of the top Irish video game characters because, despite the popularity of “Paddy’s Day”, we haven’t had the best representation in the industry (just look at Red Dead Redemption’s “Irish” character).
# 7 Sean MacGuire (Red Dead Redemption 2)
A cherished Van der Linde gang member who once challenged Dutch for his pocket watch, Sean is a carefree and optimistic individual who enjoys sharing stories around the group’s bonfire.
Even though he occasionally goes too far with the slagging, he’s liked by the gang and is perceived as having a relationship with Lenny and Karen. Mick Mellamphy, who has a beautiful voice, has shown that he’s the one who can inject humor into a very serious group.
# 6 Moira O’Deorain (Overwatch)
A support character from Dublin, Moira O’Deorain, also known as just Moira, was first shown to Overwatch gamers in November 2017. Moira was described as a “hybrid” figure by Jeff Kaplan. Even though she’s a support class player, if used skillfully, she may do a great quantity of damage.
Prior to the Overwatch events, Moira was a contentious and ethically dubious scientist whose career was cut short when the scientific community deemed her work harmful and equated her preoccupation with scientific progress to the outbreak of the Omnic War. During this period of time, Moira received assistance from Blackwatch, an unexpected source. It has been discovered that she is the one who changed Gabriel Reyes into Reaper, therefore you don’t want to screw this woman.
Moira is one of the main reasons for the Overwatch popularity. This video game from Blizzard has one of the most loyal fan bases in the gaming world, however, it’s not as well-liked as it once was. This is partially because other games have emerged and drawn gamers in since Overwatch was released back in 2016, especially in the competitive first-person shooter genre (Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Apex Legends…) whose already existing allure has been increased with their entrance to the competitive realm of eSports and to offers of the online betting sites from the Bookmaker-Expert.com’s list of top-rated eSports (and sports, in general) Internet betting operators.
# 5 Jaunty (Shadow Man)
Jaunty, a character deserving of the name, makes an appearance in the beloved Shadow Man computer games. After being taken hostage and ceremoniously offered by a group of occult students in Dublin, Jaunty was saved by Mama Nettie, a Voodoo Priestess, who hired him as her assistant in exchange for a new body.
Unfortunately for Jaunty, there was a catch to the deal: he had the body of a skull on top of a serpent’s body in a large hat when he was in the Deadside, the realm where human spirits go after death, and he was a dwarf with disfigurement when he was on the Liveside, where people reside. It’s hardly the finest of deals, but it doesn’t appear to upset him too much.
# 4 William (Nioh)
William, the main character of the first Nioh game, is an Irish-born sailor who meets Saoirse, his spirit guardian, after becoming an orphan during an English-Irish war. William departs for Japan in an attempt to retrieve Saoirse after she is abducted.
Inspired by the English seaman William Adams, the first “Western Samurai” William is said to have been born in Ireland because Nioh’s story is more mystical and magical and brings us closer to the concept of ghosts. However, we believe that’s only because being Irish is generally superior.
# 3 Anna and Nina Williams (Tekken)
Although these are technically two names on the list, since they are sisters and it is our list, we are free to add them if we so choose. The daughters of British Aikido champion Mrs. Williams and former IRA hitman Richard Williams are Tekken’s two fierce assassins.
Raised in Ireland, their father trained the two ladies in the craft of assassination, with Nina aspiring to take over the family business, which led to the women’s drifting apart.
Since the start of the Tekken series, they’ve proven themselves to be formidable opponents and deserving of the title of King of Iron Fist—at least when we play the game, that is.
# 2 Atlas (BioShock)
Please pay attention to the next item on our list, Atlas (also known as Frank Fontaine). One of our favorite revelations in the history of video games is when protagonist Jack realizes he is being controlled by Frank Fontaine, who was believed to be dead, using the Atlas alias. We laughed so hard that we nearly passed out.
After serving as Jack’s mentor for most of the game, the placid Atlas suddenly comes forward to reveal himself as the criminal mastermind responsible for starting the civil war that led to Rapture’s downfall. He uses Jack to carry out his orders in order to murder Andrew Ryan, his rival. Even though Atlas is a monster at heart, this development is what makes him such a famous foe.
# 1 Shay Cormac (Assassin’s Creed Rogue)
Ireland is no stranger to Assassin’s Creed games, but Shay Patrick Corman, an exceptionally gifted Irishman, seems to be one of the most outstanding AC protagonists. You take command of Shay in Assassin’s Creed Rogue as he fights the assassins to prevent them from obtaining the Pieces of Eden.
Shay’s actions have a devastating effect on the Assassins themselves as he kills his way to become one of the most feared and esteemed Templars the world has ever seen. This is arguably one of the most impacting stories of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Shay raised the point that the plot would be drastically different if the Assassin’s Creed series were the one being played, even though it might not be fun to take on the villains.
Conclusion
Even though the “Land of Saints and Scholars” is sometimes portrayed in a clichéd way, players love the idea of taking control of these revered Paddies because they know their sharp banter, patriotic vernacular, and strong sense of humor would provide them with endless hours of entertainment.