A friend and I were engaged in a heated discussion about a subject I had never really thought about before. The question posed was “If you could pick any three characters from videogame history to be part of your zombie apocalypse survival team, who would you choose?” Suddenly, characters from all over the gaming universe start rushing through my mind. Just when I thought I had my team nailed down, another character whispered “Don’t forget about me!” (I’m not insane. I promise.) The problem me and my friend both faced is that there are simply too many awesome characters to leave out. Alas, we could only have three, so here’s the group I eventually settled on…

Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)

 

No zombie apocalypse survival team is complete without having the one and only Solid Snake. Living on the battlefield for most of his life, Snake wouldn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty. From Shadow Moses to Outer Haven, he has seen and done it all. Bringing an I.Q of 180, a gift for remaining undetected and the ability to call upon weapon and combat knowledge, Snake would be a formidable ally despite his accelerated ageing.

No doubt others will have survived this Apocalypse, so imagine having Snake around to deal with any threats who may oppose your team. Has a group of bandits got you surrounded? No problem! Using one of the many state-of-the-art gadgets Otacon has provided for him, mainly his OctoCamo suit, Snake could take out the Bandits single-handedly.

However, from what we have seen throughout the Metal Gear series, Snake immediately comes across as a loner and is seen as someone unwilling to take orders. Also, he has suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and buried his emotions deep down inside himself due to fights to the death with Big Boss, his Father, and Gray Fox, his friend and Comrade-in-arms. In contradiction to his perceived stance on violence, some of his allies believe he enjoys killing, labelling Snake as more evil than the majority of people he has dispatched. On the other hand, Snake has often shown a human side. Self-sacrificing and on occasion flirtatious, he is a firm believer that friendship and even love can blossom on the battlefield.

In spite of Snakes negative characteristics, I would be a fool to pass up on his years of combat experience, Albert Einstein-like brain and stealth capabilities. That’s why I am honoured to make him part of my zombie survival team.

Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)

After I got my hands on Mass Effect 1, all I wanted was to be Commander Shepard. From his/her cast-iron resolve to unflinching loyalty, Shepard has it all. Everybody’s version of the character will differ greatly depending on which Pre-Service History, Profile, Class, and actions they took over the course of the Mass Effect trilogy, so I will base my decision on one of my many playthroughs.

Coming from a Spacer background, the Alliance Military is all Shepard has known so he is well-versed in teamwork, chain of command and military tactics. Being the sole survivor in a mission that went horribly wrong, he has learned to endure physical torment and psychological stresses that would have broken most ordinary people. This alone shows that even the most extreme scenario wouldn’t faze him. Falling into the Soldier category, Shepard has heightened durability and can soak up punishment that would stop even the most hardy of warriors in their tracks. Knowing how to handle pretty much any weapon he comes across doesn’t hurt either!

Shepard has even come back from the dead. Granted he had a lot of help and funding from Cerberus, but I don’t think they would’ve done so if he weren’t destined for greatness. While they were poking around inside him, they added some synthetic enhancements to give him an advantage over enemies. Another reason why he is the best at what he does.

Whatever way you look at it, the galaxy always makes the right call in turning to Shepard to save it. However, for me, that creates a problem. As we see in Mass Effect 3, everything that he is trying to do to stop The Reapers from decimating the galaxy starts to take its toll on him both mentally and physically. Seeing hallucinations and having nightmares of a little boy on fire is never a good thing. Still, at the end of the day, Shepard is only human like rest of us.

In any case, Shepard’s ability to bring the very best out of his team and evoke a ‘Follow you into hell’ attitude from anyone is the number one characteristic to have in my book. And that’s why I welcome him to my zombie apocalypse survival team with open arms!

Agent 47 (Hitman)

 

The final slot on my team was a tough one. Do I choose a character from a similar mould to Commander Shepard e.g. Master Chief or Marcus Fenix? Or maybe I should throw in a wildcard à la Trevor Phillips or Max Payne? In the end I opted for the world’s most deadly and skilled assassin, Agent 47.

Genetically enhanced after years of research into Gene Augmentation, Agent 47 is designed to be perfect in every way. He is a master in the art of stealth, much like Solid Snake, is skilled in various forms of transportation (cars, helicopters, planes and boats), proficient in the use of disguises, and no building is impossible for Agent 47 to infiltrate as we have seen numerous times throughout the Hitman series. Distraction is also a key element for Agent 47,  one  that would make the hitman stand out from the rest of the squad. Zombies will investigate any and all noises they hear, from car alarms to the smallest twig breaking, as long as they think they are going to get a good meal out of it. With the hitman’s timing and elaborate planning, the group should be able to overcome any obstacle.

Agent 47 could also double up as the groups medic with his firm understanding of human anatomy. This could also be used to find varying different ways to efficiently eliminate zombie threats. Another notch on his utility belt is the capability to understand human nature and why people do what they do and say what they say. Especially handy if the team meets another group of survivors to which suspicion would naturally be given.

In any situation, Agent 47 never panics. Always composed to point that he is completely aware of his surroundings, he never loses focus even for a second, ensuring that every facet of his assignment goes off without a hitch. Just as valuable as Shepard or Snake, it’s truly a privilege to call Agent 47 an ally.

Agree with my selections? Think you could come up with a better team than me? Maybe you believe I’ve made all the wrong choices! In any case, let us know who you would pick or your thoughts on my selections in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

 ASTON SHAW