LogFAQs > #921258246

Here's an interesting litmus test that I just thought of, which helped clarify some of my thoughts on the snubs you mentioned: is a given character definitively more influential than Amaterasu? Basically, my thinking was that Amaterasu probably deserves to be in this bracket, but only barely. If someone is distinctly less influential as a character than Amaterasu, then they don't belong in this bracket. Likewise, if a character is clearly more influential (as opposed to merely debatably so) than Amaterasu, they almost certainly belong in this bracket.

This is approximately how I'd place all the snubs we've mentioned using the Amaterasu test:

More Influential:

Kain: A notable example of an early gray-area antihero from a rather influential series; he's one of the characters who I thought about mentioning, but whose relative degree of influence I couldn't pinpoint until I applied the Amaterasu test.
The Prince of Persia: Basically the same story as Kain, except for the antihero part, of which he isn't a very significant example.
+ Ms. Pac-Man, Pauline, Space Invader, The Avatar

Less Influential:

Garrus Vakarian: I might be missing something because I haven't played his series, but him being a likeable, well-written character with excellent development isn't the same as properly being influential.
Heather Mason: She's certainly unique as a realistic, deglamorized female protagonist of horror, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's hugely influential. Little Mac feels like a good comparison of characters who have things to set them apart, but aren't quite important enough to be considered proper snubs.
Rayman: Another character I thought about, but a unique design and gameplay plus mascot status doesn't necessarily equate to major influence.
Raziel: Kain strikes me as the more significant character from their series.
Red Bird: I suppose I am conflating his game's significance a bit too much with his own.
Trevor Philips: He's merely following in the steps of many previous GTA protagonists, and more generally antiheroes in gaming.
+ Frog, Gex, Little Mac

Arguable:

Andrew Ryan, Illidan Stormrage, John Marston: I'm not really sure about any of these because I haven't played their series.
Carl Johnson: Though I don't know for sure, I feel like Barret is both the more complex and less stereotypical character, which probably outweighs CJ's player character status.
Clyde: I do think you're underrating the fact that he doesn't even chase after Pac-Man as characterization a bit, considering that "rawr I'm evil" was about the extent of most villains' characterization in those days - for example, Bowser didn't acquire proper personality beyond that until 1996. Saying that, though, I don't think he's an egregious snub by any means.
Dr. Wily: I have a hard time pointing out exactly what's overly influential about him, but it does feel odd to see him excluded while Dr. Robotnik sits around midpack, even as Sonic and Mega Man share 1-seeds.
Lee Everett: My impression at least is that he's a serious, principled African-American character who lacks some of the more stereotypical aspects of African-American characterization from previous significant characters such as Barret and CJ, which is the one major argument for his inclusion.
+ Athena Asamiya, Big Daddy, Blue, Cecil Harvey, Creeper, Diablo, Doomguy, Garrett, Max Payne, Ness, Princess Daphne, Red, Ryo Hazuki, Q*Bert, Sans, WCC
---

Hail the reigning Guru champ, Advokaiser!
You proved yourself more statistically metal-minded than I ever have been - well done!