Fighting games aren’t really known for having much of a plot. Nine times out of 10, some heavily inebriated deities have invited a group of superheroic misfits to murder each other in a tournament format, so on and on..Coming back to my topic Top 10 Real Steel gaming robot characters. Todayt I thought it’d be fun to get ultra specific this time around and do a list of my all time favorite robot game characters. The rules were simple but made me whittle down my list quickly. While there have been numerous robot characters, many of them were not autonomous, were just supporting characters or were just not cool enough for my list.
Here, we have picked out what we consider to be the best ten games featuring robots. As usual, we have focused on free online games where possible. So there are no excuses not to play them!
Game: Deus Ex series
1. Robots: JC Denton/Alex D/Adam Jensen
While not actually robots, JC Denton, Alex D and Adam Jensen are, in the words of Star Wars, ‘more machine than man’. Their bioaugmented bodies make for good examples of the interesting – and plausible – ways robotics and biology may eventually be combined
Game: Sonic series
2. Robot: Metal Sonic
First appearing in Sonic The Hedgehog CD, this successor to Mecha Sonic from Sonic 2 was created by Robotnik to mimic Sonic’s abilities. He’s a recurring antagonist, faster than the hedgehog himself, and even occasionally appears as a playable character. His next appearance is in the forthcoming Sonic Generations
Game: God Hand 2
3. Robot: Dr. Ion
Dr Ion is a robotic Frankenstein’s monster-esque boss from Clover Studio’s God Hand. He’s first encountered being powered up, and his only dialogue is spoken by a crow which sits on his shoulder. After a lengthy fight, he’s vanquished by Gene. “So much for old Sparky!”
Game: Fallout 3
4. Robot: Liberty Prime
Originally created to aid the US Army, Liberty Prime was repurposed by the Brotherhood of Steel and repaired. Part of the force that retook Project Purity from the Enclave, Liberty Prime stormed through the streets, accompanied by the Brotherood and the player character.
Game: Star Fox 64
5. Robot: ROB 64
ROB 64 pilots the Great Fox, headquarters of the Star Fox team. He also provides support for Fox, Peppy, Falco and Slippy, in the form of hints and weapon drops. ROB 64 is based on the R.O.B. NES add-on, a short-lived robot peripheral.
Game: Syberia series
6. Robot: Oscar aka Oskar
Oscar is the no-nonsense automaton conductor of the clockwork train which takes Kate Walker on her cross-country journey. Initially quite abrupt, Oscar and Kate eventually form a bond. In Syberia II, Oscar makes the ultimate sacrifice for his creator, Hans.
Game: Portal series
7. Robot: GLaDOS
GLaDOS, the murderous curator of Aperture Science, acts as Chell’s foil in both Portal and Portal 2. Voiced by Ellen McLain, her witty dialogue and iconic songs have become a large part of widespread gaming culture.
Game: Ratchet & Clank series
8. Robot: Clank
Titular sidekick Clank has appeared beside Ratchet in numerous games, and even featured in his own spinoff titles. This grounded little robot provides a down to earth counterpart to his headstrong Lombax partner.
Game: Half-Life 2
9. Robot: Dog
Created by Eli Vance to be Alyx’s protector, Dog started life at a metre tall. Alyx gradually modified her companion and by the events of Half Life 2 he towers over his human counterparts. Always happy to help out, Dog has a playful nature and isn’t adverse to challenging Gordon to a game or two.
Game: Mass Effect 2
10. Robot: Legion
Legion is the collective consciousness of 1,183 Geth. Unhappy with the way things are going in the universe, Legion joins forces with Commander Shepard, proving to be an unlikely – but beneficial – ally. That is, if the player doesn’t opt to sell his body for research.
