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Top 10 Video Game Characters Based on Real-Life People

Top 10 Video Game Characters Based on Real-Life People
VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
For this list, we'll be looking at video game characters whose creators turned to history for inspiration. However, we won't be including historical figures from “Assassin's Creed” as they make up their own list! Our countdown includes John-Caleb Bradberton “Fallout 4” (2015), Pagan Min “Far Cry 4” (2014), Dr. Wily “Mega Man” Series (1987-), Andrew Ryan “BioShock” (2007) and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds

Top 10 Video Game Characters Based on Historical Figures


Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Video Game Characters Based on Historical Figures.

For this list, we’ll be looking at video game characters whose creators turned to history for inspiration. However, we won’t be including historical figures from “Assassin’s Creed” as they could make up their own list.

Which character’s historical origins surprised you? Let us know in the comments.

#10: John-Caleb Bradberton

“Fallout 4” (2015)

“Fallout” has featured numerous eccentric characters. And in an expansion pack for “Fallout 4,” Bethesda introduced players to the creator of its in-game soft drink, Nuka-Cola. For John-Caleb Bradberton’s name, Bethesda combined the names of Coca Cola creator, John Pemberton, and the creator of Pepsi, Caleb Bradham. However, his appearance is based on Walt Disney, though not how one might expect. Players meet Bradberton at Nuka-World, an amusement park built long ago from his soda empire. At this point, all that remains of Bradberton is his head, attached to a cryogenic preservation unit to keep him alive. This is a direct reference to the myth that Disney had his body cryogenically frozen upon death so that he could return in the future.

#9: Date Masamune

“Sengoku Basara” Series (2005-16)

Capcom’s hack and slash series, “Sengoku Basara,” is loosely based on the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. Therefore, it takes some inspiration from real-world figures. Although he was called Azure Dragon in his American debut, one of the series’ main characters takes his name from a real-life warrior and leader. The actual Date Masamune ruled in the late 1500s through the early 1600s. His skill as a tactician and his missing eye earned him the nickname “The One-Eyed Dragon,” which Capcom used when designing their character’s armor and weapons. But he isn’t the only protagonist of the series born of historical inspiration. Sanada Yukimura was similarly named after a legendary Samurai warrior of the same period.

#8: Haohmaru

“Samurai Shodown” Series (1993-)

SNK’s “Samurai Shodown'' is set during 18th century Japan and features several characters inspired by historical figures. The franchise’s poster child and most recognizable fighter is Haohmaru, a Samurai clad in white who blesses his blade with sake before each fight. SNK based this fighter on Miyamoto Musashi, a renowned ronin who claimed to have won more than 60 duels to the death, even referring to him as Musashi during development. Known today as a kensai, or sword saint, Musashi famously invented his own style of fencing with two swords and wrote the literal book on strategy, “The Book of Five Rings.” Not a bad basis for a fighting game character.

#7: Pagan Min

“Far Cry 4” (2014)

Ubisoft’s “Far Cry” series has featured a handful of memorable villains. For 2014’s fourth entry, it was the flamboyant and tyrannical Pagan Min who captivated players. His flashy design was based on Japanese films “Brother” and “Ichi the Killer.” But for his name and backstory, Ubisoft looked to a 19th Century Burmese King of the same name. The real Pagan Min came to power by killing his father, a fact that Ubisoft latched onto when creating their character. According to Narrative Director Mark Thompson, the villain was born Gang Min and named himself after the Burmese King after disposing of his own father.

#6: Violette Summer

“Velvet Assassin” (2009)

2009’s “Velvet Assassin” put players in the shoes of Violette Summer, a British spy operating behind Germany’s lines during WWII. While it didn’t exactly wow players or critics, it did showcase important historical locations like the Maginot Line and events like Operation Gomorrah. Violette herself was based on Violette Szabo, who worked for the British Special Operations Executive following her husband’s death in combat. During her second mission to Nazi-occupied France, Szabo was captured by German forces, interrogated, tortured, and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. There, she endured hard labor and more torture before being executed in 1945. But she never gave in. “Velvet Assassin,” despite its flaws, at least pays tribute to one incredible woman.

#5: Dr. Wily

“Mega Man” Series (1987-)

Mega Man’s archnemesis has been causing him grief for over three decades. The certifiably mad scientist was designed by series creator Keiji Inafune to resemble Albert Einstein with his bushy moustache and wild hair. They also share the same first name and, in animated adaptations, Wily speaks with Einstein’s native German accent. However, that’s where the similarities end. Einstein is one of the world’s greatest physicists whose work moved the world forward. Wily, on the other hand, is constantly building evil robots in order to obtain world domination. It’s a good thing Einstein didn’t go down a similar career path.

#4: Sonic the Hedgehog

“Sonic the Hedgehog” Series (1991-)

Despite some stumbles over the years, Sonic the Hedgehog is still one of the most recognizable characters in video games. Although he’s an anthropomorphic hedgehog in a fantastical world, he still benefited from some real-world inspiration. His blue color came from it being Sega’s unofficial company color. And his iconic shoes were inspired by the album cover of Michael Jackson’s “Bad” as Sega liked the contrast between red and white. However, for Sonic’s “can-do” attitude, Sega looked to footage of then-governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton, who would soon become President. Additionally, Sonic’s rival Dr. Robotnik bears a striking resemblance to a different US President, Theodore Roosevelt.

#3: Lu Bu

“Dynasty Warriors” Series (1997-)

Koei Tecmo’s hack and slash series “Dynasty Warriors” has built a legacy around dominating hordes of enemies with overpowered fighters. And as over the top as the franchise is, it still revolves around the real-life Three Kingdoms era of China. One of the franchise’s central characters is Lu Bu, based on the general and warlord of the same name. The real Lu Bu was an incredibly gifted warrior, though he was also known for his paranoid and unpredictable behavior that led him to betray allies. Lu Bu’s tendency for betrayal was carried over to the games as was his brutal expertise in battle.

#2: Captain John Price

“Call of Duty” Series (2003-)

The characters in the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” subseries are some of the best throughout the whole franchise. One of those beloved characters is Captain John Price of the British Special Air Service. He and his allies took players through harrowing missions that would terrify most, though this fictional hero is based on a real-life one. Price was based on John McAleese, a soldier of the British Army’s Royal Engineers and the SAS. One of McAleese’s crowning achievements came in 1980 when he, along with a team of SAS officers, rescued a group of hostages from London’s Iranian embassy being held by gunmen. His military career shows he was a clear leader and a great source of inspiration for Price.

#1: Andrew Ryan

“BioShock” (2007)

The founder of “BioShock’s” Rapture is a mysterious force, looming over players as they try to survive his underwater city. When it comes to inspiration for the game’s enigmatic antagonist, creator Ken Levine looked at several historical figures. When the game begins, Ryan has become a paranoid recluse due to a civil war turning Rapture into a dystopian nightmare. This behavior was inspired by Howard Hughes, an American business magnate whose eccentric behavior and reclusive nature led to mental and physical health issues. However, Ryan’s backstory and philosophy came from Ayn Rand. The “Atlas Shrugged” author developed Objectivism, which has more than a few things in common with Ryan’s worldview. Additionally, Andrew Ryan is a semi-anagram for Ayn Rand.

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