Favorite video game characters of all time?

[Dan The Man]

Who are your all-time favorite video game characters? What made them so compelling to you? Was it the characters themselves, or the way the video game portrayed/developed them?

[Kyng]

The first one who springs to mind is GLaDOS. I just love her sense of humour, and her witty put-downs.

Of course, I'd have a very different view of her if she actually existed in real life (especially if I was stuck in the Aperture Science facility) - but, since she's just in a game, I can appreciate her as a very well-made villain !

[Megan]

I have a few that I've liked over the years. I won't list reasons since, laziness though.

Aerith from Final Fantasy VII
Terra, Sabin, Edgar from Final Fantasy VI
Lucia and Leo from Lunar 2
Zidane from Final Fantasy IX
Frog from Chrono Trigger

[Shiny Star]

Tricky one. I like quite a few of the Animal Crossing villagers but let’s not open the can of worms for that. I really like Bill from Left 4 Dead and the fact he’s in Dead By Daylight.

[Jarkko]

I have a few that I've liked over the years. I won't list reasons since, laziness though.

Aerith from Final Fantasy VII
Terra, Sabin, Edgar from Final Fantasy VI
Lucia and Leo from Lunar 2
Zidane from Final Fantasy IX
Frog from Chrono Trigger

Sabin is awesome! I also like Cyan - him and his "thous"  and his strong sense of honour

Some other ones from me:

Playable

Samus Aran from the Metroid franchise (probably my favourite) - I could go on forever about her. She's a very well-developed character if you ignore Metroid: Other M's storyline. She's equal parts badass, honourable, compassionate, and intelligent.

Bill and Lance from the Contra franchise - badasses.

Cecil from Final Fantasy II (IV) - FFIV (or FF2) was revolutionary in video game story-writing, and at the centre of it was the story of the redemption of Cecil, who has a conscience even at the beginning but by the end, through many ups and downs, has become the utmost bastion of honour and decency in the world. And also through many story twists that would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous.

Chester from Tales of Phantasia - usually I prefer the characters with honour, but vengeful Chester also has a hilarious side, which comes out in his constant banter with Arche later in the game. (Arche isn't on this list because she's a bit... lewd. )

Tifa from Final Fantasy VII - yes, I admit, I simp for Tifa. But it isn't just all "ERMAHGERD BEWBZ" - she's also tough as nails-yet-compassionate like Samus from Metroid, and I think this comes out even more in the remake than in the original. 

Canderous Ordo/Mandalore (Your choice! I'm here if you want something done right!) and HK-47 (MEATBAG!) from Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic series - the best quotes from the KOTOR games come from these two, easily. 

Albert Grabner from Front Mission: Gun Hazard - any person who sticks to their conscience in spite of the complexities of major crises unfolding before them is a good person in my book.

Axel from Front Mission: Gun Hazard - it's one thing to go out to see justice done, but to be able to suppress a vengeful spirit to not do anything rash... Axel gets my vote here. Plus he's pretty funny at times too! Leave it to th'ace!

This is only the playable characters, too.

[Detective Osprey]

Nanu
Looker
Molayne

I LOVE their personalities. No one can change my mind.

[Reyzadren]

Pokemon: Chairman Rose
Fire Emblem 8: Gerik
Quantum Break: Liam Burke
Far Cry 5: John Seed

[JHG]

Daisy Sarasaland and Roxanne(Pokémon)

[Pyrite]

Narrowing it down is difficult as I like a lot of characters for wildly different reasons, and often my appreciation of them grows as their stories are revealed, and explaining that would require a ton of spoiler tags.  

So let's go with these guys to start with:

(1) Professor Layton from the Layton series. He's the perfect English gentleman, and I love his logical approach to everything and how easily he adapts to tricky situations and confusing people.

(2) Guybrush Threepwood from the Monkey Island series. Granted, this is mostly because you have many amusing dialogue options in his games, but he has a dry wit nonetheless. You can't help but root for the guy, really.

(3) Raphael / Phantom R from Rhythm Thief. I mean, this guy is just too cool - almost so that it makes him goofy, but he's also got a great backstory and the edge of being a thief hiding from the law.

(4) The Super Solver from the Super Solver games. Okay, this one is very niche, but who doesn't love a faceless character with a giant blue coat and yellow shorts who goes around solving mysteries, saving important buildings and defeating an eccentric professor. I used to enjoy pretending it was me doing those feats, and brushing up on my maths, science and literature in the process.

[Detective Osprey]

Pokemon: Chairman Rose

Omg. Yes. This.