So, you can be any video game character.... (part 2)

Ok, I can't possibly go through all the games I sifted through to answer this question.  I had an easier time picking out my favorite super power for christsakes.

In the overwhelming majority of games, characters come close but don't quite get there.  Either the character in question has to handle things at far earlier an age I'd actually want to handle that shit at, or the world in question has an alarming flaw that's never actually wrapped up at the credits or the character in question looks retarded.

Spoilers be ahead.  So don't read past this point if that's an issue for you.

An example, Sora from Kingdom Hearts is great until you realize his parents got murdered by the heartless at 14, he spends most of his journey with only two friends (one is a bit of a dick and the other one is short bus special) and gets his memories erased and then reconstructed, which kinda screws up the whole system.

At the end of the day, I've got it narrowed down to two.  Both make me feel like I'm gaming the system at some point, which means I don't really like any of these answers, but they fit the best.  First up, a Final Fantasy title.  I know, I said I gave up on the series.  I lied.  Citations are the only things that keep me honest.  I'm a human Wikipedia.
 

I may really like insane outfits.  Nothing Marche is wearing makes any sense, and I want it so bad.

The character in question is Marche from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.  Marche is awesome- he starts out as an average, everyday kid that is magically transported into the world of Ivalice (a common Final Fantasy location), in which you get all your awesome Final Fantasy mainstays.  Plus, with the clan system, you're not stuck hanging out with the same idiots that make up your starting party, which lets you *gasp* actually pick your friends. 

Marche happens to be a human, which means he gets access to almost all the skills in the entire game, letting him mix it up with just about whatever he wants.  He's also magically competent, so no worry about building up a skill set.  Plus, he starts the game in "school", so I'm invoking my right to make him a senior and 18, which isn't that young.

The problems start to form with the plot- although having Marche go through the game as a player is amazingly rewarding (its got an fantastic plot dealing with teen angst, bullying, and dysfunctional families), I wouldn't want to do any of that.  Why?  Because at the conclusion of the game, Marche takes the high road and returns to the normal world, escaping from the fantasy land that was conjured up by his friend, Mewt.  That sorta defeats the purpose of doing all of this in the first place, as hey, I can be me in the real world already.  So, if I can opt to ignore the plot (or follow it to a point and stop, as I'm the one in control of these characters), then Marche wins.

If the background music actually plays while I'm in universe, Baldur's Gate wins hands down.

The next big iffy is the protagonist from the Baldur's Gate games.  Baldur's Gate has everything I'd ever want in a fantasy title- wizards able to cast incredible spells, fantastic monsters, breathtaking locations,and brilliant characters I'd love to meet in real life.  I'ts a rich place I'd kill to spend an afternoon in- and in fact, I've played through the series more than once.  I've spent more than just an afternoon there.

The issues with the Baldur's Gate games and why they don't quite work are two-fold:
1) They're based on a fantasy setting that has been referenced in countless table top games and books, which may disqualify it.  The Forgotten Realms is practically  a watchword amongst nerds these days, and that means its scope and complexity is a lot larger than anything you could conjure up in a video game.
2) The protagonist isn't really a character and more of an extension of they player.  He has no set dialogue, your actions make him who he is.  In essence, I'm not assuming a character, I'm porting myself to a fantasy setting- and I happen to be plot relevant.  It just feels like cheating somehow.

I know, I'm forgetting like 9999 (everyone knows numbers don't go higher than that) games.  I've probably forgotten someone that would totally kick the crap out of these two.  I'm not even that happy with these two choices.

Maybe I'm just an optimist or stupid lucky, but I think I sorta prefer meatspace than actually living in any video game, even for just a little while.  Sure it might be nice to take a trip to the Kokiri forest, but I'd rather go to Yellowstone National Park.  It doesn't have fairies but it does have deer.  And have you ever been close enough to a semi-wild stag to touch it?  I have- it's a far more potent experience than Navi bitching at you.

Doing this has made me realize that there is something fantastic about reality.  Its far deeper, more complex and more wonderful than any tale told or place imagined.  Middle Earth has nothing on the Middle East.

Alright, I'm done being philosophical an' shit.  Blame it on a lack of sleep or something.  Back to robot apocalypse based posts on Thursday!