Video game characters can have all sorts of jobs. They can be soldiers, fire-fighters, police officers, plumbers, or pretty much anything as long as it fits their game. One of the more common professions in the virtual world seems to be an assassin.
It makes sense, as developers don't need to explain how or why a professional killer has the skills and willingness to murder people. After all, those things are just part of the job. Plus, questioning the morals of someone who kills for money can make for an interesting part of a game's story. The following assassins are the best that gaming has ever seen.
8 Starkiller - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Series
In the first Force Unleashed game, Starkiller serves as Darth Vader's apprentice and personal assassin. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't get sent to kill any ordinary folk. He is tasked with taking down Jedi, which might be the strongest assassin targets in video game history.
However, it doesn't faze Starkiller as he also happens to be incredibly powerful. In fact, he's among the most deadly characters in the entire Star Wars franchise. So, he uses his flurry of force abilities and incredible lightsaber skills to get the job done.
7 Travis Touchdown - No More Heroes Series
The preposterously named Travis Touchdown doesn't fit the profile of the typical assassin. He is not a cool, calm, and collected killer like most video game hitmen. Instead, he is young, brash, and very immature. This translates to his fighting style, as this man prefers charging into battle rather than waiting for the right time to strike.
Yet, he is still an excellent assassin, as he proves in the first No More Heroes when he bests all the top members of the United Assassins Association. He does so with a Beam Katana, a few special powers, and some wrestling moves.
6 Kitana - Mortal Kombat Series
Based on the brutal Fatalities that the series is known for, every character in Mortal Kombat is a killer. However, Kitana is one of the few that is an actual assassin. Or, at least, she is an assassin at the beginning of the series, when she serves Shao Kahn.
Because she features in a fighting game series, it's hard to know how good of a hitwoman she is. Yet, it's fair to assume that most targets would struggle to avoid falling victim to her as she is clearly an excellent warrior. She is an acrobatic fighter who uses her sharp steel fans to great effectiveness.
5 Thane Krios - Mass Effect Series
One of the greatest companions Commander Shepard can acquire during the Mass Effect games is Thane Krios. This alien is among the most talented killers you will ever see, even while dealing with a deadly illness.
He excels at creeping up on his targets without ever leaving a trace. Then when it's killing time, he can take out his victim with a variety of weapons. Sometimes, he makes use of a gun, while other times, he just uses his deadly hands. When he's not assassinating people, he is a gentle and spiritual individual.
4 Quiet - Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
There is a litany of skilled assassins in the Metal Gear series. Quiet from Phantom Pain is one of the most deadly. Admittedly, she doesn't start well, as her first assassination attempt in the game ends with her being set on fire and thrown out of the window.
Yet, when she comes back, she has supernatural speed, strength, and durability. Plus, her eyesight is also superhuman, which means she's among the greatest snipers that have ever lived. As such, her preferred method of killing is to shoot people from a distance. But she can also take out pretty anyone in close-quarters combat.
3 Corvo Attano - Dishonored Series
At the beginning of the original Dishonored, Corvo Attano is wrongly accused of murdering the Empress. To clear his name and exact justice, Corvo has to become a vigilante assassin. He takes to his new job very well as he systematically kills everyone involved in framing him for murder while trying to rescue the Empress' daughter.
The Dishonored games are all about giving players freedom. So, the exact tactics he uses for his assassinations vary. However, he typically makes use of his supernatural powers and signature blade.
2 Ezio Auditore - Assassin's Creed Series
When you think of video game assassins, the Assassin's Creed series likely comes to mind. After all, the series revolves around a group of assassins. Ezio Auditore is arguably the best of them all.
He uses his unbelievable climbing and blending abilities to reach his targets stealthily. Then he utilizes his litany of assassination techniques to provide the killing blow. He can get people from all angles - it doesn't matter if he's on a rooftop or hanging off a ledge. He can even get two people at once with his dual hidden blades. But he's not cold-blooded, as he always allows his main targets a moment of peace before perishing.
1 Agent 47 - Hitman Series
The term "cold and calculating killer" might as well have been coined specifically for Agent 47 from the Hitman games. This guy shows no emotion or remorse, no matter how brutally he murders somebody. And he's got many ways to deliver that killing blow. In fact, that's what makes Agent 47 such an accomplished assassin, as he can execute targets in countless different ways.
For one, he's an expert hand-to-hand combatant, so he can easily beat up and snap the neck of any adversary. On top of that, he's a master at using both conventional and unconventional weapons. His most impressive attribute, though, is his creativity, as he can take people out using anything in his vicinity, whether they're items or parts of the environment.