Before Ratchet became the hero of the universe he was actually just a mechanic, fixing vehicles while longing for some adventure. When Clank arrived the Lombax repairman got his wish and much more. The duo of Ratchet & Clank has since spent more time saving the galaxy and less time in the garage.

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Cole McGrath was employed as a bike courier in Empire City. One day an explosion went off in the middle of the city where Cole was located at the time. After gaining consciousness Cole discovered that he had brand new powers and an epic task in front of him. A bike worker hasn’t seen this much action since the kid in Paperboy.

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Of the four survivors in Left 4 Dead only Bill has true military experience. Francis looks mean but doesn’t that qualify him as an expert zombie killer? We know the other two, Zoey and Louis were never meant to take on the undead. This collection of strangers did more than hold their own until the professionals arrived.

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Sometimes being in the wrong place at the wrong time can place the most average person in the most extreme situations and turn said person into a hero. In the case of Isaac Clarke, a ship system specialist and engineer, responding to a routine distress signal landed him in one such scenario. Armed with whatever makeshift weapons he could find, Isaac the engineer had two priorities: keeping his colleagues safe, and making it out alive.

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Jade was like most idealistic journalists: just out to uncover the truth. On a planet that is being bombarded by an alien race, the Alpha Sections rises up to protect the inhabitants. Jade believes that the DomZ and the Alpha Sections are working together. With her camera she unravels the conspiracy of the militaristic government.

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Eddie Riggs was the “world’s best roadie for the world’s worst heavy metal band.” He earned that title by carrying gear, prepping the crowd, picking out certain colored M&M’s, fixing instruments, and catering to the rock stars’ needs. None of those thankless tasks could have prepared him for what happened after he spilled blood on his belt buckle though. It is hard to imagine saving humanity as part of a roadie’s job description.

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Frank West was a photojournalist whp went to investigate why the town of Willamette, Colorado had been sectioned off from society. He was dropped onto the mall from a helicopter and soon after found out that the town was infested with zombies and were congregating at the mall. Frank West used whatever was in the mall to fight off the zombies while saving countless survivors. Not the typical work for a photographer.

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Before the incident at the Black Mesa Research Facility, Gordon Freeman was employed as a physicist. His work was influenced by the great minds of our species: Einstein and Hawking rather than Schwarzenegger and Stallone. This scientist was quickly plunged into battle with aliens amidst a government conspiracy. Freeman traded his lab coat for the HEV suit and a crowbar and handled business in a completely unscientific way.

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A young man armed with a simple sword and shield is not a typical action hero. Link may have been the focus of legends and prophecies, but he was never aware. His natural bravery and dedication are what set him apart, long before he is chosen to carry the Master Sword.

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Out of all the action movies, television shows, and video games in the world, how many of them focus on a travel agent who works for the Department of Death? Needless to say, Manny Calavera has an unremarkable job. This travel agent goes beyond just booking trips to uncover mysteries, conspiracies, and even free souls that were being held at the Edge of the World in LucasArts’ Grim Fandango. On a side note, Manny is the second character in this list to come from a Tim Schafer game (the other being Eddie Riggs from Brutal Legend).

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Is there a more average video game hero than Mario (or his brother Luigi)? Armed with no real combat training or “natural” special abilities, these plumbers are constantly faced with the task of rescuing a princess and saving a kingdom. These two set the standard for “Average Joe Heroes.”

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