well the Duke transcends all, but after that
Max Payne was one of those games thats story was so central around the character that the players immersion into the character was so much more then most games. I don't think I got so into a character as Max Payne since Squall from FF.
Others in this thread are neat, but they never seemed more then pixilated drawings. Gordon Freeman for example, I never had any connection with his character. He never talked, had attitude or any humanity to him. Great game, but they don't get much more plain then him.
I'll always remember playing as Max, coming home to a broken door, murdered wife and child and the perplexing mindfuck that was his life.
Love the video game bitches and Quistis is the hotest........FF8 blows as a game but damn she is some good eye candy...............and tifa gets a second place.