Gordon Freeman has been named the greatest video game character of all time by Empire magazine.

Half-Life's muted hero beat off from and Shodan with his trusty crowbar to win the accolade.

The ever-popular Mario came second and the only game villain to ever guarantee to cause fear-induced pant-soiling, System Shock's Shodan came in third.

This is at odds with the readership of Famitsu who earlier this year voted Solid Snake greatest game character ever.

There's a fight we'd all watch: Solid Snake versus Gordon Freeman. Crowbars at dawn.

By Ewan Aiton