5 Times Video Game Characters Cheated Death

Video game characters certainly have a knack for absorbing bullets, don't they? And yet, regardless of how many shells and bits of shrapnel they inhale, they never seem to bite the casket and embrace death like an old acquaintance. But that's video games for you, I guess. Logic is over the top and blown well out of proportion — and we love it. Both heroes and villains are unstoppable forces, bound with the ability to deflect bullets like confetti pounding against an iron mallet.

That is, until the theatrics come out, of course. Once they begin, basically anything is possible — including the death of a hero. And boy, we've seen them fall in more ways than one over the years, only to pull themselves back up again in the nick of time. Like brushing shoulders with the reaper, they teeter on the brink of death and somehow come out to tell the tale. Just take these five, for example. Nobody knows how they pulled off the impossible — but they did. And then some.

5. “Gregg” (Conker's Bad Fur Day)

Speaking of brushing shoulders with the reaper, there isn't an example I can think of that gets any closer to doing just that than in Conker's Bad Fur Day. He does, in fact, brush shoulders with the hooded figure while he's on a rant about cats and their tails and what have you. You know, all the usual things you'd expect to spill out of the guardian of death's ill-tempered and incredibly bony jaw.

Die in Conker's Bad Fur Day, and you'll find yourself on the precipice of the underworld, destined for a life in the shadows. Or at least, you will the first time you die. During that initial visit, you'll have a brief conversation with Gregg, and he'll enlighten you about tails, which are basically extra lives. You know, like cats, with extra lives and that — which Gregg will remind you are the most despicable things in all of creation. He's actually quite funny, and a pleasure to touch base with as you find yourself staring down the barrel of eternal damnation. And to be honest, he almost makes you want to die, just to have a few minutes in his company. It's strange, I won't lie.

4. Blazkowicz's Execution (Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus)

The iron veteran from Wolfenstein, known locally as B.J. Blazkowicz, is one of the industry's toughest protagonists, with a portfolio that's embellished in more blood and bullets than anyone could dare to compete with. But besides all the insane near-death experiences B.J. spiraled through, nothing came quite as close to death's door than the time he was decapitated — and then brought back to life.

In an intense confrontation with the SS-Lieutenant General, known famously as the wicked Irene Engel, B.J. Blazkowicz finds himself trapped and on display for the whole world to witness his beheading. However, with a few allies behind the scenes and only a number of seconds on the clock, Blazkowicz's decapitated head is quickly restored, giving him a new shot at life with a German synthetic body. How's that for cheating death?

3. Death (Dante's Inferno)

There's nothing more admirable than watching a human laugh down at the hooded scowl of Death, nor is there anything anywhere near as impressive as physically engaging in battle with it, and somehow emerging victorious, Reaper's scythe in hand. And yet, Dante managed to do exactly that in the first, I don't know, five minutes of the game.

Of course, Dante's Inferno was pretty much bathing in hefty foes and hellish bosses, but that didn't stop us from expecting more from Death itself. However, despite putting up a fair fight, it went down like a sack of spuds in a matter of minutes, leaving the cocky Dante to steal his weapon and plod along almost as if it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience; a speed bump on an otherwise rocky descent into the darkest depths of hell.

2. Nathan Drake (Uncharted)

I don't know about you, but I have personally counted at least a dozen times where our beloved Nathan Drake should have, you know, died. And yet, over four lengthy tales brimming with death-defying feats and near-death experiences, the ambitious explorer refused to bite the dust and accept fate. Instead, we watched him dip, dive and dodge death like it was a dance routine, unable to fathom how on earth he waltzed away each time without so much as a scratch on his chin.

Uncharted told some of the greatest adventure tales known to the gaming industry, with arcs that would effortlessly go on to challenge the likes of Tomb Raider for the crown. However, Drake's inhumane death intolerance definitely had us raising a few questions over our numerous expeditions across sand, sea and sky. And honestly, if we were looking at this realistically, then he probably would've died before the opening credits even rolled during the first game.

1. “Requiem” (Hitman: Blood Money)

How could we forget the iconic moment from the Hitman series where Agent 47 literally leapt from his own deathbed and massacred an entire funeral congregation? It was perhaps one of the biggest twists in the timeline to date, and a definite shocker, what with the credits rolling over as 47 idled on the alter.

Little did we know, of course, was that 47 had been injected with a fake-death serum, and was brought back to life the moment long-term friend and ICA handler Diana kissed him, effectively transferring the antidote in the process. After that, 47 was left with his legendary Silverballers, locked in a room with a group of prime targets — and, well, I think you know the rest. It was a bloodbath nobody really came to expect during the end credits, that's for sure.

Looking for more content? You could always take a look at one of these lists:

5 Best Kingdom Hearts Keyblades of All Time, Ranked

5 Best Splinter Cell Games of All Time, Ranked