Catherine de Medici as One of the 70 Best Video Game Characters

[Morningcalm]

Polygon released a feature article today titled "The 70 best video game characters of the decade".

Guess who made the list, alongside such greats as Jane Shepard from Mass Effect, Nathan Drake from Uncharted, Tracer from Overwatch and the Traveler from Journey?

Article here:
https://www.polygon.com/features/20...-characters-2019-2010-skyrim-witcher-splatoon

In Polygon's words:

All the world leaders in Civilization 6 are beautifully drawn and feature a range of emotions from obsequious to enraged. But my favorite is probably Catherine, whose appalling snobbishness and haughty disregard for all things foreign make her a delight to play against. Catherine’s thing is spying on her enemies and waving a glass of Champagne, imperiously, at her foolish foes. Even in defeat, she manages to look down her nose at we barbarians who dare to cross her path.

(Take that, anti-female YouTubers!) Aside from her wondrously charming and cunning in-game appearance, and her accurate Italian-accented French, for which we must salute Firaxis, I also salute Catherine de Medici, the historical Queen Mother of France, for her attempts to preserve the monarchy while it was under attack by Catholics and Protestants, for beating Elizabeth I of England in combat at Le Havre, and for keeping France an elevated kingdom of culture during her de facto reign.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

She is one of my favorites to play against. I love how she switches to irate Italian when you declare war on her.

 

[qadams]

Catherine is certainly very good, but my absolute favorite Civ 6 character is Kristina of Sweden. The way she flares her eyes before looking back down at her book is incredibly human and realistic and so adorable. I wonder if those two, Catherine and Kristina, were designed by the same animator...

 

[Tech Osen]

Bit odd, I don't think any of the leaders in Civ 6 should be in that list because the interaction with them is too limited to build any kind of relationship (or the illusion thereof) with them. Not a critique but just the way the game works.

 

[blackcatatonic]

I've just never really got the love for Catherine. Inevitably part of it is that I didn't think she was a great choice as the leader of France when she wasn't French and only ruled as an uncrowned regent (nothing to do with her being female!) but I got over that (especially now we have Eleanor who is much better ). It could be that I have, through sheer quirk of RNG, never really played against her all that much so I haven't had much exposure to her personality. I do like the leaders with visible personalities over the ones that just have a negative unique agenda and that's it (looking at you, Pedro...)

I don't think much of the rest of the list, even though I haven't played all that many of the games on there. The Bloody Baron from Witcher 3 is a strange choice. Granted, his storyline is *amazing*, but the guy himself is... just kind of a jerk.

 

[AsH2]

Bit odd, I don't think any of the leaders in Civ 6 should be in that list because the interaction with them is too limited to build any kind of relationship (or the illusion thereof) with them. Not a critique but just the way the game works.

Don't give up the relationship! Just try harder to make it work..

 

[tiamats4esgares]

I don't really agree with the list or Catherine being on there, no offense. I think it's just a list of the author's 70 favorite video games and they picked a random character they liked from there.

There's only one other entry that I'm both familiar with and have played the game (Chloe and Max from Life is Strange), so that might be upsetting me. xD

 

[Scaramanga]

One of my favourite ones to build for sure.

catherine de medici 2

• Scaramanga
• Jan 24, 2019
• brickheadz catherine de medici civ 6 lego

 

[criZp]

Should have been Napoleon, or maybe that barrock sun king guy with the funny dress.

 

[Lord Lakely]

List invalid. Kristina didn't win, etc etc etc.

 

[TeddyMain]

Personally, I would put Kupe on the list. His dynamic animations and energy stick out from the rest and make him quite the interesting figure. He has a bro-energy to him that I love.

 

[WillowBrook]

Not a bad choice from the Civ VI leaders list. She definitely gives me the sense of a personality more than most of the leaders, as portrayed in the game.

 

[reddishrecue]

I thought Victoria the same way as Catherine de Medici was thought of. It looks unique to me the way she drinks her wine glass at times. They really both do look kind of real even though they're not.

 

[LMT]

Personally, I would put Kupe on the list. His dynamic animations and energy stick out from the rest and make him quite the interesting figure. He has a bro-energy to him that I love.

Kupe is full of personality. But his speech when he dclares war on you goes on way too long!

 

[blackcatatonic]

Kupe is full of personality. But his speech when he dclares war on you goes on way too long!

I like it when he berates you for pollution/climate change in Maori and then says 'no!'

 

[Isengardtom]

Kupe, Catherine, Philip, Kristina are my favourites

 

[Disgustipated]

Jane Shepard

Who? No idea who Jane is, but of course your character name is Shepard. Though personally I like the male Sheppard better than the female Shepard. Which brings up the point about comparing NPC's with PC's. Doesn't seem like a fair comparison.

I haven't read the article, but I figure the author wanted to include someone from the civilization game series. And because of the way the game evolved, later game AI characters are going to have more personality than ones such as in Civ2. Though personally I would include Nwabudike Morgan or Lady Dierdre Skye.

I certainly hope Edwin and/or Minsc is on that list.

 

[Morningcalm]

Personally, I would put Kupe on the list. His dynamic animations and energy stick out from the rest and make him quite the interesting figure. He has a bro-energy to him that I love.

Yeah, but Kupe is also somewhat...cartoony in his aggressiveness. I prefer the subtlety of Catherine, which I think requires more animation skill overall, even if Kupe's tattoos are nice.

Who? No idea who Jane is, but of course your character name is Shepard. Though personally I like the male Sheppard better than the female Shepard. Which brings up the point about comparing NPC's with PC's. Doesn't seem like a fair comparison.

I haven't read the article, but I figure the author wanted to include someone from the civilization game series. And because of the way the game evolved, later game AI characters are going to have more personality than ones such as in Civ2. Though personally I would include Nwabudike Morgan or Lady Dierdre Skye.

I certainly hope Edwin and/or Minsc is on that list.

It covers characters from the last decade, so Baldur's Gate II characters aren't included.

Jane Shepard is female Shepard, so she's a PC--no issue there.

I think it's nice that the Polygon team included a Civilization VI character on their list--it's rare for more modern strategy games to have enough "storied" characters worthy of memory. And Civilization as a series is built on having memorable leaders to play as and against, so the list validates that approach, and their use of voice actors to cover the lines for example.

 

[Icicle]

I have always loved her war declaration. It's like I can't even be mad at that.

She's also one of my favorites to play as though, so I don't see her that much.

 

[Loerwyn]

Catherine is certainly very good, but my absolute favorite Civ 6 character is Kristina of Sweden. The way she flares her eyes before looking back down at her book is incredibly human and realistic and so adorable. I wonder if those two, Catherine and Kristina, were designed by the same animator...

I've just never really got the love for Catherine. Inevitably part of it is that I didn't think she was a great choice as the leader of France when she wasn't French and only ruled as an uncrowned regent (nothing to do with her being female!) but I got over that (especially now we have Eleanor who is much better ). It could be that I have, through sheer quirk of RNG, never really played against her all that much so I haven't had much exposure to her personality. I do like the leaders with visible personalities over the ones that just have a negative unique agenda and that's it (looking at you, Pedro...)

But what about Jadwiga? The most adorkable character in the game!

This is certainly pretty cool, though. I felt the Civ VI leaders were largely very unique and loud personalities. We had fun leaders, serious leaders, intense leaders... It's such a great range, and I think Firaxis did a great job of showing emotions and behaviours, as well as capturing the attitudes and beliefs of them (as they were represented, anyway), whilst still tying it into their play styles.