Do we like them?

Do we like CJ (Carl Johnson)?

A character from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)

Our score: 7 out of 10. A loyal, family-first criminal with a conscience. He's a long way from a saint, but he's easy to root for and we'd back him.

Carl "CJ" Johnson left Los Santos for Liberty City after a family tragedy. Five years later he comes home for his mother's funeral. He finds the Grove Street Families gang weakened, his brother Sweet struggling to hold it together, and his old friends changed. Corrupt cops also pressure him straight away, and they start leaning on him to do their dirty work.

CJ is an unusual GTA lead. Critics have noted that he is more empathetic and less bloodthirsty than earlier protagonists. He is loyal, he has a sense of humor, and he is often reluctant about the violence he gets pulled into. He grows from a returning gang member into a man who runs businesses and takes on bigger fights across San Andreas.

Our score is 7 out of 10. He commits a lot of crime, and the game lets you push that much further. But what drives him is loyalty and a wish to protect his family and his home. He also shows decency to people who are not in his gang. That is enough for us to back him.