For every story about a hero, there must be a villain of equal, if not greater status. Villains are a great motivation for the hero, in every story. When it comes to video games, the villain is even more important to the story, as the player has the direct consequence of fixing the misery that is caused by the villain.
Villains can be utterly captivating. They exhibit an interest like no other, specifically because they are capable of the acts that those that possess a sense of morality, cannot. There’s nothing wrong with admitting to the coolness of some villains, purely fictional, and some videogames harbor the greatest villains of all, in desperate need of more screen time.
9 Alduin, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
After creating the player character, and the acceptance of being executed by the Imperials, it’s rather surprising when a dragon mounts a tower and reigns hellfire on the small village of Helgen. This dragon, Alduin, is the villain for the main quest in the sprawling Elder Scrolls title, Skyrim.
Alduin is considered the “wellspring” of the Nordic pantheon. He is considered the harbinger of the apocalypse and spends the majority of the game resurrecting dragons. The player, The Dragonborn, is tasked with destroying Alduin the World Eater, although they never really encounter him until the end of the game.
8 The Joker, Batman: Arkham City
Few villains can sometimes be as popular as the hero. The Joker is one such villain. Being the “ying” to Batman’s “yang”, the two are inseparable. An unstoppable force, and an immovable object. With the release of Batman: Arkham City, many fans were joyed to see the return of not only The Joker but the talent of Mark Hamill behind the voice.
The Joker has a very prominent role in Arkham City, but between the ongoing mystery of Protocol 10, Hugo Strange, and the plethora of Batman’s Rogues Gallery, it’s no surprise that Joker may take the back seat for some sections of the game.
7 Dutch Van Der Linde, Red Dead Redemption
Before Rockstar Games’ prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2 explored the Van Der Linde gang, Red Dead Redemption gave players their first look into the lives of the former gang. The leader, Dutch Van Der Linde, was a great character for his limited screentime.
Benjamin Byron Davis gives a great performance of a cowboy who’s lost his way. Considering at the time of the first Red Dead Redemption, there was no backstory explored, Dutch has a rich history just in his performance. It’s a shame he wasn’t a villain encountered throughout.
6 Vamp, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
Vamp’s first appearance in the Metal Gear series was in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. He was one of the antagonists and captivated audiences for being a vampire. It was one of the many silly things that people loved about the franchise, and he had a great charm to his character.
Vamp was then seen again in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, but had limited screen time. He has a few scenes, and most of them are with his former adversary, Raiden. Vamp meets his demise in the game, which is a shame, considering how fun of a villain he was.
5 Vaas, Far Cry 3
Far Cry games never had a titular villain, until Michael Mando took the role of Vaas Montenegro. Michael Mando’s performance as the Fary Cry 3 villain was wild, unhinged, and brilliant all around. Ubisoft had Michael Mando perform as a live-action Vaas for the promotion of Far Cry 3, and it shows how a series or film with him could work.
Vaas was only the secondary antagonist in Far Cry 3, which is a shame, as his death appears too quick, and far too abrupt. He’s a great villain, and his spout with the protagonist Jason Brody is fun throughout the first half of the game.
4 The Sinister Six, Marvel’s Spider-Man
Few superheroes have famous villains. Spider-Man is such a character, with an array of interesting rogues to battle him, both mentally and physically. With Marvel’s Spider-Man, the ante is upped when Doctor Octopus frees the villains: Electro, Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, and Mister Negative.
At this point in the game, New York City becomes a hellscape of villainous chaos. Sadly, the Sinister Six all feature in their missions, but they are a simple boss fight to put them away. There isn’t much build-up to the confrontation, and it’s a shame audience doesn’t get to experience Spider-Man quipping with his adversaries throughout the game.
3 Eredin, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
As an Aen Elle elf, Eredin was a true force to be reckoned with. Eredin led the Wild Hunt as its king and was a high-ranking general in his world until he usurped the throne to be its king. Eredin lusts for power, and death, and is intensely intimidating.
Although he is the main antagonist, it’s mainly reserved for a wild chase throughout The Witcher 3, as Eredin is hunting Geralt’s daughter, Ciri. Eredin has two epic battles towards the end of the game and is later killed by Geralt. It would be great to see this character explored further.
2 Senator Armstrong, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Armstrong announced himself as the antagonist at the end of the game, making his appearance brief, but entirely memorable. He parades his philosophies to Raiden, all whilst exercising his extreme strength and size against Raiden’s blade. The character is what makes Metal Gear so fun.
Armstrong had limited screen time, and it would have been great to see him more throughout the game, just because he was so adored. Many fans still love Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Armstrong is the center of many of the game’s memes.
1 Handsome Jack, Borderlands 2
Handsome Jack is potentially one of the most well-known and beloved villains. He is infamously charismatic, funny, and evil. His backstory was explored in Borderlands: The Presequel, but his first appearance in Borderlands 2 is a true joyride of villainy. From his introduction to the player to his defeat.
Dameon Clarke is wonderful as Handsome Jack and managed to use improv to make the evil character entirely likable. Whether that’s eating peanuts while threatening the player, or paying them to kill themselves. He’s a lot of fun and deserves his title.