Why should the good guys get all the praise? A good villain deserves just as much respect as the protagonist. While we seldom pay attention to the antagonist and focus on the hero, these anti-social, murderous, and psychotic degenerates are the lifeblood of our games.
Throughout the years, video game players have put up with some amazing bad guys. Celebrating the efforts of these incredibly evil characters, here is our list of top ten video game villains of all time:
10. GLaDOS (Portal)
There is nothing more evil than lying about cake.
GLaDOS (an acronym for Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is the main villain in both series of Portal. GLaDOS is the absolute best when it comes to insulting you, shaming you, and taking advantage of anything that you may have an emotional attachment to. Unlike conventional villains that might threaten you, GLaDOS uses the power of her dark and bitter humor to take villainy to a whole new level.
9. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
Featured in Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth is a super-human science project gone drastically wrong. He is a former member of the Shinra military division and a human with DNA that has been infused with some extraterrestrial form of life. He is calm, manipulative, and evil in his attempts to take over the world. If this wasn’t convincing enough, his sweet theme music, One Winged Angel, is sure to leave you thinking.
8. Ganon (The Legend of Zelda)
Being a part of perhaps everyone’s most favorite Nintendo video game series ever, Ganon is a gem when it comes to villainy. While most villains are pure evil and manipulative maniacs, Ganon doesn’t seem to have any interest in ruling the world; instead, he takes pleasure in the simple joys of destruction. He’s had it rough throughout the game, yet Ganon teaches us to put in all that we have and fight each battle like it’s our last. With his unique outlook towards villainy and his can-do attitude, Ganon wins our hearts.
7. Bowser (Super Mario Bros.)
If anything, Bowser is classy and persistent. This villain knows that villainy is a skill and believes in keeping a positive attitude rather holding grudges. He doesn’t seem to give up and has tried just about every method of capturing Princess Peach and conquering Mushroom Kingdom in Mario.
6. The Joker (Batman Arkham series)
Our love affair with the Joker doesn’t simply remain confined to the Batman movies. Primarily seen as a “comic book villain”, the Joker continues to sweep people off their feet with his brilliant laugh and psychotic personality in the Batman Arkham series.
5. The Illusive Man (Mass Effect 2 & Mass Effect 3)
Just the thought of The Illusive Man controlling things from behind the screens in his apartment next to a dying sun the entire time is enough to give you the chills. This is perhaps the coolest memory of this villain. The character, voiced by Martin Sheen, wins its place amongst the top ten video game villains of all time, thanks to his pro-human terrorist organization that believes in using sabotage and violence to promote what they think is more important for humanity.
4. Edgar Ross (Red Dead Redemption)
The main antagonist in Rockstar San Diego’s 2010 action-adventure video game, Red Dead Redemption, Ross is a corrupt government official that kidnaps the wife and son of a former outlaw and uses them as leverage. From the way he represents the entire theme of the game – the bureaucratic society of the old west – to his mind-twisting and jaw-dropping acts of villainy, Edgar Ross sincerely deserves his place as one of the best video game villains ever.
3. Rodrigo Borgia (Assassin’s Creed II)
Rodrigo Borgia, who eventually went on to be known as Pope Alexander VI, is the final boss of Assassin’s Creed II. While you would continually be forced to undermine him throughout the game, we suggest that you acknowledge his abilities to achieve supreme authority in the world. Being linked to a story that feeds game players with Borgia’s background, and his intentions of seeking world domination through his secret society that opposes the Assassins, he definitely deserves his place as a not-so-ordinary villain.
2. Pyramid Head (Silent Hill)
If this villain didn’t terrify you growing up, we wonder what did. Even today, Pyramid Head stands as the greatest and perhaps the most terrifying villain of all time. Reflecting his true intentions with his actions and his desire for punishment, Pyramid Head continues to send shivers down our spines.
1. Alduin (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
This self-proclaimed god of the dragons is a very powerful dragon well known for ruling over Skyrim during the Merethic era. Known to be the first born of the Akotosh, Aldiun wins his title of being our favorite villain for his arrogant attitude and large ego.
It is no secret that we love these bad guys so much. We hope our list of the very best of best when it comes to villainy has left you wondering. Leave us a comment about your favorite video game villains of all time.
