Most villain characters in games do things we don't agree with as part and parcel of the gig, but that never means they aren't somehow charming or carrying some redeeming qualities. In fact, most seem to end up having a good reason why they are the way they are, which garners sympathy and intrigue from players.
In fact, their colorful personalities can earn them a bit more notoriety than the heroes they're opposing because of the natural difference in composure. When the hero and villain face off, the typical setup is a staunchly justice-driven hero squaring against a hammy and dramatic bad guy — determining the more interesting of the two in that scenario isn't going to be much of a contest. Today, we're checking out the best villain characters whose charisma has given them the popular edge.
Updated by Quinton O'Connor on September 20, 2022: Do you want more examples of villains who outshine their heroic counterparts? Because this is how you get more examples of villains who outshine their heroic counterparts. We've peppered this article with five more, because there are just so many deliciously dark jerks to choose between.
15 💦 Vergil From Multiple Devil May Cry Games
The twin brother of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Devil May Cry protagonist has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever at first blush. He's tried to kill his own brother multiple times, hacked off his own son's magic arm, and almost caused a world-ending event more than once. Yet he seems more popular than Dante. In this case, he's hardcore to a point where it's more fun to not take him seriously, which is why a lot of his catchphrases have evolved into memes. Vergil wants to be a demon, he fully embraces it, and he's respected by fans for it.
14 BB From Multiple Faꦓte Games
Admit it, if you're a Fate fan, you love this trickster. She has tormented Fate game protagonists more than once with her reality-warping magic powers, and when that theme song plays, you know something bad is about to happen.
The thing that makes BB so iconic to people is that no matter how hard you try, you can never seem to get one up on her. Anytime you think you stopped her, she'll have a Plan B — and a Plan C, too. She's so iconic that she even has clones in the forms of characters Meltryllis and Passionlip. No matter how difficult she makes your life, she'll always be your favorite pain in the butt.
13 Wesker From Multiple Resident Evil G🧔ames 🔯
Wesker is probably the most iconic villain of the first few 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Resident Evil games because he has a hand in virtually everything that happens in those stories. He's one of the least monstrous-looking bad guys, but that doesn't devalue the amount of power in his hands — pulling off being a double agent and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:striving for world domination are apex-tier villain aspirations. Never without a sense of style, Wesker🦹 is the staple hammy Saturday morning cartoon style villain that has set a precedent standard for villain characters▨.
12 Dagoth Ur From The E👍lder Scrolls: Morrowind ꦗ
This one's a given, surely? Plot spoilers eventually reveal the player character is more important than first appears, granted, but they're still an Elder Scrolls protagonist. As the shapers of their destiny, we can come up with personal headcanons that are brilliantly deep and emotionally heavy, but within the confines of Morrowind itself, we're dead-silent and subject to the whims of everyone we come across. Dagoth Ur, on the other hand, is either a tragic figure and friend to ancient hero Nerevar, a manipulative jerk who is just as icy as the Tribunal (if not more so), or in all likelihood, someone between both extremes. Regardless, he cuts a fascinating figure, and the close ties he held with Nerevar are clearly authentic. He is a god now, and proudly so, but he's still The Elder Scrolls' most startlingly sympathetic tyrant.
11 Ghirahim🦹 From The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Ghirahim is the catalyst who sets off the plot in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Skyward Sword when he separates Zelda and Link in his quest to free the demon Demise. His whimsical and theatrical personality made him really stand out as a character and gives you something to remember him by for years to come. He even has his own theme that plays 💧when he 🌜shows up in the game. When you realize that he may actually be the person responsible for what kicks off the events of the other Zelda games, you come to appreciate his role just a little more.
10 💃 GLaDOS From Portal
This AI who guides you throughout Portal is famous for her 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:snarky and sarcastic quotes, all of which are worthy of printing on a coffee mug. GLaDOS became an instant hit with those quips, firmly cementing her sassy personality as unforgettable. The thing that makes her so iconic is that throughout the game it's pretty difficult to tell if she has evil motives or is just grumpy, or perhaps even jealous. In actuality, GLaDOS is undeniably the villain of the game. However, it's easy to agree that she's quite unforgettable.
9 ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ Arthas Menethil From Multiple Warcraꦏft Games
Is there a major video game antagonist with as titanic a fall from grace as Arthas? A paladin, a promised prince, corrupted by a blade of ice courtesy of his own heroic nature. But even then, before he became the vile Lich King, there were clear signs that Arthas felt trapped by the pitfalls of his faction, and increasingly erratic in his thoughts on how to change their fortunes. Thus, the 'heroic nature' aforementioned is brought about by a certain hubris, though still so many of us cheered him on at Northrend, his charisma paving the way. Players familiar with Warcraft 3 felt an even more intense association with the new Lich King, an even greater need to put him to rest after the atrocities he's committed.
8 𓆉 Shao Khan From Mortal Kombat ⭕
There's nothing particularly outstanding about Shao Khan's personality besides the fact he's been an archetypal villain over the course of his career as the main antagonist in most 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mortal Kombat games. What makes him so iconic is what he actually represents as a character. His boss fights are notoriously very tricky, and when you do beat him, there's this unexplainable sense of accomplishment. It's almost a rite of passage for players to have fought him, and that's what makes Shao Khan a popular villain that has endured through the years.
7 Sephiroth F💫rom Final Fantasy 7
Sephiroth is instantly who you usually think of when you picture the most iconic Final Fantasy villain there is. Besides his role as the main antagonist in Final Fantasy 7, he's appeared in other spinoffs and mediums in largely the same capacity. Sephiroth is an incredibly powerful, ruthless, and calculating villain who proves to be a true challenge to defeat. On top of that, he's done some 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:really unforgivable things.
Even without a body, his will is so strong that he can actually manipulate things from the beyond. Loyal to no one but himself, he will go to any length to accomplish his motives, simple as they are — world domination may be a common enough theme amongst villains, but Sephiroth's means are truly jaw-dropping at times.
6 Zero From Drakengard 3 🙈
Zero of Drakengard 3 might be the protagonist character, but she is quite far from being the story's hero. Zero's killed a lot of people and plans to kill more. The actual "heroes" of the story are her sisters who are trying to stop her revenge plans. Yet this is Zero's story, not theirs. The writers were able to frame it in a way that, despite the things she did, Zero was a really deep character who you couldn't help but be sympathetic towards. She's not completely heartless, as she loves her dragon Mikhail, and the bond they had won the hearts of players everywhere.
