Life is tough as a video game villain. No matter what you do, you’re doomed to fail, and the hero gets the glory. The bad guys are dealt a miserable hand, but a few standouts embrace the chaos.
If you want a shortlist of baddies that outshine the heroes, here’s our list of the best video game villains we love to hate.
10Pagan Min - Far Cry 4
May His Light Shine Upon You All
WHERE TO PLAY
Say what you like about Ubisoft games, but they sure know how to make a good villain.
Pagan Min is the main antagonist inFar Cry 4. He’sdangerous, powerful, and bizarrely well-spoken.
He also has a unique fashion sense and knows the value of good hospitality. Within the first few minutes ofFar Cry 4, he’s treating you to a feast, although he excuses himself to torture a poor soul in the other room!
Younever know what Pagan Min will do next, and the story is all the more enjoyable because of him.
Pagan Min may fall short of Vaas’s infamy in the prequel, but he’s a top-tier villain all the same.
9Jeremy - The First Descendant
A Human Motive
The First Descendant
We cover many motives with our villains in this list, but Jeremy has one that’s far more relatable: Jealousy.
Players inThe First Descendantare all Descendants who can communicate with a mysterious AI construct known as “The Guide.”
I won’t spoil his fate here, buthe’s picked up quite a fanbasedespite his behavior.
Jeremy may seem like an odd choice, but he’s unanimously hated by everyTFDplayer when they meet him. If that’s not the staple of a good villain, I don’t know what is.
While Jeremy isn’t a playable character in The First Descendant,plenty of other Descendants are worth your time.
8GLaDOS - Portal
Will There Be Cake?
Valve’s legendary puzzle masterpiece,Portal, wouldn’t be nearly as memorable without GLaDOS running the show.
When you first arrive at the Aperture Science Labs,you would be forgiven for thinking GLaDOS is a friendor at least a guide. GLaDOS helps you through the grueling Aperture Science Test Chambers, but the facade takes a dramatic U-turn when you outlive your usefulness.
GLaDOS' maniacal ramblings when you escape the Chambers are pure gold. As the player,you look forward to her contacting you, and much of her dialog is memeable and iconic.
Valve builds on GLaDOS' AI even further in the sequal, and she’s an irreplaceable element in these exceptional puzzle-based shooters.
7Dr. Neo Cortex - Crash Bandicoot
Are We Sure He’s A Genius?
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Most iconic video game villains are stern and severe, but there’s plenty of room for goofballs, too. Dr. Neo Cortex is Crash Bandicoot’s arch-rival, and the funniest part is thatit shouldn’t even be a contest.
Crash Bandicootis agile and athletic, but Dr. Neo Cortex is (supposedly) a genius with an army of henchmen. Regardless,Cortex is utterly incapable of dealing with Crash, and his plans get increasingly more ridiculous as you play through the series.
Dr. Neo Cortex should have the power to vaporize Crash and his friends from orbit. As he’s blissfully unaware of how flammable bandicoots are, it’s a treat to see his plans foiled time and again.
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Run, jump, and Smash Some Crates. You know the drill…
6Vamp - Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Vamp’s introduction inMetal Gear Solid 2is stylish and horrifying in a way only Hideo Kojima could manage.
He’s a wizard with knives and sucks his victims dry after he kills them. Vamp is fascinating becauseyou never really know what he’s capable of.
Unlike the other members of Dead Cell, the antagonists inMGS2, Vamp can survive a bullet to the head and dodge bullets.He can even walk on water!
He’s such a badass they even brought him back inMetal Gear Solid 4. Vamp is an enigmatic, ice-cold killer and a great addition to theMGSroster of unique villains.
5Lady Dimitrescu - Resident Evil: Village
You Stupid Man Thing!
Resident Evil Village
TheResident Evilseries has its fair share of iconic villains, but few are as memorable as Lady Dimitrescu.
Lady Dimetrescusoared in popularity for a few reasons(if you know, you know) during theResident Evil: Villagereveal.
Standing at an imposing 9 feet tall, sherelentlessly pursues you around her grand castle. If she doesn’t get you, her psychotic daughters will.
Sadly, Lady Dimitrescu isn’t the main antagonist for Resident Evil: Village, and the game never quite manages to reach the same highs after her time in the story concludes.
4Lilith - Diablo 4
The Daughter Of Hatred
Lilith is the main antagonist inDiablo 4, and she’s arguablythe most evil character on this list. Her intentions are left purposely vague, but it’s clear she wants to overthrow both Heaven and Hell.
The Daughter of Hatred’s words are poison, and you can see the effects of her influence throughout the entire game. Lilith promises things like power and knowledge, and any takers quickly meet an untimely end.
Beyond anything,Lilith is just cruel. She turns a young man into a demon for you to face, all so she can watch the father fall apart as you deal the killing blows.
Sanctuary has never been a nice place, and that’s not about to change in the latest installment.
If you’ve played throughDiablo 4but are unhappy with the conclusion, the developers have hinted thatthe best is still to come.
3Zenos - Final Fantasy XIV
A Test Of Your Reflexes
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
I already alluded to the fact that a good hero needs a powerful villain in a story. Those roles are switched with Zenos inFinal Fantasy XIV.
Zenos is the antagonist from theStormbloodExpansionand hasan insatiable hunger for power. He’s relentlessly battled tougher foes until there’s nobody left standing. Now, he comes after you as who’s more powerful than the fabled Warrior of Light?
Zenos is a divisive antagonist, as hismotives seem crudely simplefor the longest time. His character is a little more fleshed out during theEndwalkerexpansion, but he’s definitely not a complex villain.
The community seems split down the middle when it comes to Zenos. Some love his simplicity, some despise it, andothers just fancy him.
2Vaas Montenegro - Far Cry 3
Far Cry’s Finest Antagonist
Vaas is a superb, unpredictable villain fromFar Cry 3. His antics are deranged, but his insanity is oddly intriguing.
You spend a large portion ofFar Cry 3being hunted by this lunatic, whosteals the show in every cutscenehe’s in.
Several villains on this list are enigmatic and well-spoken. Vaas is the polar opposite. He’s thuggish, crazy, andputs you through the wringer at every opportunity.
TheFar Crygames have a pretty strong lineup of antagonists and villains, but the series has never topped the legendary Vaas Montenegro.
1Handsome Jack - Borderlands 2
Rich And Ruthless
Borderlands 2
Handsome Jack is the finest villain to come out of theBorderlandsfranchise and arguably one of the best in the FPS genre.
Jack is the president of Hyperion, and with that title comes nearinfinite money, influence, and firepower. He’s always one step ahead of the player and sometimes contacts you just to brag.
Handsome Jack is like a loose cannon and iswildly unpredictable. He’s as evil as they come, yet you hang on to his every word.
As twisted as he is, Jack is hellbent on ridding Pandora of the Vault Hunters. He’sutterly convinced he’s in the right, and his character is strong enough to carry multiple play-throughs.
It takes exceptional writing to make a character as foul asHandsome Jack, andhe steals the show every time he shows up.
Oh, and if you’re still not impressed, he has a pony made of diamonds called Butt Stallion.
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