While the protagonist is technically always at the center of a video game story, sometimes, it's the charismatic and compelling villain who steals the show. There are many reasons why the antagonist can end up hogging the spotlight for a particular game, whether it's because of their quirky personality, their overwhelming presence as a dangerous threat to the characters, or even just their stylish fashion sense. In fact, there are some games out there that, despite featuring innovative mechanics and intriguing stories, have become most well-known for bad guys because of how memorable they were as characters.
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Though presented as quite sinister, these Final Fantasy villains could have played heroic roles in an alternate timeline.
This doesn't inherently mean the protagonists themselves are boring, just that the developers did such an incredible job crafting a fun and enjoyable villain that they would steal the attention away from the hero in the process. This applies to the well-known villains listed below, who all managed to captivate players in their respective games for their own personal set of reasons.
Lady Dimitrescu
Even Before Village Was Released, Resident Evil Fans Fell In Love With The Giant Vampire Mutant
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Capcom did a great job building up hype for Resident Evil Village after showing off the whimsical new aesthetic and werewolf enemies that were going to be featured in the game through the trailers, but there was one particular individual who put the hype train into full gear, and that's Lady Dimitrescu. This giant female vampire was only shown in small glimpses in the promotional material, but that was all that was needed for fans to immediately fall in love with her style and personality, before the game even released.
Even though Dimitrescu is only one of four lords who try to take down Ethan in his mission to save Rose, many fans agree that she is by far the most interesting and memorable of the bunch. She even has an entire castle dedicated to her, which players are free to explore near the beginning of the game, so long as they are confident enough in their abilities to avoid being spotted by Dimitrescu while wandering around, considering she is able to snap Ethan like a twig if she manages to get her hands on him.
Handsome Jack
The Suave And Cheeky Antagonist Is As Evil As He Is Lovable
Borderlands 2
- Released
- September 18, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
There's a lot to love about the sequel to the immensely popular Borderlands. From the vibrant pop aesthetic to the staggering amount of creative weaponry that players can find along their adventure, it's an absolute blast running through this game and causing as much carnage as possible. However, while the first Borderlands had a fairly lackluster antagonist, the same certainly can't be said for Handsome Jack in Borderlands 2, a man who is often considered one of the best villains of all time.
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What makes Jack so compelling as a character is that, while it's clear that he is despicable, he has such a way with words that it's hard not to get excited every time he shows up to throw out some cheeky banter. Jack loves nothing more than trying to mock and belittle the player via radio in most of the missions, but he's also not above throwing in a few dad jokes here and there to show that he's much more than just a one-note bad guy. It's no wonder that Handsome Jack has shown up in many of the Borderlands spin-offs when considering how well-received he was by fans when Borderlands 2 was first released.
Pagan Min
A Smartly Dressed Tyrant Who Is As Weird And Unpredictable As Can Be
Far Cry 4
- Released
- November 18, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise has become renowned for its incredible villains, but there are a few reasons why Pagan Min in particular stands at the top of the pack. Despite being a vicious tyrant who rules over Kyrat with an iron fist, Pagan Min has this childlike and upbeat enthusiasm about him, which can make players feel a little bad about enjoying his company so much. In the first few minutes of Far Cry 4, the dangerous leader gleefully kills several of his soldiers just for disobeying his orders, but then goes on to have a casual and even comical conversation with the protagonist, while preparing some fine dining for them to enjoy as they speak.
Players will learn from members of the Golden Path just how cruel Pagan Min has been to the residents of Kyrat since he has been in charge, but it also turns out there's a lot more to him bubbling beneath the surface, which only helps to make Pagan all the more interesting to interact with. The villain also stands out with his bright and flamboyant outfits, which only someone with his level of charisma would be able to pull off.
Senator Armstrong
Nanomachines, A Few Grand Speeches, And Even More Nanomachines
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Released
- February 19, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action
Raiden is forced to take down several dangerous villains throughout his grand adventure in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, but the final opponent standing in his way is someone who actually shows up at numerous points in the story: Senator Armstrong. On the surface, Armstrong might seem like little more than a buff politician who enjoys throwing his weight around, but during his climactic battle with Raiden, it becomes clear there's so much more to this villain than meets the eye.
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Armstrong desperately tries to convince Raiden to follow his own ideology of how the world should be, not only through giving big, bombastic speeches, but also by bulking himself up with Nanomachines, which he uses to pummel Raiden to near death. His boss battle is one of the most epic final fights in recent memory, with the villain becoming so iconic that memes of him are still being made to this very day, more than a decade since the game officially released. Raiden may be a cool cybernetic ninja, but once again, the show is stolen away from him by another character, only this time, it's the main villain.
Rabbids
A Quirky Enemy From A Rayman Spin-Off Spawned An Entirely New Franchise
Rayman Raving Rabbids
- Released
- November 14, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e // Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
- Genre(s)
- Party Game
During the mid-2000s, Ubisoft decided to get a little experimental with its Rayman franchise to see how it could tinker with the traditional platforming formula to create something new for fans to enjoy. In 2006, they would release a spin-off called Rayman Raving Rabbids, which saw the protagonist taking down entire hordes of furry creatures with an assortment of tools and weapons. While Ubisoft probably expected the Rabbids to only show up in this game, these guys would actually become so popular that they would end up spawning their own franchise entirely. Ironically enough, this would also be around the same period that Rayman himself started to fizzle out of the mainstream, with the spotlight clearly being stolen by his latest enemy.
From party games to fun platformers, all the way to a crossover with none other than Nintendo's Mario, the Rabbids have been virtually inescapable for the last few years. They may be a little oversaturated these days, but back in the mid-2000s and 2010s, there was a lot of love for the raving Rabbids, who have gone on to establish a pretty impressive legacy for themselves considering their humble beginnings.
Sephiroth
Cloud's Arch-Enemy Has Become A Legendary Antagonist After Appearing In Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- RPG
There's no doubt that Cloud is among the most beloved Final Fantasy protagonists in the series, but even he isn't cool enough to escape the shadow of his arch nemesis, Sephiroth. Sephiorth might be a villain who prefers not to give big and lofty speeches about his evil schemes, much like other antagonists, but he still has this overwhelming presence to him that can immediately fill a room full of fear and dread as soon as he appears on-screen. A lot of this has to do with this menacing appearance, as he can always be seen towering over Cloud and the rest of the party, and never leaves the house without his beloved Matsumoto, which is one of the largest swords ever seen in a game.
As the story goes on, it starts to feel like Final Fantasy 7 is Sephiroth's story rather than Cloud's. There are many small hints scattered throughout the world, such as the large snake that can be found skewered on a large stick, that emphasize just how powerful Sephiroth is, and there are also flashbacks that show how he went from a loyal soldier to a merciless killer. He's a fascinating villain that everyone, even some people who don't play video games, are aware of, and that's a testament to how much people would come to love him when he took on the role of villain in Final Fantasy 7 and its remakes.
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