10 Likeable Video Game Villains
Video games are storytellers and one of the things that make a story great is its characters. Usually, the limelight is reserved for the protagonist, but sometimes, the villain is more liked than the main character.
Although they are far and few between, these villains usually have unique personalities that will make us question whether they are right or wrong. Their motivations cross lines, but usually for the “greater good”.
Today, we will be looking at some of the most likeable villains in the video game industry and why they are so loved. It could be their background, personality or even character design that caught our attention.
Be warned though, that this listicle will contain spoilers and we recommend readers to continue at their own discretion.
With that out of the way—let’s begin!
1. N (Pokemon)
Honestly, N himself isn’t really a villain in the first place. He was merely a puppet that was controlled by Ghetsis that was feeding him with a false ideology.
What N wanted was a world where Pokemon is liberated from battles. This is actually quite a beautiful sentiment but was unfortunately distorted by his foster father, Ghetsis. Suffice to say, N was manipulated since he was a kid.
Fortunately, N soon realised the errors of his ways and turned over a new leaf. In the sequel—Black and White 2—he even came in clutch in helping the main character during the final fight against Team Plasma!
Imagine having one of the best-written villains supporting one of the best Pokemon games ever made! The Unova region truly was a masterpiece.
2. Vergil (Devil May Cry)
The brother and a direct rival of the series’ main character, Dante, there are actually a lot of things we can respect from Vergil.
For one, he is extremely honourable when it comes to combat. Trickeries and ruses are out of the question with him as he prefers to fight in an honest manner. How often do we see that in a villain?
This is evident when there was a moment Vergil could annihilate a weakened Dante, which he refused. Vergil even allowed Dante to recuperate before taking him on an equal footing.
Some may call it pride or arrogance, but we prefer to call him a true warrior.
3. Adachi (Persona)
The Persona franchise is known for its well-developed characters and Adachi is certainly one of the more interesting villains of the series.
Firstly appearing as a clownish cop that seems super careless and lax, Adachi did an amazing job hiding his true self. Once he was exposed as the true culprit, we could see how twisted and corrupted his true personality is.
Nevertheless, despite his malicious killings, Adachi ultimately admitted to his crimes. He even gave the main character an important clue that will open the path to the True Ending for the final boss against Ameno-sagiri.
4. Arthas (World of Warcraft)
Labelling Arthas as a villain is sometimes considered wrong because of what he did to become one. Having been a loved hero, Arthas allowed himself to succumb to evil for the greater good.
Forced to use the cursed runeblade called Frostmourne to kill the demon Mal’Ganis, Arthas lost his sanity in the process. Ultimately, he became the Lich King himself and was defeated by Tirion and his army.
Arthas’ story was a tragic one and does not deserve such a pitiful ending. Well, at least we know that he was once a soldier of the Light and that memory will forever be with us.
5. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)
There are few characters more iconic than Sephiroth from Final Fantasy and we can totally see why. From his character design to his character development, Sephiroth is the walking example of the perfect villain.
Like Arthas, Sephiroth was once on the side of good but was also driven into madness later on. The catalyst for his change was when he discovered his origin as a monster and how his people were betrayed.
While Sephiroth’s character writing is really good, it is not entirely the reason why we came to like him so much. It is his lackadaisical demeanour yet possessing immense strength that made us fall in love with Sephiroth for all the wrong reasons.
Here’s hoping that Square Enix will create more villains like Sephiroth in their future games!
6. Ryuzo (Ghost of Tsushima)
The feeling of always being underneath someone can be destructive. Jealousy and ambition love company and they were Ryuzo’s best friends in Ghost of Tsushima.
Having been Jin Sakai’s shadow all his life, Ryuzo’s desire for power and acknowledgement is unmatched. Through these dark emotions, Ryuzo did everything he could to prove himself, even if it meant crossing some lines.
That said, we could still see hints of nobility and kindness within Ryuzo. A good example of this is his reluctance to incinerate a villager for the sake of the Straw Hats. And despite his ruthless methods, all of them were done for the greater good of his clan.
7. Dracula (Castlevania)
Dracula might come off as an evil and demonish figure that hopes to destroy all, but deep inside, he is actually a hopeless romantic. One of his main motives for destruction is urged because of the loss of his wife—Elisabetha—which he loved so dearly.
Besides being a loving husband, Dracula is also actually a very caring father and a respectable leader. His care for Alucard is shown where he would revert back to a father figure when confronting him.
As a leader, Dracula has always treated his subordinates with respect. He listens to their opinions and speaks to them as if they were his equals. Ultimately, Dracula—despite being devoid of emotions—still loves his family and those who are loyal to him.
8. Baldur (God of War)
It’s really hard to forget someone who almost gave Kratos a beating and did it at the very beginning of the game. Baldur’s first appearance sent shivers down many people’s spines and made us aware that he is a force to be reckoned with.
His anger, frustration and hatred were palpable and combined with his fighting prowess, he really was the perfect antagonist for the almighty Kratos. However, being the perfect rival for Kratos isn’t exactly what makes Baldur so interesting.
One of the reasons why Baldur is so unique is that despite his invulnerability, he wanted to feel pain. For that, he hated his mother for granting him this “gift”. It is also to the point where this ability has made him mentally unsound.
At the end of the day, Baldur is a villain with a unique backstory and ironically deserves our sympathy for this unwanted gift.
9. William Johnson (Assassin’s Creed)
William Johnson is truly the embodiment of a villain with class and grace. Similar to many of the others mentioned above, William Johnson only does the vilest of things when he is forced to.
For instance, when he threatens others, he would always maintains his calm demeanour and does it with an air of sophistication. Enough said, William Johnson was a classy villain.
Not only is he liked for his composed and calm nature, but William Johnson is also deeply respected because of his belief in keeping the people safe. He trusts that the people needed to be free from assassins and we can’t really say he is in the wrong for this.
Although William Johnson met an unfortunate end, his killer, Connor expressed his regrets and believed that the man he killed was actually kinda decent. This really speaks volumes about how amazing William Johnson is.
10. Pagan Mini (Far Cry)
From the way how Pagan Mini dresses, it is really hard to forget him. His over-the-top outfit might make him look goofy but he is anything but that.
Seriously, you don’t become one of the biggest drug lords in the world if you are a buffoon. To accomplish this infamous feat, Pagan needed to be ruthless and ambitious.
And despite all these dark desires, Pagan still possessed the ability of love. The ability to love his family to be exact. His love for his wife and daughter is unmatched with both having a role in making Pagan show his softer side.
Plus, he also treats his stepson, Ajay, with the utmost tolerance, even though Ajay seems to piss him off most of the time. There was a moment when Pagan even called Ajay his “favourite nephew”, indicating that they are very close despite their differences.
One can judge Pagan for his dirty drug activities, but you can never question his love for his family as we trust that he is a family man first.
Wow! You actually made it to the end! Have any of these villains inspired you to want to know more about them? Pick these games up or any video game-related products from OffGamers here!
