Image via Ndemic Creations
Video games are often epic tales about heroes fighting against the bad guys and saving the day. Some video games like to blur those lines and others just outright let you play as the villain. A lot of RPG video games give you the chance to be evil and make terrible decisions, which means you’re the villain in the end. Other video games tell the story from the perspective of a villain/bad guy. If you’re looking for a video game like that, you’ve come to the right place. Here are ten video games that let you play as the villain:
10. Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is an action-adventure video game that was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Shadow of the Colossus allows players to fight against massive beasts called Colossi that roam the planet.
You have to seek out the beasts and fight them with only a sword and bow. It also has a bit of a philosophical message behind it. Technically, you are the villain and the big bad guy of Shadow of the Colossus. However, it really is up for debate. It depends on your perspective. Still, if we look at it from this lens, you get to play as the villain in Shadow of the Colossus.
9. Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic is an action RPG Star Wars game that lets you play as a character by the name of Revan. We’ve already written an article about why Star Wars fans love Revan so much, if you’d like to check that out.
Since you play as Revan in Knights of the Old Republic, you can choose to be a Sith. If you know even a little about Star Wars, you’ll know that the Sith are the big bad guys and villains in the universe. So, if you play as a Sith Lord, then you’ll be playing as the villain.
8. Saints Row
Saints Row is one of the most chaotic, crazy, and insane video game franchises out there. Since it’s a game where your actions are defined by your decisions, you can play as the biggest, most awful, monstrous villain out there.
It’s got a unique standpoint to it where the game makes it pretty easy for you to play as a villain. So, if you’re looking for a bit of a laugh alongside chaos, Saints Row is perfect for you.
7. Mafia Definitive Edition
Mafia Definitive Edition is the remastered version of the original Mafia game. If you know what a mafia is, you’ll know that they’re a crime family. Mafias are like advanced gangs. In Mafia DE, you get to play as a member of the Italian mafia. This means that you’re really playing as the villain the entire time.
Since mafia members often run away from the law and commit crimes, you’ll be doing plenty of that in this game.
6. Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is considered one of the most thought-provoking war games out there. Where Call of Duty and other military shooters place you in the position of a hero that saves the day from danger, Spec Ops: The Line does the opposite. It’s lack of any stops in portraying war crimes and the horrors of war make it a very interesting title.
Since Spec Ops: The Line talks about morality and war, you actually are the villain of the story the entire time. It’s one of the rare few military games that lets you play as a villain.
5. Prototype
Prototype stars Alex Mercer, a shapeshifter who tries to stop an outbreak of a virus called Blacklight in Manhattan. Throughout the game, you face off against the military and a group called Blackwatch. Prototype gives you the chance to technically be a good guy, but you’re really just going to end up killing innocent people no matter how hard you try.
Since Alex Mercer doesn’t care about innocent people, he’s like an antihero of sorts. So, Prototype does let you play as the villain at the end of the day.
4. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed features a character who is very powerful named Starkiller. He was trained under the wing of Darth Vader himself. Considering that Starkiller is part of the Sith, he’s a villain cut and through.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is interesting since you are a force-wielder that isn’t a Jedi like most Star Wars games pitch. It makes for a more unique twist to the franchise. Unfortunately though, Starkiller is not canon to the Star Wars universe anymore.
3. Grand Theft Auto 5
Need I explain this one? Just kidding, but yes, Grand Theft Auto 5 does let you play as a villain. It’s one of those video games where you can play as the villain and you should play as the villain. Both the campaign and the online multiplayer make you go through some pretty crazy stuff.
The entire premise of GTA 5 is to commit criminal actions and deal in things like drugs and weapons. It’s pretty much the game of villains.
2. Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is great, because you can play as so many villains from across the universe of horror movies out there. You can play as Ghostface from Scream, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and more. You either play as a survivor, where you obviously have to survive. Or you can play as a killer, which is basically when your objective is to kill all the survivors.
Since the game features genuine villains and the ability to play them, it’s one of the best video games at letting you play as the villain.
1. Plague Inc.
Plague Inc. is a game where your entire objective is to infect and kill off the entire planet. That’s it. That’s the game. You have a disease type that you need to spread and then destroy the planet with. If that’s not villainous behavior, what is?
I think Plague Inc. is the ultimate villain simulator, and it’s a lot of fun because you have to have a strategy each time. Plague Inc. is also one of the few games on this list to have a mobile version that’s equally as fun to play.
Conclusions
Which one of these games is your favorite? Are you planning on playing any? Let us know about any other games that feature villainous protagonists!
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
