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Video game antagonists are the antithesis of the player's character, serving as the force against whom they must fight and persevere. Antagonists stand against users at nearly every turn during the narrative and are generally defeated by the game's end, although there are exceptions to this rule.
Thus, video game antagonists are supposed to be well written and have a clear and believable motivation for their actions. A great character arc is also a good inclusion, culminating with the villain learning a lesson by the end or devolving into a deeper chaotic mentality.
In pursuing the above, sometimes the antagonist in a video game ends up having a very rich and interesting story, which eclipses that of the protagonist. This has resulted in some iconic villains showing up in video game history, who have left strong impressions on the audience.
Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.
Five instances in video games when antagonist was more interesting than protagonist
1) Vaas Montenegro - Far Cry 3
This is the poster boy for any feature discussing great video game antagonists (including this one) and deserves the top spot on the list. Vaas Montenegro appeared in Far Cry 3 as the primary antagonist for the game, playing against the protagonist, Jason Brody.
Vaas makes his appearance quite early in the title, as he captures Jason and his friends when they land on the island under the control of the pirates. He plans to extort money from the captives' families and then sell them into slavery.
While Jason manages to escape, Vaas' shadow looms over him throughout the rest of the game.
Voiced by Michael Mando, Vaas is a character who captures the essence of being crazy unlike any other. His now-famous monologue regarding insanity is one of the best speeches by a video game villain ever.
Being ruthless and charismatic simultaneously, players can't help but be enthralled by the words of this modern-day pirate.
2) GLaDOS - Portal
Valve's Portal was a massive success, mainly due to its unique gameplay mechanics and fun puzzle-snow-famousments. Sticking true to its tradition, Valve introduces another silent protagonist, this time in the form of Chell, a test subject in the Aperture Science facility who had previously been put in stasis and is awakened at the start of the game.
The only other character in the game is GLaDOS, an AI in charge of the facility also serving as the game's primary antagonist. Ellen McLain, who voices GLADOS, has a considerable weight to bear as she is the only talking entity in the title and serves as an instructor, a source of exposition as well as an articulator of interesting monologues.
Despite this immense burden, GLADOS becomes one of the best aspects of the game, with her hilarious yet terrifying intentions clearly and concisely delivered in a calm and composed demeanor.
Her reappearance in the sequel, Portal 2, was as much relief to fans as it was horrifying to realize that she was back to her murderous antics once more.
3) Lady Dimitrescu - Resident Evil Village
Tall Vampire Lady was a trending term on the internet when Resident Evil Village's trailer dropped, which first showcased Lady Dimitrescu. This nine-foot-tall, pale woman who drank human blood caused a frenzy in the online community and was quite a sensation even before the game's actual release.
When the game finally dropped, many were disappointed to see how little screen time was devoted to her. Especially once it became evident that she was a much more layered character than she initially appeared to be.
Despite her antagonistic nature towards Ethan Winters, the protagonist, Lady Dimitrescu valued the lives of her family members, which included her three daughters.
Hidden lore revealed how she had come to the village searching for a cure for an unnatural illness. There she was treated with the Kadou parasite and took on the form gamers see her as.
She later takes on three young girls from the village as her own and takes on the role of a mother.
4) Handsome Jack - Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 is a first-person shooter (FPS) developed by Gearbox Software. Players take on the role of one of the four vault hunters as they take on the tyrannical forces of Handsome Jack, the primary antagonist of the title.
His popularity in the game gave rise to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, which recounts the story of how he came to power.
Jack is a great antagonist, as he ticks the boxes for charisma, articulation, and intelligence. He wears his heart on his sleeve and, like most of the themes in Borderlands games, is not subtle about his wants and desires.
Witty and humorous at the same time, it's hard to dislike Jack, even when he is taunting the protagonist.
Compared to most characters in the game, including the protagonist, Jack is somehow one of the most likable. Dameon Clarke voiced the character in this game and the pre-sequel and received high praise for his delivery.
He even won an award for Best Performance by a Human Male at the Spike Video Game Awards.
5) The Joker - Batman: Arkham Knight
Throughout the Arkham series by developer Rocksteady, users got to take on the role of Batman in one of the best DC video game adaptations to date. And for a large section of the titles, the main antagonist was the arch nemesis of the Dark Knight, the Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker.
Voiced by the iconic Mark Hamill, this iteration of the iconic villain was a much more interesting character than the caped crusader, a recurring theme in the comics as well. The personification of chaos and anarchy itself, Joker's unpredictable personality even caught the World's Greatest Detective unawares at times.
Joker finally got to shine in the final video game in the series, Batman: Arkham Knight, where he was given a posthumous role.
As a representation of Batman's psyche, the Joker was an ever-present figure in it, casually blurting out the deepest insecurities of the Dark Knight and giving gamers a deeper understanding of the brooding vigilante.
