Bosses and antagonists in video games add substance and depth to the narrative experience and motivate players as they reach a game's conclusion. However, bosses with a morphed worldview and morality are the ones that leave a lasting impact on players.
Joker from Arkham games, Albert Wesker from the Resident Evil franchise, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, Deathshead from Wolfenstein: New Order, and Micah Bell from Red Dead Redemption 2 are some evil video game bosses that possess twisted logic.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
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Joker, Albert Wesker, and three other evil video game bosses
1) Joker (Batman Arkham Asylum & Arkham City)
The Joker has been the main draw for players of the Arkham games and Batman. While he has a cheerful facade, his motivations are often obscured and based on creating chaos. The fragile and mostly absent motivations and moral compass make Joker unpredictable.
At face value, one can deduce that he wishes to create obstacles for Batman, but his true intentions are hard to pinpoint and lead to some amazing scenarios, especially in Arkham City. The game has extremely varied boss fights with the Joker, which creates anticipation for the next encounter, motivating players to keep playing the game until the credits roll.
2) Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII & Final Fantasy VII remake)
Sephiroth is one of the most iconic villains in gaming, and for good reason. His charming appearance and persona adeptly hide his cold and twisted intentions. Sephiroth committed heinous acts that impacted the characters in the Final Fantasy VII universe.
He is determined to torment Cloud, the protagonist. Sephiroth’s mental downfall begins when he uncovers his true origins and eventually loses the semblance of his actions and their impact.
3) Deathshead (Wolfenstein: The New Order)
Deathshead is a moniker given to the ruthless head of the special projects division of Nazi Germany reimagined in the modern Wolfenstein games. His real name is Wilhelm Strasse, and he faces off against the game’s protagonist BJ Blazkowicz. Although not depicted in the game’s cutscenes, he is infamous for conducting experiments on humans, killing many.
Players will, however, find him repulsive after a cutscene depicting him strong-arming the game’s protagonist to kill his own squad. The players are then left to escape captivity and save their own skin from one of the most evil bosses in the franchise and, perhaps, video game history.
4) Albert Wesker (Resident Evil series)
Albert Wesker is among the most charming yet evil bosses in video games and has been a recurring character in the Resident Evil series. His charming persona has deceived many in the past as he sacrificed his own squad to gather scientific data.
Although his actions aren’t prominent in recent Resident Evil games, most of the chaos and virus infections in the franchise can be traced back to Albert Wesker’s involvement. His belief that he contributes to saving the world makes him one of the most twisted bosses in the Resident Evil franchise.
5) Micah Bell (Red Dead Redemption 2)
Players may find Micah Bell annoying, but he is one of the more evil bosses in the game with a morphed logic of morality. Red Dead Redemption 2 begins with the Van Der Linde gang on the run from authorities, and Micah is the most recent member of the gang with a shady past.
A few interactions hint that Micah had betrayed the last gang he was a part of, raising questions about his morality. Mich Bell's actions towards the game’s conclusion disclose his selfish motives. He is a man looking to survive by all immoral means and doesn't hesitate to sacrifice his own gang members to achieve the same.
However, players will be satisfied with how Red Dead Redemption 2 gives them a chance to exact justice to one of the game's twisted bosses.
The above bosses are a handful of characters that fall prey to immorality, giving players a worthwhile narrative experience in video games. You can also check out the top 5 video game antagonists of all time.
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