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Video games feature some of the best stories found in the modern-day. They have always been an expressive medium for telling profound stories.
These narratives are presented from the gamer’s perspective, making the stories feel that much more real. The characters shown feel relatable, which helps improve the overall experience that is a video game.
Characters in titles are truly iconic. Protagonists or even antagonists have to be well crafted to fit that world.
A truly good video game that strikes a perfect balance between protagonists and antagonists turns out to be one of the best in the business. Antagonists, in particular, have to be equal, if not better than, their counterparts.
Five video game antagonists who won over fans
1) Alma Wade (F.E.A.R)
The F.E.A.R. games were immensely popular back in the 2000s. They were a series of horror FPS shooters that focused much more on horror and gore.
These titles were well-written, and the gameplay was good for that era. F.E.A.R. follows the tragic story of a young telepath named Alma Wade, who died at the hands of terrible experiments by the Amarcham Technology Corporation.
Alma Wade is one of the primary antagonists for the F.E.A.R franchise. She stalks players and even some of Amarcham’s own in an attempt to get vengeance on the ones who stole her life.
This is one antagonist any user will side with as her cause is just, and gamers do side with her goals to an extent. Alma Wade is a fantastic and truly horrifying antagonist.
2) Superman (Injustice: Gods Among Us)
The Injustice storyline is arguably DCs best modern-day storyline. The narrative heavily focuses on Superman turning to the dark side and abandoning all the ideals he once stood for.
Superman as a villain is an incredible concept DC has explored on multiple occasions as he is a perfect example of a godlike being very close to being unhinged.
Superman has gone through most of his arc of turning to the evil side by the time of the Injustice: Gods Among Us events. There is very little that this Evil Superman lets slide in his perfect crime-free dystopia, and the remaining heroes must band together and stop the rampaging Superman at all costs.
The story is incredibly captivating and is a treat to experience for any fan of DC comics.
3) Vaas (Far Cry 3)
Ubisoft has made some decent titles in the past. The original Far Cry and Assassin Creed games were incredibly well-detailed and truly felt original.
Far Cry 3 was highly well-made for its time. Garnering praise from critics and gamers alike, it was bold in its usage of antagonists, especially Vaas Montenegro.
He hails from Rook Island, where the game is set. Vaas kidnaps Jason Brody and his friends, who were visiting the islands at the time.
Jason is lucky enough to escape, and the rest is history. Vaas is an incredibly well-designed villain for the Far Cry series as he serves as an excellent mirror to Jason Brody.
His lines are some of the most iconic in the video game world. Vaas is a character widely remembered, and for good reason.
4) Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village)
The Resident Evil series has been filled with potent antagonists who have more or less been mutated in some way. Village does not shy away from this concept as the antagonists in Resident Evil 8 are distinct from each other.
They all serve to bring out the mystery of the village Ethan Winters finds himself in. The title is terrifying at parts and, at some points, feels like an action movie, but overall, Village is a fantastic experience for any Resident Evil fan.
Lady Dimitrescu is the matriarch of Castle Dimitrescu and one of the lords that Ethan has to defeat to progress the story. She resorts to using Mother Miranda’s power so that she can have a family.
Her daughters are everything to Lady Dimitrescu, and she displays high levels of affection for them. Ethan faces her full wrath when he kills her daughters and ultimately ends up killing her.
Dimitrescu is Village’s first boss, and she is one of the best in the game.
5) Genichiro Ashina (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is genuinely one of a kind. No other video game title has had the impact that Sekiro has had, and it completely redefined the action RPG genre.
It feels refreshing compared to the Souls series and conventional action-adventure video games. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice follows the story of a disgraced Shinobi who has to rescue his kidnapped lord from an unhinged nationalistic leader, Genichiro Ashina.
The tale of Sekiro boils down to the story of three orphaned children during Isshin’s crusade to reclaim Ashina. The trio is the Wolf, Lady Emma, and Genichiro.
Wolf was adopted by the cunning Owl, who used the boy and turned him into a cut-throat Shinobi. Lady Emma was raised by the kind-hearted Lord Dogen, who taught her medicine. Isshin raised Genichiro, and he replaced his lost mother with the lands of Ashina.
Genichiro would give everything he has for Ashina, and he does so even to the bitter end.
Five video game antagonists who were just unhinged
1) Alduin (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
The Elder Scrolls series is not well known for its antagonists but more for its artful world design and limitless freedom of gameplay. Skyrim is no slouch in this department, as this was Bethesda’s last original open-world experience until Starfield comes out.
Alduin is one of the main antagonists of Skyrim, and he is also the being that players owe their life to, as Alduin’s timely attack coincides with them narrowly avoiding the chopping block.
Alduin does not have a purpose other than to rule the world. Coupled with the fact that Skyrim is so vast and filled with other quest options, he feels inconsequential to the story.
Users reach heights of power that indeed rival the gods. Alduin, at this point, feels tacked on and only present to complete the main story to wrap up Skyrim. Alduin is a villain in desperate need of substance.
2) Father Joseph Seed (Far Cry 5)
Ubisoft has been responsible for some good villains and some who are downright bad. Joseph Seed falls into the latter category.
Far Cry 5 is a beautiful open-world title that copies all the elements that made Far Cry 3 special but failed in a couple of other aspects. The gameplay loop gets repetitive and leads to lousy pacing for the story.
Father Joseph Seed is the main antagonist of Far Cry 5 and is a vicious cult leader. The game revolves around this cult as gamers must do everything to take them out.
The wild woods of Montana serve as an excellent setting for the title, as most wildlife is out to get them. Overall, Far Cry 5 is a decent experience to try out when bored, but its antagonist may not impress too much.
3) Dutch (Red Dead Redemption 2)
The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 and its colorful characters is one of a kind. The title is easily one of the best of the last decade and has been critically acclaimed.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a beautiful game that follows a gang of outlaws through a tragic story of loyalty, betrayal, and, most importantly, horse care.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has many antagonists, but the one who hits the most is Dutch. He is the charismatic leader of the Van der Linde gang.
Dutch is a character that players grow to despise and hate for warranted reasons. Arthur Morgan’s disillusionment with his ever-violent cause is incredibly telling and a sign of a good villain.
Dutch might not be justified, but there is no finer villain written for gaming.
4) Urizen (Devil May Cry 5)
Devil May Cry 5 is one of the best hack-and-slash video games ever. It is enjoyable and looks exceptionally good as the stylized characters and set pieces fit right in.
The world of Devil May Cry consists of some of the most iconic characters in video gaming, and their names are almost synonymous with being cool.
Urizen is the main antagonist of Devil May Cry 5. He is a Demon King who plans to grow a massive demonic plant that absorbs the blood of all the humans in the vicinity which would then bear a fruit that would give immense power.
Half of Urizen’s problem would be solved if he had stuck with his whole self because his powers are equal, if not better, than Dante’s. Urizen is a fantastic video game villain with some weird goals.
5) Mother Miranda (Resident Evil Village)
The last entry for this category has to be an all-powerful villain but not all the smart when it comes to executing their plans. Mother Miranda is the leader of the group of lords that rule over the Village, and she controls most things that happen there.
There is much to talk about in Resident Evil Village, as the game truly feels like a terrifying horror experience with a well-crafted narrative.
Mother Miranda is a tough boss and can be ruthless. She is justified in a way, as all she wanted to do was get her dead daughter back, but her methods warrant questioning.
Kidnapping Rose unraveled all her plans, and Ethan exacted revenge on Mother Miranda while rescuing his daughter from her evil clutches. She is a villain in need of a supervillain course.
Note: This article reflects the author’s views.
