Banner Image by Joshua Summana
For almost every great Hero, there's hopefully an equally god villain to combat. Someone to help drive the story forward and give the Hero reason to fight the evil's that plague the land. Video Games are no exception, giving us some of the best that fiction has to offer. These warriors, diplomats, monsters and abnormalities are the reason we face the underlings and try to save the princess. Without them, there potentially wouldn't be much of a conflict.
Since last week I did a top ten list of my favorite Heroes and spent the next two articles talking about what makes a good Hero and a good Villain, I figured I would give the Villains the Top Ten Treatment. So, let's get started!
#10. Emperor Doviculus (Brutal Legend)
In a world filled with animals fused with metal, legends of giants who could destroy entire mountains with their wails and ancient songs that could do worse, it's hard to think what could possibly top that. Well, for the humans of this world, there's Emperor Doviculus and his demonic army of kinky horrors!
Ruler of the Tainted Coil, Doviculus is a twisted, demonic Overlord hellbent on total domination. Throughout the game, you spend your time taking out his minions and even his human allies like General Lionheart. He will often times pit his enemies against one another in cunning and sadistic ways, even going so far as to killing off those who pose to great of threats, like the leader of the Resistance, Lars.
You Can Just Hold Here Forever And Stare Into His Dreamy Eyes...
In terms of overall villainy, he is a cunning strategist, seeing an opportunity present itself before him and allowing it to work in his favor. When Ophelia eventually turns against the Resistance, she creates the Drowning Doom and begins to attack the Resistance. Meanwhile, Doviculus just holds tight, influencing Ophelia and her army in subtle ways.
Overall, he's great villain to have in a world inspired by the album covers of comes of the greatest metal albums of all time. With his instincts of being quick to kill and a leather clad aesthetic to boot, it's hard to beat the demonic lord of the Tainted Coil. He's also voiced by Tim Curry, which just adds to the awesome.
#9. Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)
Silent Hill is one of the strangest Horror series to come out in Video Games. With twisted monsters galore and even more twisted 'normal' people to interact with, the series just leaves us with a sense of unease. And if not for the cancellation of P.T. And whatever may have come from that dream team collaboration, Pyramid Head would potentially have some competition for being one of the strangest aspects of this series.
Initially thought up with the simple concept of “A Monster with a Hidden Face,” Pyramid Head's design ultimately suggests a possibility of pain, thanks to the sharp corners and acute angles. He never really speaks, more naturally but with an air of strangeness, and drags a large heavy bladed weapon called the Great Knife. His entire presence is imposing and unending, with him chasing the player throughout their time in Silent Hill 2.
Now THAT's a Knife!
One of the more strange and memorable scenes from Silent Hill 2 is what I like to call that Closet of Mannequin Horror. Simply put, we are shown a scene where Pyramid Head is doing some...lewd stuff with a few mannequins inside a small closet. It's strange, unnatural and just plain unnerving. It's odd for me to say that it's an iconic scene, given how strange it is, but that's just what it might be...
Easily one of the best aspects of Silent Hill 2 in general, and one of the main reasons to play the game, Pyramid Head never seems to slow down. With iconic influences like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre to draw from, it's hard to not see this monstrous man as another other than just that. While his presence outside of Silent Hill 2 has been...okay at best, there's no doubt that Pyramid Head in that game is chilling, scary and down right fun to deal with.
#8. Dr. Wily (Mega Man Series)
Men and Women have spent years trying to perfect the craft of autonomous servants, but in the world of Video Games, there are few who could be considered better at this craft that Dr. Albert W. Wily.
The main antagonist of most of the main line Mega Man games and some of the spin offs, Dr. Wily's plan usually involves taking the works of Dr. Light, his former colleague, and turning the evil to help him take over the world. Dr Light sends Mega Man to stop them, and the day is saved.
A task that is easier said than done...
Throughout the many iterations of the character Wily has shown mechanical genius in terms of the large mechs he has created and his command over the various Robot Masters at his disposal. He always has a new plan for taking over the world, and sometimes is just barely beaten by the likes of Mega Man.
One of the more cunning and memorable Doctors in gaming, Wily shows that not all doctorates lead to instant success (A trend for two more members of this list). But with enough hard work, determination, desire and drive, you too can almost take over the world but be beaten out at the last moment by a small robot boy.
#7. Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat Series)
For some, the strain of ruling an entire nation keeps you from doing much else. From making sure that your nation has food to stopping invading forces at all costs, the job of a President, Ruler, Emperor or what have you is to safe guard their land to the best of their abilities. The same cannot be said for Shao Kahn.
Shao Kahn The Konqueror has only one goal in mind; total domination of the various Realms. With his great strength that can exceed that of a God, his military prowess allowing him to change tactics at the turn of a dime, and his small army of followers at his beck and call, he is truly a force to be reckoned with.
It also helps to make sure that your cape game is on point!
Often times seen as the final boss in the Arcade modes of several Mortal Kombat games, Shao Kahn is also usually one of the hardest Kombatants to overcome. With his high strength and diverse moveset, as well as his ability to usually cancel out moves, he can be a formidable opponent for the unprepared. When put into the hands of a skilled player, he can be twice as deadly, if not greater.
When your game has a plethora of characters that can act as final bosses, it's hard to stand out from the crowd, but Shao Kahn has managed to do it since his first appearance in Mortal Kombat II. Now if only the same could be said for his appearance in the Mortal Kombat: Armageddon movie...
#6. Nemesis- T Type(Resident Evil Series)
Now, most people would probably put Wesker here, seeing as he's the villain from the Resident Evil series that has at least had a bit of staying power. But Wesker over the years, thanks to being in just a few to many of the games at this point, and become somewhat of a joke character. He's gotten a bit too over the top and boisterous, making him seem more like a Bond villain rather than a master killer working for a shady, zombie producing company. The same cannot be said for Nemesis.
Nemesis is a the creation of the Umbrella Croporation, designed by the psychopaths of that corporation to see if a T-Virus infested creature could retain most of it;s intelligence and follow specific orders. He's large, imposing, dangerous up close and from afar, and easily one of the more imposing enemies in the series.
COME AT ME!
Throughout Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, he chases you down and can flatten you within a second. He's one of the toughest opponents throughout the series of games, and in general is just a hard boss to combat. And, like I said previously, he's a far better foil to Wesker; where Wesker can be considered an okay Narrative Villain, Nemesis is through and through a Force of Nature Villain.
As the series progressed, Nemesis seemed to take a side seat, but in general he is still regarded as one of the best aspects of a series that has gone off the rails in recent years. With Resident Evil VII returning to the franchises roots, maybe we'll get to see a next gen recreation of this abominatiion in action.
#5. Dr. Neo Cortex (Crash Bandicoot Series)
Sometimes, science can give us fantastic things, like the telephone, automobiles, and the early acting career of Nicolas Cage. But sometimes, it'll give us things, like the nuclear bomb, chemical warfare, and the current acting career of Nicolas Cage. The creation of Crash Bandicoot can fall into both categories; Good for us, bad for Dr. Neo Cortex.
Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex was born in Peoria Illinois with a simple dream; take over everything with an army of genetically engineered animal monsters. His crowning achievement yet still greatest mistake, Crash Bandicoot, was set to be the General of this army, but thanks to a machine that wasn't quite ready, Crash managed to escape and has been plaguing him ever since.
Even when they have to work together...
A brilliant scientist and genetics master, Cortex has an army of monsters at his disposal and a group of equally intelligent scientist allies to draw from. Using high tech gadgets, an intellect that is more heard of than shown but clearly present, and a tenacity only seen in those truly driven, Cortex has managed to put Crash through some truly grueling tasks.
In the end, Cortex is the exact villain that the Crash series needed; a super genius foil to a bumbling foolish Hero. And, much like the relationship between Boswer and Mario, they occasionally get together to race carts or have parties. So all is good in the land of Wumpa Fruit and horrifying genetic mutations!
#4. Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda Series)
Once every hundred years, the Gerudo people welcome a male into their society. One such born was Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo (or Guardian of the Desert), the wielder of the Triforce of Power.
Throughout the Legend of Zelda Series, there are always the three member of the Triforce. Link: the Hero of the Triforce of Courage, Zelda: the Maiden of the Triforce of Wisdom, and Ganon: the Villain of the Triforce of Power. In almost every iteration, Link must overcome Ganondorf to save the Princess Zelda and save the word.
But it's not exclusively Ganondorf...
A master wizard, expert swordsman, and formidable presence, Ganondorf proves to be a more powerful enemy with each iteration. With the Triforce of Power granting him near immortality, there are only a weapons that can truly defeat him, usually being the Master Sword. The Triforce of Power also grants him the ability to transform into a Beast form, known simply as Ganon, which is usually reminiscent of a pig or hog.
As the cycle of time continues forward, the three tied to the Triforce will have to repeat the cycle until the end of days. Until then, Ganondorf will continue to be a threat to them all, and never stop in his quest for total domination.
#3. Dr. Nefarious (Ratchet and Clank Series)
Some doctors want to help others. Some doctors want to heal the sick and wounded. Other doctors want to eradicate all organic life in the galaxy. The latter of those is the infamous and mildly disturbed Dr. Nefarious.
A robotic scientist who hates all organic life, Dr. Nefarious is the arch enemy of Captain Qwark, and later of Ratchet and Clank. With plans including eradicating all organic life from the galaxy and changing time itself to remake history, he's given Ratchet and Clank a run for their money. In the most recent game, Nefarious is an organic himself, having been a former Galactic Ranger and now seeking revenge against them for exiling him from the Organization.
It's not unheard of that a squishy would want to get rid of other squishies...
In his first appearance, he uses a robotic pop idol as a minion and threatens to eradicate all organic life. He is foiled by Ratchet and Clank, but comes back in a big way. He eventually returns at the Great Clock, positioned the exact center of the universe (give or take fifty feet), and threatens to rewrite history so that all organic life is erased from existence.
A brilliant mind and expert scientist, Nefarious is also one of the more comedic entries on this list. Between his outbursts of rage, his comical robot butler sidekick Lawrence and said outbursts of rage cause his circuits to tweak out and pick up a signal of a broadcasting soap opera, he is a silly but threatening force to be reckoned with.
#2. GlaDOS (Portal Series)
Sometimes you just need a computer to run all of your systems within your corporation. Sometimes that computer is the result of brain tampering and memory recreation, and eventually goes on a homicidal rampage killing everyone save for a few individuals within the facility. This is where GlaDOS comes in.
GlaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is the central core designed to control, guide and oversee the Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center. Sending the players through a series of puzzles to test the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device (Portal Gun), she taunts you and“praises” your progress throughout the adventure, eventually trying to dispose of you once your task is complete.
She's nothing if not efficient...
In the sequel, you have to work alongside GlaDOS to try and usurp Wheatley, the personality core you helped replace GlaDOS who eventually betrays you. She gets put into a potato, you save her from a bird, and you learn that she was originally the assistant to the founder of Aperture Science who was forced to become the mechanical computer personality we know to this day.
She is sadistic, on point with her insults, and a fantastic foil to your silent protagonist of Chell. But where Chell has a gun that can make two interconnected portals, GlaDOS has access to rockets, turrets, the entire computer grid of the complex, and deadly, deadly neurotoxin. She also helped to spawn one of the most memorable video games memes in recent history...The cake is a lie...
Before we make it to number one, let's look at some honorable mentions!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Coach Oleander (Psychonauts) – A military hardened Psychonaut master who plot to steal children's brains and use them in psychic tanks. A stout, egg shaped man with rage and vigor, but still likable.
Fizzie (Sunset Overdrive) – A cuddly looking mascot for a corrupt corporation with too many varying products, Fizzie is also one of the more engaging boss fights in Sunset Overdrive. It's also fun to listen to a cuddly looking death machine constantly call you an A**hole!
The Illusive Man (Mass Effect Series) – Mysterious, Aloof, and, of course, Illusive. A man of seemingly infinite wealth and knowledge, it's no wonder that a man hell bent on making Humans the dominant species among so many other technologically superior races would be considered a bad guy.
Yeti (Ski Free) – Ski Free was a simple premise; get as far down the mountain as you can, avoiding obstacles like trees and rocks. But, no matter how far you got, there was this jerk always ready to run you down and shove your face into the snow!
Gruntilda Winkybunion (Banjo-Kazooie Series) – An antagonistic witch who steals Banjo's younger sister, hoping to steal her cuteness for herself. She also weirdly speaks in rhyme, and for the life of me I can't remember if this was ever explained in the games...I do remember dying in Banjo Kazooie and seeing the results of her cuteness extractor... They may have been just polygons but YOWZA!
And now for number one!
#1. Handsome Jack (Borderlands Series)
Some men just want to watch the world burn. Others want to rule it. Then, there's Handsome Jack...the Hero of this story. No that's not a typo; Handsome Jack is the Hero of Pandora.
After taking over Hyperion, a major weapons manufacturer on the planet Pandora, Jack eventually tries to get rid of all the Vault Hunters (You) and bring order to planet filled with monsters, dangerous plant life and even more dangerous psychos and raiders, and eventually try to become the ruler of a planet filled with mayhem and murder.
Bringing order by bringing his own version of murder and mayhem.
On top of his lofty goals of ruling a planet full of mayhem, Jack is a charismatic and well written character. With a harsh backstory, believable strife, and having been betrayed by everyone who cared for him, he is one of the best written Narrative Villains I've ever seen. There's a reason I kept him out of my last article about making great Villains; I feel it's a daunting and near impossible task to emulate or even come close to emulating Handsome Jack.
The most tragic part of it all is that, in Jack's mind, he's the Hero of this story. In his mind, by getting rid of all the mayhem and murder on Pandora, he will usher in peace to a world ravaged by chaos. And by being the one who brings order to this world, he will be seen as the Hero of all, even if his methods are a bit extreme.
Extreme like that extremely good smile!
In fact, I love Handsome Jack so much as a Villain, I will probably do a more in depth dissection of his character and motivations. If that's something your interested, let me know! But until then, that's the list! Who are some of your favorite Villains from games? Let me know in the comments below and let's continue the discussion!
And be sure to come back Tuesday! I'll have a new article not related to Heroes or Villains for you! Until then, thanks for reading!