I’ve been playing video games for the better part of my twenty years alive. Looking back on the years and the many games that I’ve played has made me wonder: Have video game villains gotten better and much more evil over the years or are video game developers running out of ideas on what to create?
10. Darth Malak (Star Wars: KOTOR, Xbox)
Nothing says evil like having half of your jaw made out of metal and wanting to create a fleet of sith ships to conquer the universe while simultaneously betraying your friend and turning random people to the dark side. When playing KOTOR all you wanted to do was find this $*#% bag and kill him and retracing his steps to the “dark” side of the force was a fun experience that few other games have managed to achieve. In the final moments of the game Malak said the worst words possible for a villain. “Im… impossible. I… I cannot be beaten. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith.” Death usually follows instantly after those words…
9. Nemesis (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, PSX)
Anyone who played this game must still have post-traumatic stress disorder from being chased around for hours on end by Mr. Trench coat over here.
While RE3 wasn’t the best Resident Evil game ever created, the Nemesis was still a nightmare inducing experience.
One word to sum it up: “STARRRRRSSSSSSSSS!”
8. Ares (God Of War, PS2)
Anyone who has the ability to stop time, bind blades of chains to peoples arms and have spikes grow out of his back has my respect. I imagine it would hurt having those spikes come out of your back. Putting the big orange haired guy down was a fun and memorable experience.
7. The Ghosts (Pac Man, Arcade)
These single colored villains were always a personal enemy of mine and I’m sure more than a few people will agree with me when I say that these ghosts were the equivalent of a rusted nail in the groin when you only had two quarters left.
It’s almost as if they sensed your desperation to keep playing and would respond by pumping steroids into their bodies just so that they could move faster than you could.
6. Revolver Ocelot/Liquid Snake (Various Metal Gear Games)
Ok this guy is like what 14 million years old now? In each game his entire personality changes. In the first Metal Gear game he was a revolver spinning bad ass that was completely obsessed with being Clint Eastwood. In the Sons of Liberty he was still obsessed with revolvers but now he had another villains arm attached to his arm since his arm got cut off in the first game…im starting to get a head ache. Since Snake Eater was set in the past we got to fight a young meowing Ocelot that had two count em two revolvers.
5. Umbrella Corporation (Every Single RE Game Except number 4)
One would think that after roughly 11,000 viral outbreaks this company would be shut down. But no apparently no matter how many innocent people are turned into the mindless undead the government still feels the need to let them do what they will.
When will this company make something safe… like video games?
4. GlAdOs (Portal, Xbox 360)
Picture this; you wake up in a cell with a robotic voice promising you cake and the chance to defy the laws of physics for a scientific experience. This would be awesome if she was being sincere. Instead the twisted, demented and at times uncontrollably hilarious computer makes you kill the companion cube *sobs* tells you the cake is a lie and tries to kill you for being better than everyone else that tried to get the cake. Id like to sue GlAdOs for thirty cakes since she committed false advertisement…
3. Bowser (Super Mario Bros. Series)
This guy has serious rejection issues. He’s kidnapped Peach like what a thousand times now. She hates you dude move on! She’s a princess you’re a diabolical turtle with spikes and in serious need of a breath mint. Fighting you is fun and as long as theirs kids Bowser will plague their systems and the multi million dollar plumber for many years to come.
2. The Prophet Of Truth ( Halo 2, 3, Xbox and Xbox 360)
For an elderly cripple the Prophet is quite easily one of the most diabolical enemies that I have ever fought. At first glance he seems straight forward in his sham that he’s doing everything for the Covenant. But as the games go on, he becomes the alien equivalent of Osama Bin Laden with a hover chair.
He becomes killed by the Arbiter and while it’s slightly anti-climactic it is none the less satisfying seeing the energy sword go through his chest.
And finally…
1. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII, PS1)
This giant sword wielding EMO punk takes the cake as A$$* of the year. He wants to destroy the planet, he kills one of the most beloved characters of all time just to prove how much of a bad ass he is and he has long silver hair. How can anyone think that this guy is anything other than the purest form of evil ever thought up. Beating him is undeniably satisfying and when you finally confront him you can’t help but feel a righteous wrath fill you from the beginning to the end.
What’s the moral of this story? Long hair equals the pinnacle of evil. So if you want to become an evil mastermind all you have to do is act emo, grow your hair long, think dark thoughts and release a deadly virus that turns the world into the undead while making millions off of the marketing aspect.
DISCUSS THIS IN OUR NEW EVIL FORUMS!






I would have to add Philip Clyde in Army of Two. I have nothing but pure hate for that bastard.
Atlus from Bioshock and Heihachi from Tekken would be in my list.
Great.
Sephiroth? How cheesy. He’s barely a bad guy. Sure, he makes bad things happen but he just runs away all the time. He’s a loser and a p*ssy! Worst villain ever (except in Crisis Core, where he DOES NOT MESS AROUND EVER)
You missed G-Man from Half-Life. You know he’s up to no good, but he’s so evil you haven’t a clue what it is.
@MrPhil – great addition…ok, we may have to do a “Readers Top 10″
@MrPhil: That’s actually a great one, Nice catch dude :)
Great list overall, but I wouldn’t mind seeing G-man or Dormin from SoTC take the #2 spot from Truth.
@jason Yep, this is probably not the last we hear of this top 10….
id replace malak with that #&*$@ from kotor 2, she would be a way better pick in my mind.
uh…. no ganon(dorf), wtf is wrong with you? BTW, sephiroth definitely shouldnt be at the top.
@me, so stfu: Sorry you’re picks weren’t in here but we stand by our decision…
I think it important to never forget the crocodiles from Pitfall.
Me so stfu and Mitch whateverthehellyourlastnameis, just bite your tongues right now. Just because you were not breast fed by your mothers but rather cock fed by your fathers does not give you the right to diss on Sephiroth. He is your lord and master and you must accept that he is the number 1, no matter how much it displeases you. Bow down, and kiss his feet. But first wash your mouths out, wouldnt want your fathers cum on his boots.
And where is Gannon?
what about sovereign from mass effect? its a giant alien robot who has commited galaxy wide genocide countless times. that seems pretty darn evil to me
wtf! no Albert Wesker?! seriously Wesker can beat the crap out of each one in the list!
Sephiroth takes the no 1 spot of any list of villains because of the way the writers handle him. Not only does he have the greatest introduction into a game – the trail of blood – but he has the ability to control the main character telepathically, which is a true menace to Cloud. He also kills Aerith, and thereby ensures, that even once he is defeated, things won't go back to good, as they did in FF VI.
Sephiroth is overrated. He killed a bunch of people and wanted to damage the planet to become powerful. Meh. This top ten seems to be very console heavy, needs more PC games.
Where is Diablo? He corrupted your character so that by the time you fought through his legions you just ended up doing exactly what he wanted by putting the soulstone in your head so he could have corrupt a more powerful body. He doesn't do evil things, he IS evil incarnate.
Kerrigan, or how about the Zerg Overmind?
Kane from the C&C series?
Lets not forget the Burning Legion and their master(s).
Nemesis was a good pick, should be higher on the list, he was very memorable. The prophet from Halo? I lol'd. Malak was alright, does he deserve a spot in the top 10 of video game villains? Not really.