Jim Moriarty is famously known as the “Prince of Crime” once quoted in BBC’s Sherlock “Every fairy tale needs a good old-fashioned villain.” Antagonists create the perfect foil for the heroes to shine through the narrative. They bring in the flair of megalomania and contempt for society while creating a contrast to the ideal heroes worshipped and adored by gamers and viewers alike by introducing angst and horrors, thereby creating a conflict for heroes to, a lack of this important trope makes or breaks the entire plot. Antagonists in video games are revered as some of the best villains who inspire books and films.
This article encompasses a list of the top 7 smartest antagonists in video games who challenge society with their quick-witted malice and evilness.
- Dracula from Castlevania
- Dr. Wily from MegaMan
- Joker from Gotham
- Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat
- Goro from Mortal Kombat
- Sephiroth from Final Fantasy IV
- Power Force Villains
Dracula from Castlevania
One of the earliest antagonists derived from Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula, the video game version of Dracula in Castlevania, is one of the famous antagonists in the game verse. Castlevania is based on the story of a human being named Mathias Cronqvist, who went mad after the death of his first wife and turned into a vampire due to the powers of Crimson Stone.
Dracula’s character presents a disdainful outlook towards humanity and society- which shunned Mathias and killed his one true love. He also questions the notion of religion and god, which is portrayed through his bitter reactions and an army made of atheists and non-believers. Dracula isn’t your typical villain but a well-educated antagonist with a superiority complex who questions society and humanity at large. He is fought by the Belmont Clan, who consider Count Dracula as their arch-nemesis.
Dr. Wily from MegaMan
Dr. Albert Wily, or commonly known as Dr. Wily, is the MegaMan series’s chief antagonist, where he appears in different versions of the game. He is depicted as the human scientist who tries to take over the world with his army of robots and rivals Dr. Thomas Light and becomes Mega Man’s primary adversary but is defeated by him every time.
He is depicted as a brilliant scientist with a passion for robotics which metamorphosizes into a need for global domination through an army of robots. He is portrayed as a dynamic character with few deliberation moments and forethought, which is overtaken by his evil ingenuity and malice. He tries to contend with MegaMan through the premises of different versions of MegaMan.
Joker from Gotham City
One of the most recognizable antagonists from the DC verse Joker from Gotham has amassed a loyal fan following across the globe. He is portrayed as an insane Homicidal Supervillain with no specific superpowers and with a great knack for inciting mayhem and violence across cities which is foiled by his arch-nemesis Batman. Joker serves as the smart antagonist of the Arkhan Knight series.
Although Joker has been depicted with mental illness, that does not affect his intelligence and ability to create terror and mayhem. He serves as the most celebrated villain whose fanbase rivals the hero’s fanbase simultaneously. The video game version of Joker is more malicious and devoid of human emotions, capable of wreaking havoc in the city of Gotham.
Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat
One of the recurring main antagonists in the world of Mortal Kombat, Shao Kahn is depicted as a massively intimidating villain with terrifying features. He is a powerful tyrant of the Outworld throne. He doesn’t showcase any special power but is depicted with an affinity towards beheading with his powerful ax when in a state of fury and malice.
Even if Shao Kahn is portrayed as a brash, callous antagonist, this character is highly manipulative and cunning with high intelligence and deep knowledge of the black arts. He also has the power to consume souls like his sidekick Shao Tsung with amazing leadership and organizational skills.
Goro from Mortal Kombat
Another sensational antagonist from the mortal Kombat franchise, Goro, is a character from the Mortal Kombat fighting series where he is depicted as the Prince of Shokan and former champion of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. He is a recurrent villain in the series who serves as a supportive ally to Shang Tsung.
Goro is considered an evil, cunning warrior who is revered and respected by his peers and has earned the title of being Shao Kahn’s favourite warriors undefeated through generations. He serves as the commander of the Outworld’s armies, which massacred rebellions and dominated the emperor’s Earth realm. He is portrayed as a dynamic character who operates on the brute force by can manipulate elements.
Sephiroth from Final Fantasy IV
Sephiroth is portrayed as the main antagonist of the Final Fantasy franchise. He is shown as one of the most famous success stories of the Shinra Electric Power company’s SOLDIER program (a major trope in the Final Fantasy gameverse). Still, after learning about his origin story, it drives him to the depths of madness which rekindles his desire to destroy the world. He is depicted as a character devoid of human emotions after his descent into madness but otherwise charming and manipulative personality traits. Through the narrative of the game, he develops a messiah complex which leads him to torture and inflicts pain upon Cloud’s character.
Power Force Villains
Developed by Push Gaming, this online slot game is a favorite amongst the players who empathize with antagonists. Based on the premise of an ensemble of villains coming together, namely – Spy Villain, Gadget villain, Strong Villain, Fire Villain, and Clown Villain. This online pokie is set against the backdrop of a broken secret laboratory (where all good antagonists have their origin) with a 25-line, 5-reel slot with 3 symbols per wheel reel table. The graphics create an engaging interface that grabs the attention of the player.
Power Force villains online slot game has different features like wild symbols, scatter symbols, free spins, expanding wilds with mystery symbols hidden on the reels, which trigger free spins as applicable. The RTP of the game isn’t much – it stands at 96.72% but with a chance to win $500 with each bet, but if the gambler can use bonuses like Vulkan Vegas free spins the chances are even bigger.
Concluding Thoughts
No video game is complete without its famous antagonist, who makes the gaming remise more exciting and alluring. The antagonists symbolize the other half of the world, the rule-breakers, the non-conformists who are not fazed by the structures imposed by a society that has wronged them, and they seek revenge and justice according to their orders.
Andrea Bell is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter:@IM_AndreaBell
