What would be your favourite type of villain personality in a video game?

[Deleted]

I like a unhinged villain. Someone who seems smooth, composed and charming, but then all of a sudden can go homicidal crazy without any warning. Sort of like Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2.

 

[Eschaton]

I'm a big fan of the Magnetos and Loghains who think what they're doing is justified, but...it's not.

I'm also a fan of the occasional eldritch abomination, whose motives and morality are unknowable.

 

[Ed19]

I like a clever and dangerous villain, possibly a great mastermind and manipulator. 

 

[Omega Weapon]

I like a clever and dangerous villain, possibly a great mastermind and manipulator. 

That, while making himself liked by the people he just captured. 

 

[Scythuz]

I like a villain I can relate to, that I can understand.  Even if all I'm understanding is the source of their madness.

 

[OM3GA-Z3RO]

Mainly I like all villain types for as long as they are done right, the biggest villain type I love that is difficult to read, one that you could never think of being the main villain and that is an ally you can rely on but then end up finding out what his/her true motive is whether it is for justifying the means or doing it because they despise something so greatly.

that's my main fave but I have others that I simply adore, like the charming but insane ones.

 

[Ms Littlefish]

I like all sorts of villains. I also like the unpredictable psychotic episodes type. One that I also really like is the one you can sympathize with. Few things in the world are morally black and white, and I think it makes for a good brain melt if there is an aspect of the villain's plan you can see the motive behind, or if you can feel bad for them! 

 

[Deleted]

Sounds like some pretty damn good (evil) villains  

 

[Dalph]

I already posted this in my old thread about villains but I think I can share it here too.

Villains like him are my favourites.



Krelian from Xenogears

He's the best villain ever created to me...now you will ask why?

He's a complex character, calm, manipulator, with an interesting and tragic backstory, plus he also has motivation and a goal. He isn't completely good or evil...he's basically an emotionless nihilist.

 

[Napdevil]

It's always interesting to me when the villains and the protagonists could become closer than brothers (or sisters) if they wanted to, but circumstances have pit them against each other. It adds a touch of poignancy when you know two opposing combatants could easily have been friends in another life.

I like my villains to be heroes who just happen to be fighting for the wrong side, is what I'm basically saying.

 

[Dawn of Dark]

I like the psycho type villains - The Joker from Batman is a classic embodiment of this type. Another one, who is arguably belongs to this group as well, is Sephiroth from FF VII.

Now another type that I really like is the circumstantial type, yeah I made that word up - it just mean the ones which shouldn't have been villains, but somehow their circumstances drive them to become one. Now they usually appear to be directly opposed to the protagonist, but they are also the ones who support the main characters from the dark. This type can arguably classified to Dark Hero type, but it's my opinion that they are villains anyway. Now the one that I like the most of this lots, and probably my favorite villain of all time, is Itachi Uchiha from Naruto.

Spoiler

Now if any of you watch Naruto, you have to love this character, no matter what.

 

[Ghaleon]

I like the kind that play both good guy and bad thru the series. Ghaleon is one example as per my name, Magus in chrono trigger as well.

People who start good and become corrupted permanently don't count.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I like villainous villains.


It's just a preference.

 

[TheBertyus]

Obviously the best villain is the insane villain, just like vass montenegro. Don't mess with vass

 

[Clord]

Bat**** insane. Villains that don't really reason why they do what they do.


http://wugange.com/joker-arkham-origins-27322-hd-wallpapers.html


http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p787/Clord124/PublicStuff/DeauxInfo_zps7053d227.png

 

[Eschaton]

I can appreciate a villain that is dangerous. He or she should also steal every scene they are in.

What I can't appreciate is a villain that works alone, that pops in from time to time just to gloat and fight you.

A good villain has resources at their disposal. A fanatically loyal army or a spy network backs their ambitions.

Also, destroying the world or becoming a god are getting to be kind of tired motivations for a villain. They aren't very human ambitions, regardless of the setting, and I can't really buy nihilism and ambition going hand-in-hand.

Human motivations make the villain more relatable and interesting.

 

[Matseb2611]

To add to what Eschaton said, a villain who kills his/her minions for slightest of failures on their behalf is also way overdone and very unrealistic in most settings.

My most favourite villains are the masterminds who always have a backup plan (or ten) and who always stay one step ahead of the hero. A villain has to pose danger in my opinion and to have his/her own set of goals that they're trying to accomplish as opposed to focusing all their energy on trying to beat the hero. If the hero becomes too much of a threat to the villain's plans, then either the villain is too weak or the hero is too overpowered. 

 

[The Stranger]

I like the masterminds and puppeteers. Those who work behind the scenes, manipulating, scheming, and controlling all without ever revealing themselves. They can manipulate the heroes into believing someone else is the bad guy, but in truth, they are someone the real villain wants out of the way. Their plans are complex and involve countless individuals and organisations. By the time the heroes figure out who the real villain is it's usually too late.

 

[Narcissus]

I personally love antagonists who are lovable and that I would hate to actually fight and possible kill, whether due to their personality or ideals/goals. These villains make me as a player feel conflicted, especially if up to the point of their reveal, the game has done nothing but antagonize said villain.

An example of this would have been the primary antagonist of Metal Gear Rising: Revengence. The villain was pretty much written off by the protagonist to be nothing more than another corrupt politician, seeking nothing more than his own self-interest through extremely amoral means. But once the villain is finally confronted, his façade falls away, revealing a man who is fighting for what many would deem as a noble cause, one that is not entirely out of line for what the protagonist himself would want...

Of course, I do love over the top-comical yet badass villains. A combination of the relatable/lovable villain and comical badass is easily my absolute favorite (Such as the one from MGR:R).

 

[whitesphere]

I particularly like when a villain is, from their own perspective, doing something they believe is right and good --- except for the minor little detail of the consequences.   Interestingly, these villains are NOT power hungry in the classic sense --- they may see themselves as the hero, bringing the world what it needs.

For example:  in my current game, the Big Bad is a woman named Piloth.  She has been an lich for a very long time, and deeply believes life itself is pain, and wants to free everyone from its grasp.  In this game, once you die, a force immediately starts pulling on your soul (to go back home) --- so she really HAS been in pain ever since.  Unless she's on unholy ground... 

So, she will gladly murder someone and say something like "I understand why you resist.  We fear what we don't understand.  But, when you're freed from this pain, this existence, you will be free, forever."

To me, this is more realistic since most examples of day-to-day villainy come from people who truly believe they are doing what is right.  They just think the ends justify the means.  See any number of extremists for examples. 

I guess these fall under the Anti-villain trope.

So I have no interest in the classic villain who does evil things for no reason other than For The Evulz.

Also, I think it's important to see how a villain affects the world at large:

Besides their loyal henchmen, these type of villains are supported by several Quislings (people who lust for power, no matter who has the reins), and the vast majority of people who just "go along to get along".    Below is an example which might be from a now-long-cliched World War II empire:

"Oh, I'm just going to work, filling out some paperwork, attend a few meetings, and then I go home.  I'm not taking part in the atrocities in the camp." 

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"And risk my family's lives?  For what?"

 

In other words, aside from La Resistance who are willing to risk everything to overthrow the Evil, the majority of people, even under the heel of a major villain, are more focused on living their day-to-day lives.  This also explains neatly why there are only, say, 4 PCs who are willing to risk everything, except maybe for a small underground resistance movement.