Although exceptions exist, the vast majority of video game main characters fall neatly into either a “hero” or “villain” role, and they seldom move away from their original classification. We might occasionally get protagonists who are revealed to be villains during the course of their games, but they are typically a one-and-done deal. If sequels are involved, the original protagonist either becomes a video game staple or steps aside to let somebody else take center stage. However, in very rare circumstances, the original main character suddenly finds themselves cast as the antagonist in a sequel or spin-off; in some cases, they are presented as straight-up villains.
26 Games That Let You Play As The Bad Guy
Playing the virtuous hero who saves the day game after game gets stale, so it’s always interesting when a game lets you play as the bad guy.
These situations do not happen often, and developers know that it can be very difficult to change course once a character completes this transition. Let’s take a look through gaming history to find a couple of heroes (or, to be exact, protagonists) who left behind their righteous ways to become a villain in somebody else’s story.
Spoilers Ahead
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
6
Alex Mercer (Prototype)
When the Hero Is the Root of the Problem
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Prototype
- Released
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June 9, 2009
- ESRB
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m
- Developer(s)
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Radical Entertainment
- Engine
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Titanium
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Prototype 2
7/10
- Released
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April 24, 2012
- ESRB
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M for Mature – Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
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Radical Entertainment
Prototype centered on Alex Mercer, an amnesiac man who wakes up in the middle of an epidemic and discovers he has superpowers. Over the course of the open-world game, he tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the Blacklight Virus’ origins and his own past. Unfortunately, his efforts to stop the Blacklight disease end up coming back to bite him in the sequel.
One Virus. Three weeks. Millions dead. And I was there. My name was Alex Mercer, and my work is almost done.
This time around, U.S. Marine James Heller discovers that his family has been lost to a resurgence of the virus, a resurgence that was entirely the fault of Alex Mercer. Revenge becomes Heller’s main goal, and the player gets to see how their efforts at doing good in the first game might not have been as successful as they initially appeared. Ironically, this creates a narrative structure where the player is seeking revenge against themselves for their own actions in the previous game.
5
Ellie Williams
When Being the Hero Of Your Story Makes You The Villain Of Someone Else’s
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The Last of Us Part I
Systems
9/10
- Released
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September 2, 2022
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
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The Last of Us Part 2
Systems
10/10
- Released
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June 19, 2020
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
The Last of Us centers around the relationship between protagonists Joel and Ellie as they journey through a post-apocalyptic America. As moral ambiguity and the way extreme circumstances easily break down the line between heroes and villains were big themes of the first game, its sequel sought to push things further.
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I can make it quick or I can make it so much worse!
The first half concerns a revenge quest where Ellie pursues Abby, another survivor who is responsible for killing Joel. That is, until about halfway in, when the perspective gets flipped. Suddenly, Abby is the protagonist, and the game reveals the entire first half from her perspective. This effectively turns Ellie into the villain, especially once the player starts to sympathize with several of the people they just went out of their way to kill. Although the player returns to controlling Ellie in the final act, it still shows both characters to be equally capable of cruelty.
Whether Ellie is narratively a villain will vary from player to player, but she is at least temporarily presented as such within The Last of Us Part 2.
4
Lady Aurelia Hammerlock
She was Originally PLAYABLE!?
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel had an interesting selection of playable characters, all of whom had ties to either the first or second mainline game. Although the games already loved antiheroes and took place in a world where murder is pretty much an everyday occurrence, this one included a total of six playable characters, many of whom were genuinely terrible people. Two of them were even previously antagonists in Borderlands 2. Then there was Aurelia, the deranged sister of Sir Hammerlock (a recurring ally in the series). Calling her a “hero” would be using the term very loosely. Even when she’s a playable lead in the Pre-Sequel, she is a total psychopath with a history of abusing her brother, not to mention she helped put the main antagonist, Handsome Jack, in power.
Well, as my butler was eaten alive hours ago, I suppose I shall introduce myself. Lady Aurelia Hammerlock, a pleasure.
So, it should hardly be surprising that, much like Nisha and Wilhelm, Aurelia would switch roles in her next appearance. Borderlands 3 casts her as an outright villain, shamelessly selling herself out to the main antagonists and getting her own boss fight as a result. This time, players get to witness a lot more of her cruelty, making it hard to imagine she was ever a playable “hero” character.
3
Kain
Cursed With Vampirism, He Eventually Conquers The World
“Hero” and “villain” are not the right words to describe Kain, but he shifts from protagonist to antagonist.
The title character in Legacy of Kain is complex right from his first appearance, and he is never presented as a traditional hero. However, in the series’ first game, Blood Omen, Kain is clearly the protagonist. Killed and resurrected as a vampire, Kain is given a quest to destroy the Circle of Nine, one he undertakes in the hope that he might regain his mortality. However, as the story progresses, Kain’s motives evolve from revenge to anger at Nosgoth’s corruption and the forces that manipulate fate.
The end of Blood Omen grants Kain (and players) a choice: Sacrifice yourself to briefly restore the world or reject destiny and rule a doomed Nosgoth as an immortal being. Subsequent games confirm that Kain opted for the second choice, an act not driven by his innate heroism but rather a desire to rebel against fate and reclaim his free will. Kain accepts the world’s ruin and brings to an end a broken cycle.
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Conscience…? You dare to speak to me of conscience? Only when you have felt the full gravity of choice should you dare question my judgment!
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver shifts perspective to Raziel, with Kain acting as the story’s antagonist. At this point, the latter has served as Nosgoth’s ruler for roughly 1000 years, and he rules with a rigid hierarchy; consequently, when Raziel’s growth in power threatens the empire’s status quo, Kain throws him into the abyss. For Raziel, Kain is a dictator and tyrant, but he does not know that his enemy’s actions are governed by knowledge of fate and time.
Although his role in the franchise flips, Kain does not change significantly, and he continues to be driven by autonomy and defiance. Raziel’s perspective just presents these traits in a more negative light.
2
Jumpman (Aka, Mario)
The Classic Hero Wasn’t Always So Heroic
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Donkey Kong
Systems
- Released
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July 31, 1981
- ESRB
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e
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo R&D1, Ikegami Tsushinki
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Franchise
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Donkey Kong
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Donkey Kong Jr.
Systems- Released
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June 30, 1982
- ESRB
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e
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo R&D1, Nintendo R&D2, Iwasaki Electronics
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Franchise
-
Donkey Kong
Nintendo’s iconic Italian plumber is usually thought of as a hero today, but things were a bit more nuanced in his earliest appearances. Nowadays referred to as Jumpman, Mario first appeared as the protagonist of the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, which had a pretty simple setup: He wanted to save his girlfriend, who had been taken hostage by the titular ape. However, while Jumpman was the player character, the official backstory for the game made Donkey Kong more sympathetic, as it claimed he was merely retaliating against Mario’s abuse.
It’s-a me, Mario! I’ve been on fire lately, but I’m-a hope you challenge me!
This idea became the basis for a sequel, Donkey Kong Jr., released a year later. This time, the protagonist is Donkey Kong’s son, who has to free Donkey Kong from Mario. So yes, Mario, who spent so many games freeing damsels in distress, actually once took on the role of captor himself.
1
Soul Of Cinder (Kind of)
When You Become Part Of The Final Boss
The original Dark Souls centered around a hero known as the Chosen Undead, who travels through a dying world in search of the First Flame, which can save it. After dealing with some brutal challenges, the Chosen Undead eventually finds the Flame and has to make a choice. Re-igniting the flame is an act of self-sacrifice that restores the world. Extinguishing the flame dooms the world but allows the hero to survive and rule what remains.
Thou who art Undead, art chosen… In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords… When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.
The former choice is recognized as canon in the sequels and seems like a pretty heroic act. Fast-forward to Dark Souls 3, and a new hero, the Ashen One, is faced with a final boss known as the Soul of Cinder. This could best be described as a kind of spectral amalgamation of everyone who went through the cycle of choosing to re-ignite the first flame; including the Chosen Undead many centuries before.
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