Most Effective Video Game Villains?

[Starbird]

Finally finished Borderlands 2 (man...that game starts to drag towards the end). While I didn't love everything about it, the main reason I kept playing had to be the bad guy - Handsome Jack.

Without too many spoilers, I haven't wanted to kill a virtual character this badly in years. Jack is smarmy, annoying, oddly menacing and very powerful. His origins and stuff were also quite interesting (although they never did answer just why the hell he was so strong).

A close second would be either Jon Irenicus from Baldur's Gate 2 and GladOS.

How about you? What do you think was the most effective antagonist in a videogame and why?

 

[Pink Gregory]

Not a villain as such, but a character who incited the most rage: Larry, from the Walking Dead.

In episode 1,

Spoiler

he punches you (Lee) in the face when you're trying to escape from the pharmacy, if you chose to try and defend Kenny and his family when you enter, and after you find some heart pills for him.

From the time between that and playing episode 2, I was just going "Fuckin' Larry...rrrgh" quite a lot.

 

[Terminate421]

A villain who adds insult to injury.

Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2, and Dusknoir from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 come to mind.

also, the villains that have fun with it.

Such as The Joker from Arkham Asylum

 

[Sean Hollyman]

Villains who are so bad that you just have to say 'Fuck you. to your screen.

Eg Ra's Al Ghul from Batman Arkham City.

 

[PrimitiveJudge]

Albert Wesker from Resident Evil. Super powerful evil genius, leader of the Umbrella CO, hell bent on world domination and addicted to Urobollos(however that is spelled).

 

[Euphbug]

I will defiantly agree with Handsome Jack. I can't think of a villain that I loved character wise but still had the unending urge to destroy. To say the least I think he pretty much took Borderlands 2 to the next level, such as all great villains can do for their work.

 

[Applejack]

Kefka from ff6 was effective. He poisoned a village and then blew up the world. He would always laugh at you and then run away leaving his goons to do his work so it was nice to finally get to him cornered and destroy him. Still somehow I thought he was kinda funny and I didn't hate him but he was central to the plot and I believe that is what makes a good effective villian.

On the opposite side I think the worst villians are the final bosses that you never knew existed until they appear at the end of the game. In Final Fantasy 10 you fight a random ghost squid thing (the previous boss was also lame) and in Metroid zero mission it's a random robot.

 

[sanquin]

Kefka from FF6 for me too. Damn I wanted to beat that guy so badly...

 

[endtherapture]

Jon Irenicus from Baldur's Gate 2.

He is there from the beginning, a constant presence. He drives the plot, and his backstory is slowly revealed through the game, keeping you earning more.

Plus best voice ever.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

Chairmen Drek, from Ratchet and Clank. He was just such an asshole, it was very satisfying to finally end his plans.

Kessler, from inFAMOUS. He's a bit harder to hate after his motives are revealed, but he still put Cole through hell. He also made for a pretty nice boss fight.

N, from Pokemon Black/White. After years of playing Pokemon games where I'm fighting against unambiguously evil teams who are cruel to Pokemon, it was refreshing to fight someone who easily could have been an ally, under different circumstances.

 

[Guffe]

Bowser.
I mean what's not to hate about the guy?
HE KIDNAPPS YOUR GIRL!!!

I really really hated Gihraim in Skyward Sword... that quirky bastard!
actually I liked him but not in a positive way...

 

[Fractral]

I liked Queen Brahne from FFIX. For the first part of the game I actually thought she would be the main enemy in the game, which I would have been happy with, as she was brilliant in a sort of crazy, pantomime-y way. Indeed, if the game had continued with the pantomime feel from the first hour or so I wouldn't have minded much- a light hearted game like that would have been fun. As it was, we got Kuja- who is also good, but in other, transvestite, ways.
Also, Dr Fetus from SMB and Takaya from Persona 3- man, I hated that guy, everything he said and did wound me up no end. On the other hand, I really liked Jin- his character design was really good imo.

 

[pilouuuu]

I gotta say... Le Chuck!

The guy is pure evil and he is a ghost, then a zombie, then a demon... You can't get rid of him! The actor who voiced him makes him a memorable villain and one of the best characters in gaming... ever!

 

[Reece Stevens]

If you ask anybody who knows me, they will tell you that I honestly hate handsome jack more than any living human, I have never physically felt the need to strangle (not choke) somebody who I am fully aware does not exist, he is THAT MUCH of a prick!

 

[natster43]

Kefka from Final Fantasy, he succeeded in his plans.
A close second would be Albert Wesker before Resident Evil 5, where they decided to ruin his character.

 

[Spartan X1]

Caius from FF 13-2 He acheived his goal, regardless of losing the final battle. I didn't hate him he was just effective in succeeding. I'd have to say one of the most emotionally satisfying boss defeats was queen Myrriah from Gears, she had helped caused so much suffering and death, Dom's wife, Dom, when they died taking out the locust wasn't just save the world it was personal

 

[Tag Squad VI]

Agree on Kefka

Kefka from Final Fantasy, he succeeded in his plans.
A close second would be Albert Wesker before Resident Evil 5, where they decided to ruin his character.

+1

Agree 100%.

Kelka for obvious reasons already stated. FF7 of course with Sephiroth. Both games need to be remade. People won't understand until they are properly remade how good these villains were but these games being remade won't be done until Square Enix changes Front Office for the better.

Shame Resident Evil 5 Weskers character. Could have made the ending more realistic by simply bringing back Barry, Jill, Carlos, Claire, Leon, etc. all to fight Wesker. Then it would have made sense being 8 vs 1. Not to mention the entire plot at the end didn't mix at all with what his true character was. One of the worst closing games ever. Only way to fix it at this point is to bring him back and try again.

 

[Random berk]

Reaver from Fable 2. And 3, actually, but I never wanted to shoot him more than in my first playthrough of 2. That cheap trick he pulled on me, and my character was actually looking good up until then. No bad scars, and then boom. 60 years old. After that, evrything he did or said made me want to kill him. Though granted, after that playthrough, I started to like him a bit more for the humour of the character, and also because underneath it all, it was still just Stephen Fry.

 

[bomber567]

I would have to go with the Illusive Man. Nothing like a true magnificent bastard when it comes to villains, and oh boy is he a bastard. It also helps when you have a villain who genuinely believes that he's doing the right thing.

 

[HellsingerAngel]

Frank Fontaine from BioShock. From the point you find out he's the villain, I just wanted to permanently implant my wrench into his face.

Also, with all this praise for Handsome Jack, I might need to push BL2 up on my "to play" list.