Why am I never allowed to side with the bad guy?

[Guardian of Nekops]

The reason that this decision is not common is because (at least, if you handle it poorly) it destroys the game. There has to be a reasonable challenge there for you after you make that choice, otherwise your decision to join with the bad guy is just a non-standard game over.

In order to truly let you join the side of evil, therefore, the factions have to be evenly matched. At that point, the big bad can't be on the verge of victory, and the decision can't be as easily "rule the world at my side" as you seem to want it to be.

 

[itsmeyouidiot]

I remember, at the end of Paper Mario 2 for the Gamecube, the final boss offers you to join her. If you say "yes," you get an instant game over, as it's made explicitly clear that you've essentially fucked the entire world over by not trying to stop her.

 

[worldruler8]

I recall you could join Dagoth Ur in Morrowind, which had lasting effects in the world of Vvardenfell. And since Dagoth Ur was essentially the Devil, so if that's not allowing you to side with the bad guy, I don't know what is.

Uh, what? No you couldn't. There was no such option.

I'm most likely incorrect, but I looked through the Main Quest on it's wiki, and thought I saw the option to join him. I do know that they gave you the option to kill Vivec as well, and misinterpreted it as joining Dagoth Ur. my bad :/

 

[him over there]

Because bad guy is subjective. If you side with the bad guy he's now the good guy and the good guys are now bad guys. Plus most games you play a pre characterized character so they obviously restrict some things to stop you from de characterizing them. Plus giving in and defecting risks ending all conflict.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

Nobody THINKS they're the bad guy. I'd like to see an RPG where there are multiple opposing factions, and whichever one you play with, you are presented their actions in the best possible light.

So to give an example of a simple society-vs-rebels themed game: if you joined the main society, you're spreading prosperity and law throughout the kingdom, and those undermining you are bandits, terrorists and extremists; if you join the freedom fighters, you're the plucky underdog that's up against a tyrannical slavery machine that imposes its will on the people with an iron fist. Both "sides" played completely straight.

 

[Veylon]

In that case, are there any games that have you begin as the bad guy? Where your objective is to rule, the world lets say, (cliche, I know) and defeat any "good guys" that try and stop you?

Every 4X game ever.

More to the point, the issue with playing the villain is that the villain tends to start out at or near the top, where the heroes have to work their way up. The Big Bad mostly stays in one place and sends out teams of minions to do this, that, and the other thing.

Alternatively, you could play a character more like Ganondorf, who goes on an epic quest to get his greedy hands on the Triforce. It could be interesting to see what it's like first hand to be constantly stalked and attacked by the good guys right on the verge of grabbing the McGuffin. From the perspective of the villains, the hero must seem like the Implacable Man, who keeps coming and coming no matter how many times he appears to die or what obstacles are thrown in his path.

As far as I know, there aren't any games where you play the villain as the straight-up world conqueror.

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

You not play Fallout New Vegas? Caesar's Legion would enslave people and crucify the ones who couldn't work. Seems pretty evil to me

 

[Da Orky Man]

Most RPGs feature a massively evil Big Bad who wants to conquer the world, and often they invite you to "Join them or die." So, of course, my goody little hero always refuses, and subsequently destroys the Big Bad. My question is, why is it that games don't allow you to accept this offer?

One particularly erroneous example is when, in World of Warcraft, it turns out that you have been unwittingly helping a minion of the Lich King take over an entire civilization. After you have defeated his main opposition, he reveals that he is evil, and offers for you to join as his right hand man, leading hordes of undead minions. Now that, is an extremely tempting offer, and if I could, I would immediately take it. However, the game denies me that option, and I have to take him down personally.

So escapists, have you ever wanted to side with the evil team? Do you know of any games that allow you to rule the world with an iron fist and your evil partner?

Try Knights of the Old Republic. That's the original, single-player one, not the MMORPG. You can be utterly evil in it, including going to the dark side and becoming Dark Lord of the Sith.