10 Games Where The Villain Wasn’t Actually Evil

From RPGs to open worlds, Villains in video games can be iconic due to the way they act as well as how they are designed. Some villains are malicious, while others are so relatable that you start to question if they might be right. However, there are also some villains that seem evil at first glance but aren’t actually as bad as they might initially seem.

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This might be a case of a misjudged character due to who they associate with or a lack of understanding. There are plenty of villains like this throughout gaming history, but once you get to know them, you realize that they aren’t as wicked as they seem.

1

Dr. Mobius – Fallout New Vegas

The Man Behind The Curtain

Dr. Mobius is the main antagonist of the Fallout New Vegas DLC, Old World Blues. After the Courier gets their brain removed from their body, Mobius sends out robots to get you. Throughout the narrative, you are told that Mobius is this evil doctor by the other less evil Think Tanks.

However, in the end, it’s all just a ruse. Dr. Mobius is actually playing the role of a bad guy in order to keep the other Think Tanks in line. In fact, he is the only one keeping them from unleashing their experiments on the rest of the wasteland.

2

The Rulers Of Vinyl City – No Straight Roads

All Music Is Valid

No Straight Roads has you trying to take back Vinyl City in the name of Rock and Roll. EDM is the enemy, and Mayday and Zuke are the city’s saviors. They go through each district toppling different musicians, from the Vocaloid-esque Sayu to the piano-playing Yinu.

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However, none of these so-called villains are that wicked. They just happen to be playing the music that’s trending in the city and providing power. Eventually, Mayday and Zuke realize this when Rock and Roll alone cannot solve the city’s problems.

3

The Colossi – Shadow Of The Colossus

Is Killing Them Good For The World?

Systems

Released

February 6, 2018

Developer(s)

Bluepoint Games
, JapanStudio
, Team Ico

ESRB

T For Teen due to Blood, Violence

In Shadow of the Colossus, you play as a young man named Wander on his quest to resurrect a girl named Mono. To do this, he must topple 16 Colossi that are scattered around the world. The giant entities seem malicious at first, but are they really?

In truth, none of the so-called villainous Colossi are evil. They are merely defending themselves as Wander seeks them out and destroys them. After killing them all, the world is thrown out of balance by this selfish action.

4

N – Pokemon Black And White

The Most Diplomatic Pokemon Villain

Pokemon villains always have some sort of nefarious goal in mind. Team Rocket wants to steal Pokemon, Silver seeks power, and Cyrus literally wants to end the world. So, when a trainer shows up by the name of N as the supposed leader of Team Plasma, it raises red flags.

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However, N is the opposite of evil. He has his belief that Pokemon should be free from Poke Balls and tries to convince others to side with him. Even when Team Plasma is defeated, he stays true to his convictions and releases his team.

5

Vortigaunts – Half-Life

From Enemies To Allies

The first time playing Half-Life, the Vortigaunts appear as some of the enemies that get zapped into the Black Mesa Facility. They appear alongside other vicious creatures such as the head crabs and bullsquids, which you need to fight off.

It also doesn’t help that the Vortigaunts are hostile. However, in Half-Life 2, it turns out that these creatures aren’t evil but simply victims of the Combine. This leads to an alliance between their species and the humans who want to get rid of their dictators.

6

King Dedede – Kirby’s Adventure

It’s All Me, Me, Me, Until Things Get Real

Systems

Released

1993-05-00

Developer(s)

HAL Laboratory

ESRB

e

King Dedede can seem like a pretty selfish Nintendo villain. However, when things get dangerous, he will do what he must for his kingdom and his people. When Nightmare first appears in Dream Land, King Dedede seals him away in the Fountain of Dreams.

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While he initially fights Kirby for the Star Wand pieces and even sends plenty of minions to go stop him, he does so knowing what will happen if Nightmare is to be released. King Dedede may not have a heart of gold, but perhaps bronze or silver.

7

Jack Baker – Resident Evil 7

A Virus That Corrupts The Kindest Hearts

When you meet Jack Baker in Resident Evil 7, he takes you hostage and forces you to eat the worst dinner of all time. Once you break free, he stalks you around the Baker Family house in order to kill you.

However, Jack Baker isn’t actually that wicked. In fact, he’s actually a chill father who even had the decency of saving Eveline from the swamps. Unfortunately, this kindness cost him control of his own mind, as Eveline’s powers corrupted Jack and his entire family.

8

Wheatley – Portal 2

Putting Incompetence In Power

Wheatley’s fate of being sucked into space might have been a bit drastic. In fact, Wheatley never did anything wrong while he was disconnected from Glados’s mainframe. He always tries to be helpful whenever he can despite having terrible ideas.

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It isn’t until he becomes connected to the facility that the power begins to corrupt him. This forces him to see Chel as an enemy and overthink their every little interaction, leading to one of the most infamous betrayals. Eventually, he almost causes the destruction of Aperture due to his mismanagement and lack of focus.

9

The Dark Ones – Metro 2033

The Misunderstood Mutants Of The Metro

Throughout the entirety of Metro 2033, Artryom is warned about the power of the Dark Ones. These creatures are dangerous due to their mind-warping effects when they get too close. This sparks a war between humanity and the Dark Ones.

However, the Dark Ones aren’t actually evil. Every hallucination they send into Artryom’s head is meant to make him feel at ease. This is their way of communicating. Unfortunately, this is not enough and humanity nukes them mostly out of existence due to their lack of understanding.

10

Asgore – Undertale

The Dangerous Asgore Revealed

Asgore’s initial introduction creates the illusion that he is this heartless monster who will kill Frisk. In fact, much of the story has characters feeling conflicted that their newfound friend will eventually have to come face to face with the king.

However, upon meeting Asgore, he is a shadow of his former self. He speaks to you calmly and even offers you tea before engaging you in a fight he deems necessary. In truth, he is tired of the constant killing and doesn’t insist on killing Frisk once their friends put a stop to the fight.

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