Most games keep players engaged in the overall proceedings with a tantalizing antagonist who is hell-bent on enacting their evil ways. Stopping this malevolent force becomes the player’s biggest goal, giving them an objective to work toward as they get stronger.
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Most Final Fantasy villains are slain at the end of the game, but these antagonists survive in one way or another.
So, it can be rather puzzling when these games let players kill the antagonist way earlier than they expected. This should deflate a ton of tension from the plot, but the best video games know how to keep things interesting even after disposing of such a major hurdle.
8
Fallout: New Vegas
Players Can Kill Whoever They Want From The Very Moment They Encounter Them
- Released
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October 19, 2010
A huge reason why fans can’t get enough of Fallout: New Vegas is the endless freedom it offers players while exploring the open world. Not only can players head wherever they want (as long as they’re willing to deal with tough threats) but there are also no restrictions placed on whom they can kill.
This means that players can take out the biggest players in the plot well before intended if they put their minds to it. Even after this, the plot still moves along and takes these player actions into account, making New Vegas an impressive RPG that fans will have a great time with.
7
Chrono Trigger
After Gaining Control Of The Epoch, Players Can Tackle Lavos At Any Point In The Story
Chrono Trigger is one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time, bucking many genre trends back in the day to make for a unique experience. A great example of this title’s brilliance comes when players gain access to the Epoch.
After this point, players can head to Lavos if they’re confident in their abilities and take out the final boss in a grueling battle. Not only is this entirely possible as long as players know what they’re doing but defeating Lavos at different points in the story unlocks a suite of endings that make sense in the context of the plot at that moment.
6
Far Cry 3
Vaas Is A Captivating Villain Who Dies And Is Replaced By Hoyt Volker Not Long After
- Released
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November 29, 2012
Far Cry 3 is one of the greatest video games ever made, in no small part because of Michael Mando’s performance as Vaas. This pirate wowed everyone with his charisma and unhinged personality, making life hell for Jason and his friends from the very moment they embarked on this ill-advised vacation.
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Given how captivating Vaas is, many people assumed that he would stick around as the antagonist till the very end. So, fans were left surprised when they killed this pirate and kickstarted the second half of the game. While Hoyt is a compelling villain in his own right, he misses that edge that turned Vaas into an icon.
5
Resident Evil Village
Lady Dimitrescu Seems Like The Game’s Main Antagonist Only To Be Done Away With Rather Quickly
Survival Horror
Survival
Horror
The promotional material for Resident Evil Village made it seem like Lady Dimitrescu would be the main villain. However, as players made progress in this brilliant title, they realized soon enough that she was just one of the many villains that Ethan would encounter in this journey.
This takes nothing away from Dimitrescu’s horrific presence, striking terror in the hearts of players who don’t want to die at her hands. This culminates in a bombastic boss fight where players take on Dimitrescu in her actual form before finally killing her and moving on.
4
Final Fantasy 6
After Players Acquire The Blackjack In The World Of Ruin, They Can Head To Kefka’s Tower Whenever They Want
- Released
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October 11, 1994
- Developer(s)
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Square Enix, Square
Players spend their final moments in the World of Balance going through the Floating Continent in a bid to stop Emperor Gestahl from acquiring the powers of the Warring Triad. However, Kefka surprises everyone by betraying his liege and disturbing the balance of these powerful statues for good.
As a result, the land is rendered asunder, transforming into the World of Ruin as the heroes are split apart. As Celes, players must reunite the band for one final stand against Kefka. An interesting thing here is that players can head to Kefka’s Tower from the moment they secure the airship and defeat the boss, although this is a near-impossible feat that only the most skilled Final Fantasy 6 player can manage.
3
BioShock
Andrew Ryan Is Built Up As The Main Antagonist, Only For The Script To Flip After His Death Midway Through The Story
BioShock is one of the best story-driven first-person shooters players can get their hands on. After ending up in Rapture, Jack is greeted by Atlas who guides him through numerous levels, asking him to kindly reach Andrew Ryan and kill this villain off for good.
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Players assume that they’re doing the right thing until they finally come face to face with Ryan himself. It’s here that Jack finds out that he was brainwashed, with Frank Fontaine using the guise of Atlas to manipulate Jack into killing his biggest enemy. Thankfully, players manage to free the protagonist from the effects of this mind control, letting him take on Frank Fontaine in one final battle to kill this villain for good.
2
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Players Can Make A Beeline For Hyrule Castle To Face Off Against Ganon Whenever They Wish
- Released
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March 3, 2017
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo EPD
Breath of the Wild is one of the most unique video games of all time, letting players explore a massive world full of things to do. However, there’s no restriction placed on the player in any way, letting them simply head to Hyrule Castle and take on Ganon if they wish.
While this may seem impossible without enough hearts, stamina, or powerful equipment, skilled players can challenge themselves by making a beeline for the castle and taking part in this showdown. It’s a nigh-impossible feat, but players who avoid any damage for all the Blight Ganon fights and Calamity Ganon himself will be able to finish the game in no time.
1
Baldur’s Gate 3
Ketheric Thorm Boasts Main Antagonist Energy Only To Be Done Away With By The End Of Act 2
Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like a completely different game, with players finally exploring the Shadow-Cursed Lands they’ve been hearing about all along. The legend of Ketheric Thorm is slowly but surely built up during this part of the game, with J.K. Simmons doing a great job of breathing new life into this character.
Most players assume that Ketheric Thorm is the main antagonist of the game, only for him to die at the end of Act 2 and two other malicious entities to reveal themselves not long after. Still, players will miss Ketheric’s tragic villainous persona in the game’s final act, even if the act of finally reaching Baldur’s Gate is something that they’ve been waiting for from the very moment they were invested in this grand adventure.
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While playing the hero and stopping evil is always fun in horror games, sometimes it’s just as fun to play as the villain for a change.