Best Villain Organizations In Games

Villainous organizations have been a part of video games for a long time, as a large-scale group of antagonists working together against the protagonists can do an excellent job of upping the scale and threat level. And due to the number of different video game genres that are out there, there’s a healthy amount of variety between these organizations, as many of them have massively different goals that they’re looking to achieve.

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Whether it’s Umbrella’s quest for scientific perfection and dominance at the cost of everything else, or Shinra’s mission to drain the planet of all its resources due to corporate greed, villain organizations in games have a long history of using force and might to win. These organizations have ranged from massive, multi-billion dollar corporations to small, almost cult-like groups, making life miserable for some of gaming’s greatest heroes.

1

H.A.R.M. (No One Lives Forever)

Super Spy Cate Archer Contends With Global Terrorist Group

The Operative: No One Lives Forever

Systems

Released

November 9, 2000

ESRB

m

Led by a man known only as The Director, H.A.R.M. is the key antagonistic force seen in the No One Lives Forever series, a pair of spectacular first-person shooters from the 2000s starring super spy Cate Archer. After lurking in the shadows during the first game, The Director takes center stage in the sequel, A Spy In H.A.R.M.’s Way, and the organization becomes much more fully formed as a result.

Drawing from James Bond and other spy media, No One Lives Forever‘s use of a wide-reaching criminal organization with a charismatic leader is spot-on in its spoof of the genre. H.A.R.M. makes use of elite agents, advanced weaponry, and subterfuge to gain world dominance, challenged at every turn by Cate. This nefarious spy group is still one of gaming’s greatest villain organizations and is long overdue for a return to the spotlight.

2

Cerberus (Mass Effect)

Cerberus Is Humanity

Action RPG

Third-Person Shooter

Systems

Released

January 26, 2010

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence

Cerberus briefly appears in the first Mass Effect game, but they don’t become full-fledged villains to Commander Shepard until the sequel, where the player comes face to face with its leader, The Illusive Man. Their impact on the Mass Effect universe is crucial, as The Illusive Man plays a major part in Cerberus’ abandonment of the Alliance, all while the group begins experimenting on the Rachni and furthering an anti-alien, human supremacist agenda.

Cerberus’ conflict with Shepard takes center stage in Mass Effect 2, as The Illusive Man’s creation of the Lazarus Project allows the war hero to survive a Collector attack at the beginning of the game. This rich, complex relationship helps to further cast Cerbrus in a fascinating light, as their desire to keep humanity at the top, no matter the cost, makes them endlessly compelling villains. Add in just how charismatic The Illusive Man is, and you’ve got a villain that is still one of the industry’s best.

3

The Healing Church (Bloodborne)

Ancient Church Sent Yharnam Spiraling Into Madness

Systems

Released

March 24, 2015

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

Despite its name, the Healing Church is anything but, as this group from FromSoftware’s Bloodborne is easily one of the nastiest organizations to ever exist in video games. Founded by Laurence, the First Vicar, the Healing Church discovered the Old Blood and slowly went mad over time, resulting in their methods evolving into human experimentation and a deadly war with Castle Cainhurst that resulted in the Vilebloods being driven into the depths.

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In Bloodborne, the Healing Church is one of the many nefarious forces working against the Hunter, as they are ultimately responsible for the curse that left Old Yharnam in shambles. The Hunter’s quest sees them come into conflict with numerous members of the Church, including the deranged Micolash and Vicar Amelia, as the player’s descent into darkness is hampered at every turn by this sinister cult.

The Dark Hand Of The Patriots Has Controlled History For Decades

Systems

Released

November 13, 2001

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Animated Blood, Animated Violence

The Patriots are first introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, but within the confines of the entire saga, they have been pulling the strings since the early 1970s, when they originated as the Philosophers. Founded by Zero and Ocelot, the acquisition of a large slush fund put together by the world’s greatest superpowers allowed The Patriots to become the fully formed group of supervillains they would later become.

Seeking to control the flow of information and write history to serve their own needs, The Patriots would enact dangerous acts of violence and cloning, showing zero empathy or concern about what their actions could lead to. The Patriots are a fascinating group, as their dark deeds are not confined to a single game, but rather stretch across decades of history, bringing them into conflict with multiple generations of heroes. They are a unique, massively threatening group of villains that has had a direct influence on the events of nearly every game in the Metal Gear series over the past 25 years.

5

Aesir Corporation (Max Payne)

The Source Of Max Payne’s Misery

Released

July 23, 2001

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence

Max Payne is a game that brilliantly combines true crime with an element of surrealism and dark humor, showcasing just how innovative the developers at Remedy are. The tragic tale of Max Payne and his descent into darkness is still one of the most incredible stories in gaming, and when it came time to put a face to the ones behind Max’s suffering, they pulled from Norse mythology for the aptly named Aesir Corporation.

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Casting the insidious Nicole Horne, played by writer Sam Lake’s mother, as its figurehead, Aesir figures into all the events that unfold in Max Payne. They are ultimately responsible for the murder of Max’s family, as well as the distribution of the drug Valkyr onto the streets of New York, racking up a litany of horrific offenses. Nicole Horne is a fabulous lead villain, as her sinister voice and cold-blooded attitude make her the perfect one to lead Aesir.

6

Umbrella Corporation (Resident Evil)

The Creators Of The Viral Outbreak

Released

January 21, 1998

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence

Founded in the late 1960s by the trio of Oswell Spencer, James Marcus and Edward Ashford, the Umbrella Corporation is one of the most iconic villain organizations in the industry and has remained a prominent force in the Resident Evil series since 1996. Their hideous experiments on humans and the creation of the T-virus led to a global outbreak, the result of which saw Raccoon City wiped off the map and the world thrown into chaos.

Umbrella’s villainy has targeted every protagonist in the Resident Evil franchise, even in the wake of their dissolution after the events of Code: Veronica, as companies like Tricell formed in the aftermath and continued their experiments. Their dark history has influenced the entire Resident Evil franchise, as they were responsible for an unthinkable amount of death and destruction over the years, solidifying them as one of the deadliest fictional organizations in video games.

7

Shinra Electric Power Company (Final Fantasy 7)

Megacorporation Poses Grave Threat To The Planet

Released

January 31, 1997

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes

Final Fantasy has routinely used its stories to explore themes and topics that affect humanity, and with the seventh mainline entry, Square created what is still the most legendary evil organization in gaming. The Shinra Electric Power Company first appeared in Final Fantasy 7, where they are shown as a sprawling megacorporation with interests not just in money, but in the very soul of the planet itself.

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Their greed and lust for more power drive their ambitions, as they have built towering structures designed to suck mako energy, the very lifeblood of the planet, to power their experiments and continued quest for the Promised Land. Their utilization of mako is horrifying to think about, as they used it to create supersoldiers and much darker experiments, while also using fear and paranoia to cast Avalanche as eco-terrorists and start a war with Wutai. They are the worst of the worst, using money and power to marginalize their citizens to profit off their misfortune, easily making them the worst villain organization in video game history.

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