Top 20 Satisfying Deaths Of Hated Video Game Characters

“Days Gone” (2019)

In a world ravaged by zombies (sorry, “Freakers”), you need all the friends you can get. Which is why we hated our so-called ally, Skizzo, so much. Skizzo worked security at Iron Mike’s camp, so you’d expect him to have everyone’s best interests at heart. But his disdain for Deacon throughout the story was almost palpable, despite us rebuilding good will by working to make the camp safer. He ended up betraying Deacon twice, with the second instance getting Iron Mike killed. Needless to say, vengeance was sweet. After catching up with him, Deacon used Skizzo’s own knife to finish the job. And he’s right; Freakers wouldn’t enjoy this nearly as much.

“Manhunt” (2003)

Lionel Starkweather, AKA The Director, is a wealthy producer of snuff films, which should already draw a lot of hate. But as a death row inmate, you’re forced to go along with his plans at the promise of freedom. Throughout the game, the Director sends violent gangs after you so you can entertain his customers. Stupidly, he also tries to have you and your family killed in his movie’s “climax.” He ends up regretting those actions as, towards the end, you track him down and murder him with his own goon’s chainsaw. Hearing him try to make deals and plead for his life was gratifying, but there was nothing that was going to save him.

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

Evil elves from a parallel dimension are just the type of villains we love to go up against in fantasy games. But General Imlerith brings out a special type of hate. By order of his King, he leads the Wild Hunt in pursuit of Ciri, Geralt’s adoptive daughter, believing her powers can save his home. During the battle at Kaer Morhen, Imlerith snaps Vesemir’s neck as the old Witcher attempts to defend Ciri. We wanted to enact vengeance for both Geralt’s and our sake, and we were thankfully given the chance to do so. After facing off against the intimidating foe, Geralt melted his face before bringing Imlerith’s own mace down on his head.

“Halo 3” (2007)

From the beginning of “Halo,” we strived to put an end to The Covenant, a conglomerate of alien races attempting genocide against humanity. Its methods were bad enough, though it was also led by this absolute tool. A sadistic manipulator, the so-called Prophet of Truth was vile and clever enough to hold sway over the group. While his actions were broadly evil for the galaxy, they were much more personal to the Arbiter. The Elite warrior was branded with a mark of shame and forced by Truth to go on suicide missisons. He’d get justice in “Halo 3,” however. After being infected by the parasitic Flood, the Prophet was run through by the Arbiter’s blade.

“Heavy Rain” (2010)

This 2010 narrative thriller concerns a child murderer who goes by the name The Origami Killer. As you find out, Scott Shelby, one of the four playable characters, was the killer all along. He used his status as a private investigator to hide evidence and carry out further crimes. As a child, he helplessly watched his twin brother drown while their father was too drunk to save him. And so he kills kids the same way as a desperate, psychological search for a father who would sacrifice themselves to save their child. How and if he dies depends on the player’s choices, but we were just satisfied to put an end to him.

“BioShock” (2007)

In the underwater city of Rapture, no one can be trusted. Even your one ally is a no-good, con man. With their plane crashing near its entrance, the player has no choice but to descend into the war-torn dystopia. Leading the charge against Rapture’s tyrannical ruler is Atlas, who aids you throughout the game. But this isn’t a simple tale of good vs. evil. And Atlas is really Frank Fontaine, a criminal mastermind fighting for control over the city. He actually forces you to help him through psychological conditioning. By the end, he’s transformed himself into a hulking monstrosity. We were delighted to see him overwhelmed and brought down to size by the Little Sisters.

“The Walking Dead: Season Two” (2013)

Plenty of movies, games, and novels have taught us that, if the zombie outbreak were to happen, the undead wouldn’t be the only thing to fear. William Carver was the leader of a group of survivors that turned a hardware store into a safe haven. However, his methods for keeping order were often violent and disturbing. He killed some and maimed others, including Kenny, who Carver beat so savagely he lost an eye. As the survivors planned to escape towards the end, Carver was shot several times. If you chose to stay, Clementine would see Kenny get vengeance for himself and others by taking a crowbar to Carver’s face. Shoulda seen that coming.

“Alice: Madness Returns” (2011)

After the events of the first game, Alice became a patient of psychiatrist Dr. Angus Bumby. Bumby liked to use hypnosis on his child patients to make them forget traumatic memories…or so we were led to believe. In actuality, his methods left them as empty shells so that he could sell them into prostitution for his wealthy clientele. That’s already utterly atrocious . But you would also find out that he sexually assaulted Alice’s sister and murdered her family in a fire Alice thought herself responsible for. Bumby assumed his high status would protect him once Alice learned the truth. He was probably right, so we were extremely grateful when she pushed him in front of a moving train.

“Dishonored” (2012)

There are several wrongdoers that lead to you being labeled a traitor in “Dishonored.” But it’s Thaddeus Campbell whose end is the most fitting. At a certain point, you can go after Thaddeus and choose how you deal with him. Personally, we like poisoning him with the very drink he planned to use on someone else. However, the most delectable end to Campbell actually comes if you don’t kill him. You can choose to brand him across the face as a Heretic, which leads to him being ex-communicated. He’ll then contract the rat plague, which brings about a very slow, incredibly painful death. Canonically, this is what happens to him as his end is mentioned in “Dishonored 2.”

“Uncharted 4” (2016)

While each villain in the “Uncharted” series brings their own brand of despicable, this unproven rich kid takes the cake. He clearly isn’t smart enough to compete with the wits of the Drake brothers, so he hires mercenary group Shoreline to make up for it. In fact, he usually uses his wealth as a crutch throughout the game. And he’s constantly shown to be uncaring towards his allies, no matter who they are at the time. So, seeing his desire be the death of him was a fitting end for the character. After refusing to abandon the fight while in a burning pirate ship, Rafe is crushed by the very treasure he sought. Delicious.

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

You’d be hard-pressed to find a video game villain of the 90s more hated than Sephiroth. Sure, he’s got a lot of style. But he also went insane, murdered a town full of people, and gave Cloud a detrimental case of PTSD. That’s all before the events of the game, too. In the game, he plans to hit the planet with a magic meteor so that he can absorb its lifeforce and become a God. What really made us hate him was the murder of Aerith, one of the most-kindhearted RPG characters of all time. After a lengthy battle that saw Sephiroth mutate into an imposing monster, your final spell disintegrated him.

“Assassin’s Creed II” (2009)

Although he’s far from the central antagonist in the game, Uberto Alberti became one of the franchise’s most hated characters in just a few key scenes. Once a friend and advisor to nobleman Giovanni Auditore, Uberto betrayed his friend for the Templar on the promises of his own family's well being. And just before he hangs Giovanni along with two of his sons, he acts as the ally and ensures protagonist Ezio that everything will be okay. But his two-facedness is soon rewarded in blood. After teaming up with the Assassins, Ezio gets to take a hidden blade to Uberto’s chest multiple times. Sweet, sweet vengeance.

“Borderlands 3” (2019)

Perhaps the Calypso Twins are meant to be a statement about the dangers of over-the-top content creators who easily sway the emotions of cultist-like followers. That doesn’t really matter, though, as they’re completely obnoxious centers of attention we couldn’t wait to take down. In their quest for the Great Vault, the Calypso Twins steal Lilith’s powers, kill Maya, and cause general calamity, all while using every opportunity to increase their clout. While the nature of Troy’s death isn’t remarkable, it’s still satisfying to put him down. Big bad Tyreen, however, merges with the Destroyer to become a monster. And unloading your arsenal into her, seeing her turn to ash and Lilith regain her powers is as satisfying an end as we could ask for.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” (2009)

The sting of betrayal rears its ugly head again. But unlike Uberto, General Shepherd took a lot longer to reveal his evil ways. As the leader of Task Force 141, Shepherd seemed like someone we could trust. And with everything else going on with Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov, this twist caught us completely off guard. After a dangerous mission to Makarov’s safehouse, Shepherd murders Ghost and Roach in cold blood. Naturally, this made him enemy number one. During the game’s climax and a particularly bloody standoff, Price and Soap catch up to Shepherd. And in one valiant act, Soap pulls Shepherd’s knife from his chest and throws it into the General’s eye.

“Resident Evil 4” (2005)

Capcom’s “Resident Evil” series is filled with loathsome characters. Though this Napoleonic nobleman definitely stepped on our patience. Even before Leon Kennedy’s arrival in Spain, Salazar committed more than a few acts to earn some hatred. Under the orders of Los Illuminados cult lead Osmund Saddler, Salazar hired villagers to excavate ruins housing Las Plagas parasites, who then became infected. He also helped kidnap the president’s daughter to help infect the rest of the world. That’s all pretty evil, but his tendency to taunt Leon and set traps, including a giant statue of himself, just added fuel to the fire. When he became a monster, and we subsequently got to dispose of him, it was pure bliss.

“God of War III” (2010)

Despite what Disney might have you believe, Zeus is one bad dude. And Sony Santa Monica’s trilogy definitely showcased his worst aspects. Although an ally in the first game, Zeus gave in to his darkest fears and paranoia by killing his son Kratos. Too bad for him, Kratos’ persistence for vengeance knows no equal. And after escaping from the Underworld (twice) and defeating a horde of Greek Gods, he was finally given the chance to quench his bloodlust. The final fight is as epic as it gets and impaling Zeus with the same sword he used on Kratos is supremely poetic. The POV finale is the extra juicy cherry on top.

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)

It’s almost a requirement for most GTA characters to be hated. But Officer Tenpenny is on a whole other level. This corrupt cop is constantly forcing Los Santos residents into terrible situations. This is especially true of protagonist CJ, who has evidence planted on him linking to an officer’s murder and is forced to kill witnesses to Tenpenny’s crooked dealings. That’s not to mention how he fuels gang-on-gang violence and drug use in the community. So when it came time to chase him down, the anticipation was almost too much to handle. During a climactic riot, Tenpenny drives off an overpass. Seeing him die slowly as he calls out to the other officers is just the pitiful end this character deserves.

“Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” (2017)

She may have played second fiddle to Deathshead in the first game, but Irene Engel proved herself to be the bigger horror in the follow-up. This Nazi Lieutenant General comes at BJ’s band of rebels with everything she has. In just one scene, she decapitates one ally, maims another, and viciously berates her overweight daughter for being a disgrace to her race. At every opportunity, she takes maniacal glee in the pain she puts you through, which is both deplorable yet engaging. And if she didn’t, her end wouldn’t be so satisfying. After thinking she’s won, BJ and co. surprise her on live TV with a hatchet to the face. Her violent and public demise makes BJ’s message to the world all the more chilling.

“The Last of Us” (2013)

Ah, David. We so badly wanted to trust your kindly stranger demeanor. Despite most people in this Clicker-filled world being rotten, Nolan North’s soft spoken delivery and the fact that you face a challenging horde together made us think David could be an ally. Unfortunately for poor Ellie, that wasn’t the case. With an army of cannibals behind him, it wasn’t long before David had Ellie in his clutches. But he had something a bit more special for Ellie in mind than turning her into food. A cannibal with a fetish for young children is a pretty vile combination. So it was with great delight that we watched Ellie escape only to drive David’s own machete into his face over and over again.

“Red Dead Redemption II” (2018)

On our original Top 10, Edgar Ross from the first “Red Dead” claimed the top spot. But after consideration, we decided Micah Bell’s to be the far more satisfying demise. As a fellow member of the Van der Linde gang, we spent more time with Micah than Ross. And so we saw him do some pretty heinous things, like shoot up an entire town just to get his prized revolvers back. If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s also revealed he’s an informant for a detective agency. Unfortunately, he gets away and protagonist Arthur is the one to die. However, just like the first game, the epilogue shows his fate: Dutch and John track him down and pump him full of lead.