Top 20 Underrated Video Game Villains

#20: Dung Eater “Elden Ring” (2022)

When the opening cinematic starts, it’s easy to forget the “Dung Eater” alongside names like “The Ever Brilliant Gold Mask”, “Fia, The Deathbed Companion”, and “Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing”, so we wouldn’t blame you for ignoring someone who is essentially called “Poop Chewer”. But, if you give him a chance, he is deeply compelling as a villain, explaining how he would tear you limb from limb if you faced his corporeal form, while giving you the keys and processes to find him. He is without a doubt, DEEPLY upsetting to be around, I mean, he eats poop for poops sake.

#19: Tony Redwood “Policenauts” (1994)

Until it was translated by fans, this game was not available outside of the Japanese version, but thankfully now we get the opportunity to see this brilliant game, and experience a criminally underrated villain. As a member of the police force, Tony Redwood is an artificial human that was designed to excel at police work beyond anyone else. He blatantly reveals his malevolent intentions to the player, fully aware that you are powerless against him due to his superior strength. Always one step ahead, he is truly intimidating to be around.

#18: Colonel Radac “Killzone 2” (2009)

With ruthless efficiency, tactical brilliance, and unrelenting aggression, Colonel Radac in Killzone 2 is NOT to be messed with. His combat skills are unmatched, making him a formidable adversary in any encounter. Radec's intimidating presence is amplified by his strategic cunning, always staying one step ahead of his enemies. His unwavering loyalty to the Helghast cause and his willingness to employ brutal methods further enhance his vibe. He is the definition of ‘looked-over’, when you get the chance to truly analyse him.

#17: Higgs “Death Stranding” (2019)

From Joel in The Last of Us, to Higgs in Death Stranding, Troy Baker is no stranger to playing characters who will do whatever they think is best. Higgs is a terrifying villain due to his god-like powers and sadistic tendencies. He manipulates the destructive BTs and wields apocalyptic abilities, instilling fear and chaos. His unpredictable actions and philosophical musings on the nature of life and death create a haunting psychological presence. Higgs' deep connection to the game's central mysteries and his ability to traverse dimensions make him an omnipresent threat. Throw in a chilling demeanor, and you’ve got yourself a villain who would have been talked about a LOT more in a game that didn’t confuse its players beyond comprehension.

#16: Dr. Exavolt “Metal Arms: Glitch in The System” (2003)

Dr. Exavolt's role in the game's darker narrative elements and his relentless pursuit of domination highlight his complexity and depth, making him a compelling and often overlooked villain in the gaming world. This is possibly the game's fault, especially considering it is often forgotten itself. Due to his brilliant yet twisted intellect, Dr Exavolt poses a significant threat as the mastermind behind the evil Mil army and his technological genius drives the game's central conflict. Despite his lack of widespread recognition, Exavolt's menacing robotic design, cunning strategies, and cold, calculating personality make him a formidable antagonist.

#15: Gary “Bully” (2006)

From the start of the game Bully, we're led to believe that good old Gary is destined to become our best friend. He assists us throughout the entire game, pretending to be our right-hand man. But we couldn't have been more mistaken. He reveals himself to be a backstabbing, insecure boy determined to destroy Bullworth Academy. The build up to his character becoming an antagonist is so beautifully executed, that it’s surprising Gary doesn’t end up in more “great villains” tier lists.

#14: Walton Simons “Deus Ex” (2000)

Walton Simons is terrifying due to his cold, calculating demeanor, vast political power, and unwavering commitment to a dystopian agenda. His ability to manipulate and control others, combined with his advanced nanotechnology, makes him a formidable and relentless adversary, embodying the pervasive fear of unchecked authority.Walton doesn't receive the recognition he deserves, as players are often preoccupied with praising other aspects of the game. He is fiercely ruthless, willing to go to any lengths to safeguard private information.

#13: Darth Nihilus “Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords” (2004)

There are many Darths, but Nihilus may well be the most overlooked, which sucks, because his character design and voice is one of the scariest, perhaps even scarier than Vader. With a backstory rich in trauma, complete with losing his friends, family, and his will to live, he turned to the dark side seeking to engulf the world in darkness. His seemingly easy defeat causes him to be underestimated, and undervalued, yet this nuance is what makes him so fascinating; after all, he is just a man.

#12: Adrian Ripburger “Full Throttle” (1995)

There is nothing scarier than a sadistic CEO, someone who walks into a room and says “I’ll give $200 to the first person to hit that man over there” for no reason at all. With money and masochistic tendencies, evil is born. In a lesser-known point-and-click adventure, Adrian Ripburger is a CEO eagerly awaiting his partner's death to seize control. Corrupt and formidable, he intimidates his way through the game, using his wealth to keep his hands clean. He is an exceptionally evil man, who does exceptionally evil things... like paying to kill people. Did I make that clear enough at the start?

#11: Magus “Chrono Trigger” (1995)

Magus wreaks havoc throughout the first half of the game, but after discovering his backstory, he becomes a much more compelling villain. Due to his complex backstory, tragic motivations, and formidable power, combined with his evolving character arc, he has become a standout antagonist for JRPG fans. Understanding his true motivations makes the player ponder whether collaboration with this deeply complex enemy might be possible, which makes following this story so easy to do.

#10: Galleon “Lunar Series” (1992-)

Initially celebrated as one of the four heroes, Galleon from the Lunar series is highly regarded at the start of the first game. However, his jealousy becomes apparent when he encounters the white dragon, forcing players to spend the rest of the game trying to put this arrogant character in his place, and booooooy do we wait a while. While not particularly nuanced or complex, his straightforward antagonism makes him the perfect villain for THIS series, driving players to confront and defeat him, and if I may repeat myself, put this d*** in his place.

#9: Calypso “Twisted Metal Series” (1995-)

Calypso is the man behind the game, the one who oversees the Twisted Metal competition with an omnipresent presence. As a young man, he accidentally killed his sister in a car accident, and later his parents as well, providing the perfect recipe for a vehicle focused antagonist; not the most inventive backstory we grant you that, but it’s his rewards to the winners of Twisted Metal that make him so compelling to follow. Although he grants winners any wish they desire, his villainous twist lies in ensuring that every prize comes with a hidden catch or negative consequence, often ironic. One highlight is an actor who wants the world to see his face, so he tears his face off, spreading it across the earth's circumference, blocking the sun, and terrifying every citizen on earth...Cool.

#8: Wendy “Rule of Rose” (2006)

With this game being banned in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, it makes sense why most people never even saw this terrifying villain. In Rule of Rose, Wendy, the founder of The Red Crayon Aristocrat Club, befriends Jennifer, and they fall in love. Tragically, Wendy’s jealousy over Jennifer’s growing affection for her new dog, Brown, drives her to orchestrate Brown’s brutal death. This leads to a series of events resulting in the brutal murder of Wendy and The Aristocrat Club members, leaving Jennifer alone and devastated. Really, anyone that kills a dog is worth mentioning as a truly TRULY devious villain.

#7: Lionel Starkweather “Manhunt” (2003)

Voiced by the legendary Brian Cox, Lionel Starkweather was once a renowned filmmaker, but a string of flops led him down a dark path, culminating in the creation of elaborate snuff films , Think ‘A Serbian Film’ meets ‘The Human Centipede”. In Manhunt, Starkweather releases convicted murderer James Earl Cash to star in his latest grotesque project. After Cash dispatches gangsters, hate group members, deranged psychopaths, and a man in a pig suit, he ultimately carves his way through Starkweather’s empire and decapitates him with a chainsaw. Starkweather succeeds in turning Cash into an even colder killer, making his intentions as a villain truly TRULY terrifying, and unfortunately, very compelling.

#6: Errol “Jak II” (2004)

The true villain of the Jak series is Errol, the henchman of Baron Praxis, and the only antagonist to appear in multiple games. He is among the first characters players meet once Jak II moves the games location, and is notably one of the nastiest. His sole mission is to outdo and destroy Jak at every opportunity, creating a one-sided rivalry based on nothing. Over time, his role shifts from secondary henchman to primary antagonist in the third game, where he remains consistently unpleasant from start to finish. Think of him as your Pokémon rival, but with an added masochistic twist.

#5: Daniella “Haunting Ground” (2005)

Haunting Ground is one of the most disturbing games ever created, tackling dark themes such as voyeurism and incest that deeply unsettle players, and like Rule of Rose, it may not even be available in your country. Among the four villains, Daniella stands out as the most chilling due to her unnerving, almost inhuman perfection... I can relate. As the castle maid, our protagonist Fiona, is trapped, Daniella initially appears to be the epitome of human grace. However, this comes at the expense of her ability to experience emotions or pleasure, driving her to act out with jealousy and malice towards us, and our protagonist. She performs a gruesome ritual involving a "treatment" that leaves Fiona's body disfigured and immobilized, among other things.

#4: Scissorman “Clock Tower” (1995)

Scissorman, the main antagonist from the first two Clock Tower games, is uniquely terrifying, and were it not for the borderline goofy weapon choice (on paper), he would be remembered along side Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger. Similar to the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation, Scissorman can appear unexpectedly and attack the protagonist, Jennifer Simpson, at any time, a cool concept for the SNES generation. Both versions of Scissorman derive sadistic pleasure from their murders, lending them a frightening presence that compensates for their small stature, and weapon choice, unfortunately, pencil boy, and stapler lady, were left on the cutting room floor.

#3: Malcolm “Legend of Kyrandia” (1992)

Devious, deranged, and a grotesque clown jester, Malcolm from Legend of Kyrandia stands out as a top-tier villain, who’s name totally undermines their terrifying presence. His vengeful nature drives him to eliminate anything that obstructs his path, and he even went so far as to blow up a squirrel. That’s right, he BLEW UP A SQUIRREL. His pettiness, paired with his bizarre and unpredictable behavior, make him scary to follow, as you never truly know what he’ll do next.

#2: Walter Sullivan “Silent Hill 4: The Room” (2004)

A troubled orphan who occupied the same apartment our protagonist now does, Walter Sullivan will go to any lengths, including murder, to clear out the space. After killing over 19 people, including 2 children, some might even call him a serial killer. Despite his relatively normal appearance compared to actual monsters, he is far more terrifying than any other villain because he is just an ordinary person. It's similar to a zombie apocalypse: who’s more frightening? Zombies or humans?

#1: AM “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” (1995)

Based on Harlan Ellison's novella, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is a skillful reimagining of a grim story. AM, voiced by Ellison himself, is a supercomputer created by America, Russia, and China that gained sentience, annihilated all life on Earth, and left only five survivors. AM, known for its cruelty, made them immortal and tortured them for 109 years before trapping them in a nightmarish game. Each person faces a scenario tailored to their personal flaws, making AM a chilling portrayal of a dystopian future.