10 Video Games With Satisfying Bad Guy Roleplay Options

The idea of a heroic protagonist in games is a classic one, going all the way back to the very start of video games. However, as gamers themselves matured, the gaming landscape changed. We moved away from simple, predictable ‘good guys’ and started seeing more complex, tougher, and morally ambiguous heroes.

Role-playing games (RPGs) took this idea and developed it even more, letting you completely choose to be either good and righteous or utterly evil based on the decisions you made while playing.

These days, lots of games let you explore darker themes, and we’re going to take a look at quite a few of them – not just roleplaying games, but others as well.

We’re including any game where you can give in to your mischievous side, no matter the type of game or how serious it is. Basically, if a game lets you be bad, we’re adding it to the list.

10. Oblivion: Remastered

An Evil Fantasy

Image Via Bethesda

Oblivion: Remastered unexpectedly appeared this year, taking gamers by surprise, and has quickly become one of the best role-playing games of the year. If you enjoy playing as a villain, the world of Cyrodiil is perfect for you. The game offers many opportunities to explore your darker impulses.

You have the freedom to take anything from anyone, commit murder without discrimination, liberate prisoners, become a member of an assassins’ guild, join a thieves’ guild, or pursue any combination of these activities.

The main story remains consistent, but how you get there is entirely your choice. If you’re inclined to unleash your magic and destroy a village, the residents better take cover, because the game won’t prevent you from giving in to that impulse.

9. Infamous 2

Power Corrupts

Infamous 2 is a really fun game and stands out as one of the best titles released for the PlayStation 3. You play as Cole, a character who gained superpowers after a huge explosion in the previous game. In this installment, your goal is to prevent a gigantic creature called The Beast from destroying your city.

Although the overall goal seems noble, how you achieve it is entirely your decision. You’ll encounter both good and evil characters who can become your allies, and you’ll have opportunities to help people-or exploit them for your own benefit. Expect to face difficult choices, even having to decide whether to sacrifice your closest friend to complete the mission according to your plans.

You can also simply cause widespread destruction, let people suffer attacks, and consistently be the most unsuitable person to wield superpowers. If you’re looking for someone to unleash havoc in a reimagined New Orleans, Cole is that person, and Infamous 2 is the game for you.

8. Prototype

The World Gone Mad

While the PS3 had its issues, the Xbox 360 offered Prototype. Prototype is a game designed for players who enjoy exploring a darker, more violent side of gaming. You take on the role of Alex Mercer, a character with incredibly disturbing abilities that grow stronger as the city falls into chaos, filled with monsters, the military, and terrifying creatures.

It’s certainly possible for you to be the hero in this situation, but is it the right thing to do? Will you be able to stop yourself from diving out of the sky and causing a massive, 30-car pile-up? Can you fight the urge to simply absorb people off the street, consuming them to boost your power levels?

I disagree, or at least, I wasn’t able to see it that way. It’s incredibly enjoyable, even if it means potentially becoming something even more terrible than the enemies you’re battling.

It’s hardly shocking that Alex Mercer is the antagonist in Prototype 2. The game understands you’re out of control, and frankly, you won’t be able to help yourself. However, embracing the chaos and being the bad guy is incredibly fun.

7. Fable 2

Cartoonishly Evil

Before expansive open-world games let us truly define our adventures, there was Fable 2. It offered the exciting possibility of playing as a hero or a villain, with the promise that your choices would impact the game world. Although this impact wasn’t *completely* realized, the game certainly allowed for some impressively wicked deeds.

In Fable 2, you begin with a character as a child, and you have complete freedom to develop them however you choose. If you consistently make evil choices, you’ll start growing horns and attracting flies – a humorous visual effect. However, the path to achieving this transformation isn’t something to take lightly.

You’re free to harm chickens, eliminate anyone you encounter, turn against your friends, allow terrible events to unfold, and essentially just stand by as everything falls apart.

As you commit more evil acts, your character grows increasingly sinister, causing others to fear and dislike you. This provides a great way to visually demonstrate your development during the game. The story offers numerous choices, and many of them lean towards wickedness, even extending to the available endings.

6. Wasteland 3

Whatever it Takes to Survive

Wasteland 3 lets you truly forge your own destiny, playing as a hero, a villain, or something in between. And you can embrace the dark side – you might even find yourself collaborating with slave traders or simply abandoning people in desperate situations.

Throughout the game, you’ll encounter various factions you can collaborate with. However, you always have the option to betray them, eliminate them, and abandon any faction you come across, should you desire.

You’re also capable of truly awful actions, such as betraying your friends and even causing their deaths. There are even more extreme options, like aligning yourself with actual cannibals, for instance.

You’re free to recruit anyone you like. It’s not just good characters who can join your team. Actually, you could build a whole party of evil-aligned characters if you want, and cause all sorts of trouble in the Wasteland – so much, in fact, that you might feel a little overwhelmed.

5. Undertale

The Genocide Route

Undertale is a truly remarkable game, offering a surprising amount of depth beneath its simple graphics. You can usually play through the game being kind without much trouble, but the most challenging – and morally questionable – path is the genocide route. What does this involve? It’s straightforward: eliminate every character you encounter.

Wow, it’s kind of mind-blowing to think about, but you can actually end *everything* in Undertale. I don’t just mean defeating the bad guys or a couple of random monsters – I mean literally everyone. You have the power to completely wipe out the whole world if that’s what you decide to do. It’s a pretty heavy thought, honestly!

It’s truly terrible stuff. You have an innocent character pleading for their life, your trusted mentor betraying you and viewing you as the villain, and some incredibly difficult boss battles.

Look, playing this game can get *really* chaotic, but if I want to be a total jerk, Undertale actually lets me be incredibly evil. It gives me some seriously awful choices to make if I’m going for a bad playthrough. It’s a wild ride if you want to be bad, honestly.

4. Vampyr

The Vampire’s Embrace

Vampyr is a fantastic game unlike any other. The concept of playing as both a vampire and a doctor is a truly brilliant idea, and makes it stand out as one of the best vampire game premises ever.

A major aspect of this game for players who enjoy making difficult choices is deciding whether to help or harm the characters you encounter. You’ll meet many different people, each with their own unique background, and it’s up to you to decide if you’ll offer them aid or bring their story to an end.

It’s a tricky system, because gaining strength through feeding enhances the gameplay and creates a more enjoyable experience overall. However, if you feed too much, a dangerous plague spreads, the areas become more hazardous, and the game world feels increasingly bleak and oppressive. Essentially, you can consume almost any character you encounter in the game.

While a few individuals might actually deserve it, most patients in the hospital do not. However, you are a Vampyr, bound by your own cravings, and it creates a fascinating interplay between the game’s creator and you, the player. They understand your need to feed, and though you can fight it briefly, you’ll ultimately succumb, just as a vampire would.

3. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Becoming the Monster

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a fantastic role-playing game that offers a lengthy and engaging experience. Your choices significantly impact the story, leading to diverse and compelling outcomes. Notably, the game’s evil path explores truly unique and often disturbing territory, venturing into areas rarely seen in other games.

Here, you have the option to transform into a Lich, effectively unleashing devastation and widespread death upon the world. Alternatively, you could become the Swarm That Walks, consuming everything around you, all with the goal of total annihilation – and it’s a truly terrifying spectacle. The good news is that choosing this dark path is entirely your decision.

There are many ways to be a little bit wicked in games, but this one’s truly evil nature stands out. You can betray friends, harm the innocent, or just generally give in to your darker impulses-it’s all possible. If you enjoy exploring the dark side in games, this title delivers that ultimate power fantasy.

2. Baldur’s Gate 3

The Murder Hobo

As a longtime D&D fan, I’ve definitely come across the term “Murder Hobo”! It’s what we jokingly call a player who just goes around killing absolutely everyone they meet in the game. Basically, they’re an agent of chaos, and honestly, it can really ruin the experience for everyone else at the table. It’s a fun term, but it describes a playstyle that doesn’t always lend itself to a good, collaborative story. You can find more info here if you’re curious!

Baldur’s Gate 3 caters to all types of players. You can experience the main story as a heroic character, but for those who prefer a less virtuous path, there’s a dedicated playthrough called The Dark Urge. It lets you fully embrace a chaotic and self-serving playstyle.

You don’t need to select that specific character to act maliciously, as the game offers numerous opportunities to negatively impact others with whichever character you prefer. However, The Dark Urge is genuinely the most evil choice available.

From the very beginning, you have the option to be completely ruthless. Do you recall saving Gale from the portal, dragging him out by his arm? What if, instead, you simply bit his arm off?

It’s really that extreme, and a lot of players even think that’s the real way to experience the story, which is… something. It definitely says something about what people are looking for in a game.

1. Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader

Rule with an Iron Fist

Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader lets you command a huge spaceship, along with thousands of crew members and a team who will follow your orders – whether those orders are noble or… not so much (and let’s be honest, the latter is more entertaining). Throughout this expansive adventure, you’ll have plenty of chances to demonstrate your authority.

Honestly, it’s amazing how much you can get away with. In any conversation, you can really make people feel small, like what they think doesn’t matter, and even demand they treat you like royalty. You can basically be an ass however you want! But even more than that, it’s cool how you can just freely use your power – it’s a total rush.

You have complete control: you can suppress uprisings, order executions, dismiss the views of those who work for you, decide who lives and dies, and even choose the kind of people you surround yourself with – whether they’re respectable citizens or a motley crew. Everything is possible.

The game also tracks how you handle different situations. If you choose the Heretical path and behave erratically, that will have noticeable consequences later on. You can’t simply act without consequence, as the game world remembers your actions, and it’s really compelling to see how everything unfolds.

2025-10-02 21:14