Best Games Where You Can Be An Evil Ruler

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Many games let you play as heroes and leaders, but some of the most interesting ones let you be the villain. Instead of just a brief turn to the dark side, these games make cruelty, control, and manipulation central to how you play, letting you fully embrace a life of villainy.

I’ve noticed a lot of games let you be a seriously bad ruler – think total control through fear, bending the rules, or just straight-up dominating everyone. It’s wild how much freedom they give you to make awful choices and see what happens. These games aren’t just about winning; they’re about exploring what it feels like to have absolute power and how easily it can corrupt you. Basically, they let you live out the ultimate ‘evil overlord’ fantasy, no consequences! It’s fascinating, and honestly, a little disturbing, to see how far you can go.

Total War: Warhammer III

Commanding Armies In The Name Of Darkness

As a huge fan, I’m really excited about Total War: Warhammer III because it lets you play as some seriously awesome, but totally evil, factions. We’re talking about everything from the terrifying armies of Chaos to the relentless undead! It’s not just about winning battles; it’s about embracing the dark side – domination, spreading corruption, and conquering everything in your path. Being the bad guy isn’t a side option here, it’s the whole point!

The game encourages players to be ruthless and aggressive, making it a key part of how you win. You have many options to completely defeat your enemies, and using dark magic lets you spread corruption and take over the map with overwhelming force.

Tropico 6

Ruling With Authority And Oppression

In Tropico 6, you play as ‘El Presidente,’ the island nation’s leader. You can choose to rule with kindness or as a strict dictator. If you choose the latter, you’ll treat your citizens as a means to an end, controlling them to achieve your goals.

Staying in control often involves keeping a close watch on people, spreading certain ideas, and sometimes suppressing opposition. Though a ruler might appear appealing, playing the role of a cruel tyrant allows you to take advantage of your people, and the game gives you complete freedom to rule however harshly you choose.

Crusader Kings 3

Bloodlines Become Ruthless Dynasties

Crusader Kings III lets you guide a medieval family through the ages, and you don’t have to be a good ruler to succeed. Choosing to be ruthless can be a powerful and enjoyable way to play, opening up opportunities for schemes like betrayal, murder, and blackmail.

In many strategy games, it’s often more rewarding to be clever and ruthless than kind. Players can succeed by manipulating others and acting cruelly, proving that in these games, being ‘evil’ can actually be the most effective way to win and build a powerful empire.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Building An Empire Of Villiany

In Evil Genius 2, you play as a comical supervillain trying to take over the world. You manage everything from a hidden island base, making choices that let you rule through fear and clever planning. You’ll direct your minions to carry out your schemes and build traps to stop anyone who tries to interfere.

The game’s central gameplay revolves around exploring what it’s like to be a tyrant. You’ll grow your base, control your followers, and plan world-altering events, all to create the feeling of being a powerful, unchallenged villain. It’s a strategy game that fully embraces the idea of being evil, treating domination as a skillful and creative endeavor.

Stellaris

Domination On A Galactic Scale

In the game Stellaris, you build and manage a whole empire spanning multiple planets, deciding on the beliefs and rules that will define your civilization’s place in the galaxy. Choosing to be strict or distrustful of other species can turn your empire into a cruel dictatorship, where things like oppression, slavery, and forced removal of populations are justified as necessary for advancement.

The game explores how different leadership styles impact civilizations, showing that cruel tactics can fundamentally change them. It actually rewards players for using harsh policies, giving them powerful benefits and opening up new opportunities for massive expansion – making tyranny a surprisingly effective strategy.

Frostpunk

Authority As Cold As The Setting

Frostpunk puts you in charge of the last city on Earth, a frozen wasteland where making tough decisions is key to survival. You’ll have to enact laws that could be very harsh – like allowing children to work or imposing strict punishments – and balancing order with the well-being of your citizens is a constant struggle. The game explores how far you’re willing to go to ensure your city survives, and the impact those choices have on your people.

The difficult choices we make shape who we are. While harmful leadership isn’t just allowed, it can often seem like the most realistic option, making oppressive rule a tempting way to get through hard times. This shows how strong, controlling power can flourish when people are desperate, and how sometimes, facing impossible situations can lead to regrettable actions.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Becoming The Ultimate Warlord

Okay, so in Bannerlord, you start as basically a hired sword and work your way up to being a king or queen. You build your power by winning battles and making deals, but honestly, you can be a real jerk if you want. I mean, you can choose to be a ruthless leader – burning villages, offing your enemies, and basically ruling through fear. It’s all up to you how you want to play it.

The game’s open design allows players to naturally express power through villainy. Being cruel and experimenting with it actually benefits the player, making the role of an evil ruler a genuinely viable and rewarding way to succeed – something very few other open-world games achieve.

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2025-10-23 07:35