Best Action Games Where You Are Secretly the Villain

Many of the most beloved video games feature surprising twists. This is especially true for action games where the player eventually discovers they’ve unknowingly been playing the role of the villain the whole time, often with devastating consequences.

I’ve been noticing a trend lately – a ton of awesome games let you play as the bad guy! It’s cool, but sometimes even if you try to be good, the story still pushes you towards becoming the villain, and the hero ends up falling from grace. I’ve put together a list of some of the best action games where you‘re actually the one pulling the strings as the villain, whether you realize it or not.

The games mentioned below will delve into major spoilers, so read on carefully!

Helldivers 2

Become Fascist Imperialists and Spread “Democracy” for Super-Earth

Become a Helldiver and help bring democracy to the galaxy for Super-Earth! Exploring new planets and blasting away enemies like Automatons, Terminids, and Illuminates is a blast, but some Helldivers start to question if they’re really the heroes. Thinking too deeply about it, though, is strictly forbidden.

Okay, so as a player, I’m starting to realize Helldivers 2 is seriously messing with my head! It’s not about being heroes at all. We’re just these guys blindly following orders, going to planets and wiping out anything that moves, and nobody questions why. It’s brutal – soldiers die constantly, and friendly fire happens all the time, but it’s just…accepted? And the more you play, the more you realize it’s not just about fighting bugs and robots. There’s stuff about oil and resources, but even thinking that maybe some of these creatures we’re exterminating aren’t so bad? That’s considered treason against Super-Earth! It’s darkly funny, but also really makes you think.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Talion’s Attempt to Hold Back the Forces of Darkness Causes Him to Join the Nine

Talion and Celebrimbor team up to fight Sauron, employing similar tactics to him. They forge a powerful ring that merges their strengths and use it to dominate thousands of orcs, building an army to challenge Sauron’s control over Mordor. Though presented as a way to defeat evil, this demonstrates how even well-intentioned actions can lead to corruption.

As Talion distances himself from Celebrimbor, the creeping influence of Sauron intensifies, fueled by Talion’s growing desperation. Ultimately, this leads to Talion becoming a Nazgûl – one of the Nine – because the pull of darkness proves too strong to resist. Isildur’s Ring amplifies this, demanding servitude to evil. Though Talion initially wants to defeat Sauron, the text suggests that everyone is susceptible to corruption.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Amnesiac Memories Unlock to Reveal the Truth That You Are Darth Revan

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic lets you create your own character and begin an epic journey in the Star Wars universe. Alongside the Jedi Bastila Shan, you’ll travel across the galaxy to fight against the evil Sith, discovering and developing your own powerful connection to the Force along the way.

Okay, so I’m totally hooked on this story! It’s about this incredibly powerful character in the Force, and honestly, their strength starts to freak the Jedi out. Then it comes out that the reason they’re so strong is because someone wiped their memory – they were hiding a huge secret! Turns out, this character is actually Darth Revan, a seriously notorious Sith Lord! Now that Revan’s memories are coming back, the big question is: will they choose the side of good and stay on the light path, or will they embrace their dark past and try to take over the Sith again? It’s a really intense dilemma!

The Last of Us Part 2

Ellie’s Revenge Odyssey Shows the Brutal Cycle of Pain and Violence

As a huge fan of The Last of Us, what really got to me about Part 2 was how it flipped the script. You always thought Joel was the hero, but the game makes you realize he was someone else’s villain. After he saved Ellie from the Fireflies, things between them were strained, and before they could really work it out, Joel was brutally killed by Abby and her group. It turned out they were seeking revenge for her father – the doctor Joel killed all those years ago. It was a total gut punch, honestly.

Driven by a need for revenge, Ellie travels to Seattle and relentlessly kills anyone connected to Joel’s death. Though she believes her actions are justified, she doesn’t understand the far-reaching consequences and the pain she’s causing until it’s too late. Her quest won’t bring Joel back or offer her peace, but it will turn her into the enemy for many others, mirroring how she sees Abby.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Venom Snake is Big Boss’ Secret Double, Building a Grand Army of Soldiers

From the very first Metal Gear game, it’s been obvious that Big Boss isn’t a hero. He’s a complex villain whose story has developed over many years and several games. But some players don’t fully understand the extent of his villainy until it’s revealed in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

Venom Snake is amassing a large, international army, even resorting to using child soldiers. The story later reveals he isn’t the real Big Boss, but a clone created through surgery and psychological conditioning to perfectly imitate him. Despite learning this, Venom Snake continues to live as Big Boss, choosing to embrace the endless cycle of war rather than seek peace.

Fallout 4

The Sole Survivor is Forced to Join a Faction That Controls the Commonwealth

From the very beginning, Fallout 4 explores the darker side of human nature. The game puts you in the shoes of the Sole Survivor, who awakens after being frozen for 210 years to a devastated world – their former life and family lost forever. As they attempt to rebuild a life in this new reality, they’re caught between warring groups, highlighting the enduring and destructive nature of conflict.

The Sole Survivor faces a difficult choice that will permanently divide the Commonwealth, highlighting the challenge of being a hero in a world that’s lost its sense of morality. Several factions – the Brotherhood of Steel, the Institute, the Minutemen, and the Railroad – are all vying for power, but each has flaws. Ultimately, the Sole Survivor must make a decision that may not be ideal for themselves or for the future of the region.

BioShock Infinite

Booker is Revealed as an Alternate Version of Comstock

As a huge fan of BioShock Infinite, it’s always been clear to me that Booker DeWitt isn’t perfect – he’s a really flawed guy. He only takes on the job of rescuing Elizabeth from Columbia because he’s desperate, honestly. But it’s that desperation, and all the violence that happens as they try to navigate Columbia, that actually leads them to the truth, and ultimately shows them how to break the cycle they’re caught in.

Booker is discovered to be a different version of Comstock, the villain from BioShock Infinite, and the one who originally created the floating city of Columbia. Comstock, a fanatical religious leader who built a perfect society that ultimately became corrupt, exists in many different universes. The question is, will Booker end this repeating pattern through self-sacrifice, or allow history to repeat itself?

Spec Ops: The Line

Walker’s Atrocities Are Confronted Through His Guilt-Riddled Mind

During a mission in Dubai, Captain Martin Walker experiences the brutal realities of war when a simple reconnaissance operation goes terribly wrong. Surrounded by shifting alliances, intense heat, and constant conflict, Walker begins to lose his grip on his own morality and is forced to face the devastating consequences of his actions.

Walker’s efforts to be a good soldier ironically lead to his ruin. Like many in war, he commits terrible acts, and the game makes it clear these actions will be exposed. The question is, how will he react when confronted with the truth?

inFAMOUS

Kessler is a Future Version of Cole MacGrath

Kessler was once a happy man living in Empire City with his wife and two daughters, and he also possessed extraordinary abilities that kept them all safe. But that all ended when a devastating force known as The Beast wiped out the city. Driven by loss, Kessler used his powers to travel back in time. His goal wasn’t to prevent the destruction, but to ensure his younger self, Cole MacGrath, developed the powers necessary to defeat The Beast when it eventually arrived.

Driven by immense sorrow, Kessler committed terrible acts of terrorism, destroying Empire City and causing countless deaths. He manipulated time, revealing to Cole that they are the same person, in a desperate attempt to empower his younger self. Regardless of the choices Cole makes, he must confront the reality that a version of himself from a lost future shaped who he is today.

Dark Souls 3

The Ashen One is a Pawn in a Game of Hollows, Gods, and Monsters

Okay, so playing any Dark Souls game, you’re not really a hero in the traditional sense. Whether you’re a Hollowed or an Ashen One, the story is always the same: the world is basically falling apart, and you’re stuck trying to either keep the flame alive – which just restarts the whole miserable cycle – or let it die and maybe, just maybe, give the world a bit of peace before everything goes dark. It’s a tough choice either way, honestly.

While Dark Souls 3 shares similarities with its predecessors, it presents more intriguing ideas, particularly through its multiple endings. Players, as the Ashen One, can choose to rekindle the flame, allow it to fade, or usher in an age of Hollows. Regardless of the path taken, the story doesn’t feel like a traditional hero’s journey; instead, you’re a piece in a larger game orchestrated by the Gods, either manipulated towards a predetermined fate or guided to fulfill a prophecy.

2026-01-23 01:08