Open-World Games Where You’re Secretly The Villain

It’s hard for open-world games to keep major plot twists secret throughout the entire story. With so many things happening – missions, characters, and conversations – it’s almost impossible to hide a big surprise, because the game will usually reveal a clue that gives it away.

Ideally, games should make you feel like the hero. But these games cleverly hide the fact that you’re actually the bad guy. They do this in various ways – sometimes by simplifying the story and characters, and other times by keeping you focused on other goals so you don’t realize what’s really happening. Ultimately, while you think you’re saving the world, you’re likely destroying it.

There are Massive Spoilers Ahead

Shadow Of The Colossus

Be Careful Who You Ask For Help

From the very beginning, Shadow of the Colossus is full of questions. We immediately wonder who the woman Wander is carrying is, why she needs help, and where he’s taken her. There’s also a mysterious voice – a being of light – that promises to restore her if Wander defeats sixteen massive creatures called colossi. That’s all the explanation you get. It’s easy to understand why Wander would undertake this quest, but as he defeats each colossus – these magnificent, seemingly last-of-their-kind beasts – a sense of unease creeps in. They fall so dramatically, defeated by something much smaller. But Wander believes this is what he must do… until he begins to change himself.

The changes in Wander are gradual at first, but become very noticeable. His skin loses color, his eyes grow dark, and small horns begin to emerge from his head. By the time he defeats the sixteenth colossus, he’s almost unrecognizable. He returns to Dormin, fulfilling their agreement, only to realize the colossi were actually keeping Dormin trapped. With the last colossus destroyed, Dormin possesses Wander’s body, turning him into a massive, shadowy creature. A group of warrior priests arrive unexpectedly, but they’re too late to save Wander. They manage to re-seal Dormin, though it’s a difficult fight, and you, as the beast, participate in it. Once the seal is complete and the priests leave, the woman who fell earlier awakens. Dormin kept their promise, but Wander didn’t understand the true cost.

Prototype

Amnesia Can Mask A Lot Of Guilt

Alex Mercer, the main character in Prototype, is often seen as a violent but ultimately justifiable hero, especially considering the threats New York City faces: a military takeover and terrifying creatures created by the Blacklight virus. While he gains powers by absorbing people, the idea is that he’s the least bad option. What many players don’t realize is that Alex suffers from complete amnesia. He has no memory of his life before becoming a powerful bioweapon, and those lost memories actually held crucial information.

Alex isn’t just someone who accidentally gained powers; his abilities stem from his work on the Blacklight project. He didn’t just participate – he created the Blacklight virus that devastated New York City and transformed him into a monster. By the time players control him in the game, the original Alex Mercer is gone. He’s essentially the virus itself, inhabiting a human form, and this allows him to abandon any remaining human feelings. This is why, in Prototype 2, Alex fully embraces his villainous side, becoming the threat that he hinted at in the first game, and a new hero must rise to defeat him.

Prey

That Wasn’t Morgan Yu

At the beginning of Prey, Morgan Yu actually experienced the Typhon invasion of Earth. But after that initial event, you’re no longer playing as the original Morgan Yu – you simply don’t realize it. Throughout the game, you navigate the Talos I station, battling Typhon disguised as everyday objects, and using a unique gun to create pathways. You believe you’re searching for your brother, Alex, and a way to defeat the Typhon, until a major plot twist changes everything.

The truth behind Prey is a lot more complicated than it seems. Morgan Yu isn’t who you think – they’re actually a Typhon, an alien species, mimicking a human. Talos I, the space station, isn’t real – it’s a highly advanced simulation. And you’re not saving Earth from the Typhon; they’ve already conquered it. This Morgan is just one of many copies, being tested to see if it can understand and show empathy. If it fails the test, Alex Yu will destroy it, but if it passes, Alex hopes it can negotiate peace between humans and the Typhon. This ending is controversial with fans, as it feels like it undermines the entire game with a surprising reveal. However, despite Alex being the main villain, the Morgan you play as is actually one of the aliens responsible for invading Earth.

Crackdown

Backed The Wrong Horse

Sometimes, players aren’t aware their character is the ‘bad guy,’ and that’s definitely true in the game Crackdown. From the start, you’re led to believe your actions – destroying cars, taking down gang leaders, and securing neighborhoods – are all for the benefit of Pacific City. As an Agent, you’re simply doing what Agents do. That’s why you have a powerful cybernetic suit allowing you to jump incredibly high and run super fast, and why you’re constantly eliminating the city’s three main gangs.

Just when you think you’ve saved Pacific City – after defeating all the gangs and their leaders – the Agency Director calls with a shocking confession: the Agency was secretly funding those same gangs all along. Apparently, the plan was to make the gangs powerful enough to scare the city’s residents, so they’d welcome the Agency’s arrival and eventual control. Once the gangs were gone, the Agency intended to take over completely and reshape the city. It’s a clumsy scheme, and it turns out you’ve been manipulated the whole time – led to believe you were a hero when you were actually helping a selfish organization achieve its goals.

Far Cry 2

All That For What?

In Far Cry 2, you’re a mercenary sent to a war-torn African nation to track down an arms dealer known as the Jackal. Almost immediately after arriving, you get malaria and become caught in the conflict between two rival militia groups. Throughout the game, you’ll team up with companions who assist you on missions. Ultimately, you’ll eliminate the leaders of both factions, even if you choose to support one over the other. Shortly after, your companions are killed in an explosion, and you continue your journey south.

When you meet the Jackal, he asks for your help with a surprising goal: he claims to be against the war, and is manipulating the different sides to allow some local people to escape. He sends you on a mission to steal diamonds, but they’re held by your former friends, meaning you’ll have to kill them to get them. Then, as a final act, one of you must blow up a bridge to delay pursuers, while the other uses the diamonds to bribe border guards and let the locals escape – a task that will result in both of your deaths, making your choice of roles irrelevant. Ultimately, all your efforts – igniting a war and killing numerous allies – were for the sake of saving perhaps a dozen people. In the end, the Jackal disappears, the person you were originally meant to eliminate escapes, and everything you did actually made the situation worse. It was a complete failure.

Red Dead Redemption 2

A Look In The Mirror

Okay, so playing as Arthur in Red Dead Redemption 2, you quickly learn he’s not exactly a saint. But honestly, it’s a game about outlaws, so that’s kind of expected, right? He’s totally okay with being a bad guy, especially at the start. I was riding with the Van Der Linde gang, robbing trains, bumping heads with other gangs, and just generally doing whatever we wanted. The fact that the West was changing, with towns and industry moving in, didn’t really bother him – it was just how he lived. Then everything changed when he got sick.

When Arthur is diagnosed with tuberculosis, his life takes a dramatic turn. He begins to understand the negative impact he’s had on others. Facing his own mortality, he urgently tries to make amends for his past mistakes, hoping to leave a positive mark before it’s too late. Though players may recognize Arthur as a villain, he only realizes the error of his ways when he’s dying.

InFAMOUS

Trying To Fix A Mistake

For much of the game InFAMOUS, Cole is primarily concerned with stopping the First Sons, a dangerous criminal organization that emerged after the event that gave him powers. However, a mysterious man named Kessler operates behind the scenes, subtly manipulating events without directly participating. Cole repeatedly encounters mentions of Kessler but doesn’t discover his true identity until the very end, when Kessler finally reveals everything.

The man known as Kessler is actually Cole. He eventually chooses a normal life, marrying Trish and starting a family, abandoning his superpowers and heroic responsibilities. This allows a dangerous being called The Beast to emerge and destroy the world. Desperate to fix things, Cole travels back in time hoping to gain his powers earlier and create a timeline where he can protect Empire City without having to leave it vulnerable – which means ensuring Kessler kills Trish. In a surprising turn of events, Cole largely succeeds. He does stay and fight The Beast, as seen in InFAMOUS 2. It’s a major plot twist: you’re not directly playing as the villain, but the villain and your character are the same person, existing in different timelines.

2025-12-22 08:36