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[Soodanim]

The original Assassin's Creed.
When you look at the story and listen to the Knights Templar you see that they do not wish to control the will of the world's people simply to satisfy some urge for conquest. They do it because they genuinely believe that human nature, allowed to run freely, will forever hold back if not destroy the human race.
It was around this assassination (timestamp 5:44):


that I started to question if they were really even bad guys. I sympathized with their goals it was only their methods that were truly questionable.

Everyone talked about how much better AC2 was, but it also lost some things in the process. I think 1 is underrated these days.

 

[fart town usa]

 

[Happosai]

Metal Gear Solid 3 fits what you're looking for (though you've probably played it/already know). Iconic villains that make you feel like you've really killed a person with a backstory, not just another 'bad guy'

Thank you. MGS1 was a nice touch too with villians.

 

[ButchCat]

Omg thats Phil Spencer

Bill Gates must be a Reaper then.

 

[AJUMP23]

Mass Effect 1.

 

[RoboFu]

Final fantasy 6
Metal gear solid 1-5

 

[HellforLeather]

Kain (sorta) or really any of the baddies from the LoK series.

 

[Soodanim]

Kain (sorta) or really any of the baddies from the LoK series.

I've never known a series like it

 

[RaduN]

Metal Gear Solid series.

 

[German Hops]

Xenogears had the best villainous ensemble, in my opinion,

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

Metal Gear Solid 3 fits what you're looking for (though you've probably played it/already know). Iconic villains that make you feel like you've really killed a person with a backstory, not just another 'bad guy'

Can't forget The Ladder.

 

[Astral Dog]

Toon Zelda

 

[Fortress of Regrets]

Jon Irenicus in Baldur's Gate II is a pretty good villain.

 

[Astral Dog]

nah Nero was right that fight is dumb as hell
He wanted to kill Dante because.. he thought his mommy left him to die, and wanted moar power

 

[Danjin44]

NieR Replicant

Spoiler

Shadowlord

Popola and Devola

 

[Vindicator]

Yakuza 0

 

[kingpotato]

They aren't explained in cutscenes, but when you dig into the lore, FROM's bosses are mostly really interesting. Some are diabolical villains, others think they are helping and some are just tragically fated. I personally would say the best are in Sekiro, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne. The prepare to cry/shadows cry twice series on YouTube is great for providing extra insight.

 

[Fart Knight]

For we are many!

 

[TheInfamousKira]

Kefka
The Illusive Man
Sephiroth
Ardyn Izunia
The Boss
Revolver Ocelot
Big Boss

 

[ClanOfNone]

Jon Irenicus in Baldur's Gate II is a pretty good villain.

Hell fuckin yeah.

Gaunter 'o' Dimm and Glados are also great ones already mentioned.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Metal Gear Solid 1 villains blew my mind when I first played it.

No other game came close for me except for maybe Bioshocks Andrew Ryan.

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

Jon Irenicus in Baldur's Gate II is a pretty good villain.

But how can he be a good villain when he refused to even provide us with a villain's exposition

 

[Dark Star]

 

[Koenigssee]

Obligatory Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers & Endwalker plug.
My guy Emet-Selch is up there in the highest echelon of villains.

Suda51's Killer7, still one of my favorite. My mind was blown back then.

 

[xellos2099alpha]

Obligatory Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers & Endwalker plug.
My guy Emet-Selch is up there in the highest echelon of villains.

Suda51's Killer7, still one of my favorite. My mind was blown back then.

I take offense to my protrayal as a megalomanical madman

 

[pramod]

Castlevania - Dracula

 

[zaanan]

The Chimera from Resistance: Fall Of Man. Their origin and motivation was unknown, and they looked badass.
Also this guy:

 

[kyliethicc]

Looking for some games with a well written villain , not the same im a bad guy and i have to destroy the world story , a villain that has a good motive to justify his actions and even makes me think that he might be right or makes you feel sorry for him . Are there any games with a villain like that ?

The Last of Us / Part II

 

[BusierDonkey]

Final Fantasy VI had Kefka.

Kefka was the first human to be infused with magic but the process broke his mind. As a result he was batshit insane and personally did the most vile shit where most people in his position would pass that stuff off to subordinates with a hand wave. He wanted to be the one responsible for poisoning Doma Kingdom and he drove the dagger into the Emperor before messing around with the triad, sending the world into complete ruin.

He literally destroyed the world single-handedly because he felt it was going to be destroyed eventually anyways so why the fuck not? Then ruled the world he trashed from a tower made of trash.