Gaming Wouldn’t Be The Same Without Characters You Can Loathe

Every story has a good guy and a bad guy, and gaming is no different. You hate the big bad and want them dead, but without them, there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell, either. In fact, a story is only as good as the villain. Of course, some stories make you care about the evil guy; feel bad for them based on the circumstances, or straight up make them so unbelievably charismatic that you end up loving them.

But let’s put those aside for a moment. Today, it’s all about those irredeemable maniacs that make you say, “God, I hate this guy.” Everybody likes a good villain, one with a twisted morality or a cynical view of the world. However, only a complex character isn’t “good writing.” No one likes a vile, rotten-to-the-core character, but sometimes, this presentation is so powerful you can’t imagine the story without them, either, and that’s what makes them so special.

Pure Evil Characters Are An Art

Yes, I like complicated villains as much as the next guy, but I also find the concept of pure evil characters really interesting. Sometimes, you need clear-cut hateable guys as a driving force; characters you can never like, no matter what. A villain without a profound origin story or reasoning for their villainy is much harder to write. A good portrayal of absolute “evil for the sake of it” is a feat. If you like these characters, ask yourself, “Am I a toxic person?”

What do you think of pure evil villain?
byu/Evil_Dragon_100 inwriting

Just kidding, I can totally understand the appeal of pure villains. You like these characters because of how loathsome they are, and how satisfying it feels when you finally get to punch them in the face, literally. Sometimes, you get tired of the “circumstances made me” trope when it comes to villains. It’s hard to hate these characters, and when playing a game, you need something to direct your frustrations towards.

Micah Bell from RDR2, Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2, Dottore from Genshin, and Kamoshida from Persona 5 are all great examples. Micah is by far the most loathsome character in Rockstar’s lineup, and that’s exactly what makes him so memorable. You always remember how much you hate him. From a writing standpoint, he’s a “best character you hate” done right. His manipulative tactics and despicable behavior are what make the characterization so strong. Be honest, you despise Micah, but can you imagine RDR2’s story without him? Will it all have the same impact?

Balance Is Still Important

However, I’m not saying every villainous character or antagonist should be portrayed like this. That would be a good way to doom the narrative. It’s all about striking a balance. Pure evil characters you can hate and feel great beating upon are important, but then again, so are morally complex and multi-faceted characters. Putting all this together is what makes a memorable narrative.

Added more to the Hated Video game character list. Who else should be added
byu/Littleg1411 invideogames

When talking about the “characters you can loathe” category, I think you can put all the annoying characters here, too, but they don’t really make the case for strong writing. Sometimes, they just annoy the hell out of you the whole game, and you won’t really miss anything if they were never a part of it in the first place. Other times, you get purposefully annoying one-dimensional characters who then meet an unfortunate, or more appropriately, fortunate end. The latter is probably a lot more satisfying implementation, though.

All in all, what I want to say is that there have been some really annoying and hateful characters in gaming’s history, all for different reasons, but the fact that you remember them all remains the same. It’s not only the good things that etch their name in history. Some, not all, are so powerful in their loathsomeness that they justify their existence, creating an opposite force that makes you enjoy the game more, as you look forward to ending them.