Ranking The Coldest, Most Ruthless Protagonists In Gaming

The way a certain protagonist is made, they can potentially make or break the entire game, considering that the central hero character has to be designed in a certain way so it appeals to gamers. But no, some titles out there are doing quite the opposite job, and I respect them for it. Instead of making them all jolly, wholesome, and sweet, games like Tyranny and Godfather have nothing but ruthlessness and cold-blooded killing to offer. 

And don’t get me wrong, but it’s refreshing to observe a change at once. 

That’s why I decided to put together this write-up that pins some of the most vicious protagonists under one roof. Not all of these are villains, however, even though they may look and act like it, and are just built a specific way. 

These Games Feature Protagonists That Want All The Smoke 

In case you’ve got a suggestion to make to add to the list, make sure to post a comment down below and tell me all about it.

1. Tyranny 

With one of my favorite developers at the helm, Obsidian Entertainment has worked up a wonder in the name of Tyrrany, crafting a CRPG so good, that it’s hard to put the controller down every time you start playing. One of the defining highlights of the title is its fantastic dialogue, which offsets the relatively mediocre graphics. 

And far as the protagonist of the game goes, there’s no defined character to talk about here, considering it’s an RPG. The actions you can take and the paths you can walk down can shape you as an unsympathetic, hard-hearted, piece of crap whose bad side you never want to get ton. 

2. The Hitman Series 

Pretty much the definition of as cold a protagonist as they come, Agent 47 is one of the most iconic names in gaming history, primarily due to his style and no-nonsense approach to taking down his targets. The Hitman franchise sports 8 different mainline iterations, with multiple ports and spin-offs in between, and each time, our beloved Agent here has taken center stage, traveling across the globe to hunt down his objectives.  

3. Godfather The Game 

As far as movie tie-in games go, The Godfather has remained exemplary throughout time, thanks to its fantastic atmosphere, great gameplay, and a storyline that has you making decisions that won’t make you feel so good all the time. Oh, and the reason this game has gotten mentioned on this list is because of instances where Aldo Trapini, the protagonist, harasses and threatens small business owners to pay extortion money. 

Everything from the music and the setting to the characters and the controls made The Godfather way ahead of its time, back when the game launched in 2006.  

4. Red Dead Redemption 2 

While not technically a bad person, per se, Arthur Morgan can be as vicious as you want him to be in this masterpiece of an action-adventure, given how the game offers fantastic player agency that lets you make your own decisions. Not liking an NPC? Go ahead and murder them. Find yourself in a bad mood and you want the game’s world to suffer as well? Go on and choose cold responses to encounter-based situations. 

eXputer re-reviewed Red Dead Redemption 2 earlier this year, rating it 4.5/5.0, with author Obaid ur Rehman remarking, 

Even after five years, Red Dead Redemption 2 stands at the top next to new AAA titles, so it is still not too late to experience its greatness.”

5. Prototype

The Prototype franchise is now long-forgotten, but the mark it has left in the hearts of folks who’ve played it is indelible. The first Prototype game, highlighting a biomutant called Alex Mercer, is actually one where you’re playing as basically the villain. Alex, being supremely merciless, grabs innocent bystanders at will, consumes them nonchalantly, and goes about his day like nothing happened. 

His nature is one of the reasons he plays the antagonist in the sequel, putting James Heller in the spotlight instead. 

6. Hatred 

I can recommend Hatred for a variety of reasons, and not just for the fact that the character you play as is full of, well, hate. The game demands no active brain power from players. Just get into the twin-stick shooter and start wreaking havoc as you go along. Stress relief at its finest, to be fair, but to tell you a little bit about the protagonist first. 

The guy’s parents named him Notim Portant. Try reading that again. He hates mankind and just wants to slaughter everything in sight, and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing here. Good luck.