6 Fun Games Where You Actually Play As The Bad Guy

Sometimes, the meta really tires me out, being stuck in the same loop more or less one way or the other. Games mostly offer experiences that hinge on the good guy taking down the bad guy at the end of the day, but in certain cases, that is not what some developers envision for their work. Over the course of the past 10 years or so, since that’s when I started gaming, I always keep a good eye out for games that put you in control of a villain instead of following the routine industry standard.

That is why I’ve decided to compile this article of 6 quite fun games that don’t do things how they’re supposed to be done. Instead, you get to go all out on people and switch the typical roles for a change. Keep on reading to find out what these games are and whether they’re worth your time or not. 

Going Bad Has Never Felt This Good 

Now I’m sure that the entries outlined ahead aren’t the only ones in the gaming space that let you play as villains. The choices ahead are a personal opinion, and you are more than welcome to add to them down in the comments section, should you have worthwhile games to talk about. 

1. Prototype 

• Developer: Radical Entertainment
• Genre: Action-Adventure, Open-World
• Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC

Good games that put you in control of a villain rarely come by, but I’m glad I was at least able to witness the genuine fun that Prototype is back in the day. The protagonist of the title, Alex Mercer, doesn’t really go out of his way to kill people from a narrative perspective, but he couldn’t care less about saving them either. 

That said, you can wreak sheer havoc in Manhattan, kill off waves and waves of civilians without breaking a sweat, and throw them in the sky like they’re nothing. If that isn’t evil enough to sate your needs, seek therapy as soon as possible.  

2. Infamous Second Son 

• Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
• Genre: Action-Adventure, Free-Roam
• Platforms: PlayStation 4

Infamous Second Son resembles Prototype in many ways, but there’s one stark difference that set these two apart, among other factors. Second Son actually lets you take an evil route that happens to grant the protagonist more powerful abilities, thereby making everything transition to easy mode. It’s certainly worth trying, especially on sale. 

Call it wishful thinking, but Sucker Punch needs to turn to the Infamous franchise again. The IP is too good to be left alone without a modern-day makeover. 

3. Baldur’s Gate 3

• Developer: Larian Studios
• Genre: Role-Playing
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Baldur’s Gate 3 has achieved a tremendous milestone in recent times, winning all 5 major Game of the Year awards in the industry on the occasions of BAFTA, The Game Awards, DICE 27th Annual Awards, the GDCA, and the Golden Joystick awards as well. Being the most recent example of a title that lets you go pure evil, feel free to go down any type of path in Baldur’s Gate 3—the sky is the limit with this one. 

4. Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon 

• Developer: FromSoftware
• Genre: Mecha Shooter
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

No one’s good in FromSoftware’s popular mech shooter, Armored Core 6, where the majority are evil mercenaries serving humongous corporations for their own benefit. Although the mecha shooter also has some good endings, our protagonist is concerned with his paycheck at the end of the day, and for the money, he’ll put as many folks into the grave as required.

5. Fallout 4

• Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
• Genre: Action RPG, Post-Apocalyptic, Simulation 
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

The Fallout franchise of open-world shooters is nothing but iconic from the side of Bethesda Game Studios, with Fallout 4 continuing the series in remarkable fashion while still retaining the elements of the previous titles that made them so great. In this one, you can turn into quite the villainous model for the post-apocalypse world, not to mention the availability of pertinent mods that can amplify your experience.

6. Destroy All Humans 

• Developer: Black Forest Games
• Genre: Action, Third-Person Shooter
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

The title says it all, honestly. Destroy All Humans is the 2020-released remake of the titular game from 2005, reworked from the ground up in an attempt to tune it with the times and tech of today. The shooter is a hilarious take on an alien invasion and employs a good use of humor to deliver a mighty good time playing. Oh, and the protagonist — Crypto — is definitely a bad guy. 

Honorable Mention That Comes With A Massive Spoiler 

Before you read ahead, please be advised that even merely stating the name of the game is going to spoil its endgame for you in case you haven’t tried it yet, so do proceed with caution.

Remember Shadow of the Colossus from the olden PlayStation 2 days? Turns out, you’re not headed in the right direction slaying all the colossi, so it’s only by the end of the game that you realize that the protagonist was the bad guy after all. I highly recommend you check it out in case you haven’t already; your choice ranges from the original to the remake.