History NominalHero / VideoGames

* Gensokyo, the setting of the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' games, is ''run'' by these. [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei]] is, at best, motivated by a desire for her life to be predictable mixed with not wanting it to be too boring, either, and is at worst solely motivated by the [[{{Greed}} possibility of getting donations]] and being a SlaveToPR. [[CuteWitch Marisa Kirisame]] is one part motivated by the prospect of [[KleptomaniacHero getting to loot]] [[StickyFingers magical artifacts]] from the villain's lair, one part the opportunity to upstage [[TheRival Reimu]] and one part [[BloodKnight getting to kick someone in the teeth]]. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Remilia Scarlet]] is more interested in alleviating her own boredom and maintaining her power than actually fixing Gensokyo's problems (and she's not the harmless kind of vampire, either). [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Sanae Kochiya]] is interested in spreading the worship of and gathering faith for her ancestor-goddesses. [[HalfHumanHybrid Youmu Konpaku]] fights because [[MyMasterRightOrWrong her mistress says so]], as does Remilia's maid [[NinjaMaid Sakuya]] [[TimeMasterIzayoi]], who is also implied to have done something ''really'' [[DarkSecret nasty in the past]]. And [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo]] is the one who founded Gensokyo as a FantasticNatureReserve and everything she does is to further the survival of {{youkai}}, up to and including striking up deals with the humans that favor ''them'', because she knows that if humans become content and don't feel as threatened by youkai, they'll lose their edge and become easier prey. Her colleague, Okina Matara, isn't much better; she stirred up trouble just to make everyone in Gensokyo (native and permanent residents alike) remember her and is disliked by many of Gensokyo's residents due to her (intentionally cultivated) AmbiguouslyEvil vibes.

* Gensokyo, the setting of the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' games, is ''run'' by these. [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei]] is, at best, motivated by a desire for her life to be predictable mixed with not wanting it to be too boring, either, and is at worst solely motivated by the [[{{Greed}} possibility of getting donations]] and being a SlaveToPR. [[CuteWitch Marisa Kirisame]] is one part motivated by the prospect of [[KleptomaniacHero getting to loot]] [[StickyFingers magical artifacts]] from the villain's lair, one part the opportunity to upstage [[TheRival Reimu]] and one part [[BloodKnight getting to kick someone in the teeth]]. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Remilia Scarlet]] is more interested in alleviating her own boredom and maintaining her power than actually fixing Gensokyo's problems (and she's not the harmless kind of vampire, either). [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Sanae Kochiya]] is interested in spreading the worship of and gathering faith for her ancestor-goddesses. [[HalfHumanHybrid Youmu Konpaku]] fights because [[MyMasterRightOrWrong her mistress says so]], as does Remilia's maid Sakuya Izayoi, who is also implied to have done something ''really'' [[DarkSecret nasty in the past]]. And [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo]] is the one who founded Gensokyo as a FantasticNatureReserve and everything she does is to further the survival of {{youkai}}, up to and including striking up deals with the humans that favor ''them'', because she knows that if humans become content and don't feel as threatened by youkai, they'll lose their edge and become easier prey. Her colleague, Okina Matara, isn't much better; she stirred up trouble just to make everyone in Gensokyo (native and permanent residents alike) remember her and is disliked by many of Gensokyo's residents due to her (intentionally cultivated) AmbiguouslyEvil vibes.

* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'': after you solve all the problems of Trademeet, the citizenship agrees to place statues celebrating you as the local hero and your companions as your followers. Even if you were only in it for the reward, you are following a generally evil path in the campaign, and you even have party members hired for money as mercenaries or following you to get more power or fulfill their evil deeds.

* In line with their [[Film/Ghostbusters1984 film incarnations]], the goal of the ''VideoGame/Ghostbusters1984'' on UsefulNotes/Commodore64 is ''not'' to save the city but to make a profit. It doesn't matter to you if the city is destroyed or not; even if New York is a smoldering ruin at the end you still win if you made at least $10,000, enough to pay off your debt to the bank. The only motivation you actually have to save the city (get rid of all the ghosts) is you make an additional $5000 dollars if you do it. [[SarcasmMode Our heroes, everybody]].

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'':
** Zaeed Massani is a ruthless revenge-obsessed merc on Commander Shepard's team. During his loyalty mission, he burns an entire refinery to the ground while callously disregarding the innocent lives trapped inside just to get revenge on another merc who screwed him over 20 years prior. In ''Mass Effect 3'' he becomes an UnscrupulousHero through character development.

*** By default, ''everyone'' in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' is either this or StupidEvil, depending on whether or not they side with Shepard, seeing as s/he's the best bet to stop the Reapers, who have made their intentions very, very clear.
** This trope is actually a plot point in the first game, where Saren is believed to be a hero throughout the galaxy and is well-liked by many. In reality, he's a ''very'' amoral KnightTemplar who is willing to cause many civilian casualties as long as he gets the job done and is a severe racist. His popularity in the galaxy means that a big problem in the game's opening act is actually convincing the Citadel Council that he's not on their side anymore and has to be brought in.

* The protagonists of the ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' series are vengeful [[HumanoidAbomination shapeshifting monsters]] whose primary goals are revenge. They do save the city of Manhattan from the villains of their respective games and genuinely care about those closest to them, but both Alex Mercer and James Heller acknowledge that they are not particularly morally upstanding people.

* The VideoGame/SpeedRunners are supposed to be superheroes, but all we see them do in-game is race each other. In the in-game comics, it is shown that they are getting in the way of the police by running through crime scenes, and their use of items is dangerous to civilians.
** While the main character is more than willing to stop a series of bomb threats in New Rush City, he seems to care more about running than anything else as he deliberately refuses to help people at times, such as [[spoiler: the runner known as The Falcon]].

* Harold Berselius in ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny2'' is an amoral MadScientist who just wants to kill a goddess, no other questions asked. Otherwise she's only considered good because she's on the side of the Er'thers, who are fighting the genocidal racist aristocratic Aetherians. While she does have PetTheDog moments, she also experiments on people without their consent and threatens to join Elraine at a point. Essentially, everything she does is for her own amusement, and our heroes' quest provides her with a lot of it.
* Luke in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' for the first third of the game. Our “hero” is functionally a child, having been kept inside and away from people ever since an accident stripped him of his memory, leaving him a moody, selfish, and arrogant ShelteredAristocrat brat with little people skills or knowledge of the world. He is then told that he is TheChosenOne, which does very little to help his already over-inflated [[ItsAllAboutMe ego]] and [[SmallNameBigEgo sense of entitlement]]. This is made even worse by the encouragement of his mentor, the only person he truly respects. Luke continues to become more whiny and insufferable until the game's WhamEpisode kicks in, where he's [[WhatTheHellHero called out on his actions]] by the entire party. It takes a few more [[MindRape rather]] [[BreakTheCutie unpleasant]] [[AndIMustScream experiences]] [[TraumaCongaLine all in a row]] before he finally [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone snaps out]] [[CharacterDevelopment of it]].

* Lara Croft in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation ''Franchise/TombRaider'' series is an archaeologist that is willing to kill anyone who stands in her way and destroy priceless objects as long as she can collect the fabled artifacts she had researched on. The only reason Lara can be considered "good" is that she's usually trying to get to the artifacts with power before the villains do so that they can't abuse them. If Lara does manage to work with someone, she only helps them as long as it helps her reach her goal. By ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderChronicles Chronicles]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderTheAngelOfDarkness Angel of Darkness]]'', Lara becomes a total bitch to everyone. The Crystal Dynamics reboots scale her back a bit. In the first reboot (''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend Legend]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary Anniversary]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderUnderworld Underworld]]'') Lara's motivations are more personal, and in ''Anniversary'' she shows scruples against killing other people (while she seems to have given them up in ''Legend'' and ''Underworld'', ''Legend'' at least introduces the mooks by having Lara overhear a conversation where they discuss their orders to kill her on sight). The second [[VideoGame/TombRaider2013 reboot]] features a [[ActionSurvivor younger, less experienced Lara trying desperately to survive]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Horizon}}'': Sylens is a cynical, misanthropic loner with no regard for the world he lives in. His only goal is the pursuit of knowledge, and he will go to any lengths to achieve this, including support violent cults and rebellions with the potential to wipe out entire tribes. However, he remains a valuable ally to Aloy and always helps her to save the world, but only out of mutual interest, because he lives in the world and obviously can't gain the knowledge he's after if it's destroyed.

* ''VideoGame/{{Horizon}}: Sylens is a cynical, misanthropic loner with no regard for the world he lives in. His only goal is the pursuit of knowledge, and he will go to any lengths to achieve this, including support violent cults and rebellions with the potential to wipe out entire tribes. However, he remains a valuable ally to Aloy and always helps her to save the world, but only out of mutual interest, because he lives in the world and obviously can't gain the knowledge he's after if it's destroyed.

* In the numbered ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games, an evil player character could be seen as this since you have the freedom to blow off civilians’ heads with absolutely zero provocation, enslave children and nuke cities. However, this is somewhat moderated by the main story pitting you against monsters who want to wipe out the vast majority of the remaining human race. With ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the player has the option of becoming a full-blown VillainProtagonist by siding with Caesar’s Legion, as they bring the region under the grip of a nation endorsing rape, slavery, and murder for public entertainment.

* Gensokyo, the setting of the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' games, is ''run'' by these. [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei]] is, at best, motivated by a desire for her life to be predictable mixed with not wanting it to be too boring, either, and is at worst solely motivated by the [[{{Greed}} possibility of getting donations]] and being a SlaveToPR. [[CuteWitch Marisa Kirisame]] is one part motivated by the prospect of [[KleptomaniacHero getting to loot]] [[StickyFingers magical artifacts]] from the villain's lair, one part the opportunity to upstage [[TheRival Reimu]] and one part [[BloodKnight getting to kick someone in the teeth]]. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Remilia Scarlet]] is more interested in alleviating her own boredom and maintaining her power than actually fixing Gensokyo's problems (and she's not the harmless kind of vampire, either). [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Sanae Kochiya]] is interested in spreading the worship of and gathering faith for her ancestor-goddesses. [[HalfHumanHybrid Youmu Konpaku]] fights because [[MyMasterRightOrWrong her mistress says so]], as does Remilia's maid Sakuya Izayoi, who is also implied to have done something ''really'' [[DarkSecret nasty in the past]]. And [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo]] is the one who founded Gensokyo as a FantasticNatureReserve and everything she does is to further the survival of {{youkai}}, up to and including striking up deals with the humans that favor ''them'', because she knows that if humans become content and don't feel as threatened by youkai, they'll lose their edge and become easier prey. Her colleague, Okina Matara, isn't much better; she stirred up trouble just to make everyone in Gensokyo (native and permanent residents alike) remember her and is disliked by many of Gensokyo's residents due to her (intentionally cultivated) AmbiguouslyEvil vibes.

** Eggman is this when he is fighting against the Deadly Six in ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'' [[spoiler:until all the Deadly Six meet their final defeat]]!

* In line with their [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} film incarnations]], the goal of the ''VideoGame/Ghostbusters1984'' on UsefulNotes/Commodore64 is ''not'' to save the city but to make a profit. It doesn't matter to you if the city is destroyed or not; even if New York is a smoldering ruin at the end you still win if you made at least $10,000, enough to pay off your debt to the bank. The only motivation you actually have to save the city (get rid of all the ghosts) is you make an additional $5000 dollars if you do it. [[SarcasmMode Our heroes, everybody]].

* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'', Kratos, to the point that, particularly after [[VideoGame/GodOfWarI the first game]], many consider him an outright VillainProtagonist, even worse than the people (or gods) he's trying to kill. In which case the gods themselves become Nominal Hero antagonists. Their motivations for opposing Kratos are purely selfish, and they have little concern or empathy for humanity itself. [[spoiler:This gets ''epically'' flipped on its head in the finale of the [[VideoGame/GodOfWarIII third game]] which reveals that the Gods were actually heroic until Kratos opened PandorasBox in the first game to beat Ares. The evils from inside infested and corrupted the Gods and twisted them from benevolent leaders into despotic bastards. Kratos is so shocked by this reveal, as well as the realization that he's caused and inflicted so much pain and destruction in his quest for revenge, that he kills himself and releases the powers of hope in order to give humanity a chance to survive on their own.]] [[spoiler:Or not. Kratos makes a triumphant return in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'', [[CaptainObvious pretty much alive]] and raising a son, but now OlderAndWiser, and considers his time as the Ghost of Sparta to be the darkest acts committed by him.]]

* Gensokyo, the setting of the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' games, is ''run'' by these. [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei]] is, at best, motivated by a desire for her life to be predictable mixed with not wanting it to be too boring, either, and is at worst solely motivated by the [[{{Greed}} possibility of getting donations]] and being a SlaveToPR. [[CuteWitch Marisa Kirisame]] is one part motivated by the prospect of [[KleptomaniacHero getting to loot]] [[StickyFingers magical artifacts]] from the villain's lair, one part the opportunity to upstage [[TheRival Reimu]] and one part [[BloodKnight getting to kick someone in the teeth]]. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Remilia Scarlet]] is more interested in alleviating her own boredom and maintaining her power than actually fixing Gensokyo's problems (and she's not the harmless kind of vampire, either). [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Sanae Kochiya]] is interested in spreading the worship of and gathering faith for her ancestor-goddesses. [[HalfHumanHybrid Youmu Konpaku]] fights because [[MyMasterRightOrWrong her mistress says so]], as does Remilia's maid Sakuya Izayoi, who is also implied to have done something ''really'' [[DarkSecret nasty in the past]]. And [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo]] is the MagnificentBitch who founded Gensokyo as a FantasticNatureReserve and everything she does is to further the survival of {{youkai}}, up to and including striking up deals with the humans that favor ''them'', because she knows that if humans become content and don't feel as threatened by youkai, they'll lose their edge and become easier prey. Her colleague, Okina Matara, isn't much better; she stirred up trouble just to make everyone in Gensokyo (native and permanent residents alike) remember her and is disliked by many of Gensokyo's residents due to her (intentionally cultivated) AmbiguouslyEvil vibes.