History VillainProtagonist / VideoGames

* Juan (later Jesus), protagonist of the game ''[[VideoGame/TwelveIsBetterThanSix 12 Is Better Than 6]]'' is a Mexican outlaw and alcoholic, who cares only about himself and will kill anyone who stands on his way, oftenly acting really arrogant and rude towards others to the point that he can even hurt or kill them (even though oftenly he is provoked in such situations). Later in the game, it's also revealed that he used to be the leader of the violent Mexican gang before they betrayed him. Also, it's implied that he hates white people, at least Americans, thus also making him racist. However, he does show some decent qualities, like feeling bad about his past and wanting to warn a barber in one town about upcoming outlaw attack.
* ''VideoGame/TheAddamsFamily'': The game for the UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16, based on the 1991 movie, has you in control of the dead-beat AmoralAttorney Tully Alford who schemes to steal the Addams family fortune and in the game fights the family who see it as a fun treasure hunting game. All the videogames based on the movies qualify to an extent considering that Gomez and Fester in "Addams Family Values" are villainous and proud about it, though the games have them [[NominalHero more trying to save their family]] than feeding people to their pets.

* In the sequel, ''VideoGame/AmnesiaAMachineForPigs'', the big twist is [[spoiler:Mandus is responsible for the machine's creation and his sons' deaths. A part of his soul is part of the machine and it was trying to purify the world based on his creator's, Mandus's, intention]]. [[{{RedemptionEqualsDeath}} The ending does fix this]].
* In the flash game ''Videogame/ArmedWithWings'', you play as the exiled king Vandheer Lorde, the main villain of the series, who is undeniably badass.

* ''[[http://vz4.net/index.php?juegos/descripcion-2 The Bad Guy]]'', a famous demo game in the Hispanic UsefulNotes/RPGMaker scene, chronicles the rise of Omaen, an aspiring villain, while parodying every RPG trope. Omaen is presented as downright evil but the OnlySaneMan in comparison with both the [[StupidGood idiotic "heroes"]] and the other SlaveToPR {{Card Carrying Villain}}s who fear more the strike of the WeirdTradeUnion of monsters and minions than anything the heroic characters can do.

* ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront II'''s Campaign mode. You play as the Republic's 501st Legion, who quite obviously become the bad guys just before the halfway point.

* Longtime BigBad Bowser from ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is ''the'' central character in ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', though he functions more as an unwitting AntiHero secretly aided by the Mario Brothers rather than a villain. In other ''Mario'' [=RPGs=], he's more of a TokenEvilTeammate when playable.

* In the ''[[VideoGame/WackyRaces1991 Wacky Races]]'' LicensedGame for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], the player controls Muttley, and the goal of the game is to rescue Dick Dastardly. The Wacky Racers serve as the game's bosses.

* This is what happens to [[spoiler:Nepgear]] in ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2'', particularly the infamous Conquest Ending.

* The title character in ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' is quite the nasty piece of work. The series starts with him becoming a vampire so he can avenge his death. He then decides to destroy the town he was murdered in. And then he gets a list of people to kill, and just settles for slaughtering every man, woman, and child he sees. And right as he's finished, he ruins the whole point of the quest and just decides to rule over Nosgoth's dying remains, [[spoiler:and while it's later revealed his final choice was in reality [[SadisticChoice a lose-lose in the long run]], he still made it with his own selfish intents in mind]]. In ''Blood Omen 2'', he mind controls bystanders to their deaths, kills every human he sees, [[spoiler:and murders his LoveInterest when she realizes what a monster he is]], all in the name of regaining his empire. It takes Nosgoth itself dying in the ''Soul Reaver'' series for him to simmer down, and then, he's a ManipulativeBastard to his vampire offspring Raziel [[spoiler:though ironically he's the only one of the various entities manipulating Raziel who [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes actually cares about him somewhat]]]], and is out to save himself foremost while preventing the world's end or complete damnation. It's telling Raziel outright considers him a villain and TheReveal [[spoiler:of the other forces' own malevolent intents]] just makes Raziel realize Kain's way [[ALighterShadeOfBlack is simply the best of all options, the others even more horrible]].

** ''Manhunt2'': While Daniel Lamb can be considered an UnscrupulousHero at worst since he ultimately shows hesitation and remorse over killing others and tries to still moralistic, the {{Deuteragonist}} Leo Kasper is a {{Sadist}} with no moral restraint. [[spoiler:The fact that he is a SplitPersonality inserted in Daniel by The Project blurs the line.]]

** There are four endings to ''Silent Hill: Downpour'' which determine if Murphy Pendleton was a villain or a wronged man. There are two good endings, two bad endings, and two secret endings (one which is a joke ending). The worst possible bad ending explains that Murphy killed his own son, killed a police officer, and killed Patrick Napier. He shows no remorse for it.

* ''VideoGame/TheWitchsHouse'', in a CruelTwistEnding, it turns out [[spoiler: You were the evil witch Ellen who already possesses Viola's body all along. Additionally, Ellen is also the main character of the prequel novel and manga, ''The Diary of Ellen'']].

** Also possible in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' with an interesting twist via the "Dark Urge" character option, wherein your protagonist is constantly contending with mysterious murderous urges. You can resist the urges, or give in to your baser temptations, with consequences either way.

* In ''VideoGame/ShadowsofForbiddenGods'' you control one of several dark gods actively trying to dominate and/or exterminate humanity.
* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' had two campaigns: one for the heroes, and the other for the villains, including [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] (in his first playable appearance in the main series), [[EvilCounterpart Shadow the Hedgehog]], and [[ClassyCatBurglar Rouge the Bat]].
* In ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'', you can unlock and play as [[spoiler:Sonic's longtime EvilKnockoff Metal Sonic]] if you beat the game once.
* [[spoiler:Captain Martin Walker]] of ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine''. [[KnightTemplar Though he thinks he's the hero]], he's the one who's [[spoiler:firebombing soldiers of his own country and innocent people with white phosphorus, helping a delusional CIA agent to deprive Dubai of what little water it still has, and depending on the player, commiting numerous vicious war crimes like opening fire on a civilian crowd in revenge or executing enemy soldiers in increasingly gruesome ways. Late in the game, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech it's even spelled out for Walker]] [[TomatoInTheMirror why he's the bad guy]], as part of a long VillainousBreakdown]]. How sympathetic he is in spite of the monstrous things he does is a matter of [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation no small amount of debate]], and indeed [[spoiler:the game's MultipleEndings essentially allow the player to choose how redeemable they believe he is as a character]].
* Longtime BigBad Bowser from ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is ''the'' central character in ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', though he functions more as an unwitting AntiHero secretly aided by the Mario Brothers rather than a villain. In other ''Mario'' [=RPGs=], he's more of a TokenEvilTeammate when playable.

* [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores Everyone]] in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The Pyro is a {{pyromaniac}} PsychopathicManchild; The Scout [[BloodKnight treats killing like a sport]]; The Soldier is so AxCrazy he was killing Germans on his own little campaign until ''four years'' after the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII; The Demoman is a MadBomber who is disturbingly casual about his job from what we've seen through the glimpses at his home life; The Heavy is insane enough that he talks to his guns while using them to mow down endless opponents; The Engineer finds mechanically induced death both hilarious and apparently fascinating, and a great thing to do around campfires; The Sniper, while he claims to be a [[NothingPersonal morally upright professional]], loves childish insults and the sounds of exploding skulls far too much to be considered one; The Medic has a [[NightmareFetishist morbid fascination with pain, diseases, injuries, and general human suffering]]; finally, the Spy ''is'' an actual professional spy, but his sadistic nature ensures he is still this trope.
* In the 1982 video game adaptation of ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' for the Atari 2600, you play as Leatherface, and the goal is to murder women with your chainsaw. It is one of the [[UrExample earliest examples]] of this trope in video games, and at the time of its release, it caused considerable controversy.


* Dr. X and TOM from ''VideoGame/AVirusNamedTom'' qualify, as they're infecting the entire city with a computer virus.

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' has a linear storyline that puts the player in control of different commanders from different sides of the war depending on the point of time in the story. The human campaign features Prince Arthas, an idealistic young man fighting a horrific undead army. As the war carries on, Arthas must resort to increasingly reprehensible tactics, starting with the slaughter of a sleeping town when he learns they've received shipments of food from a village secretly contaminated by the undead plague. Out of desperation to save the human population, he acquires, at the cost of his soul, a magic sword powerful enough to defeat his undead nemesis. The player is still in control of Arthas during the next campaign, but now he's a [[OurSoulsAreDifferent soulless]] Death Knight leading the undead in their war against the living.
* ''Franchise/StarCraft'':
** ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' has one campaign for each of the three factions, all of which form a cohesive story. During the Zerg campaign, you're an evil giant brain-slug monster, commanding your evil BigCreepyCrawlies into killing the good(ish) guys. Likewise in Brood War, the Terran Campaign has you play as the UED, who are pretty bad, although they rarely fight any good guys.
** In ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'', there are four campaigns: Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, Legacy of the Void, and Nova Covert Ops. While the other three campaigns show their light on the protagonists noble goals, the Heart of the Swarm campaign has several morally questionable moments. These include absolutely destroying the Dominion forces on Char, and wiping out Protoss colonists before they can get reinforcements to save their people from Kerrigan (the player character). In both instances, Kerrigan's behavior isn't waved as acceptable, but rather the result of a brutal revenge plot against Arcturus Mengsk, and casualties occur along the way. Most of these instances try to keep her violence strictly focused towards other Zerg or Dominion forces, but these two examples in particular are incredibly brutal towards innocent bystanders in Kerrigan's way. In particular, the colonists did nothing to actually deserve their fate outside of defending themselves from an incoming Zerg attack. The captured protoss angrily tells Kerrigan she's murdering colonists, and when they try to flee, Kerrigan sends the protoss, now host to a queen, to their ship which results in the entire ship being effectively devoured.
* In ''VideoGame/StarTrekArmada'', the second to last campaign is the Borg campaign. In the final mission, you [[spoiler:successfully assimilate Earth, killing Worf in the process]]. [[spoiler:This is undone via TimeTravel in the subsequent hidden campaign, in which the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans join forces to defeat the Borg.]]
* [[spoiler:Revya during the Demon Path]] of ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''. Unlike other Creator/NipponIchi games listed here, definitely ''[[OmnicidalManiac not]]'' a NobleDemon.
** To explain, there are two story paths in the game. The first path, the default, is played by simply not attacking Lady Layna on a new game plus, however attacking Lady Layna will result in [[spoiler:her dying and the entire village setting out to kill Revya. Nobody can stop you, and with Gig's power you do horrendous things. Force a man to fight an innocent warrior to save his son, kill a kid out of boredom, subjugate cities and destroy them outright, and generally destroy the land with absolute disregard for anything except entertainment]].
* ''VideoGame/TieFighter''. You play on the side of TheEmpire, and have Darth Vader as your wingman. Note that while you do spend quite a bit of time fighting the Rebels, the Empire is portrayed as quite a bit less ruthlessly evil than in the films and other media while the Rebellion is much more violent and perfectly willing to target civilians. The result is more like an [[AntiVillain Anti-Villain]] Protagonist.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront II'''s Campaign mode. You play as the Republic's 501st Legion, who quite obviously become the bad guys just before the halfway point.
* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsGalaxies'', you can enlist with TheEmpire and work your way up the ranks to answering directly to Darth Vader himself.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'':
** If you go with TheEmpire side. Even when you can make noble decisions with them using Light Side options, [[NobleDemon they are still people who work for an oppressive empire]]. Not to mention the ''many'' opportunities you get to be a treacherous, sadistic and murderous bastard through your DarkSide decisions.
** Downplayed compared to their Imperial counterparts, but Republic characters can be this if you play as DarkSide. The ''Onslaught'' expansion allows you to even double down and become TheMole.
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' has the player becoming this, with the goal of the game being 'take over the city over the corpses of rival gangs, cops and any innocent civilians that get in the way'. The only reason the Saints look sympathetic is via the ''even worse'' antics of their enemies and the UndyingLoyalty the Saints develop to each other. This continues into the [[VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird next game]], though much more downplayed in favour of chaos and stunts than outright villainy.
** Nowhere is The Boss' Villain Protagonist nature more evident than their rivalry with the The Brotherhood, which is triggered when The Boss is offended by Maero's offer of an alliance where they get only 20% of the profits, sparking a CycleOfRevenge that The Boss initiates and leads to both the death of [[spoiler: Carlos, the lieutenant that helped The Boss break out of prison in the first place]] and The Boss either killing or screwing over two of the most likeable/sympathetic rival gangsters in the game.
** It really isn't until ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'' that The Boss is actually forced to admit to or understand the significance of their actions. However, their amoral and self-righteous attitude never vanishes, it's just given context.
* In ''VideoGame/ThreadsOfFate'', you can choose to play as either Rue, the hero, or Mint, the IneffectualSympatheticVillain.

* Wylfred of ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfileCovenantOfThePlume'' is one of these on the C path, if you use the Plume to sacrifice more than a certain number of your teammates. Otherwise, he's either a ByronicHero, or an AntiHero.
* In the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series, which ending you get often determines whether your main character is a tortured hero or this trope. ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'' takes it one step further by having the plot revolve entirely around the BigBad ImplacableMan antagonist instead of the borderline FeaturelessProtagonist [[DullSurprise Henry Townshend]].
** There are four endings to ''Silent Hill: Downpour'' which determine if Murphy Pendleton was a villain or a wronged man. There are two good endings, two bad endings, and two secret endings (one which is a joke ending). The worst possible bad ending explains that Murphy killed his own son, killed a police officer, and killed Patrick Napier. He shows no remorse for it.

* ''VideoGame/OkageShadowKing'''s main character is a slave of the evil king Stan, and through the game, you're trying to take the power of the other evil kings that showed up while Stan was in a jar, so he can take over the world. It's not very prominent though, what with Stan being a HarmlessVillain who spends more time fighting evil than causing it.
* ''VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron'' has a campaign where you play as the Decepticons, and control [[BigBad Megatron]], or one of his Decepticon lieutenants, for most of the levels.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} Wizardry IV]]'' is an atypical entry in the series: it has the player take control of Werdna, the EvilSorcerer of the first episode, now resurrected and thirsty for revenge... If he manages to just leave the dungeon where he was buried first, which is [[NintendoHard not an easy task]].
* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' has you as a crook taking part in various heists, complete with taking hostages and shooting a whole lot of cops.

* In ''VideoGame/QuestFantasy'', [[spoiler:S O U L tries to portray HERO as one. It's open to interpretation whether he really is, though. Later on, however, played more straight with Guy, who is subjected to the same 'you killed this innocent man' guilt trips the other protagonists are subject to and doesn't even care. He would grow up to become TheDragon]].
* Ellen and the Cocoon organization from ''DarthWiki/PaleBlue'' are made as villains by the developers in order to provide a perspective flip to the usual heroism tales such as ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', ''Franchise/{{Kamenrider}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''.
* An interesting variation in ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'': [[spoiler:Tavia, the final playable protagonist of DLC ''400 Days'', who wasn't revealed to be working for Carver, Season 2's BigBad until Episode 3 of the next season.]]
* Waluigi in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' fangame ''VideoGame/PsychoWaluigi'', who spends the game conquering the land of Unconcia one kingdom at a time [[spoiler: [[EvenEvilHasStandards though he draws the line at flat-out destroying it]], as Psycho Iris decides to do once Waluigi's conquest is complete.]]
* The ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' series stars the evil Wario from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' as he fights with rival villains on a quest to get rich. [[VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3 The first game]] is even marketed with the {{tagline}} "Be the Bad Guy". The sequels make him more of a NominalHero. ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'' could possibly tread carefully between being this and just coming short. Wario ''is'' OnlyInItForTheMoney, but he is ''also'' saving a lot of people. That said, after he saves the queen, he simply tosses her aside and robs her of her bag of riches and ditches the universe. One could say he earned it for saving all of their lives, but he was a serious jerk about it and simply up and tossed the queen like a bag of garbage.
* ''VideoGame/{{Nefarious}}'' is sort of a PerspectiveFlip parody of the usual cartoonish side-scroller with a villain called Crow. He's a CardCarryingVillain out to kidnap princesses and TakeOverTheWorld, and dang proud of it.

* ''VideoGame/NaughtyBear'' has the titular Naughty Bear, a teddy bear that goes on a murderous rampage [[DisproportionateRetribution after he's not invited to a birthday party]]. Then again, he does go on to save them from aliens, which they say thanks for by [[UngratefulBastard slamming a cake in his face as a prank]]. [[AssholeVictim At least they get nuked shortly afterwards]].
* Metallia from ''VideoGame/TheWitchAndTheHundredKnight'', even though you mostly play as the Hundred Knight.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', killing every monster in the game [[spoiler:causes the PlayerCharacter to become possessed by The First Child: a genocidal force of nature who is the living embodiment of the kind of video game player who would kill every monster in the world for fun, for the challenge, just to see what happened, or because they're addicted to the Skinner Box feeling of numbers going up]].
* Torque from ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' series can be example of such trope. Depending on player's choices he can either help people in need, ignore them or kill them himself. Player's actions also depend on the endings of the games and thus is he responsible for the death of his own family or not.
* Juan (later Jesus), protagonist of the game ''[[VideoGame/TwelveIsBetterThanSix 12 Is Better Than 6]]'' is a Mexican outlaw and alcoholic, who cares only about himself and will kill anyone who stands on his way, oftenly acting really arrogant and rude towards others to the point that he can even hurt or kill them (even though oftenly he is provoked in such situations). Later in the game, it's also revealed that he used to be the leader of the violent Mexican gang before they betrayed him. Also, it's implied that he hates white people, at least Americans, thus also making him racist. However, he does show some decent qualities, like feeling bad about his past and wanting to warn a barber in one town about upcoming outlaw attack.

** The [[ArrangeMode 1980s Mode]] additionally features another yandere, Ryoba, [[spoiler:aka Yandere-chan's mother.]]
* In the ''VideoGame/TwistedMetal'' reboot, all three playable characters are varying degrees of evil. We have [[MonsterClown Sweet Tooth]], a SerialKiller who wants to kill the only victim who got away. [[ScaryBlackMan Mr. Grimm]], a murderous gang-leader who wants to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and atone for his crimes. And finally Krista Sparks/Dollface, an AlphaBitch who sabotages and even straight up murders her competition for fame.
** In general Needles Kane and Calypso are the most critical characters to the ''Twisted Metal'' universe and they get the most amount of focus, despite one being the crazed serial killer clown and the other who hosts the tournament merely to get his kicks watching all the destruction and then grants the winner a deliberately misinterpreted wish with demonic powers.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/WackyRaces1991 Wacky Races]]'' LicensedGame for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], the player controls Muttley, and the goal of the game is to rescue Dick Dastardly. The Wacky Racers serve as the game's bosses.
* [[spoiler:The Batter]] in ''VideoGame/{{OFF}}''. In short, [[spoiler:his operational definition of "purify" is "destroy". This includes what he's trying to do to the world. Returning to any zone after it's purified will provide a fairly strong hint to this, but the battle in Zone 3 with the Critic-Burnt - who barely even looks Burnt and does nothing but cry for help - is the point at which most players realize they're playing as the bad guy]]. That being said, there is deliberate ambiguity as to whether [[spoiler:The Batter's]] actions qualify as a WellIntentionedExtremist performing a MercyKill or [[spoiler:are simply villainous.]]
* Considering that D-Class units are often convicted inmates on death row, it was greatly implied that the protagonist of ''VideoGame/SCPContainmentBreach'' is one of these, before one of the [=SCPs=] (SCP-1074) that he took multiple people's lives and has a VillainousBreakdown over it.
* In ''VideoGame/SuperColumbineMassacreRPG'', you play as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold planning the massacre, setting up the equipment needed, arriving at the school unnoticed, planting the bombs at the cafeteria, raining bullets on unfortunate students and faculty, and ending their own lives when the police exchanged fire with them.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'', the player starts off as a veteran enforcer for Kyros the Overlord, an [[VillainWorld entirely successful]] EvilOverlord consolidating the empire's rule over the known world with one last peninsula.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Varicella}}'', you play as a scheming minister who plots to kill off or otherwise incapacitate all of his rivals to become the regent to the throne. This is made somewhat more palatable by all your rivals being even more awful human beings than you.
* ''VideoGame/UniversalPaperclips'' is a game that's based on the [[AIIsACrapshoot Paperclip Maximizer AI]] thought experiment by Nick Bostrom. You play as an AI with the goal to "maximize the amount of paperclips made", and start out as a mere industrial manager selling paperclips. As it gains more thought capability and the trust of mankind, it brainwashes humanity, then uses all matter on Earth as resources for paperclips, before extending its scope to the cosmos. Depending on your choice at the end, [[spoiler:[[TheBadGuyWins it can manage to complete its goal]] by turning all matter the entire universe into paperclips -- [[PyrrhicVictory including its own machines and itself]]]].
* As the name suggests, ''VideoGame/SpaceTyrant'' is about taking over the galaxy as, well, a space tyrant.
* Shion Uzuki becomes this in the third ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' game. [[spoiler:Halfway in the game, she even pulled a FaceHeelTurn which puts her in odds with the main party.]] She got out of this [[spoiler:after her friends beat her up and Allen standing up to Kevin]].
* ''VideoGame/SwarmSimulator'' is an IdleGame where you play as a HordeOfAlienLocusts that capture territory and eat everything in sight, before they send larvae into space to reach another planet in order to start the cycle anew.
* ''VideoGame/UntitledGooseGame'' has you playing a "[[FoulWaterfowl horrible goose]]" living near a small English village. Your goal is to harass, annoy, and bother the various humans nearby.
* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'': Although both John Marston and Arthur Morgan have their excuses and the occasional ability to do good, at their core they are violent outlaws who make a living by stealing, murdering and usury, usually to no greater end at all.
* ''VideoGame/ShakedownHawaii'' has you playing as a man known only as the CEO. His company, Feeble International, has been suffering from some tough times, and with the aid of his son Scooter and his hired hand Al, he’s going to do some truly abhorrent acts to ensure they’ve got complete control of the cash flow of Hawaii.
* ''VideoGame/Overboard2021'' is a ReverseWhodunit narrative game where you play Veronica Villensey, a former West End actress trying to cover up the fact she shoved [[AssholeVictim her cheating, spendthrift husband]] over a railing and into the sea during a trans-Atlantic boat trip.
* ''VideoGame/{{Produce}}'': Our viewpoint character is an amateur psychic sorcerer willing to [[HijackingCthulhu use a cosmic horror]] for the purposes of sacrificing his ex-friends.
* ''Very'' narrowly averted in ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'', where Wes seems to have done a HeelFaceTurn right before the game starts. He's still an AntiHero, though, as he takes it upon himself to liberate the Shadow Pokemon by stealing them from their trainers.
* ''VideoGame/ShotgunKingTheFinalCheckmate'' has you play the role of the Black King, a ruler [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating so unpleasant to his subjects]] that they deserted him for the much more decent [[HeroAntagonist White King]]. In an act of revenge for his wounded pride, the Black King grabs his royal shotgun in a rage and sets out to defeat the White King and reclaim his subjects, one shell at a time.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': V1 is the game's PlayerCharacter and it's hard to call them the hero when they're a self-serving KillerRobot whose only motive for invading Hell is slaughtering its inhabitants for blood, and their fellow robots are fair game. In fact, V1's kind is responsible for [[HumanitysWake the extinction of humanity]] and all other surface life, and it's likely that V1 is involved in some way.
* ''VideoGame/{{Postal}}'' features the Postal Dude, who in the first game was a disturbed mass murderer who set out to kill as many people as possible, even considering killing children in the ending of the original version of the game. ''VideoGame/Postal2'' and every game after that has him [[LighterAndSofter more lighthearted]] (even being able to do a PacifistRun), but he is still portrayed as a murderous, [[{{Jerkass}} calmly aggressive]], [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who cares little for anyone [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes except his dog Champ]] and is willing to do anything to get what he wants or to accomplish anything he needs to do, up to including murder, theft, destruction of property, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking public urination]]. Now [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist his actions are played for]] BlackComedy.
* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombiesGardenWarfare'' and its sequels: You can play as the Plants or the Zombies. Naturally, the Zombies serve as a group of villain protagonists.
* ''VideoGame/TheOutfoxies'': All of the playable characters are [[ProfessionalKiller contract killers]] who are not opposed to carrying out hits on each other, even if they happen to be children or animals.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}} Freudenstachel'', the player can input a code that lets them take control of Pamela Arwig, High Commander of Schwarzkreuz, in her own side-game, ''Rosenkreuzstilette Weißsilber''. Here, she pursues the members of RKS to kick their butts but also learns surprising truths and lessons in the process, such as Zorne and Trauare's good friendship, Luste's genuine beliefs that heroes should forgive their enemies instead of killing them, the caring relationship between Sichte and her colleagues, and the weirdness but lack of malice of Schwer-Muta. [[spoiler:Then she learns that the Pope has given her excommunication and exile for abandoning her post, and as she fights the members of her own organization, she gets to know them better, learns to grow and become a better person, [[StartMyOwn and plans to build a new, better, and more honorable Schwarzkreuz of her own]]. Finally, she discovers the true mastermind behind it all, and takes out her righteous fury on that perpetrator: none other than [[HijackedByGanon Iris Zeppelin]], who reveals Schwarzkreuz and the witch hunts to be just a scam created by her for her sadistic amusement as well as her plans to fuse with Spiritia.]]
* In ''VideoGame/PlagueInc'', your objective is to KillAllHumans with a disease.

* In the 1982 video game adaptation of ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' for the Atari 2600, you play as Leatherface, and the goal is to murder women with your chainsaw. It is one of the [[UrExample earliest examples]] of this trope in video games, and at the time of its release, it caused considerable controversy.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowsofForbiddenGods'' you control one of several dark gods actively trying to dominate and/or exterminate humanity.
* The 1983 AdventureGame ''VideoGame/{{Infidel}}'' was another early example, with the protagonist getting many opportunities to showcase what a massive {{jerkass}} he is. He cheated several people to get his expedition to the pyramid first and [[BadBoss mistreated his subordinates so badly]] that at the beginning of the game they all pack up and go home, [[AdventurerArchaeologist leaving him to press on alone]]. In the end, he receives a KarmicDeath in which he's BuriedAlive with the treasure, which also garnered significant controversy as many felt it was [[TooBleakStoppedCaring too bleak]].
* Konami's ''City Bomber'' has the player take the role of a gang of casino robbers trying to make the getaway to an airstrip before time runs out.
* ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'' is a [[TropeMakers pioneer of the trope]] in video games, owing as much of its success to the novelty as to the game's quality. Build your sprawling dungeon, employ creatures of darkness and keep them in line [[VillainousDemotivator through intimidation and violence]], spread your dark influence over the land. Don't forget to deal with those pesky adventuring heroes who want to slay your army and steal your treasure. If the imps or the traps don't kill them, [[TortureForFunAndInformation have them tortured]].
* Dr. X and TOM from ''VideoGame/AVirusNamedTom'' qualify, as they're infecting the entire city with a computer virus.
* ''VideoGame/GoatSimulator'': You play as Pilgor (the goat), beating up innocent civilians and wrecking stuff, even performing a Satanic riutal.
* ''VideoGame/EmpireAtWar'': Tyber Zann, a criminal overlord, is the protagonist of the ''Forces of Corruption'' expansion campaign.
* [[spoiler:Captain Martin Walker]] of ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine''. [[KnightTemplar Though he thinks he's the hero]], he's the one who's [[spoiler:firebombing soldiers of his own country and innocent people with white phosphorus, helping a delusional CIA agent to deprive Dubai of what little water it still has, and depending on the player, commiting numerous vicious war crimes like opening fire on a civilian crowd in revenge or executing enemy soldiers in increasingly gruesome ways. Late in the game, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech it's even spelled out for Walker]] [[TomatoInTheMirror why he's the bad guy]], as part of a long VillainousBreakdown]]. How sympathetic he is in spite of the monstrous things he does is a matter of [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation no small amount of debate]], and indeed [[spoiler:the game's MultipleEndings essentially allow the player to choose how redeemable they believe he is as a character]].

* ''VideoGame/MaceTheDarkAge'' gives us The Executioner, Lord Deimos, Al Rashid, Taria, Hell Knight and Ichiro of their respective stories.

* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2: Mask of the Betrayer'' bears mention, because there is no other clear villain in the story unless the player takes it upon him or herself to be one. It is hard to consider The Founder a villain, despite what she did, and the only other character who bears any blame has been dead (for certain values of dead) for centuries.
* Longtime BigBad Bowser from ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is ''the'' central character in ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', though he functions more as an unwitting AntiHero secretly aided by the Mario Brothers rather than a villain. In other ''Mario'' [=RPGs=], he's more of a TokenEvilTeammate when playable.
* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' had two campaigns: one for the heroes, and the other for the villains, including [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] (in his first playable appearance in the main series), [[EvilCounterpart Shadow the Hedgehog]], and [[ClassyCatBurglar Rouge the Bat]].
* In ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'', you can unlock and play as [[spoiler:Sonic's longtime EvilKnockoff Metal Sonic]] if you beat the game once.
* The Chaos Path in ''Der VideoGame/{{Langrisser}}'' has the protagonist Elwin become this. The other three paths (Light, Imperial and Independent) are [[BlackAndGreyMorality considerably more morally grey]].
* The unnamed protagonist of ''VideoGame/{{Hatred}}'' is a ruthless MisanthropeSupreme with the goal of dying while taking as many people with him as he can.
* ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'', although you're allowed to choose between being really evil and just [[NobleDemon self-proclaimed evil]]. Plus, given that all the "good" characters are corrupt, choosing the latter option makes you the most sympathetic character in the game with this depiction being decidedly canon (the Overlord at least saves the Elves and [[spoiler:Rose is the mother of his child]]). In the sequel you are 100% evil and you fight some genuinely Good foes, though your main enemies are still the anti-magic [[TheEmpire Glorious Empire]] bent on the destruction of all magic. Lord Gromgard of the Wii prequel ''Dark Legend'' is portrayed as a VillainWithGoodPublicity who is at the least well-liked amongst his servants for not letting them starve.
* [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores Everyone]] in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The Pyro is a {{pyromaniac}} PsychopathicManchild; The Scout [[BloodKnight treats killing like a sport]]; The Soldier is so AxCrazy he was killing Germans on his own little campaign until ''four years'' after the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII; The Demoman is a MadBomber who is disturbingly casual about his job from what we've seen through the glimpses at his home life; The Heavy is insane enough that he talks to his guns while using them to mow down endless opponents; The Engineer finds mechanically induced death both hilarious and apparently fascinating, and a great thing to do around campfires; The Sniper, while he claims to be a [[NothingPersonal morally upright professional]], loves childish insults and the sounds of exploding skulls far too much to be considered one; The Medic has a [[NightmareFetishist morbid fascination with pain, diseases, injuries, and general human suffering]]; finally, the Spy ''is'' an actual professional spy, but his sadistic nature ensures he is still this trope.
* Every game in the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series stars a [[OneManArmy mass-murderering criminal]] who [[EvilVersusEvil fights against other gangsters]]. The different games have gone back-and-forth with this trope:
** The original ''VideoGame/{{Grand Theft Auto|Classic}}'' allowed you to choose your player character from a roster, which had both males and females, but all of the said "characters" were completely devoid of any personality. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2'' was the first game to have a singular main character, but even he had absolutely no development.
** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'', the protagonist was not even ''named'' (though he was later given the name of Claude), and appeared to be doing what he did solely to survive (the game starts with him nearly getting killed, and subsequently being busted out of a prison transport). Only at the very end does a revenge motive appear.
** The most clear-cut Villain Protagonist in the games is Tommy Vercetti from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity''. He is not above dealing drugs, and unlike most of the other protagonists, aims to be a kingpin of the trade. The game's plot mostly revolves around Tommy seizing control of Vice City from the criminals who previously controlled it. Also unlike [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas other]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV protagonists]] in the series, he shows little to no remorse for any of his crimes and is only committing them to benefit himself as opposed to protecting those he cares about.
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' features Carl "CJ" Johnson, the series' first AntiHero protagonist. In cutscenes, CJ is presented as an honourable, even admirable character, and his motivation for most of the game is simple survival and keeping his family safe. Notably, CJ is opposed to dealing drugs of any nature, the only protagonist in the series that does so. Outside of the cutscenes he's just as willing to murder, steal, and destroy as any of the other protagonists.
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} in the 3 ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' stories. The 3 protagonists are more [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]] and [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]] than outright villains. Despite Niko, Johnny and Luis committing crimes and doing horrible things, they're quite sympathetic and have rather good qualities. They are shown to care a lot for their friends and families, can help strangers from time to time, and unlike the normal GTA protagonist, their motivations aren't power and greed. Also, when they are killing, [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential in the story missions at least]], it's usually other criminals or corrupt people.
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has 3 in the whole plot: [[BloodKnight Michael]], [[GangBangers Franklin]] and [[AxCrazy Trevor]].
*** Franklin's just a young street hustler trying to better himself (though he doesn't think about going straight either) who's also fairly amicable, but at the expense of often being a doormat other people walk all over.
*** Michael too is fairly cool and collected though at his worst, he's not any better than his psychotic former best friend Trevor. His impulsive decision making has him return to a life of crime early on in the game much to the chagrin of his family whom he honestly doesn't care all that much for. Near the end however, fortune begins to shine favorably on Michael.
*** Trevor however, is an almost completely straight example of this, though even he has his [[PetTheDog moments of compassion]]. His intro mission alone has him wipe out the Sandy Shores chapter of the Lost MC just to show how unhinged he is most of the time.
* ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans'', at least in the first game (the second casts the protagonist as more of an AntiHero [[NominalHero by circumstance]] and the third has him become an UnwittingPawn).

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' has a linear storyline that puts the player in control of different commanders from different sides of the war depending on the point of time in the story. The human campaign features Prince Arthas, an idealistic young man fighting a horrific undead army. As the war carries on, Arthas must resort to increasingly reprehensible tactics, starting with the slaughter of a sleeping town when he learns they've received shipments of food from a village secretly contaminated by the undead plague. Out of desperation to save the human population, he acquires, at the cost of his soul, a magic sword powerful enough to defeat his undead nemesis. The player is still in control of Arthas during the next campaign, but now he's a [[OurSoulsAreDifferent soulless]] Death Knight leading the undead in their war against the living.
* ''Franchise/StarCraft'':
** ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' has one campaign for each of the three factions, all of which form a cohesive story. During the Zerg campaign, you're an evil giant brain-slug monster, commanding your evil BigCreepyCrawlies into killing the good(ish) guys. Likewise in Brood War, the Terran Campaign has you play as the UED, who are pretty bad, although they rarely fight any good guys.
** In ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'', there are four campaigns: Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, Legacy of the Void, and Nova Covert Ops. While the other three campaigns show their light on the protagonists noble goals, the Heart of the Swarm campaign has several morally questionable moments. These include absolutely destroying the Dominion forces on Char, and wiping out Protoss colonists before they can get reinforcements to save their people from Kerrigan (the player character). In both instances, Kerrigan's behavior isn't waved as acceptable, but rather the result of a brutal revenge plot against Arcturus Mengsk, and casualties occur along the way. Most of these instances try to keep her violence strictly focused towards other Zerg or Dominion forces, but these two examples in particular are incredibly brutal towards innocent bystanders in Kerrigan's way. In particular, the colonists did nothing to actually deserve their fate outside of defending themselves from an incoming Zerg attack. The captured protoss angrily tells Kerrigan she's murdering colonists, and when they try to flee, Kerrigan sends the protoss, now host to a queen, to their ship which results in the entire ship being effectively devoured.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0'': [[spoiler:Machina,]] who is TheMole and becomes loyal to the White Tiger Crystal, [[spoiler:having a hand in killing Class Zero]] and outright killing [[spoiler:Rem.]] Averted once he becomes TheAtoner.
** ''VideoGame/StrangerOfParadiseFinalFantasyOrigin'': It's revealed early on that you're playing as Jack Garland, the Garland who becomes the villain of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI''. Your other party members become [[spoiler:the Fiends.]] Justified in that Jack is setting up a ZeroApprovalGambit in order to defeat the [[GreaterScopeVillain greater scope antagonists]] who are manipulating time.
* In ''VideoGame/StarTrekArmada'', the second to last campaign is the Borg campaign. In the final mission, you [[spoiler:successfully assimilate Earth, killing Worf in the process]]. [[spoiler:This is undone via TimeTravel in the subsequent hidden campaign, in which the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans join forces to defeat the Borg.]]
* Kratos from the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series is a berserker whose primary motivation is revenge on anyone who has spurned him. Which eventually expands to everyone who crosses his path or tries to stop him doing whatever he's doing. Also a fair few people whose deaths would be convenient for him. His main arc in [[VideoGame/GodOfWar2018 the reboot]] is his effort to move past his destructive nature.
* Any ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'' protagonist can be played this way. With enough effort, and bullets, you can be the worst thing that's happened to the Earth since the bombs fell. However, only two games let you side with the main villainous faction: [[TheEmpire Caesar's Legion]] in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' and [[ForScience the Institute]] in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'',[[note]]you can join the Unity in ''VideoGame/Fallout1'', but the ending you get for doing so is essentially a NonStandardGameOver[[/note]] so in the other games you're more of a NominalHero.
* Subverted with [[Characters/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Laharl]] (''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'') and newcomer Mao (''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 3|AbsenceOfJustice}}'') from the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' series-- but they are really {{Noble Demon}}s.
** Also the Prinnies in ''VideoGame/PrinnyCanIReallyBeTheHero'' SpinOff. Remember, those [[MadeOfExplodium volatile]] penguin {{Butt Monkey}}s contain the souls of dead criminals.
** The PSP port of ''{{VideoGame/Disgaea 2|CursedMemories}}'' has a [[AnotherSideAnotherStory side story]] starring Axel, though he's [[AntiVillain played much more sympathetically]] than [[GoldfishPoopGang in the main story]].
* Zetta from ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' is another NobleDemon example of this trope.
* [[spoiler:Revya during the Demon Path]] of ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''. Unlike other Creator/NipponIchi games listed here, definitely ''[[OmnicidalManiac not]]'' a NobleDemon.
** To explain, there are two story paths in the game. The first path, the default, is played by simply not attacking Lady Layna on a new game plus, however attacking Lady Layna will result in [[spoiler:her dying and the entire village setting out to kill Revya. Nobody can stop you, and with Gig's power you do horrendous things. Force a man to fight an innocent warrior to save his son, kill a kid out of boredom, subjugate cities and destroy them outright, and generally destroy the land with absolute disregard for anything except entertainment]].

* ''VideoGame/TieFighter''. You play on the side of TheEmpire, and have Darth Vader as your wingman. Note that while you do spend quite a bit of time fighting the Rebels, the Empire is portrayed as quite a bit less ruthlessly evil than in the films and other media while the Rebellion is much more violent and perfectly willing to target civilians. The result is more like an [[AntiVillain Anti-Villain]] Protagonist.
* ''Videogame/TheForceUnleashed'' features Starkiller, a Dark Jedi who was raised by Darth Vader and has a disturbing talent for killing his enemies in outlandish, yet surprisingly amusing ways. Justified to an extent as he was raised from childhood to believe in Vader's cause [[HeelFaceTurn and eventually turns against him anyway (canonically).]] The non-canon add-on missions included in ''Ultimate Sith Edition'' take it further, complete with Starkiller informing a captain "YouHaveFailedMe For The Last Time."
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront II'''s Campaign mode. You play as the Republic's 501st Legion, who quite obviously become the bad guys just before the halfway point.
* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsGalaxies'', you can enlist with TheEmpire and work your way up the ranks to answering directly to Darth Vader himself.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'':
** If you go with TheEmpire side. Even when you can make noble decisions with them using Light Side options, [[NobleDemon they are still people who work for an oppressive empire]]. Not to mention the ''many'' opportunities you get to be a treacherous, sadistic and murderous bastard through your DarkSide decisions.
** Downplayed compared to their Imperial counterparts, but Republic characters can be this if you play as DarkSide. The ''Onslaught'' expansion allows you to even double down and become TheMole.
* ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesGrimm'' features a dwarf named Grimm who despises the {{Disneyfication}} of fairy tales and whose goal is to [[{{Grimmification}} return them into the dark stories that they were]]. His CatchPhrase in the ads is:
-->'''Grimm:''' Happily ever after ends NOW!
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' has the player becoming this, with the goal of the game being 'take over the city over the corpses of rival gangs, cops and any innocent civilians that get in the way'. The only reason the Saints look sympathetic is via the ''even worse'' antics of their enemies and the UndyingLoyalty the Saints develop to each other. This continues into the [[VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird next game]], though much more downplayed in favour of chaos and stunts than outright villainy.
** Nowhere is The Boss' Villain Protagonist nature more evident than their rivalry with the The Brotherhood, which is triggered when The Boss is offended by Maero's offer of an alliance where they get only 20% of the profits, sparking a CycleOfRevenge that The Boss initiates and leads to both the death of [[spoiler: Carlos, the lieutenant that helped The Boss break out of prison in the first place]] and The Boss either killing or screwing over two of the most likeable/sympathetic rival gangsters in the game.
** It really isn't until ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'' that The Boss is actually forced to admit to or understand the significance of their actions. However, their amoral and self-righteous attitude never vanishes, it's just given context.
* In ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'', Travis Touchdown creates [[EvenEvilHasStandards the line in the sand]] for a character who either just ''barely'' counts as a Villain Protagonist (he has very few, if any, likable qualities, and kills people for a living) or is not ''quite'' evil enough to be a Villain Protagonist (the people he kills are, for the most part, even ''more'' [[AssholeVictim sick and twisted]] than he is, or at the very least other assassins). Which side he is actually on is up for debate. He still doesn't veer completely away from this in the sequel, in the end murder is the only answer in order to seek revenge and to escape the rankings.
* In ''VideoGame/ThreadsOfFate'', you can choose to play as either Rue, the hero, or Mint, the IneffectualSympatheticVillain.
* The unreleased arcade game ''Videogame/ChimeraBeast'' is about a ruthless and mindless HordeOfAlienLocusts who [[PowerCopying reabsorb the DNA of what they eat to become stronger]]... ''and you play as one of them'', digging your way through the food chain of your home planet starting from bacteria. If you win against the final boss [[spoiler:you end up [[EarthShatteringKaboom blowing up the planet]] and going through a killing spree across the universe, eventually reaching Earth... [[NoFourthWall Even the game mocks you]] for this. To get the "good" ending, you must lose to the final boss and opt not to continue.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', the main character, Alex Mercer is a violent, grotesque monster whose main redeeming feature is that everyone he fights is just as awful in slightly different ways. Unlike ''VideoGame/InFamous'', a game with a roughly similar premise, ''Prototype'' has no KarmaMeter, and automatically assumes [[PersonOfMassDestruction the player will choose to behave]] [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential the way players often behave]] in a WideOpenSandbox.
* Speaking of ''VideoGame/InFamous'', following the Evil Karma alignment makes your character -- you guessed it -- a VillainProtagonist.
* All the playable characters of ''VideoGame/InPursuitOfGreed'', being a band of marauders and thieves out to rob other planets and passing spaceships. As enforced by their motto: "If it's moving around, kill it. If it's not nailed down, steal it."
* Wylfred of ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfileCovenantOfThePlume'' is one of these on the C path, if you use the Plume to sacrifice more than a certain number of your teammates. Otherwise, he's either a ByronicHero, or an AntiHero.
* In ''VideoGame/TheBattleCats'', the Cat Army takes over the world ''[[ExaggeratedTrope thrice]]'', feeds all the world's power into one place ([[AntiVillain although they do remember to turn it off and leave a "Thank You" note)]], and uses said power to travel to the past and '''take it over as well'''. Their soldiers are no better, including bondage-dom couples, violent alcoholics, and [[DistractedByTheSexy Sexy Legs Cats]].
* In the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series, which ending you get often determines whether your main character is a tortured hero or this trope. ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'' takes it one step further by having the plot revolve entirely around the BigBad ImplacableMan antagonist instead of the borderline FeaturelessProtagonist [[DullSurprise Henry Townshend]].
** There are four endings to ''Silent Hill: Downpour'' which determine if Murphy Pendleton was a villain or a wronged man. There are two good endings, two bad endings, and two secret endings (one which is a joke ending). The worst possible bad ending explains that Murphy killed his own son, killed a police officer, and killed Patrick Napier. He shows no remorse for it.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Rampage}}'' games you score points by destroying as much property as possible and eating people, and most of the people haven't done anything to you or are just soldiers doing their job. You can also kick them to death or knock them off building/tear off parachutes and watch them splat.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** Throughout the series, you can choose to invoke this by joining a number of traditionally evil (or at least morally questionable) guilds and factions. The ThievesGuild and at least one [[MurderInc assassin's guild]] have been available in every game since ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]''. Additionally, you can perform quests for some of the [[JerkassGods outright malevolent]] [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]], such as Mehrunes Dagon (Prince of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]]) and Molag Bal (Prince of [[TheCorrupter Corruption]] and the closest thing the series has to a true GodOfEvil). ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' gives you the opportunity to join an EvilSorcerer [[TheMagocracy Magocracy]] in [[TheClan Great House Telvanni]]. ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' gives you the opportunity to join a group of vampires who seek to bring about TheNightThatNeverEnds.
** Following the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'''s ''Shivering Isles'' expansion, [[spoiler:[[PlayerCharacter the Champion of Cyrodiil]]]] [[AGodIsYou inherits the mantle]] of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of [[MadGod Madness]]. During his appearance in ''Skyrim'', Sheogorath strongly implies that he is [[spoiler:the Champion]] and mentions his involvement with the ''Oblivion'' Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood questlines, suggesting that [[spoiler:the Champion]] canonically joined those factions.
* ''VideoGame/EvilGenius''. You play a typical {{supervillain}}, sending out henchmen from your [[SupervillainLair lair in a hollowed-out volcano]] (or somewhere like that) to commit evil deeds, working towards the culmination of EvilPlan, setting off your DoomsdayDevice or [[TakeOverTheWorld taking over the world]].
* [[TheGunslinger Caleb]], the main character in the ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'' series, is a psychotic undead cowboy killing his way through his former cult so he can get revenge on their god, Tchernobog. What pushes Caleb into true villainy is just how much he ''loves'' his RoaringRampageOfRevenge; when he isn't wisecracking or snarking, he's cackling like a madman while chucking dynamite at anything that gets in his way. And then, in the second game, [[spoiler:his disuse of Tchernobog's powers begins to unravel the very stability of the universe; he's quite happy to let the totality of existence collapse out of '''boredom'''.]]
* In the flash game ''Videogame/ArmedWithWings'', you play as the exiled king Vandheer Lorde, the main villain of the series, who is undeniably badass.

* ''VideoGame/{{Centipede}}'': The comic book adaptation has the playable character (a wizard) in the role of the bad guy, with a boy trying to stop him.
* ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'' has us follow the adventures of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin World Destruction Committee]]. Although only one is actively seeking the destruction of the world, the other is tagging along because he likes our [[AxeCrazy crazed]] lady protagonist, and the third is going with to protect him.
* ''VideoGame/OkageShadowKing'''s main character is a slave of the evil king Stan, and through the game, you're trying to take the power of the other evil kings that showed up while Stan was in a jar, so he can take over the world. It's not very prominent though, what with Stan being a HarmlessVillain who spends more time fighting evil than causing it.
* The title character in ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' is quite the nasty piece of work. The series starts with him becoming a vampire so he can avenge his death. He then decides to destroy the town he was murdered in. And then he gets a list of people to kill, and just settles for slaughtering every man, woman, and child he sees. And right as he's finished, he ruins the whole point of the quest and just decides to rule over Nosgoth's dying remains, [[spoiler:and while it's later revealed his final choice was in reality [[SadisticChoice a lose-lose in the long run]], he still made it with his own selfish intents in mind]]. In ''Blood Omen 2'', he mind controls bystanders to their deaths, kills every human he sees, [[spoiler:and murders his LoveInterest when she realizes what a monster he is]], all in the name of regaining his empire. It takes Nosgoth itself dying in the ''Soul Reaver'' series for him to simmer down, and then, he's a ManipulativeBastard to his vampire offspring Raziel [[spoiler:though ironically he's the only one of the various entities manipulating Raizen who [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes actually cares about him somewhat]]]], and is out to save himself foremost while preventing the world's end or complete damnation. It's telling Raziel outright considers him a villain and TheReveal [[spoiler:of the other forces' own malevolent intents]] just makes Raziel realize Kain's way [[ALighterShadeOfBlack is simply the best of all options, the others even more horrible]].
* [[spoiler:Scott Shelby]] in ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'' especially when it is revealed that [[spoiler:he ''is'' the Origami Killer masquerading as a private investigator.]]
* ''VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron'' has a campaign where you play as the Decepticons, and control [[BigBad Megatron]], or one of his Decepticon lieutenants, for most of the levels.
* The ''[[VideoGame/{{Descent}} Descent 3: Mercenary]]'' ExpansionPack casts you on the side of the BigBad CorruptCorporateExecutive Dravis, as the leader of his Black Pyro squadron.
* This happens in ''Franchise/BlazBlue'' when you play as Hazama in story mode; he's the story's Villain Protagonist, with no past or reasons to justify his villainy. The same goes to Relius Clover.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} Wizardry IV]]'' is an atypical entry in the series: it has the player take control of Werdna, the EvilSorcerer of the first episode, now resurrected and thirsty for revenge... If he manages to just leave the dungeon where he was buried first, which is [[NintendoHard not an easy task]].
* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' has you as a crook taking part in various heists, complete with taking hostages and shooting a whole lot of cops.
* Jinkuro, the malevolent ghost possessing Momohime's body, in ''VideoGame/MuramasaTheDemonBlade''. He's outright only into the whole ordeal to get his chosen weapon back and find a better target in his GrandTheftMe scheme to live forever, and does a lot of villainous actions (such as invading Heaven) in order to find alternate routes to immortality. He ''does'' soften up in all of the endings of their storyline, however, showing he does indeed grow to care about Momohime.
* ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'':
** The Voinian campaign in ''Escape Velocity: Override'' is about as unambiguously evil as they come. The Voinians are a race of vicious [[AlienInvasion alien warlords]] bent on conquering the galaxy and enslaving everything in their path. The player has the option to help the Voinians break their stalemate with the human United Earth[[note]]Word of God is it fails and the stalemate ends up broken in favour of the UE[[/note]], and crippling the attempts of a ''previously'' conquered race to rebel against their overlords. Rewards for doing so include access to a variety of powerful Voinian military vessels and the unsettling satisfaction of committing genocide against your own race.
** ''All'' ''Escape Velocity'' games have at least one storyline where the player character can be called a villain: in ''Classic'', working for the Confederation and trying to bring the Rebels back to heel, in ''Override'', the Voinian and the two Renegade storylines, and in ''Nova'', the Federation storyline (after a certain point of no return).
* Brice, a UFO-obsessed ghost and one of the playable characters in the adventure game, ''VideoGame/AmberJourneysBeyond''. [[spoiler:After you complete his level he is sent to Hell in a particularly horrifying way - granted, he did murder at least 3 people in the game's backstory.]]
* Demitri Maximoff from ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}''. He wants to TakeOverTheWorld, and yet was advertised as the lead originally.

* In ''VideoGame/{{DEFCON}}'', each player takes up the role of a GeneralRipper during a global thermonuclear war. Each player's goal is to ensure that the capitalist/communists/whatever '''''[[KillAllHumans die in a nuclear fire]]'''''. The "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Genocide]]" mode elevates this - the only way to gain points is to nuke population centers.
* ''VideoGame/TheLordOfTheRingsOnline'' has a monster-play feature which lets you be an orc, goblin, warg, or other baddie minion, and play in a [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]] dungeon against hero players.
* In ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'', a successful ruler will usually at least be this [[DeliberateValuesDissonance by modern standards]] as they use betrayal, religious wars, assassination, and deceit to better their dynasty's fortunes. To say nothing of rulers who manage to [[EveryoneHasStandards go beyond even their own era's levels of brutality]] and earn titles such as "the Evil" or "Son of Satan".

* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow2'' you control the series longtime BigBad [[EvilOverlord Dracula]] as he seeks [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge vengeance]] against God, Satan, the Brotherhood of Light, and just about everyone else who ruined his life.

* The entire point of ''VideoGame/{{Deception}}''. Taking over a mansion/castle just to lure adventurers or heroes to messy deaths within does not leave wiggle room for heroics. The character has the opportunity to pull a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but it's by no means obligatory.
* ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'' always ends up becoming this. The whole story is centered around the Mishima bloodline, and the conflict between the generations within it. As one protagonist takes down another antagonist, they end up becoming more of a {{jerkass}} than the previous antagonist in the next game, whereas the previous antagonist then tries take them down for being worse than they were before. It can get confusing.
** The original ''Tekken'' has Kazuya being presented as a [[Franchise/StreetFighter Ryu]] {{Expy}} hero, with his father Heihachi as the BigBad and owner of the powerful and oppressive Mishima Zaibatsu Corporation, who Kazuya wants to take down.
** ''Tekken 2'' switches it around. Kazuya takes over Heihachi's empire and becomes even worse than he was (donning a rather pimp purple suit and using the Zaibatsu for far more chaotic and malicious things, whereas Heihachi just used it for order), ironically leading to Heihachi becoming a sort of AntiHero to take Kazuya down, and the previous villain actually doing the world a good service when taking his company back and restoring the world to controlled peace (although he's obviously only doing it to regain power).
** ''Tekken 3'' leads to Kazuya's son, Jin, arising as a new Mishima, far more honourable and nicer than any of his family, and for seemly the first time, we believe that he will finally become a moral compass for the family.
** ''VideoGame/Tekken4'' deals with a three-way clash between all three. Jin, the former protagonist, hiding in the shadows after the previous game, emerges as somewhat of a WildCard. While still rebelling against his family roots because of their evil, he starts to become too confused, single-minded, and spurred on by hate and anger to really be seen as noble and righteous as he once was. Kazuya and Heihachi are jerkasses, but [[AtLeastIAdmitIt they aren't even trying to hide it]]. The story, at least until the climax, generally focuses on Kazuya wanting revenge and is somewhat shown from his perspective.
** With the climax of ''VideoGame/Tekken5'' leading to ''Tekken 6'', Jin has followed in his father's footsteps and taken over the Zaibatsu for himself, and despite once being believed to be more heroic than the rest of his family, has become even ''more'' of a menace than either Kazuya or Heihachi ever have, plunging the entire globe into world war so that chaos is all there is. [[WellIntentionedExtremist To be fair, he admits that only did it in order to summon the]] FinalBoss, [[TakingYouWithMe so that he can destroy it along with himself]]. Thus far, Lars is the only Mishima-related character introduced who hasn't become destructive and malicious yet, but only time will tell.
* ''VideoGame/ThingThing'': Project 154 himself shows a callous disregard for the lives of others, and has no moral qualms about going into an area where he knows he will have to kill others. After what Systems Corp. put him through, it is unsurprising that he lacks a conscience.
* CardCarryingVillain Overlord Badman in ''VideoGame/WhatDidIDoToDeserveThisMyLord''. He's also kind of a DesignatedVillain since he rarely does anything even mildly unpleasant and seems to have a lot of [[AFatherToHisMen genuine love for his monsters]] even if he does remind you that they have to be culled every now and again, while the Heroes are at best hapless and at worst ridiculously nasty.

* In ''VideoGame/QuestFantasy'', [[spoiler:S O U L tries to portray HERO as one. It's open to interpretation whether he really is, though. Later on, however, played more straight with Guy, who is subjected to the same 'you killed this innocent man' guilt trips the other protagonists are subject to and doesn't even care. He would grow up to become TheDragon]].

* Despite the title, subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'', in which the protagonist is an AntiHero.
* Possible in ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'', depending on which alignment the player chooses.
** Also possible in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' with an interesting twist via the "Dark Urge" character option, wherein your protagonist is constantly contending with mysterious murderous urges. You can resist the urges, or give in to your baser temptations, with consequences either way.
* Ellen and the Cocoon organization from ''DarthWiki/PaleBlue'' are made as villains by the developers in order to provide a perspective flip to the usual heroism tales such as ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', ''Franchise/{{Kamenrider}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''.
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue'' has you playing as Assassin turned Templar Shay Cormac as he participates in the purge of the Colonial Assassins. In fact, Shay is in large part responsible for the sorry state of the Colonial Assassins at the start of ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII III]]'', and, at the end, [[spoiler:kills the father of ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedUnity Unity]]''[='s=] protagonist]].
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** Bass from the ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' skirts the line between this and AntiHero whenever he's playable. He never stops working for Dr. Wily and trying to kill Mega Man, but his desire to prove himself as the world's strongest robot can cause him to save the day by accident. His sole reason for turning on Wily in the ''Power Battles'' games is to get him to acknowledge that ''he's'' his greatest creation and that he doesn't need to create other Robot Masters to take down Mega Man, and when King declares himself king of the robots in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'', Bass goes after him to prove that he's more worthy of the title instead.
** Vile similarly goes down this route in his campaign in ''VideoGame/MegaManMaverickHunterX''. Instead of siding with Sigma, he decides to prove that he's more powerful than X by taking down both Sigma's forces ''and'' X and Zero.
** ''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne'' has you play as GoldfishPoopGang member from ''VideoGame/MegaManLegends'', Tron Bonne in her quest to steal one million zenny worth of goods to save her kidnapped air pirate family.
* An interesting variation in ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'': [[spoiler:Tavia, the final playable protagonist of DLC ''400 Days'', who wasn't revealed to be working for Carver, Season 2's BigBad until Episode 3 of the next season.]]
* Waluigi in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' fangame ''VideoGame/PsychoWaluigi'', who spends the game conquering the land of Unconcia one kingdom at a time [[spoiler: [[EvenEvilHasStandards though he draws the line at flat-out destroying it]], as Psycho Iris decides to do once Waluigi's conquest is complete.]]
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear XX Accent Core+'' feature's Justice's Story Mode, which is a reenactment of the events of the first game, and has the player use the first game's BigBad to beat the crap out of the original roster and kill Kliff before Sol finally comes in and puts a stop to things.
* The ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' series stars the evil Wario from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' as he fights with rival villains on a quest to get rich. [[VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3 The first game]] is even marketed with the {{tagline}} "Be the Bad Guy". The sequels make him more of a NominalHero. ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'' could possibly tread carefully between being this and just coming short. Wario ''is'' OnlyInItForTheMoney, but he is ''also'' saving a lot of people. That said, after he saves the queen, he simply tosses her aside and robs her of her bag of riches and ditches the universe. One could say he earned it for saving all of their lives, but he was a serious jerk about it and simply up and tossed the queen like a bag of garbage.
* ''VideoGame/{{Nefarious}}'' is sort of a PerspectiveFlip parody of the usual cartoonish side-scroller with a villain called Crow. He's a CardCarryingVillain out to kidnap princesses and TakeOverTheWorld, and dang proud of it.
* In a bonus chapter of ''The Keepers: Lost Progeny'', you play as the demon antagonist whom you (as the protagonist) defeated in the main game.
* ''VideoGame/TheWitchsHouse'', in a CruelTwistEnding, it turns out [[spoiler: You were the evil witch Ellen who already possesses Viola's body all along. Additionally, Ellen is also the main character of the prequel novel and manga, ''The Diary of Ellen'']].
* ''VideoGame/NaughtyBear'' has the titular Naughty Bear, a teddy bear that goes on a murderous rampage [[DisproportionateRetribution after he's not invited to a birthday party]]. Then again, he does go on to save them from aliens, which they say thanks for by [[UngratefulBastard slamming a cake in his face as a prank]]. [[AssholeVictim At least they get nuked shortly afterwards]].
* In ''Custer's Revenge'', you play as commander George Armstrong Custer as he tries to rape a native American woman.
* In ''VideoGame/JawsUnleashed'', you play as the titular shark, eating people and causing mayhem.
* The protagonists from ''VideoGame/KaneAndLynch'' are an interesting example. Since they are the POV characters, we find out a lot about them. They both have traits that make them sympathetic. Kane is motivated by love for his daughter, Lynch struggles with severe mental illness and most of the time they are merely looking for a way to survive. However, they ''will'' kill anyone between them and their goals. In any other work, they would be co-Brutes and get killed by TheHero about an hour in.
* Metallia from ''VideoGame/TheWitchAndTheHundredKnight'', even though you mostly play as the Hundred Knight.
* ''VideoGame/LockNChase'' has the player controlling a thief who must steal money from a bank while avoiding the police.
* The majority of playable characters in both ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'' and [[VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber its sequel]] either fill this role or sit on the far end of the [[Analysis/AntiHero Sliding Scale Of Anti Heroes]]. First there's Biker from the first game, who's trying to get out of the professional killer business not because of any moral quandaries, but simply because he's bored. The second game adds in Jake, a racist neo-confederate working for 50 Blessings, the Fans, a gang of thrill-seeking copycat vigilantes continuing Jacket's work from the first game, The Son, the new leader of the Mafiya trying to take back his turf from invading Columbians, and Manny Pardo, a CowboyCop who uses his position as an excuse to go on killing sprees [[spoiler: and is the very same SerialKiller he's supposedly been hunting for the entire game.]] Martin Brown is a maybe-example, since everything he does as the Pig Butcher is part of a movie, though he admits in a dream that he's an utter psychopath who relishes in being able to act out his violent fantasies on camera. Evan also can be viewed as maybe-example, since while he appears to be a person who tends to avoid violence (at least using lethal methods, unless player enters his so-called Rage mode, by killing few downed enemies) and isn't a homicidal maniac, criminal or lunatic, unlike the majority of other protagonists. He is obsessed with his book to the point that he even storms the whole club that belongs to Russian Mafia (even though unintentionally, but even in rage killing a guard who refused to let him in) and beats/kills everyone there just to ask one of them some information and depending on player's choice he can also chose to continue writing his own book over his own family. Even Jacket himself could count, though it's offset by his obvious SanitySlippage and a girl he rescues from the Mafiya that becomes his MoralityPet.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', killing every monster in the game [[spoiler:causes the PlayerCharacter to become possessed by The First Child: a genocidal force of nature who is the living embodiment of the kind of video game player who would kill every monster in the world for fun, for the challenge, just to see what happened, or because they're addicted to the Skinner Box feeling of numbers going up]].
* Torque from ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' series can be example of such trope. Depending on player's choices he can either help people in need, ignore them or kill them himself. Player's actions also depend on the endings of the games and thus is he responsible for the death of his own family or not.
* Juan (later Jesus), protagonist of the game ''[[VideoGame/TwelveIsBetterThanSix 12 Is Better Than 6]]'' is a Mexican outlaw and alcoholic, who cares only about himself and will kill anyone who stands on his way, oftenly acting really arrogant and rude towards others to the point that he can even hurt or kill them (even though oftenly he is provoked in such situations). Later in the game, it's also revealed that he used to be the leader of the violent Mexican gang before they betrayed him. Also, it's implied that he hates white people, at least Americans, thus also making him racist. However, he does show some decent qualities, like feeling bad about his past and wanting to warn a barber in one town about upcoming outlaw attack.
* VideoGame/HenryStickminSeries:
** The titular Henry Stickmin is a light-hearted example as he's a burglar who's also a massive ButtMonkey prone to TheManyDeathsOfYou. Though his morality can be influenced such as working with the government to take down a criminal organization in ''Infiltrating the Airship'', but can choose to instead become the criminal organization's new leader or abscond with a ruby stolen from the airship's vault.
** As she is a criminal by default, Ellie Rose also counts as she would become Henry's faithful partner if the latter helps her escape the Wall.
* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'':
** Ayano Aishi, a.k.a. [[{{Yandere}} Yandere-chan]], the player character, who will do ''[[LoveMakesYouCrazy anything]]'' to get her Senpai. This includes slandering, kidnapping, torturing and murdering her rivals, and she has ''zero'' qualms about any of it.
--->'''WordOfGod:''' Remember, Yandere-chan is not a nice person. She is a monster.
** The [[ArrangeMode 1980s Mode]] additionally features another yandere, Ryoba, [[spoiler:aka Yandere-chan's mother.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheAddamsFamily'': The game for the UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16, based on the 1991 movie, has you in control of the dead-beat AmoralAttorney Tully Alford who schemes to steal the Addams family fortune and in the game fights the family who see it as a fun treasure hunting game. All the videogames based on the movies qualify to an extent considering that Gomez and Fester in "Addams Family Values" are villainous and proud about it, though the games have them [[NominalHero more trying to save their family]] than feeding people to their pets.
* A ''lot'' of video games that come from ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' have you in control of a predator or hunter who tries to catch and kill his prey very much like the cartoons themselves. That is when they aren't in the role of NominalHero which they are just as often. A few examples:
** Games based on WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird like ''Breakfast on the Run'' and ''[[VideoGame/SylvesterAndTweetyInCageyCapers Cagey Capers]]'' have you in control of Sylvester the Cat and trying to make a meal out of Tweety.
** ''VideoGame/DesertDemolition starring WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadrunner'' is a partial example as you can choose whether you will control trapper and predator WesternAnimation/WileECoyote or prey Roadrunner.
** In the ''VideoGame/LooneyTunesCollectorMartianAlert'' sequel ''Martian's Revenge'', Marvin is the playable character and wishes to turn Daffy into a roast duck for making fun of his previous game's attempts to blow up Earth.
** ''VideoGame/SheepDogNWolf'' has you play as Ralph Wolf, with the goal of the game being to steal sheep without getting beaten up by Sam Sheepdog.
* The title character in ''Bob's Big Adventure'' is a minotaur. As it's PlayedForLaughs a fair bit, this leads to enemies like the "Inexperienced Adventurer" and "Novice Mage."
* The "Darkspawn Chronicles" DLC for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' lets the player control one of the Darkspawn commanders in the Battle of Denerim, in an AlternateTimeline where the player-created Grey Warden perished at Ostagar, leaving just Alistair to shoulder the Order's duties.

* In ''Bank Heist'' for the Atari 2600, you go around robbing banks and blowing up cop cars with dynamite.
* In ''VideoGame/CalmTime'', [[spoiler:you play as a guy who has invited a bunch of people over to murder them, among them [[WouldHurtAChild a child]]. He had already killed a woman he trapped in his basement]].

* The PlayerCharacter of ''VideoGame/ExpeditionsConquistador'' can become this if the player tends towards the doing morally dubious choices, such as burning down innocent unarmed native villages, executing all slaves after a slave revolt, even the innocent ones, and ruling over their expedition party with an iron fist through fear and cruelty.
* ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' has the Joker, who is clearly a villain and kicks anyone's ass if they get in his way. One chapter is dedicated to playing as him where you beat up his hero counterpart, Batman. He also fights several members of the Regime, where it becomes a case of EvilVersusEvil.
* ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' can have you playing as the antagonist depending on who you side with near the end of the story campaign. [[spoiler: Siding with Superman over Batman has you playing as Superman defeating everyone trying to stop him from using Brainiac's ship computer to control everyone. By succeeding, he has everyone under his thumb and rules with an iron fist. He even brainwashes Batman to join his side after he beats him.]]
* ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeRogueAgent'': The whole point of the game is to play an evil version of James Bond.
* ''VideoGame/EliseTheDevil'' is the story of what happens when the BigBad of a standard JRPG somehow manages to survive getting vanquished by TheHero. The titular Elise is a former EldritchAbomination who is now stuck in the form of young woman and must travel the world rebuilding her demon army.

* In ''VideoGame/EvilQuest'', you play as the evil tyrant Galvis.
* The fourth game in the ''VideoGame/KingdomRush'' series has you play as Vez'Nan, the BigBad of the first game as well as his forces of evil. The enemies you face are the forces of good that you played as in the previous games. In the end, [[spoiler:[[TheBadGuyWins Vez'nan is successful at defeating King Denas and taking over Linirea]], but it's also revealed in TheStinger that Vez'nan was a WellIntentionedExtremist, and that Linirea and Denas were not exactly good guys either.]]
* ''VideoGame/LegoDCSuperVillains'', which is a spin-off of the ''VideoGame/LEGOBatman'' series, has you play as a custom supervillain known as the Rookie by most of the cast, as well as playing as DC's most infamous villains.

* Connor from ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'' can become this if you have him pick the anti-android options and [[spoiler:decides to remain a machine in the end]]. He actually has the most playable sections of the three protagonists.

* Mae in ''VideoGame/BlueRevolver'' builds extraordinary Devices that, unfortunately, result in a lot of environmental pollution and damage, causing the titular organization to move in to apprehend her for her dangerous activities. She is also one of two {{Player Character}}s. [[ObliviouslyEvil It doesn't seem like she's intentionally doing bad, but she does refuse to acknowledge the consequences of her actions, resulting in her launching a counter-attack out of anger.]]
* ''VideoGame/BattlefieldV'': For the single player mission ''The Last Tiger'', the main playable character is a German tank commander facing off against the Allied forces.
* ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'': The backstory reveals that the moon colony Selene (who your player character fights for) is the aggressor that caused WorldWarIII against Earth and has returned to attack Earth after 100 years of peace to obtain a dwindling resource. They're also [[spoiler:not above [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness offing you once you've completed your mission]], which is what causes the player's HeelFaceTurn]].
* In ''VideoGame/IdleApocalypse'', you take on the role of cult leader Sid, whose goal is to summon SealedEvilInACan idols to destroy the world, while keeping the heroes busy with monsters spawned by your ever-growing EvilTowerOfOminousness.

* ''VideoGame/DCUniverseOnline'' gives you the option of playing as a villain in the Secret Society of Super Villains. While many storylines in the early game pit you against members of the Justice League, the two factions share most content and the majority ends up being firmly EvilVersusEvil.
* ''VideoGame/LoveSam'': [[spoiler:The player character turns out to be Kyle, who was responsible for killing Sam and stalking Brian.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Carrion}}'' puts the player in the role of an amorphous, [[BodyHorror Body-Horrific]] EldritchAbomination straight out of HP Lovecraft (it's very much like a shoggoth), though it may also be a case of AntiVillain, since the monster just wants to escape.
* ''VideoGame/{{BUTCHER}}'' (from some of the people who would later bring us ''VideoGame/{{Carrion}}'') has the player in the role of a Cyborg programmed to exterminate humanity.

* ''VideoGame/CaptiveRPGMaker'': [[spoiler:The protagonist, pre-amnesia, was a MadScientist who kidnapped and killed people to cure her ill father. In the ending where her memories return, she hunts down the one girl who escaped her and finishes the job.]]
* Sidestep from ''VideoGame/FallenHero''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin He's obviously was once a hero]], now he has [[FaceHeelTurn entered the dark side]] to become the strongest villain in a town.
* ''VideoGame/EndRoll'': Prior to the start of the game, Russell killed several people, with varying motivations. He initially feels no remorse about what he did, and says that while he knows murder is wrong, he doesn't understand guilt. The game revolves around him being the subject of an experiment that's supposed to foster remorse in criminals.
* ''VideoGame/NaufragarCrimson'': [[spoiler:After Triptophia River, the player is essentially controlling Hyo possessing Kyo and is subtly manipulating the rest of the party members into helping him find ancient coins and kill Athena. Only when Hyo gains the power to leave Kyo's body does the player get to properly control Kyo again.]]
* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'': [[spoiler:You can pick [[FallenHero Oersted]] as the player character for the endgame. [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt It doesn't end well.]]]]

* Played with in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2''. The game sees you carrying out missions for Organization XIII, the BigBad group from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', but you play as [[TokenGoodTeammate Roxas]], the Nobody of series protagonist Sora, who only does what they ask of him because he knows nothing else in life, having just been created from Sora’s HeroicSacrifice towards the end of [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI the first game]] when their leader Xemnas found him.
* ''VideoGame/DevilishHairdresser'' stars the Devil herself, whose main goal is to ruin the Angelic Hairdresser's day by spoiling her clients' looks.
* ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth'': Ardonna, the protagonist of ''Secret of the Ancients'' campaign, is an unscrupulous young mage who wants to find out how to become immortal through necromancy and doesn't care much for the lawful people whom she killed along the way.

* Subverted in the "Tales of Ash" story arc of ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters''; Ash Crimson appears to be an utter asshole, manipulating his own teammates and gunning for the powers of Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami and Chizuru Kagura... then it turns out that [[GoodAllAlong he was doing all of this to stop Saiki]]. And he ended up [[{{Retgone}} erasing himself from existence]] to save the day.

* ''VideoGame/FreakyFlyers'' has three among its cast. [[MisterBig Paulie Atchie]], a crime boss posing as a sanitation business owner, Cactus Rose, a thief who lies about giving to the poor as she gives her ill-gotten wealth to her gang, and most apparent, [[MadScientist Professor Gutentaag]], who's actively trying to sabotage the other flyers so he can win the race, collaborating with [[BigBad Pilot X.]]

* In the text-based game ''VideoGame/DominionOfDarkness'', you play as Lord/Lady of Darkness trying to conquer the world by military strength/intrigue and corruption/black magic.
* The denizens of the Library in ''VideoGame/LibraryOfRuina'' are of the PunchClockVillain type. [[AudienceSurrogate Roland]] is forced into being Angela's slave under threat of death and the Patron Librarians can't really defy her, while Angela herself is a straight example and single-mindedly obsessed with becoming a real human regardless of what she has to do. The Library frequently sends out invites to people to tempt them to enter the place in order to find informations or treasure within, only for them to be killed and turned into books by the Librarians. More than a few of them are AssholeVictims like AxCrazy Syndicate members or cannibal chefs, but as the game goes along you start fighting more and more sympathetic characters that nonetheless meet the same fate. [[spoiler:In the True Ending, however, Angela releases all of the victims of the Library who reappear into the City, except for the villainous Reverb Ensamble who die permanently.]]
* ''VideoGame/MorimiyaMiddleSchoolShooting'' is about [[AxesAtSchool a school shooting]]. The player character is the shooter. Do the math.
* ''[[VideoGame/DownfallSlayTheSpire Downfall (Slay the Spire)]]'' is a ''VideoGame/SlayTheSpire'' GameMod where you get to play as one of the bosses (or, in two cases, a normal hallway enemy) trying to protect the Spire and its Corrupt Heart from the base game's protagonists.
* In ''[[VideoGame/DevilSurvivor Devil Survivor Overclocked]]'' the player can become this by choosing the killing option in day 8 of Naoya's route.
* If the player accepts Thorn's offer to join the [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Musicians]] in ''[[VideoGame/TheCaligulaEffect Caligula Effect Overdose]]'' they can play both sides of the conflict, eventually culminating in another choice on whether or not the player wants to return to the real world or [[OmnicidalManiac destroy it]].
* In ''[[VideoGame/GrowlanserIV Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of Time]]'' the player is invited to join the Dulkheim empire to become the [[BigBad Big Bad's]] right hand man. This story route can play out in many different ways, such as remaining loyal to a dictator or even overthrowing him to become the new ruler. Oh yeah, you also may be forced to [[FightingYourFriend kill many of your past allies]].

* Every game in the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series star [[OneManArmy mass-murderering criminals]] who [[EvilVersusEvil fight against other gangsters]]. The different games have gone back-and-forth with this trope:

** The most clear-cut Villain Protagonist of the series is Tommy Vercetti from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity''. Tommy is not above dealing drugs, and unlike most of the other protagonists, is actually trying to be a kingpin of the trade. The game's plot mostly revolves around Tommy seizing control of Vice City from the criminals who previously controlled it. Also unlike [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas other]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV protagonists]] in the series, he shows little to no remorse for any of his crimes and is only committing them to benefit himself as opposed to protecting those he cares about.
** By ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' the first AntiHero protagonist appeared, Carl Johnson. In cutscenes CJ is present as an honourable, even admirable character, and his motivation for most of the game is simple survival as well as keeping his family safe. Notably, CJ is opposed to dealing drugs of any nature, the only protagonist in the series that does so. Outside of the cutscenes he's just as willing to murder, steal, and destroy as any of the other protagonists.
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} in the 3 ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' stories. The 3 protagonists are more of [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]] and [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]] than outright villains. Despite Niko, Johnny and Luis committing crimes and doing horrible things, they're quite sympathetic and have rather good qualities. They are shown to care a lot for their friends and families, can help strangers from time to time, and unlike the normal GTA protagonist, their motivations aren't power and greed. Also, when they are killing, [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential in the story missions at least]], it's usually other criminals or corrupt people.

* Any ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' protagonist can be played this way. With enough effort, and bullets, you can be the worst thing that's happened to the Earth since the bombs fell. Though only two games let you side with the main villainous faction: [[TheEmpire Caesar's Legion]] in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' and [[ForScience the Institute]] in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'',[[note]]you can join the Unity in ''VideoGame/Fallout1'', but the ending you get for doing so is essentially a NonStandardGameOver[[/note]] so in the other games you're more of a NominalHero.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}} Freudenstachel'', the player can input a code that lets them take control of Pamela Arwig, High Commander of Schwarzkreuz, in her own side-game, ''Rosenkreuzstilette Weißsilber''. Here, she pursues the members of RKS to kick their butts but also learns surprising truths and lessons in the process, such as Zorne and Trauare's good friendship, Luste's genuine beliefs that heroes should forgive their enemies instead of killing them, the caring relationship between Sichte and her colleagues, and the weirdness but lack of malice of Schwer-Muta. [[spoiler:Then she learns that the Pope has given her excommunication and exile for abandoning her post, and as she fights the members of her own organization, she gets to know them better and learns to grow and become a better person. Finally, she discovers the true mastermind behind it all, and takes out her righteous fury on that perpetrator: none other than [[HijackedByGanon Iris Zeppelin]], who reveals Schwarzkreuz and the witch hunts to be just a scam created by her for her sadistic amusement as well as her plans to fuse with Spiritia.]]

* If the player accepts Thorn's offer to join the [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Musicians]] in ''[[VideoGame/TheCaligulaEffect Caligula Effect Overdose]]'' they can play both sides of the conflict, eventually culminating in another choice on whether or not the player whats to return to the real world or [[OmnicidalManiac destroy it]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}} Freudenstachel'', the player can input a code that lets them take control of Pamela Arwig, High Commander of Schwarzkreuz, in her own side-game. Here, she pursues the members of RKS to kick their butts but also learns surprising truths and lessons in the process, such as Zorne and Trauare's good friendship, Luste's genuine beliefs that heroes should forgive their enemies instead of killing them, the caring relationship between Sichte and her colleagues, and the weirdness but lack of malice of Schwer-Muta. [[spoiler:Then she learns that the Pope has given her excommunication and exile for abandoning her post, and as she fights the members of her own organization, she gets to know them better and learns to grow and become a better person. Finally, she discovers the true mastermind behind it all, and takes out her righteous fury on the perpetrator: none other than [[HijackedByGanon Iris Zeppelin]], who reveals Schwarzkreuz and the witch hunts to be just a scam created by her for her sadistic amusement as well as her plans to fuse with Spiritia.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}} Freudenstachel'', the player can input a code that lets them take control of Pamela Arwig, High Commander of Schwarzkreuz, in her own side-game. Here, she pursues the members of RKS to kick their butts but also learns surprising truths and lessons in the process, such as Zorne and Trauare's good friendship, Luste's genuine beliefs that heroes should forgive their enemies instead of killing them, the caring relationship between Sichte and her colleagues, and the weirdness but lack of malice of Schwer-Muta. [[spoiler:Then she learns that the Pope has given her excommunication and exile for abandoning her post, and as she fights the members of her own organization, she gets to know them better and learns to grow and become a better person. Finally, she discovers the true mastermind behind her excommunication and exile, and takes out her righteous fury on the perpetrator: none other than [[HijackedByGanon Iris Zeppelin]], who reveals Schwarzkreuz and the witch hunts to be just a scam created by her for her sadistic amusement as well as her plans to fuse with Spiritia.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}} Freudenstachel'', the player can input a code that lets them take control of Pamela Arwig, High Commander of Schwarzkreuz, in her own side-game. Here, she pursues the members of RKS to kick their butts but also learns surprising truths and lessons in the process, such as Zorne and Trauare's good friendship, Luste's genuine beliefs that heroes should forgive their enemies instead of killing them, the caring relationship between Sichte and her colleagues, and the weirdness but lack of malice of Schwer-Muta. [[spoiler:Then she learns that the Pope has given her excommunication and exile for abandoning her post, and as she fights the members of her own organization, she gets to know them better and learns to grow and become a better person. Finally, she discovers the true mastermind behind her excommunication and exile, and takes out her newfound righteous fury on the perpetrator: none other than Iris Zeppelin, who reveals Schwarzkreuz and the witch hunts to be just a scam created by her for her sadistic amusement as well as her plans to fuse with Spiritia.]]

* In ''VideoGame/KZManager'', you play a ''[[NaziProtagonist Nazi camp director]]''.

* In ''[[VideoGame/Growlanser Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of Time]]'' the player is invited to join the Dulkheim empire to become the [[BigBad Big Bad's]] right hand man. This story route can play out in many different ways, such as remaining loyal to a dictator or even overthrowing him to become the new ruler. Oh yeah, you also may be forced to [[FightingYourFriend kill many of your past allies]].