10 Video Game Villains With The WORST Motivations

10. Dr. Neo Cortex - Crash Bandicoot

Cortex' lengthy backstory is perhaps more than the character deserved, as his one-note presence as a mad scientist is the only aspect of his character that is explored in 1996's Crash Bandicoot. The iconic villain is as recognisable as some of the all-time great bad guys, yet his motivation behind his actions are less than deserving of his name.

When his botched creation of Crash causes the bandicoot to flee, Cortex' motivation lies in using Crash's girlfriend as a lure to dispatch the bandicoot for good. The remainder of the story in the 1996 original is a cookie-cutter 'save the princess' storyline, with Cortex' holding fellow bandicoot, Tawna, captive.

When each of Crash's journeys seem to be that of foiling the plans of the evil Dr Neo Cortex, the villain's own motivations are simply born from Crash's efforts to stop him. The never-ending cycle of conflict between bandicoot and baddie seems to be a result of one stopping the other, so there's seemingly never any room for interesting villain motivations.

The Crash Bandicoot series surely cares more about perfecting the platforming genre than it does about character development, and considering Cortex' puzzling motivations, that's probably for the best.