10 Awful Villains That Ruined Amazing Video Games

8. Arkham Knight & Scarecrow - Batman: Arkham Knight

Mass Effect 3 Kai Leng
Rocksteady

Even with its wonky, buggy launch and the unwarranted presence of the damn Batmobile, Batman: Arkham Knight was a mostly fantastic game with terrific bones where its gameplay, story, and sheer atmosphere were concerned.

After its predecessors offered up some truly exemplary villains, though, it was a crushing disappointment that Rocksteady's final Batman game conked out with some fumbled renditions of intriguing and popular antagonists alike.

First and foremost there's the titular Arkham Knight, whose enigmatic identity drummed up much pre-release hype, especially as Rocksteady marketed him as a totally original character.

In the end, though, he was revealed to be a disgruntled Jason Todd - something many fans predicted long before the game's release.

On the other hand there's Scarecrow, an undeniable fan favourite Batman villain yet bizarrely rendered more-or-less a non-entity here, especially as he ends up using his fear toxin to have Batman battle The Joker one last time, while Scarecrow himself is subdued in a cutscene.

Turning the Scarecrow into a bore is quite the achievement, especially after he had such a spirited introduction in Arkham Asylum. Here he's largely reduced to a loquacious dork, somehow.

Together they deliver a double dose of extreme disappointment, ending the Rocksteady Batman franchise on a feckless whimper.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.