10 Video Game Villains With Wasted Potential
They say it's good to be bad... but not for these folks.
A good video game needs a good protagonist. And, providing we are playing as the good guy, a good protagonist needs a good villain.
The very best of video game's baddies are just as memorable as their heroic counterparts, if not sometimes more so. After all, a villain can really have some interesting range depending on the tone and setting. There's goofy, scary, relatable and complicated... or just downright hatable.
After all, most games are about satisfaction and there's nothing better than overcoming your ultimate enemy.
However, not every video game achieves a bad guy that can sit in the annals of history with Bowser, Handsome Jack and GlaDOS. As good as they could possibly be, there can be any number of things that lets them down in the end.
There are few things more disappointing than a villain who doesn't meet our expectations; be that because of their presence, story, boss fight or any combination of things. In this list, we'll look at some antagonists that could've been so much more than they actually were.
10. Skull Face - Metal Gear Solid V
Before The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Solid V had its prequel episode. Ground Zeroes was an interesting glance into the full experience and introduced us to Skull Face. This mysterious, scarred man had an incredible aura about him, helped by the incredible voice performance of James Horan.
Fans were keen, after their taster, to get into the main course, learn more about Skull Face and take him down.
However, because of the nature of MGS V’s open world gameplay, things can’t be authored with quite as much precision as previous entries. Instead of familiar bombastic cutscenes, Mr Face awkwardly tells Venom Snake his entire plan on a long jeep ride. Then, when he’s run out of things to say, the two sit there in silence whilst the main theme plays out. Yes, really.
Worst of all, Skull Face is undone in the end by the Metal Gear which in theory shows the power of the war machine. Though, considering this is a series of several decades of history, players will already feel the weight of the Metal Gear and it instead robs them of a fight with Skull Face.
With his muted presence and lack of lasting impression, most MGS fans will agree that he’s the worst villain in the series despite his initial promise.