10 Video Games Where You Play As The Villain

6. Calypso - Twisted Metal 4

Twisted Metal 4 Calypso
Sony Interactive Entertainment

Twisted Metal was very much a product of its time, after all the phrase "vehicular combat" feels very '90s. Those who dipped in and out of the series may not know that the games do actually have an ongoing narrative to explore; it’s not just mayhem and missiles.

Twisted Metal 4 specifically really put together a deeper history of the annual Twisted Metal competition. Designed by the mysterious Calypso, it pits the most deranged drivers against each other in a fight for supremacy. Sweet Tooth, the series mascot, takes his obsession with the tournament to a new level by winning Twisted Metal III and ousting Calypso from his seat.

Therefore, Twisted Metal 4 became the first and so far only time that the mastermind behind the worldwide violence competition became a playable character. Calypso’s stats give him incredibly poor handling to make up for the fact that he’s one of the most powerful characters in the game.

The reason why? His vehicle just so happens to be a flatbed truck with a nuke on the back of it.

Whilst most of the cast of Twisted Metal are unstable and dangerous in their own right, only Calypso can be described as the long-time series antagonist so putting him directly into the mix in Twisted Metal 4 was a great idea.

Contributor

Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many gaming quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite