I feel like a bit of a cheater for placing a character not native to video games in the number one spot, but to hell with that - Rocksteady's Joker deserves the praise, as does Mark Hamill. Arkham City captured the running feud, rivalry, twisted relationship - whatever you want to call it - between the Joker and Batman to the T, but where as Nolan's depiction of the two comic book stars in The Dark Knight explored the polar opposite ideals the pair shares, Arkham City gets right into the nitty and gritty of their relationship. The Joker isn't someone who can be rehabilitated or absolved his crimes - he doesn't want to be. It's in his nature to be a psychopath that delights in tormenting society and the Caped Crusader. It is, and forever will be his duty to be the opposing force of Gotham City's greatest hero, but despite his indispensableness, Joker's tragic end in Arkham City can only get a rise of sympathy and pity out of the player. He lives for the thrill of being a bad seed, and watching Batman show sincere regret over his arch nemesis' passing will force a tear from the eye of even the most heartless human being. After all, it worked on me. Who became your favourite villains from the last five years? Let us know in the comments!
Joe is a freelance games journalist who, while not spending every waking minute selling himself to websites around the world, spends his free time writing. Most of it makes no sense, but when it does, he treats each article as if it were his Magnum Opus - with varying results.
