10 RPGs That Let You Play As The Villain

Key Takeaways

• RPGs offer players the unique opportunity to explore being evil and making morally grey decisions in various game worlds.
• From vampire lords to post-apocalyptic cowboys, players can fully embrace their dark side in games like V Rising and Fallout: New Vegas.
• The freedom to choose evil in RPGs like Tyranny and Baldur’s Gate 3 leads to intriguing narratives, consequences, and character development.

Saving the world, forging alliances, and rescuing cats from trees are tropes that are known all too well to avid RPG players. Whether it’s rising up against evil oppressors or just trying to be the most excellent person possible, it’s a breath of fresh, albeit sinister air that smells slightly of blood when developers finally ask the player, ‘What if they’re the bad guy?’

Everyone needs a break, a chance to let loose and live vicariously through their character – and it just so happens that games are the perfect medium for it. From taking over the world to taking over the galaxy, here’s a list of some of the best RPGs where being delightfully evil opens up all kinds of sinister stories and enticing decisions.

Warning: This List Contains Spoilers

10 V Rising

Blood-Sucking Bad Guy

Though crusading against The Dark Lord Dracula does sound like a noble cause, in practice – it proves to be far from it. The goal of this MMORPG is for the player to gather enough power to eventually take their rightful place as the most feared vampire in the fictional land of Vardoran.

One of the ways this is achieved is through killing V-Bloods. Heroes of past eras – hellbent on keeping the world Vampire-free. Though not all are precisely ‘morally sound,’ players will quickly make the realization (probably around the point of taking their fifth blood prisoner) that they’re just as ethically foggy and evil as the Dark Lord himself.

9 Fallout: New Vegas

One Big-Iron At A Time

Though being evil isn’t the main goal, the game does very little to stop players from living their cannibalistic cowboy dreams. The freedom provided in Obsidian’s Mojave wasteland means anyone is killable, anything is possible – and sometimes, the most evil options are often the most alluring.

Upon waking up as a newly fixed-up cyborg with a bullet-shaped hole in their brain, the only memory players retain is of the person who put it there. The minute the doors open up, and the game says “Go,” it’s up to the player just how benevolent their quest for revenge will be.

8 Overlord

Sauron Simulator

Being put in the shoes of a newly resurrected Dark Lord who just found his tower in shambles and now needs to regain their power and rebuild their army is the wicked hook of Triumph Studios’ humorously fantastical RPG.

The player, whether they like it or not, is the villain. Playing as a tall, dark, and foreboding force clad in spiky and jagged steel while commanding an ever-growing army of minions, hellbent on causing as much destruction as possible – is a sinful power trip.

7 Undertale

Genocidal Determination

Loveable characters, a beautiful soundtrack, and overall benevolence are the core of Undertale – and that core completely transforms when the player decides to embark on their “Kill Everything” run.

The towns become barren, the characters afraid – and the music morphs into a horrifically distorted ballad. Being evil opens up an entirely new game, at the cost of making the player feel constantly bad for the actions they took to get there.

6 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Darth Revenant

Contains spoilers for
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic.

Narrative choices play a central role in this galaxy-hopping adventure. Will players choose the Dark Side of The Force or The Light? Freedom or continued oppression?

When embarking on a villainous playthrough, the narrative implications and consequences of one’s evil action can be felt across the stars. The player’s appearance changes to reflect their sinister choices, and being evil may just be playing into the game’s story more than one may initially think.

5 Fable

Long Horns and Dark Magic

The world of Albion is undoubtedly beautiful, from its gorgeous music to the inherently tongue-in-cheek style. After tragedy strikes, the protagonist’s childhood village is destroyed, and they are taken in by a guild of Heroes, who train them to be one.

The real fun, however, starts when freedom is finally granted to the player. Corrupt choices and sinister gameplay start to truly reflect on the player’s character. Whether it’s growing literal horns or unlocking darker and more erratic styles of magic, playing as a Villain in the Fable series is always a good time.

4 Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Masterpiece of Malkavian Malevolence

After being thrust into the World of Darkness as a fledgling vampire, having to abide by the Masquerade and the general rule of law is the least of the player’s concerns when placed in the middle of a turf war between a dozen factions.

With five different endings, each playstyle is accommodated – no matter how grizzly and vampiric in nature. Bloodthirsty monster, devoid of humanity and constantly on the brink of breaking into a frenzy? This pen-and-paper adaptation has players covered.

Seriously Sinister Shouting

The iconic Bethesda classic is known for its player choice. Saving the world from Dragons is the goal, but there’s no stopping the player from all the steps they take along the way.

Transforming into a tyrannical Vampire Lord, becoming an Assassin for the cruel Dark Brotherhood – or just massacring Whiterun for the thousandth time. Exploring just how villainous one can be in Tamriel has always been a series staple. Though the player will end up saving the world, it’s up to them to determine just what they’re saving it for.

2 Tyranny

The Devil’s Real Estate Agent

In this fantastical world, evil has already triumphed, and the best part is that the player works for them. Though good choices can be made, it’s all in the name of strengthening Overlord’s Empire. The decisions made can literally change the isometric world of Tyranny.

The choices in this game are downright evil. Destroying entire villages, sacrificing parents, and killing heroes, everything’s on the table. The choices are almost comically evil and are guaranteed to make players question if they even wish to continue their devilish playthrough.

1 Baldur’s Gate 3

Giving Into Those Dark Urges

It is not surprising that Larian’s renowned Dungeons & Dragons adapted franchise would be included in a list of villainous RPGs. Though evil choices can be made no matter what playthrough Tav decides to go on, the real fun starts when the player sets off with the “Dark Urge” background.

Kicking squirrels and murdering Bards are just the tip of the iceberg in a Dark Urge playthrough. As the story progresses, the player can either resist or completely give in to their twisted instincts, making way for a whole new storyline that won’t get spoiled here. It’s entirely worth the playthrough and makes way for some fantastic abilities and surprisingly tear-jerking character moments among companions.