Most games need a central conflict to push the player and engage them, giving them the motivation required to tackle numerous adversities and get through a scintillating plot. A great way to achieve is this by casting a villain in a central role who tries to hound the player every step of the way. However, there are times when certain bad guys become so diabolical that the fate of the entire world is at stake.
This leads to players giving it their all to save the world from these nefarious villains, which is clearly a gargantuan task. Most people would agree that the following bad people definitely crossed a line when it came to the level of destruction they were aspiring for...even if this central conflict led to some pretty memorable video game moments of their own.
10 Void Dragon – Divinity: Original Sin
The Void Dragon is the central antagonist who is constantly mentioned throughout Divinity: Original Sin. Players need to prepare and beat down this tough foe after remembering their past and aiding Lady Astarte once again.
He is a tough foe who can absolutely decimate players if they're not ready to tackle this massive threat. Defeating this dragon is important to ensure that the world doesn't get consumed by the Void.
9 Manus, Father Of The Abyss – Dark Souls
Speaking of bosses that want to throw everything into a deep and dark abyss, another great name that comes to mind is Manus. He's the final antagonist of Dark Souls' amazing Artorias of the Abyss DLC and is no slouch.
Players need to be at the top of their game while dealing with this imposing foe. A single misstep can cause them to be chained by a barrage of powerful hits, with this boss' attempt to throw the entire world into the abyss making him quite a terrifying foe indeed.
8 Sephiroth – Final Fantasy 7
Sephiroth is one of the best villains in video game history, with his legacy still being quite palpable to this day. He plays a major role in Final Fantasy 7 Remake as well, although his role in the original game felt more sinister.
Sephiroth doesn't make a proper appearance until quite a ways into the game, with his plan to destroy the Planet using Meteor being quite diabolical indeed. Cloud and his friends need to put everything on the line to stop this maniac once and for all.
7 Yaldabaoth – Persona 5
Yaldabaoth is a sinister entity behind all the wrong happenings in Persona 5. Encountering him in his Holy Grail form is quite intimidating, with his true form signaling the end of Persona 5's narrative.
Players need to put everything on the line to battle against this imposing foe. The Phantom Thieves will have their work cut out for them, but enough patience and perseverance will eventually lead to this foe biting the dust sooner rather than later.
6 Lavos – Chrono Trigger
Lavos is one of the most terrifying bosses in gaming. Players need to ensure that they've done everything in their power to get as strong as possible before taking it on in a pretty lengthy and memorable battle.
While players can tackle him whenever they wish after a point, it's recommended that players fight Lavos at the end of the game after they've pursued the main quest in its entirety. Doing so ensures that the party is strong enough to tackle this threat and prevent it from leeching the Earth's life.
5 Alduin – The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
There's a reason why everyone fears Alduin, the World-Eater. The whole reason why this dragon even exists is to swallow the entire world and bring forth another cycle, although this task may not be as noble as most people would suspect.
After all, Alduin is indiscriminate in his goal to end everyone's lives, regardless of how much they deserve it. The Dragonborn must train and improve himself before taking out this massive foe once and for all.
4 Sin – Final Fantasy 10
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Sin is one of the scariest antagonists in Final Fantasy history, with this massive behemoth terrorizing Spira with its mere presence alone. The very idea of taking on this imposing foe sounds crazy, but that is exactly what Tidus and the party strive to accomplish.
After all, the alternative is sacrificing Yuna to Sin, something that Tidus simply cannot fathom. Watching the party band together and fight against this imposing evil makes for a massive highlight, especially with how closely Jecht's story is tied to the events of the game.
3 Ganon – The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Ganon is a character that needs no introduction, with his plans for world domination playing a central role across most Zelda games. However, in Breath of the Wild, Ganon is no more than a mindless destructive force.
His Malice spreads all throughout Hyrule and signals a dark age for the kingdom. Thankfully, Link awakens from a long slumber and takes out this threat while Zelda uses all her power to contain Ganon's destructive force within Hyrule Castle itself.
2 HADES – Horizon: Zero Dawn
HADES is an AI program tasked with the very destruction of humanity itself. Initially created as a bid to restart GAIA's terraforming process, HADES went rogue and now seeks to destroy all life on Earth instead.
Aloy needs to prevent this rogue AI program from accomplishing this goal, doing so by the end of Zero Dawn. Even then, HADES remains intact until Forbidden West and needs to be forcefully purged by Aloy to put an end to its threat once and for all.
1 Chara – Undertale
Undertale has a unique spin on the idea of villainy itself by letting the player become the force that is destroying the entire land. Pursuing this Genocide Route leads to players eventually interacting with Chara, who cherishes the idea of destruction and wipes out the entire world without a single care in the world.
While Chara might still bring the world back if the player wishes, this occurs at the cost of the main character's soul. Subsequent runs are changed permanently, with Chara revealing herself in these endings quite horrifyingly.