Video games have evolved quite a bit from the simplistic times of the past when practical visuals and fun gameplay were all that was required to make games fun. Now, the expectations from games have increased quite a bit, with players loving the idea of everything from photorealistic graphics to interesting main and side characters in their titles.
As a result, some of the most iconic characters in pop culture history are the ones that appear in video games, especially when it comes to the various villains in these series. In fact, the character writing for some individuals in video games is so strong that certain villains almost look like heroes in the eyes of some people. Here are a few great examples of video game villains who could've easily been heroes in other games had the circumstances been different.
8 Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7)
Sephiroth is one of the most iconic villains in video game history, who went down a dark path after figuring out the true nature of his existence. While he might seem like the most despicable being around — especially due to the manner in which he killed Aerith — there's no denying that it was the circumstances surrounding Sephiroth that led him to become so villainous in the first place.
Things would definitely be different if it was calmly explained to him how he was born from the get-go and not grown up as an experiment but as a proper human being. With enough love and kindness, Sephiroth could've definitely walked down the path of good instead of being enveloped by the darkness that turned him into a villain.
7 GLaDOS (Portal)
GLaDOS is another popular villain from the realm of video games who actually gets to redeem herself somewhat in the second game after Wheatley goes berserk with his new power. People who find out about GLaDOS' backstory soon realize that her origin is also mired in tragedy.
GLaDOS is actually the digital version of Cave Johnson's secretary and rumored partner who was forced into becoming an AI. The deleted voice clips that apparently hint toward this change are genuinely chilling and show that GLaDOS might not have been such a nefarious being had the circumstances of her digital birth been more pleasant.
6 The Illusive Man (Mass Effect)
The Illusive Man is one of the most fascinating characters in Mass Effect, and the fact that he was voiced by the legendary Martin Sheen himself is a huge positive. This man believes in the superiority and survival of the human race at all costs, even if it means dooming the other species of the galaxy to extinction.
Given that this character can have a change of heart in the end, it's clear that the Illusive Man definitely had a conscience of his own. Perhaps with enough discourse, he could've tried to fight the entire universe instead of just ensuring the survival of humanity and nothing else.
5 Seifer Almasy (Final Fantasy 8)
Seifer is Squall's rival throughout Final Fantasy 8, who inadvertently becomes a pawn in Ultimecia's goal to send the entire world into a state of ruin. Seifer's misplaced superiority complex and a need to prove himself to others time and time again led to him becoming an antagonist in the series.
Thankfully, he regains his senses near the end and chooses to cherish his friends instead of hopelessly fighting his enemies. It makes for a great change of character that shows just how much Seifer had grown from his time as a hot-headed and insecure warrior.
4 Dutch Van Der Linde (Red Dead Redemption)
In a different time and place, Dutch could very well have been the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption. He genuinely cared about his gang early on and tried to secure the best life for them. Unfortunately, his thirst for power and a tendency to be swayed by questionable figures like Micah ended up paving the way for his eventual downfall.
Perhaps by being a better judge of character and having more self-awareness, Dutch could've been a more understanding character. As things stand right now, he's nothing more than a deluded leader who needed to be put down in the first game for the sake of others as much as himself.
3 Goro Akechi (Persona 5)
Akechi is a tragic figure in the world of Persona 5. While he had amazing powers, he was always treated like a burden and ended up harboring feelings of hatred towards people who valued friendship and the like.
It's a shame since Akechi could've been a different person entirely had he grown up with friends and family that genuinely loved him and cared for him. Had this been the case, he wouldn't have served someone as despicable as Shido just to gain the approval of his heinous father.
2 Akira Nishikiyama (Yakuza)
Nishiki is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in the Yakuza series. Yakuza 0 did a great job of expanding on this character, and his friendship with Kiryu before all of it came tumbling down during the events of the first Yakuza title.
Props should be given to Kiwami for showing the chain of events that eventually led to Nishiki's descent into madness and anarchy. It's a downright shame, and things could've panned out differently for him had the incident involving Sohei Dojima's death been avoided.
1 Letho Of Gulet (The Witcher)
Players who started playing The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings would've initially seen Letho as nothing more than a heinous villain who was out to destabilize the hierarchy present in the world of The Witcher. However, later on, it's revealed that Letho performed all these actions in a bid to restore the School of the Viper.
While misguided, players can still understand why Letho went on this particular course of action. If the roles were reversed, there's no reason to see why Geralt would not have jumped at the opportunity to restore his school as well!