Bad guys, crooks, villains: the allure of being the villain has captivated audiences for decades. No longer bound by the constraints of morals and ethics, players can embrace their dark sides through this villain protagonist trope. Players worldwide have been intrigued by the concept of playing the bad guy ever since Dune 2 popularized the Real-Time Strategy genre and allowed players to take the role of the malevolent Harkonen faction. Dungeon Keeper, released in 1997, further accommodated the player's urge to let their dark side out by focusing the entire game on the player being the villain.

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The gaming industry has been packed with options to play the villain in the three decades since and the villain protagonist trope is as alive today as it was back then.

10 Shadows Behind The Throne 2 (2021)

Embrace The World Under Your Shadow

In Shadows Behind the Throne 2, the world is about to end. This fantasy world the NPCs inhabit is nearing the apocalypse, and the player gets to decide how it all ends. By taking on the role of the forces of darkness, the player decides if they want to use subterfuge, insanity, pure force, politics, or a combination of these, to put the final nail in the realm's coffin.

The unique way NPCs have their own suspicions, knowledge, and fears, and the way the player can manipulate these, has contributed to the mainly positive reviews the game has received.

9 Under Domain (2020)

Be The Alien Lizard Overlord

In the far-flung future, humanity has invaded an alien planet. To prevent this from happening, the reptilian-like aliens have traveled back to the year 1900 and preemptively infiltrated Earth. Under Domain puts the player in control of the invading alien force, manipulating humanity away from what they consider the "dark timeline". The aliens have 120 years to successfully divert humanity's attention from their own home, ending in the year 2020.

Under Domain is a turn-based strategy game, giving the player 10 actions each turn, each action representing a year of human development. The player can influence humanity through the use of mind control, abductions, infiltration, sabotage, or viral contamination. They must do this without being detected, as any alien spaceship sighting could ruin their efforts.

8 Chambers Of Devious Design (2022)

The Evil Mastermind Needs An Architect For His Lair

In Chambers of Devious Design, the player takes on the role of an architect for an evil mastermind, tasked with designing their lair. But in true evil fashion, the mastermind has hired several architects and is pitting them against each other for the best design. The architect must not only outwit the competition but defend against their sabotage attempts as well.

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They say attack is the best defense, so the architect can also use an array of options to punish their competitors for building too close to them. The game has a wide variety of characters to choose from, each with their own abilities and themes, so every player can find one that fits their particular playstyle.

7 Swarm The City: Zombie Evolved (2022)

Unleash The Undead. Infect, Overwhelm, Conquer!

Swarm the City: Zombie Evolved places the player in the role of the King of the Dead, a villain with a desire to reclaim control over the world. Players embark on a daunting journey, where they create zombie legions and decimate human cities. The King of the Dead can infect humans, turning them into relentless zombies under their command. Using their strategic prowess, the King must swarm cities, overcome defenses, and spread their reign of terror.

Every mission starts with one zombie and from that, the player has to infect enough humans to overwhelm their defenses. By gathering ethereal resources, the player can upgrade their units, summon special minions, or turn existing minions into generals.

6 Creature Lab (2023)

Mad Science In A Mad World

Creature Lab lets the players unleash their inner mad scientist by conducting unethical experiments, mixing mutation-giving chemicals, breeding abominations, and attaching monstrous body parts where they don't belong. These creatures can then wreak havoc in the nearby town, scavenging for supplies for the lab to use in future experiments.

There is a random element to what mutagens and body parts will be available each playthrough, and the player gets to name their own concoctions, potions, and elixirs, making each game truly unique.

5 Fhtagn Simulator (2022)

Be The Cultist, Raise The Elder God

In Fhtagn Simulator, the player takes on the role of a cultist, trying to summon one of the Elder Gods. To do this, the player must collect enough spirits to satiate the god's hunger. The player collects spirits by manipulating their own luck when drawing cards from a card roulette wheel and offering tributes to be sacrificed in the god's name.

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The game has been described as "A Mythos-infused take on Luck Be a Landlord". With a simple interface and both a luck-based and skill-based element, Fhtagn Simulator has received mainly positive reviews from players.

4 Ruinarch

Playing God Has Never Been More Devious

Ruinarch is a story-focused procedurally generated game where the main goal is to cause conflict within the village. Conflict can arise from something as simple as an unfaithful husband, the paranoia left after a monster abducts villagers, or malicious rumors flowing from ear to ear. The player can even brainwash villagers into cultists, or torture them into becoming mentally unstable.

The game mechanics were inspired by the story elements from games like Dwarf Fortress and Rimworld, but make the player take a more direct involvement in how these scenarios play out.

3 Legend Of Keepers (2021)

Defend The Treasure, Defeat The Hero, Unleash Your Horde Of Monsters

Legend of Keepers is a reverse dungeon crawler, where the player takes on the role of the dungeon manager. The player is presented with a group of adventurers trying to loot their dungeon of all the riches. As the dungeon manager, the player must mount defenses in the form of minions, traps, and monsters.

The adventurers will crawl through the dungeon, and when faced with a group of monsters, the player will gain control in a turn-based combat system. Unlike most games, defeat in combat is expected. The player's monsters are expendable and are mainly there to weaken the adventurers, so the next group of monsters can take them down.

2 Iratus: Lord Of The Dead

On The Path To Conquering The World, Death Is A Mere Inconvenience

Iratus is a game that puts the player in the role of a powerful necromancer. Commanding an army of undead creatures, the necromancer must rise from the underworld to conquer the surface world. Utilizing various methods, from physical attacks to magic, and even insanity, the necromancer can dispatch his foes with ease. Which is a good thing, because the foes are plenty. As the game progresses, the necromancer can revive his fallen soldiers, and even use his fallen foes to create new ones.

Set in a dark and gothic world, this turn-based tactical role-playing game lets the player unleash their darker side and use their necromantic powers to exploit the weaknesses of their foes and become a merciless overlord.

1 Evil Genius 2: World Domination (2021)

Design Your Evil Lair, Defeat The Heroes

Evil Genius 2 is a base-building strategy game where the player takes the role of a villain building their island lair and defending it against the Forces of Justice. The game draws heavy inspiration from the spy genre, especially the novels and films that came out during the Cold War, where villains were portrayed as ultrarich recluses who had no problems hiring goons who would willingly throw away their lives to protect their boss.

The game offers up its objectives in the form of side missions, allowing the player to customize their game to fit their particular play style.

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