Video games are great for letting players do things they shouldn't do in real life, and nowhere is that more evident than when games shake things up and cast players as pure-blooded villains. It's not something that happens often, especially in action genres. After all, it's hard to base a whole franchise around indulging guilty pleasures and ruling over a virtual world with an iron fist. Games solely focused around villainy tend to be strategy titles where the evil actions can be abstract, like the recently-revived Evil Genius series. When active games do let players put on the black hat, it's often in short DLC expansions separated from the main game's plot.
These expansions are often outside the main continuity because games always need to have the door open for a sequel. Playing as a villain who gets what they want often leads to a definitive end that's hard to come back from. A subsequent game could cast a new hero to take down the previous game's villainous protagonist, but that might push away players who enjoyed the previous game's devious tale more. This is why game stories that heavily a villain's point of view (like Star Wars Battlefront II) sometimes bait and switch players with a baddie who does a quick face-turn and s the fight for good.
However, there are a few good exceptions that prove the rule, some expansions and side games that turn everything upside down and let players indulge in the unchecked powers and nonexistent morality of the dark side. Here are the best of those.
Villainous Video Game Expansions: Batman: Arkham Knight
The Joker's right-hand clown is a big part of every game in Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy, but she didn't become playable until 2015's Batman Arkham Knight via the creatively-titled Harley Quinn Story Pack. Packing a collection of unique mechanics and Rocksteady's usual attention to detail, the only downside to this expansion is its length. Like most of Arkham Knight's DLC add-ons, this Harley Quinn mission can only charitably be called a "story" thanks to its 15-20 minute running time. Still, it's proof that the developers know what they're doing for the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
Villainous Video Game Expansions: StarCraft: Brood War
Blizzard's one and only expansion for the legendary Starcraft, Brood War sees the insectoid Zerg swarm forming a reluctant alliance with the Protoss and Terrans to defeat the United Earth Directorate. The Zerg are also playable in the mainline campaign for Starcraft, but the events of the titular Brood War bring the faction and its leader Kerrigan firmly to the forefront. This focus would return in the sequel's first expansion pack, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.
Villainous Video Game Expansions - Overlord: Raising Hell
A story expansion for the already evil-filled Overlord, 2008's Raising Hell has the main game's dark ruler venturing into The Abyss. This mirror version of the original game's countryside features twisted versions of the defeated heroes now suffering eternal torment.
Overworld: Raising Hell players must use the Pikmin-esque Minions to overcome challenges and zombified foes across the underworld.
Villainous Video Game Expansions: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
The DLC for both 2008's Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and 2010's Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II casts players as main protagonist Starkiller fulfilling his destiny as a Sith. Each level takes Starkiller through a familiar Star Wars locale from the original trilogy and has him disrupt the events, usually by killing one of the main heroes of the movies. Also, in Force Unleashed II, Starkiller can visit Endor and kick Ewoks off cliffs, fulfilling the dreams of 1980s fans who hadn't yet conceived of any character more annoying than the teddy bear heroes of Return of the Jedi.
Villainous Video Game Expansions: Shovel Knight
All three of Shovel Knight's full-sized expansions shift the perspective over to one of the evil Enchantress' Order of No Quarter. Players take control of Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight, getting their side of the story before Shovel Knight began his quest. Of the three, King Knight's humorous takeover via card game in King of Cards is the evilest, as the royal protagonist is rather dim and never learns his lesson.
Villainous Video Game Expansions: Devil May Cry
The last three games in the classic Devil May Cry series have eventually unlocked a playable version of Vergil, Dante's more straight-laced and often antagonistic brother. This addition is often a part of a special edition re-release of the games or via a DLC expansion.
Devil May Cry's Vergil has his own distinct playstyle, wielding a distinct katana and unique strings of combos. His playable appearances in the game are all bonus content that never affects the story, but he's certainly gained a fanbase over the years who prefer his combat style.
Villainous Video Game Expansions - Half-Life: Opposing Force
One of the earliest productions by Gearbox Software, Half-Life: Opposing Force lets players step into the boots of one of the military grunts that storm Black Mesa following Gordon Freeman's worst day on the job. Main character Adrian Shephard has become a fan-favorite in the years since Opposing Force's release and was even set to be the main character in a Half-Life 2 expansion made by Arkane Software that never saw the light of day. Unfortunately, as with most Half-Life projects, any progress towards a follow-up with this Shephard is firmly on Valve's backburner.
Meaty game expansions with villainous characters are rare, and those that really dig into what it means to be evil are even more so. Even when a character starts off on the path of evil, game developers have a tendency to make them lean towards the side of good. Whether that's to make them more relatable to a mainstream audience or simply for gameplay reasons, gaming has few examples of something like 2019's Joker, a project in an established franchise that really digs into a character's flawed mental state. There are certainly plenty of candidates in the halls of iconic gaming franchises, but it really needs the right developer and a carefully written narrative to make players invest in a no-good scoundrel for the full length of a game.
