History EvilIsCool / VideoGames

** Tommy Vercetti from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' is a perfect example. He's a badass, BadassInANiceSuit, and a BloodKnight mobster.
** CJ and the Grove Street Families from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' as well.
** And Johnny Klebitz from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV''. He's a BadassBiker and OneManArmy with a BadassMustache and is BaldOfAwesome.
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' carries on the tradition. In particular, Trevor is far and away the most evil of the three protagonists. He's also the most popular.

*** The Illusive Man gets a special mention. Not only is he a TheChessmaster, leader of a Pro-Human terrorist organization, he's also voiced by MartinSheen, and ''brought Shepard back from the dead''.

* ''VideoGame/Injustice2:

*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'', there's BigBad PsychopathicManchild, N ([[spoiler:something of an AntiVillain with [[AbusiveParents serious daddy issues]]), and, by extension, his [[PlayingWithFire Reshiram]] (in ''White'') and [[ShockAndAwe Zekrom]] (in ''Black''). (The opposite dragon is yours to use and therefore "heroic" in its respective game, however.)]] Theres also Ghetsis who is quite intimidating and has some cool pokemon like Hydregion as well as Colress from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite2'' who is a MadScientist with a lot of flair and style.
*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' we have [[spoiler:Lysandre for his very ravishing appearance, fitting for being a boss of Team Flare, a team whose goal is [[spoiler: to attempt to make the world more beautiful by comiting genocide on humans and Pokémon alike]].
*** From [[PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]] we have Archie who is a cool pirate and FriendlyEnemy as well as Maxie who is who is quite Adorkable and likable.

** While supposedly no Pokémon is truly evil, many of the most popular Pokémon are those who act in defiance of that:

* ''SaintsRow'': Every chapter ends in an EvilerThanThou CoupDeGrace. Almost everyone kisses the Protagonist's ass by complimenting his/her murderous psychosis. Arguably the coolest character in the series so far is unrepentant mass murderer Johnny Gat.

* Do you see the cool, black, [[SpikesOfVillainy spiky]] barrier jacket of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'''s Chrono? That's [[TheArtifact an artifact]] from his days as a villain in the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen original]] ''Nanoha'' [[TheAnimeOfTheGame mini-scenario]] included in the ''VideoGame/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever'' [[{{Omake}} fanbox]].

* Practically the point of ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'', where you are the Dark Lord who builds his eldritch underground kingdom and throws adventuring heroes in [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] chambers. Remember: Evil is Good.

Name one original ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' villain that isn't ''awesome''. Especially the various incarnations of [[BigBad Xehanort]]. ''Especially'' Xemnas. It helps when you're Creator/NorioWakamoto dual-wielding red [[strike:lightsabers]] [[LaserBlade ethereal blades]].

* The Helghast of ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'', with their ''Jin-Roh'' inspired battle armor (the {{Custom Uniform}}s of which are [[http://psnow.es/uploads/images/artwork/general/KZ2_HG_Radec.jpg extra-awesome]]), sympathetic back story, and a leader that [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGy6SEEXcJA gloriously feasts on ham]]. Every time a sequel is announced, the fanbase hopes they'll finally be able to play as them in single-player mode...and then they get stuck playing the painfully generic loud-mouthed American soldier guys of the ISA again, killing legions of people much cooler-looking than you.

* Used quite a bit the ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' series. Dante's enemies (primarily his EvilCounterpart, his brother Vergil) are pretty darn cool, but Dante still generally mops the floor with them with style.

* It is primarily for this reason that ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and similar games have an evil option. KOTOR is further helped in this regard, since ''Franchise/StarWars'' villains are generally among the most badass characters in all of fiction.
** This is acknowledged in the second game, where the opening screen shows one of the various Sith Lords of the game. Go bad enough, and your character will replace them after you complete the game.
** The King of KOTOR [[XtremeKoolLetterz Kool]] himself - the psychotic, [[ChaoticEvil homicidal]] HK-47 assassin droid. "Definition: 'Love' is making a shot to the knees of a target 120 kilometers away using an Aratech sniper rifle with a tri-light scope." He is far and away the single most beloved character by the meatbags playing the games, even though he's regarded as among the least useful in gameplay.
** Both KOTOR games actually provide especially good foundations for this. In the first game, you're playing an [[spoiler: amnesic Sith Lord]], and if you decide to reclaim your former glory, characters will acknowledge you as such. And KOTOR II just takes it UpToEleven. This time, you aren't technically on a mission to be the hero, so it's not even expected of you. In this game, you get to wear a black BadassLongcoat, teach your companions the way of the Dark Side, cut your way through small armies like a knife through butter, take out entire ambush teams of mercenaries with a single Force Storm, [[CurbStompBattle curbstomp]] ''Jedi Masters'' in a duel, [[AwesomenessByAnalysis steal their techniques]], then suck up their power for yourself...and that's all ''before'' you get Force Crush, [[PurposelyOverpowered against which there is no defense!]] The Light Side path may have more plot exposition, but the Dark Side one is definitely the cooler one.
** ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' also has a Dark Side path for this reason, even for the Republic side. Yes, you can pretty much do a [[MassEffect Renegade Shepard]] run as a Republic Trooper, be an underworld thug as a Smuggler, and go full Anakin Skywalker {{Expy}} KnightTemplar on the Jedi paths. If you do a dark side ''Imperial'' run, you're even more of a puppy-kicking, manipulative, brutal monster...but wow, you can certainly look cool doing it. And even if you go light side Imperial, you can still benefit from being a badass Sith Lord/secret agent/assassin for hire while still maintaining your real-life moral compass.
*** It's lampshaded in-game by Kira (a Jedi Knight companion) : "Have you seen what the Sith are wearing ? It's like every fashion designer in the galaxy went over to the dark side".
** Also from ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront II'' has you playing as the 501st Legion in the "Rise of the Empire" story mode. Needless to say, after the Evil Empire rises and the 501st becomes evil, they're still awesome.
** Another ''Star Wars'' example: ''TIEFighter''. Darth Vader is your ''wingman.'' That is all. [[note]]Granted some view that as turning your character into a TheWoobie since Vader is [[BadBoss one of the meanest bosses ever]].[[/note]]

* Do you see the cool, black, [[SpikesOfVillainy spiky]] barrier jacket of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'''s Chrono? That's [[TheArtifact an artifact]] from his days as a villain in the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen original]] ''Nanoha'' [[TheAnimeOfTheGame mini-scenario]] included in the ''VideoGame/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever'' [[{{Omake}} fanbox]].
* The Helghast of ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'', with their ''Jin-Roh'' inspired battle armor (the {{Custom Uniform}}s of which are [[http://psnow.es/uploads/images/artwork/general/KZ2_HG_Radec.jpg extra-awesome]]), sympathetic back story, and a leader that [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGy6SEEXcJA gloriously feasts on ham]]. Every time a sequel is announced, the fanbase hopes they'll finally be able to play as them in single-player mode...and then they get stuck playing the painfully generic loud-mouthed American soldier guys of the ISA again, killing legions of people much cooler-looking than you.
* Id from ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}''. Oh, what's that? You want a reason why? Ok, [[http://whatdoesgodneedwithastarship.com/71whoops.png here's ONE.]]
-->'''Id''': Well ''that'' was interesting. But [[ColonyDrop dropping a battleship on me]] ''is'' cheating. [[ThrowABarrelAtIt Take it back...]]
* ''SaintsRow'': Every chapter ends in an EvilerThanThou CoupDeGrace. Almost everyone kisses the Protagonist's ass by complimenting his/her murderous psychosis. Arguably the coolest character in the series so far is unrepentant mass murderer Johnny Gat.
* The reason [[Franchise/SonictheHedgehog Dr. Eggman]] is so popular is because of this trope. Seriously, he can make damn near ''whatever'' type of machine he wants for any situation and his various evil lairs tend to be among the best levels in the series, in addition to his various boss fights. His AffablyEvil LargeHam tendencies also play a large role, in that despite being a villain, he is such a jovial and over the top guy that you can't help but love his antics. You can only imagine how elated fans were when Sega ''finally'' stopped shafting him in favor of whatever MonsterOfTheWeek he had unleashed and finally let him shine as a villain.
** This trope may be partially the reason why [[EvilTwin Shadow]] started off as such an EnsembleDarkhorse as he has had nowhere near the good reception ever since his transition to AntiHero.
* Nightmare in the VideoGame/SoulSeries. His armor is damn cool, he carries a {{BFS}} as big as he is.
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}''
%%* Also, the ''VideoGame/{{Deception}}'' games.

* Admit it: even after you find out that his [[spoiler:cluelessness and uselessness]] was a disguise, you can't help but love [[spoiler:Adachi Tohru]] from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''.
** The Shadow Selves in 4 and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' are also pretty freaking cool, especially in their giant monster forms.
* VideoGame/{{Robopon}} has this with the BigBad, Dr. Zero. [[http://www.rpgfan.com/pics/robopon-gba/art-char-01.jpg Just look at him]].
* And then there's [[Franchise/ResidentEvil Albert Wesker]]. He just became cooler and crueler throughout the series.
* Name one original ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' villain that isn't ''awesome''. Especially the various incarnations of [[BigBad Xehanort]]. ''Especially'' Xemnas. It helps when you're Creator/NorioWakamoto dual-wielding red [[strike:lightsabers]] [[LaserBlade ethereal blades]].

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':

* Ridley from the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, a highly intelligent and bloodthirsty [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Space Dragon]], menace to the Galaxy and Samus' ArchEnemy. While his Space Pirate lackeys are merely just darkly comedic buffoons, he still manages to assert himself as one of the most dangerous adversaries Samus has ever known. [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic And then there's his incredibly catchy theme music]].

* Jack of Blades from ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' may [[spoiler:murder your mother and blind your sister among other things]]. However, being one of the few well-voiced characters in the game, the first BigBad in the series, and just generally an all around badass [[spoiler:HumanoidAbomination[=/=]EldritchAbomination]], he earns this status. He easily ranks as the best villain in the series.

* The homely Sligs from ''VideoGame/{{Oddworld}}''. Perhaps it's the combination of [[ArtificialLimbs slick cybernetics]], glowing [[ElectronicEyes red visors]] and [[KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter standard issue rifles]]. If [[EvilIsSexy Evil Makes Them Sexy]] (and each to their own), the fact that they shoot at you on sight is [[TheMasochismTango just gravy]].
* Through not exactly a villain at the moment(but perhaps will be a antagonist an X-Pack), the KnightTemplar Angel Imperius from VideoGame/DiabloIII seems to be heading in this direction given his badass armor design and [[spoiler:the short but badass fight between him and Diablo at the beginning of Act IV]].
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' characters believe in this trope, but it ends being subverted when an actual villain appears as they also turn out to be too much of a {{Jerkass}} to apply to this trope.
* ''VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth'' provides a hilarious inversion. Fan-favorite [[spoiler: Kenny [=McCormick=]]] turns out to be the FinalBoss and one of the main villains (by way of an AssPull), but what kind of character is he playing? An EvilOverlord? A roguish AntiHero BlackKnight (which should come to mind when you think of [[spoiler: Mysterion]])? [[spoiler: Nope, a [[WholesomeCrossdresser pretty]] [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]]]].
* Go into any forum currently discussing ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' and you'll find at least person who loves the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor,]] elven supremacists with [[EvilIsSexy impeccable fashion sense]].
* For [[AntiHero a sufficiently loose definition of "evil"]], the gleefully sadistic, dominatrix-esque titular protagonist of ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' has this in spades. The BigBad of the first game, [[spoiler:Father Balder]] actually manages this as well: while his general demeanor is that of a SissyVillain with [[FashionVictimVillain a truly hideous sense of fashion]], he's just so badass and [[AwesomeBosses/{{Bayonetta}} epic in battle]], especially with "[[AwesomeMusic/{{Bayonetta}} You May Call Me Father]]" for a theme song, that he [[AgentPeacock makes it all work]].
* The ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' is naturally full of them, but three stand out among the rest.
** ComicBook/TheJoker for obvious and already documented reasons.
** Scarecrow for his show-stealing hallucination moments in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', [[Creator/JohnNoble his awesome voice]], [[NightmareFace terrifying new look]] and [[TookALevelInBadass new]] MagnificentBastard status in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'', as well as holding the distinction of being the only Batman villain in any media ''ever'' [[spoiler:to successfully unmask Batman to the world]].
** Joker goes from funny to hilariously cliché. Then he dies. Then somehow he's even MORE funny. You have to see it for yourself.
** The Arkham Knight for being a savvy EvilCounterpart to Batman.
* The Enclave, specifically in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''. They have badass suits of PowerArmor, CoolGuns, and are lead by an AffablyEvil WellIntentionedExtremist (who is voiced by {{Creator/MalcolmMcDowell}}).
* The Institute in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. They're scheming bastards prone to horribly abusing the clearly sentient and self-aware synths they create as slaves, assassinating and replacing people, performing unspeakable scientific experiments, and generally maintaining a "MurderIsTheBestSolution" policy towards Wastelanders. But their RaygunGothic CrystalSpiresAndTogas, a massive contrast to the dirty, post-apocalyptic wasteland of the rest of the game, their genuine WellIntentionedExtremist goals, and the discovery that [[spoiler:the Lone Survivor's son was raised as one of their own and has become their leader]], combine together to make their WeCanRuleTogether offer ([[FactionSpecificEndings which the player is free to accept]]) ''very'' tempting.
** Conversely, the new Brotherhood of Steel [[BaseBreakingCharacter could be seen as this]]. On one hand, they have genocidal tendencies towards Synths, ghouls, super mutants and other non-humans with [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi-like fanaticism]], but [[JerkassHasAPoint on the other hand]], most of these are AlwaysChaoticEvil monsters anyway (it's the Brotherhood's refusal to acknowledge a few ''aren't'' that makes it a KickTheDog from them). Whether the Brotherhood of Steel qualify as evil is arguable, but what isn't is that they're ''awesome''. Knights clad in T-60 power armour, fleets of Vertibirds, [[spoiler:a CoolAirship, and they've even rebuilt Liberty Prime!]]
* ''VideoGame/NocturneRPGMaker'': All three of the vampire Ancestors in this game qualify.
** Reviel, the VillainProtagonist of the game, is a TallDarkAndHandsome DualWielding MagicKnight BloodKnight who tends to be the monster in MuggingTheMonster scenarios. And unlike most RPG protagonists, he can [[DungeonBypass break down]] puzzle-locked doors and barriers with his brute strength alone. He was also once known as a [[TheDreaded "Satan"]] to mankind for easily slaughtering all human civilization that he comes across. [[spoiler:As an inversion, he arguably becomes even cooler after his HeelFaceTurn, where he tanks a villain's strongest spells at point blank range in order to protect the village and still comes out on top, albeit with help from Luna.]]
** Ristill might be the weakest of the Ancestors, but she proves to be a clever schemer and a MadScientist who comes up with ways to make up for the power discrepancy. She also has a past-paced boss theme that really highlights how frantically difficult she is after she uses Maxwell to gain an infinite supply of mana. Even Khaos notes that her ability to create existence from nothing is a potential StoryBreakerPower, which is proven true when her ability renders his CombatClairvoyance useless.
** Khaos is a BadassBookworm who managed to discover how to control time and space, among other magical concepts that he studies. He's also the most powerful of the three because he knows how to apply his vast knowledge to combat, as shown when he uses time-based spells to give himself extra turns and predict the future. Better yet, the latter spell replaces the ordinary battlefield with a purple space, magic circle platform, and spinning gears in the background. [[spoiler:The evil part is downplayed because he used to be the Ancestors' TokenGoodTeammate and is only the main antagonist because he wants to control time and space to bring his lover back.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'': Arguably the most popular pre-scripted empire among players is the warmongering and human-supremacist [[LostColony Commonwealth]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName of Man]]. Combined with MostWritersAreHuman.
* Many people prefer to play as the Horde in World of Warcraft because of this trope.

* Jean Descole from the Franchise/ProfessorLayton series was most likely created with this trope in mind. He is a MalevolentMaskedMan who combines [[NiceHat almost]] [[BadassInANiceSuit all]] [[CoolMask the]] [[PrettyInMink over the top]] [[BadassCape clothing]] tropes and actually ''pulls it off''. And his coolness goes UpToEleven in the movie ''Anime/ProfessorLaytonAndTheEternalDiva''.

* ''SaintsRow'': Every chapter ends in an EvilerThanThou CoupDeGrace. Almost everyone kisses the Protagonist's ass by complimenting his/her murderous psychosis. Arguably the coolest character in the series so far is unrepentant mass murderer Johnny Gat.
* Also the point of ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'', where you are the Dark Lord who builds his eldritch underground kingdom and throws adventuring heroes in [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] chambers. Remember: Evil is Good.

* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' series always has fiendishly enjoyable Evil campaigns.
** Especially in ''Red Alert'', the evil is served with a generous side of LargeHam. The Soviets are supposed to be the "bad guy" faction, but they have psychic troopers, tesla coils, the best tanks in the games, Kirov airships, spider-like terror drones, mind-controlled giant squid, battle-bears, and nuclear missiles to spare!
** Yuri's faction ''Red Alert 2'', while its [[GameBreaker overpowered]] status has its usage in multiplayer frowned on, fans agree that its gimmicks make it fun to play as and many fans were disappointed that it didn't get its own campaign, so many of the mods to the game, in addition to balancing the faction, focus on giving it one.
** Starting in ''Tiberian Sun'', Nod had much cooler outfits than GDI, and in Tiberium Wars, they had cooler looking vehicles. This is somewhat offset by the fact that Nod has a tendency to favor looks over practicality. GDI's ground vehicles tend to be better, and their soldiers actually look like soldiers, while Nod's look like a bunch of, abeit cool looking, KKK rejects.

* Gig from ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''. He comes off as a threatening badass even though he's a SealedEvilInACan most of the game, along with having by far the funniest moments in it, though in an odd case of this trope he's on the hero's side.
* Kotomine in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''...well, he's cool enough that the fact he has a mullet ceases to matter. Possibly helped along by every scene contrasting him to Shirou. The other BigBad, Zouken, is not cool. Or likable. Or, well, tolerable. You just kind of want him to hurry up and die already. Helped by the fact that Kotomine really knows how to talk; it's hard to be bored of his often long speeches. Most of his speeches have very little to do with him being evil or evil in general.
* Looking back at ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', many people were turned off by Ky Kiske because he's too much of a goody two shoes. Then, in ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', he's given an {{Expy}} in form of Jin Kisaragi, a twisted, erratic JerkAss whose unwholesome personality was nonetheless well-met by many fans.
** There is the matter of Hazama, a.k.a. Yuuki Terumi, who's taken the role of the BigBad of the series. He's an arrogant {{Troll}} who's even ''more'' abrasive and mean-spirited than Jin and has more or less fucked up the lives of everyone in the series, most of all, [[spoiler:[[TheWoobie Noel]], when he transforms her into Mu-12]]. Fans love him because he's [[LaughablyEvil funny]], [[EvilIsSexy handsome]], and [[BadassLongcoat a cool dresser]].
** Although over time, people somehow got sick of Terumi being constantly pushed to attention and looking too invincible nearing [[InvincibleVillain Boring Invincible Villain]] status. On the other hand, this title now goes into his partner Relius Clover, who's not as pushed to attention, but remains a LargeHam, composed, a cool dresser, rugged, and just as depraved as Hazama (or even more).
** However Terumi becoming a separate playable character form Hazama made fans love him again, mostly due to the fact that he took Hazama's personality and threw any and all restraints aside. [[spoiler:And then the fourth game boosted it even further when he ''kills'' the coolest good guy, Hakumen, and then reveals he's actually a literal ''god'']].
** Nine and Izanami as of the fourth game got into this.

* [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]], despite his VillainDecay and [[GoKartingWithBowser penchant for competitive sports]] over the years, is still a giant, [[SpikesOfVillainy spiky]], [[BreathWeapon fire-breathing]] turtle-dragon, and winning a one-on-one fight with him as a pudgy plumber will always be satisfying - and yet, he's still a powerful menace when he needs to be, especially in the main Mario platformers. ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' seems to play to this, where the big bad spiky dude is the main character (even if he ultimately has to save the Mushroom Kingdom) and, rather than being merely a comedic ButtMonkey, he's shown as a HotBlooded badass when he needs to be, and still gets plenty of hilarious scenes. Subsequent ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' installments run with this trope and depict Bowser as a much smarter and more menacing villain than in previous RPG's, all while keeping him as the LaughablyEvil BoisterousBruiser fans know and love. This trope was more-or-less acknowledged in the E3 trailer for ''VideoGame/MarioParty 10'', which features a "Bowser Party" mode where one player controls Bowser and gets to wreak havoc on other players.
** [[VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins Wario]], to the extent where he even got [[VideoGame/WarioLand his own spinoff series]]. A greedy badass treasure hunter who despite his [[StoutStrength size and pudgy shape]] pummels enemies to oblivion with his bare hands, is immortal (at least in Wario Land II and 3) and actually uses his immortality to his advantage by doing stuff like ''setting himself on fire to burn enemies and destroy certain blocks'', and happens to own a [[VideoGame/WarioWare minigame company]].
** [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi Fawful]]. [[VideoGame/PaperMario Dimentio]]. Pretty much every villain in the franchise, to be honest. Cool technology and weapons? Check. Best lines in the series (especially Fawful)? Check. Look awesome? Also check. There's a reason many of the other bad guys end up being the EnsembleDarkhorse.
* Nightmare in the VideoGame/SoulSeries. His armor is damn cool, he carries a {{BFS}} as big as he is.
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}''

* If [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go2SMXxE-8Q#t=2m29s this]] video is of any guideline, Baal from ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}} 2'' counts.

* Kratos from ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' is an excellent example, as his ''very'' anti-heroic tendencies make him a more interesting character. He's a complete badass. though in a subversion, some fans fond his progressively worse actions in the sequels made him hard to root for.
** Ares, to a certain extent, though he is not so cool as Kratos due to being such a despicable character. He has ''cool'' [[FlamingHair hair, that seem to be made of fire.]] And his armor?? Man, best armor in the franchise!
** Zeus in the sequels, probably the only one of the villains besides Ares to get much of following since A, the major antagonists besides him and Ares don't have much personality, or even screen time, and B, he's the [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking king of the gods and shows why]] since he fights [[GoodOldFisticuffs barehanded]] in a series where nearly everyone else uses some sort of weapon, and defeats a titan while human sized.

* As evil as they are, you have to admit the Reapers from ''Franchise/MassEffect'' are pretty cool. They're unfathomably advanced squid-shaped spaceships with apparently no desire beyond killing everyone every few thousand years because, hey, why not?
*** Plus [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Banshee their]] [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Brute indoctrinated]] [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Cannibal slave soldiers]].
** Despite being slavers, pirates, murderers and generally scum, the [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Eclipse Eclipse]] and [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Blue_Suns Blue Suns]] [[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenary gangs]] do have great taste in armour.
** Saren is definetely an evil FourStarBadass. So is DarkActionGirl Tela Vasir.
** Harbinger. Especially its [[EvilSoundsDeep voice]], [[SuperpoweredMooks its ability to turn a mook into a fireball throwing monster with a barrier around it,]] and the fact that it is ''very'' smart.
** Party members aren't above this: [[spoiler: Morinth]] and Zaeed.
** The [[spoiler: heretic]] geth.
** The [[TheChessmaster Shadow Broker]]. He can kick some serious ass, and he has a {{BFG}} and a ''shield''.
** Cerberus has [[http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120715083826/masseffect/images/e/e4/Cronos_station_docking_bay_entrance.png some]] [[http://cft2.igromania.ru/upload/articles/291/145507/04.jpg very]] ''[[http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3024/phantomt.jpg very]]'' [[http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/0/01/Cerberus_dragoon_smash.png cool]] ([[ArtificialBrilliance and smart]]) {{Mooks}}
*** The Illusive Man gets a special mention. Not only is he a TheChessmaster, leader of a Pro-Human terrorist organization, he's also voiced by MartinSheen, and ''brought Shepard back from the dead''.
** Illusive Man's [[TheDragon right hand man]] Kai Leng, is a bit of a BaseBreakingCharacter in this regard, as he's seemingly intended to come as off as badass EvilCounterpart to Shepard, but some fans outright hated him since the bulk of his success in fights comes CutsceneIncompetence on the heroes part, his supposed [[FlatCharacter lack of personality]] out side of being a colossal {{Jerkass}}, and being a textbook example of a FlunkyBoss where the enemies that come to help him are what actually result in the fight's difficulty, and the only thing keeping the player from killing him early a lot of the time is JokerImmunity.
** Renegade [[PlayerCharacter Shepard]]. The [[DeadpanSnarker dialogue options]], the [[BloodKnight actions]], the [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] and [[GoodScarsEvilScars scars]]. The interrupt prompts that lead to some cool moments, including [[DestinationDefenestration shoving a person through a window]]. That said, [[GoodIsNotSoft Paragon Shepard]] is no slouch themselves.

* [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Ganondorf]], in all four games he appears in.
** Ghirahim in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' proves himself a deadly EvilCounterpart to [[TheHero Link]] that can fight him on equal terms in a sword fight, and anybody else that tries getting in his way gets flattened.
* Ridley from the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, a highly intelligent and bloodthirsty [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Space Dragon]], menace to the Galaxy and Samus' ArchEnemy. While his Space Pirate lackeys are merely just darkly comedic buffoons, he still manages to assert himself as one of the most dangerous adversaries Samus has ever known. [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic And then there's his incredibly catchy theme music]].
* Among ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' fans, their favorite villain is typically Luca Blight from the second game. First signs of it, he's unit in the war sections is by far the best in the game. When it finally comes around time to kill him, despite him not having a major rune or some source magic like other major villains in the series, he still proves to be [[ThatOneBoss an incredibly difficult fight]] where he takes on [[RasputinianDeath three different parties in quick succession, takes hundreds to the chest, and finally]] TheHero [[RasputinianDeath finishing him off in a duel after he's half dead]]. His whole DyingMomentOfAwesome cemented he's spot in this trope.

* The Xenomorph in ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'' is simultaneously terrifying and fascinating, both due to its unpredictability and remarkable adapting AI. Throughout the story, it puts the player through multiple, highly tense cat-and-mouse games, that will make the player fear turning every corner. In the minds of many, it successfully made the Alien genuinely scary again.

*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' we have Cyrus the leader of Team Galactic who is an OminicidalManiac but damn if doesn't ooze badassness.

*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' we have Cyrus the leader of Team Galactic who is an OmnicidialManiac but damn if doesn't ooze badassness.
*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'', there's BigBad PsychopathicManchild, N ([[spoiler:something of an AntiVillain with [[AbusiveParents serious daddy issues]]), and, by extension, his [[PlayingWithFire Reshiram]] (in ''White'') and [[ShockAndAwe Zekrom]] (in ''Black''). (The opposite dragon is yours to use and therefore "heroic" in its respective game, however.)]]Theres also Ghetsis who is quite intimidating and has some cool pokemon like Hydregion as well as Colress from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite2'' who is a MadScientist with a lot of flair and style.
*** From ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' we have [[spoiler:Lysandre] for his very ravishing appearance, fitting for being a boss of Team Flare, a team whose goal is [[spoiler: to attempt to make the world more beautiful by comiting genocide on humans and Pokémon alike]].
*** From [[''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]] we have Archie who is a cool pirate and FriendlyEnemy as well as Maxie who is who is quite Adorkable and likable.

***

** A lot of the evil organizations such as Team Rocket can be this with their stylish uniforms, cool hideouts, and intimidating Pokémon teams.
** From ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'', there's BigBad PsychopathicManchild, N ([[spoiler:something of an AntiVillain with [[AbusiveParents serious daddy issues]]), and, by extension, his [[PlayingWithFire Reshiram]] (in ''White'') and [[ShockAndAwe Zekrom]] (in ''Black''). (The opposite dragon is yours to use and therefore "heroic" in its respective game, however.)]]

** [[VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins Wario]], to the extent where he even got [[VideoGame/WarioLand his own spinoff series]]. A greedy badass treasure hunter who despite his [[StoutStrength size and pudgy shape]] pummels enemies to oblivion with his bare hands, is immortal (At least in Wario Land II and 3) and actually uses his immortality to his advantage by doing stuff like ''setting himself on fire to burn enemies and destroy certain blocks'', and happens to own a [[VideoGame/WarioWare minigame company]].

* [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]], despite his VillainDecay and [[GoKartingWithBowser penchant for competitive sports]] over the years, is still a giant, [[SpikesOfVillainy spiky]], [[BreathWeapon fire-breathing]] turtle-dragon, and winning a one-on-one fight with him as a pudgy plumber will always be satisfying - and yet, he's still a powerful menace when he needs to be, especially in the main Mario platformers. ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' seems to play to this, where the big bad spiky dude is the main character (even if he ultimately has to save the Mushroom Kingdom) and, rather than being merely a comedic ButtMonkey, he's shown as a HotBlooded badass when he needs to be, and still gets plenty of hilarious scenes. Subsequent ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' installments run with this trope and depict Bowser as a much smarter and more menacing villain than in previous RPG's, all while keeping him as the LaughablyEvil BoisterousBruiser fans know and love.

** This was more-or-less acknowledged in the E3 trailer for ''VideoGame/MarioParty 10'', which features a "Bowser Party" mode where one player controls Bowser and gets to wreak havoc on other players.

** ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' also has a Dark Side path for this reason, even for the Republic side. Yes, you can pretty much do a [[MassEffect Renegade Shepard]] run as a Republic Trooper, be an underworld thug as a Smuggler, and go full Anakin Skywalker {{Expy}} KnightTemplar on the Jedi paths. If you do a dark side ''Imperial'' run, you're even more of a puppy-kicking, manipulative, brutal monster...but wow, you can certainly look cool doing it.

** Another ''Star Wars'' example: ''TIEFighter''. Darth Vader is your ''wingman.'' That is all. [[note]]Granted some view that as turning your character into a TheWoobie since Vader is [[BadBoss one of the meanest bosses ever]] [[/note]].

** Especially in ''Red Alert'', the evil is served with a generous side of LargeHam. Yuri's faction ''Red Alert 2'', while its [[GameBreaker overpowered]] status has its usage in multiplayer frowned on, fans agree that its gimmicks make it fun to play as and many fans were disappointed that it didn't get its own campaign, so many of the mods to the game, in addition to balancing the faction, focus on giving it one.

* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' series always has fiendishly enjoyable Evil campaigns. Especially in ''Red Alert'', the evil is served with a generous side of LargeHam. Starting in Tiberian Sun, Nod had much cooler outfits than GDI, and in Tiberium Wars, they had cooler looking vehicles. This is somewhat offset by the fact that Nod has a tendency to favor looks over practicality. GDI's ground vehicles tend to be better, and their soldiers actually look like soldiers, while Nod's look like a bunch of, abeit cool looking, KKK rejects.
** Yuri's faction ''Red Alert 2'', while its [[GameBreaker overpowered]] status has its usage in multiplayer frowned on, fans agree that its gimmicks make it fun to play as and many fans were disappointed that it didn't get its own campaign, so many of the mods to the game, in addition to balancing the faction, focus on giving it one.

* The Xenomorph in ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'' is simultaneously terrifying and fascinating, both due to its unpredictability and remarkable adapting AI. Throughout the story, it puts the player through multiple, highly tense cat-and-mouse games, that will make the player fear turning every corner. In the minds of many, it successfully made the Alien terrifying again.

** The Shadow Selves in 4 and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}} are also pretty freaking cool, especially in their giant monster forms.