History ManipulativeBastard / VideoGames

** Naminé is called one of these by Larxene (which, coming from her, is rather [[{{Hypocrite}} hypocritical]]). While Naminé her use of her ability to create FakeMemories certainly does cause her to fall into this, she's still an overall NiceGirl who [[MindOverManners only uses this ability when she's forced to]].

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'': Master Xehanort knows that Eraqus is a KnightTemplar who would try to destroy anything that upset his ideals of "balance", no matter who they are. He also knows that Terra has a BigBrotherInstinct towards Ventus that can easily be turned into blind anger. So, what does he do? He tells Ventus his true nature and sends him to confront Eraqus about it, then warns Terra that Ventus is about to be deep-sixed by the boys' mentor. After that, he just sits back until Terra and Eraqus wear each other out, then finishes off Eraqus himself, also succeeding in deepening the shadow in Terra's heart.

* Axel from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', playing both sides in an Organization XIII internal conflict so that he could feel amused (hey, when you're a Nobody, you'll take any feeling you can get.)
** Marluxia and Zexion from the same game, though the latter tends to fall into SmugSnake territory.
** Maleficent definitely counts too. In the first game, she had gained the loyalty of Disney's most ruthlessly evil villains by promises of high power of galactic scale, something [[HumansAreBastards most people whouldn't ignore]]. She also played [[spoiler:Riku]] into her hands by using some good old fashioned "play on his jealousy of his best friend, 'cause he has the girl and greater powers" while playing the mother figure to him.
** Master Xehanort manipulated the three protagonists of the first game chronologically so he could get a new body, get Kingdom Hearts and restart the Keyblade War. Even after the prequel's end [[spoiler:he still succeeded with one of his goals. Not only that, but even after his two halves are defeated he's going to make a return as the original. It's as though this is just another alternate plan he created in case his other halves failed. The events of all of the games but 1 is due to him, and you could say he was responsible for that game being necessary at all.]]

** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'': Larstastnaras tried to take control of the plains by bending Batkhaan's ear, the village chief of Batsureg.

* In ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords]]'', Kreia digs into Atton's subconscious and holds his past over his head like an axe for the whole game, ensuring he remains loyal to the Exile. When she meets Mandalore later, she casually namedrops Revan, and then promising an answer to "the question that burns within his shell" - which likely boils down to "Why did he abandon me?" - to ensure ''his'' loyalty to the Exile.
** Emphasized by an optional scene in the game - If Atton and the Exile develop enough trust between them, Atton [[spoiler:tells the exile of his murder of several Jedi during the war, some former comrades of the Exile. The Exile accepts this and forgives Atton.]] Atton, having done this, confronts Kreia, and states that she has no power over him any longer. Kreia's Response - [[spoiler:"If you thought I had any power over you in the first place then you were more of a fool than I thought. However, never forget, traitor, the feeling of guilt you had, and know that I can make you recall that feeling at - any - moment. Now, leave me, murderer".]]
** Unfortunately for Kreia, she can't manipulate droids. (She will vent her anger at T3, however.)
*** UpToEleven in the Restored Content. For example, she will poke and prod at Brianna, stoking her jealousy of Visas.

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', the Illusive Man knows just the right words to say and just the right favors to grant to ensure that you'll give him everything he wants. [[spoiler:At least until the endgame, where Shepard can refuse to give him the Collector Base.]]
** TIM is so manipulative that even if you don't believe his bull for a minute, you'll end up working for him anyway because almost every ''other'' source of assistance (the Council, Alliance, etc.) has turned against you just for being ''associated'' with Cerberus. Exactly as planned.
*** More so than that, you find out in the third game [[spoiler:he purposely chose more sympathetic Cerberus operatives such as Kelly Chambers, Kenneth Donelly and Gabriel Daniels to be on the second Normandy's crew because he knew Shepard would be more receptive to them than some of his more questionable underlings; even [[IceQueen Miranda]] was a bastion of morality compared to some of his other agents]].
** Also, there's Morinth, an asari [[HornyDevils sex demon]] who manipulates people into melding with her, killing them and making herself more powerful.

* Creator/BioWare just ''loves'' this trope. In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' you have [[spoiler:Bhelen]], who outplays the character in the beginning, if you chose the Dwarven Noble origins. [[spoiler:He tricks you in to believing that your eldest brother Trian is out to kill you for being a contender for the throne, frames you for killing him during a darkspawn campaign, and votes for exiling you and stripping you of everything and to be sent to the Deep Roads to DIE]].
** It's actually even better than that, [[spoiler:if you go choose to go along with him and believe that Trian is out to get you - he manipulates Trian into attempting to kill you. If you express your disbelief, he resorts to the above, killing Trian himself and framing you for it. No matter what you do, Bhelen wins. Fortunately you can get your own sweet revenge at a later time if you so choose]].
*** You can even forgive Bhelen for that exact reason, word for word. Bhelen and his assistant will be shocked but pleased that you admit that he played by the rules of Orzammar unfair and square.

* Bob Page from ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' creates a plague to infect most of the United States. Having also created the vaccine, he brags about how much power and manipulation he has over even the most powerful people.

* In ''[[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Human Revolution]]'' there exists CASIE augmentations that give its owner an enhanced ability to read a person's reactions and exhale resistance lowering pheromones. Activating this aug turns Adam Jensen into a ''[[WishFulfillment player controlled]]'' Manipulative Bastard.

* The Practical Incarnation from ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment''. He gets a woman who ''knows'' he's a ManipulativeBastard but is still in love with him [[spoiler:to accompany him to her certain death so he can have a spy in the place where she'll die]]. He creates a holy text [[spoiler:quite possibly wholecloth in order to get a member of a race that freed itself from slavery and despises the notion to swear fealty to him]]. He gets a blind archer [[spoiler:to effectively sell himself to him]]. Manipulative? Oh yes. Bastard? Yes.

* Professor Tsuchida of ''VideoGame/PeretEmHeruForThePrisoners'' really couldn't care less about the hapless tour group he ropes into joining him during his exploration of the underground ruins. But he's entirely capable of using various tricks to keep them around and ensure they keep helping him out.

*** Hermaeus Mora, oddly enough, qualifies as well. As the Prince of Knowledge, this would seem an unusual aspect to take on; however as its sobriquet [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast ''The Gardener of Men'']] hints, Hermaeus Mora has a proclivity for manipulating and cultivating people to its ends. Mora's gifts of forbidden knowledge can cause its petitioners to seize upon possiblities that speak to their deepest, most flawed desires; all while ignoring the greater context surrounding them, such as in the cases of Miraak and Septimus Signus

*** Hermaeus Mora, oddly enough, qualifies as well. As the Prince of Knowledge, this would seem an unusual aspect to take on; however as its sobriquet [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast''The Gardener of Men'']] hints, Hermaeus Mora has a proclivity for manipulating and cultivating people to its ends. Mora's gifts of forbidden knowledge can cause its petitioners to seize upon possiblities that speak to their deepest, most flawed desires; all while ignoring the greater context surrounding them, such as in the cases of Miraak and Septimus Signus

** The Prophet of Truth, the other major antagonist of the original trilogy, is also an example. Much emphasis on the 'manipulative' and ''much'' emphasis on the 'bastard' .Truth is the one who kicked off the war against humanity in the first place, after finding out that ''humans'' are the Reclaimers and may, in fact, be descendants of the Forerunners (which is later shown to be untrue). Realizing that this knowledge would prove to be the Covenant's undoing, he manipulates Prophet politics into electing himself and his co-conspirators as Hierarchs by claiming that humans are hoarding Forerunner relics and must pay for this insult.

** Maleficent definitely count too. In the first game, she had gained the loyality of Disney's most ruthlessly evil villains by promises of high power of galactic scale, something [[HumansAreBastards most people whouldn't ignore]]. She also played [[spoiler:Riku]] into her hands by using some good old fashion "play on his jealousy of his best friend, 'cause he has the girl and greater powers" while playing the mother figure to him.
** Master Xehanort manipulated the three protagonist of the first game chronologically so he could get a new body, get Kingdom Hearts and restart the Keyblade War. Even after the prequel's end [[spoiler:he still succeeded with one of his goals. Not only that but even after his two halves are defeated he's going to make a return as the original. It's as though this is just another alternate plan he created in case his other halves failed. The events of all of the games but 1 is due to him, and you could say he was responsible for that game being necessary at all.]]

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': Lucifer. '''''[[MoreThanMindControl Lucifer]].''''' While he's a genuinely caring figure towards Humanity, his methods to "save" it are... extremely questionable. It helps very little to learn he's also a master of {{Batman Gambit}}s.

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': Lucifer. ''[[MagnificentBastard Lucifer]]''. '''''[[MoreThanMindControl Lucifer]].''''' While he's a genuinely caring figure towards Humanity, his methods to "save" it are... extremely questionable. It helps very little to learn he's also a master of {{Batman Gambit}}s.

** Seija Kijin from ''Double Dealing Character'' has also gained a reputation for small scale manipulation by having started a "societal upheaval" by tricking [[LittlePeople Shinmyou]][[{{Lilliputians}} maru Su]][[PintsizedPowerhouse kuna]]... "Small scale" because if you are a species of {{youkai}} infamous for being dishonest you need a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter, like [[UnwittingPawn Shinmyoumaru]], for your trickery to ever be successful.

** Emphasized by an optional scene in the game - If Atton and the Exile develop enough trust between them, Atton [[spoiler:tells the exile of his murder of several Jedi during the war, some former comrades of the Exile. The Exile accepts this and forgives Atton.]] Atton, having done this, confronts Kreia, and states that she has no power over him any longer. Kreia's Response - [[spoiler:"If you thought I had any power over you in the first place then you were more of a fool than I thought. However, never forget, traitor, the feeling of guilt you had, and know that I can make you recall that feeling at - any - moment. Now, leave me, murderer".]] A MagnificentBastard, indeed.

** [[spoiler:He himself is a pawn of the game's MagnificentBastard.]]

** TIM is so manipulative that even if you don't believe his bull for a minute, you'll end up working for him anyway because almost every ''other'' source of assistance (the Council, Alliance, etc.) has turned against you just for being ''associated'' with Cerberus. [[MagnificentBastard Exactly as planned.]]

* Michael Thorton of ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' is stated in the intro to be hired into the titular organization due to being this. If the player is good enough at manipulation and alliances, Michael can even ascend to MagnificentBastard levels.

* [[spoiler:Albert Silverberg]] of ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII'' is also a MagnificentBastard, given that [[spoiler:he manipulates ''everyone'' into the events of the game '''just''' to show the world that yes, he is indeed a Silverberg and improve his reputation of being a genius Chessmaster. Then he casually derails the whole thing and [[KarmaHoudini waltzes away]], leaving players to hope that a future game will let them [[BreakTheHaughty get their revenge]]]].

* In both ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' and ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'', TheEmperor is a Manipulative Bastard who frequently approaches [[MagnificentBastard magnificence]], in his original game wheeling and dealing with ''God'' and ''the Devil'' and ''winning'', and in ''Dissidia'', playing every side against the other in a ploy to [[spoiler:rule all of existence. It's very late in the game when the other villains figure out his plans in their entirety and ''still'' can't stop him, the heroes never figure them out properly]]. But the most interesting twist is that this is integrated into playing as him in ''Dissidia'' -- his playstyle is called "Trap Master", and is unique in that it revolves around forcing his opponent into traps or into situations where they cannot stop his virtually undodgeable ChargedAttack from executing. In other words, in order to use the Emperor effectively, the ''player themself'' has to be a Manipulative Bastard!

* The Practical Incarnation from ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment''. He gets a woman who ''knows'' he's a Manipulative Bastard but is still in love with him [[spoiler:to accompany him to her certain death so he can have a spy in the place where she'll die]]. He creates a holy text [[spoiler:quite possibly wholecloth in order to get a member of a race that freed itself from slavery and despises the notion to swear fealty to him]]. He gets a blind archer [[spoiler:to effectively sell himself to him]]. Manipulative? Oh yes. Bastard? Yes.

** [[spoiler: However, he's been killed by Hakumen, and it turns out that all along ''he'' was playing into Izanami's hands.]]
** Hazama's partner in crime Relius Clover is a fine manipulator too; he's spent years trying to play piano with his son Carl's emotions, often for nothing more than amusement. He tricked into helping him create Ignis. In [[spoiler: her legendary Bad Ending, he mind rapes the above Makoto into borderline catatonia]] when even Hazama, himself a pro, failed to do much. Recently he's been trying, with considerably less success, to play Litchi.

*** Gul'dan was the first Manipulative Bastard in the entire Warcraft franchise, even before the character of Kil'jaeden was fleshed out.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series you can get out from/make almost any/every situation if your Speech-skill is high enought...this depending are you good or evil. In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' alone - when playing Good - you can negotiate/seduce a man to give up his plan to blow up a city or - as Evil character - manipulate him to double the reward if you want to blow up the bomb for him.

* [[spoiler: Master Li]] of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' is the epitome of Manipulative Bastardry. He pulls off a ''20 year'' {{plan}} (only saved from being a GambitRoulette because he is ''always'' in control of it) perfectly, [[spoiler: even anticipating crash sites of flyers and manipulating family who assumed he survived a blizzard after being chucked around by a deity ''and'' to still be looking for him. He knew about and relied on Sun Hai doing that. All hail the Glorious Strategist!]]

** [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne Aradia]], in her case, strings along an emotionally-vulnerable woman across a DeathWorld filled with demons with the promise of giving her a Reason - the necessary philosophy/impetus to create a new world through the power of Kagutsuchi. It turns out she keeps withholding the promised Reason because ''she cannot and never could imagine it''. [[spoiler: Aradia's been lying through her teeth the entire time - only humans can conceive Reasons; what she needed was the woman's ''faith'' and hope her protege, the Demi-Fiend, was receptive to her. When it became apparent that was not the case and that she was not going to win, Aradia invoked ScrewThisImOuttaHere. To her credit, she ''did'' try and get her follower with her ([[GodsNeedPrayerBadly possibly to keep Aradia alive]]), but her emotional manipulation had drained the poor woman to the point she no longer cared even about her own life.]]

** [[spoiler: He himself is a pawn of the game's MagnificentBastard.]]

*** More so than that, you find out in the third game [[spoiler: he purposely chose more sympathetic Cerberus operatives such as Kelly Chambers, Kenneth Donelly and Gabriel Daniels to be on the second Normandy's crew because he knew Shepard would be more receptive to them than some of his more questionable underlings; even [[IceQueen Miranda]] was a bastion of morality compared to some of his other agents]].

** It's actually even better than that, [[spoiler: if you go choose to go along with him and believe that Trian is out to get you - he manipulates Trian into attempting to kill you. If you express your disbelief, he resorts to the above, killing Trian himself and framing you for it. No matter what you do, Bhelen wins. Fortunately you can get your own sweet revenge at a later time if you so choose]].

* [[spoiler: Fontaine]] from ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}.'' Three words: [[spoiler: Would you kindly?]]

** Then again, both Page and Simons likely have a skilled PR department [[VillainWithGoodPublicity devoted to making them look like upstanding citizens]]. Better examples would be [[DragonLady Maggie Chow]] who plays her allies, the [[TheTriadsAndTheTongs Red Arrow Triad]] into a gang war with Luminous Path to ruin them both and when confronted by JC, she tries to distract him with a RedHerring despite having [[spoiler: a squad of [=MJ12=] soldiers stationed inside her apartment]].

** [[spoiler: Zhao Yun Ru]] actually manages get the better of Adam Jensen with a reasonably convincing DamselInDistress impression. There is also speculation that [[spoiler: Megan Reed]] is this, along with Femme Fatale, especially given the post-credit ending.
** Bob Page, from the first game, is shown to be this back in 2027, from what little we see of him. [[spoiler: the post-credit ending has him happily welcoming Megan in joining him in his efforts, and insisting that he be called by his first name.]] In ''The Missing Link'', an email sent from him sent to a concerned researcher about the ethics of the projects being undertaken shows his skill in writing a heartfelt letter, and the post-script has him playfully telling the researcher to call him Bob, along with a smiley face.
* [[spoiler: Albert Silverberg]] of ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII'' is also a MagnificentBastard, given that [[spoiler: he manipulates ''everyone'' into the events of the game '''just''' to show the world that yes, he is indeed a Silverberg and improve his reputation of being a genius Chessmaster. Then he casually derails the whole thing and [[KarmaHoudini waltzes away]], leaving players to hope that a future game will let them [[BreakTheHaughty get their revenge]]]].
* ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV'' has Graham Cray, who turns the entire country of Kooluk into his UnwittingPawn in order to [[spoiler: flush out and reclaim the Rune of Punishment]].
** Another example from ''IV'' is the [[SmugSnake elder of Na-Nal]]. After you fight some Kooluk soldiers trying to liberate the island, he captures you and reveals that he's allied with Kooluk, then forces you to go and steal a remedy from the HiddenElfVillage so he can score even more points with TheEmpire by healing the soldiers you wounded. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for him, it turns out the Elven Elder is an even bigger bastard who ''predicted'' Na-Nal's elder would do this and ''lets'' you steal a poisonous 'remedy'. Na-Nal's apparent betrayal does NOT go over well with the rest of Kooluk's occupying forces...]]
* In ''VideoGame/SuikodenTierkreis'', it turns out that [[spoiler: Danash VIII]] deliberately engineered the tension between the Magedom ruler's [[UsefulNotes/ForTheLoveOfMany multiple wives]]. The three consorts are constantly competing for their husband's attention and affection, and thus go out of their way to prove themselves the one willing to do the most to support and strengthen the Magedom... leading them to do things like [[TheWoobie turn their children into tools]].
* [[GodOfEvil Fain]] of ''{{VideoGame/Lusternia}}'' is a ConsummateLiar Manipulative Bastard. [[spoiler: It's unclear how much of this was [[FaceHeelTurn his natural personality]] and how much is the result of his exposure to [[TheCorruption Soulless essence]]; it's hard to even pinpoint the moment he JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope, since he [[IDidWhatIHadToDo defends his actions]] to the last. He ''still'' has followers, amongst mortals and Gods!]]

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', Hlaalu Helseth, King of Morrowind, proves to be this along with TheChessmaster. He fails to capture the throne of Wayrest during the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall?]]'' He returns to his mother's homeland and captures the throne there. The former King Llethan is old and weak? [[spoiler: Helseth [[MasterPoisoner poisons him]] and usurps his throne, killing Llethan's chosen heir in the process]]. Some "[[PlayerCharacter Nerevarine]]" character is making news in Vvardenfell? He sends the Dark Brotherhood to kill the Nerevarine who he perceives as a threat to his rule. [[spoiler: When that fails, Helseth gets the Nerevarine to work for ''him'']]. The in-game book [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:A_Game_at_Dinner A Game at Dinner]] also provides a great example, in which Helseth roots out a spy using a BatmanGambit along with BluffingTheMurderer while [[SubvertedTrope Subverting]] CarryingTheAntidote.

** Dr. Eggman has been shown to be this at times in the [[SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] series. He has tricked Knuckles on several occasions, tricked Tails into revealing he had a fake Chaos Emerald, and has, at one point, tricked Sonic to get to the center of a machine that would unseal Dark Gaia and break Sonic out of his SuperMode.

* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'' gives us [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Yandere-chan]] who will manipulate certain events to befit her and her quest to be with Senpai. However, the player can establish if she's just this or a mass-murdering sociopath who only cares about herself and her desires.

* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'' offers a female variation in Ayano/Yandere-chan. As her nickname suggests, she is a {{yandere}} who is willing to do anything to win the object of her affections. She can make a murder look like a suicide so that she doesn't draw attention to herself, she can improve her social skills and charm people into doing whatever she wants, she can get rid of a rival by framing her for murder, theft, or cheating, etc. Just what kind of person she is and how far she's willing to go is dependent on the player.

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Demonheart}}'', Raze the demonspawn tries to manipulate the main character the entire time. Speaking inside her head, he tries to turn her against every other character in the game, and [[spoiler:he lies about his real identity]]. Whether or not she falls for it is up to the player.

* [[spoiler: Master Li]] of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' is the epitome of Manipulative Bastardry. He pulls off a ''20 year'' {{plan}}(only saved from being a GambitRoulette because he is ''always'' in control of it) perfectly, [[spoiler: even anticipating crash sites of flyers and manipulating family GenreSavvy enough to assume he survived a blizzard after being chucked around by a deity ''and'' to still be looking for him. He knew about and relied on Sun Hai doing that. All hail the Glorious Strategist!]]

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Demonheart}}'', Raze the demonspawn speaks to the main character telepathically, trying to manipulate her the entire time. He tries to turn her against every other character in the game, and [[spoiler:he lies about his real identity]].

* ''VideoGame/RandalsMonday'': [[spoiler:The business bum.]]

* Tlacolotl in ''VideoGame/NexusWar'' games is a BadBoss [[TheSociopath Sociopath]] who is universally [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating despised]] by the other members of the pantheon. He's still a distressingly successful player of the CosmicChessGame that drives the series because he knows who ''else'' despises and distrusts whom, and he's a master of manipulating other gods into wasting their resources in petty fights with each other while he moves his own pieces into place. Some examples of his schemes include [[spoiler:suckering [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity Namm]] into banishing [[CassandraTruth Azazel]]]] and [[spoiler:engineering Haldos' [[LeeroyJenkins failed bid]] to overthrow the death-god Hashaa.]]

* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'' offers a female variation in Ayano/Yandere-chan. As her nickname suggests, she is a {{yandere}} who is willing to do anything to win the object of her affections. She can make a murder look like a suicide so that she doesn't draw attention to herself, she can improve her social skills and charm people into doing whatever she wants, she can get rid of a rival by framing her for murder, theft, or cheating, etc. Just what kind of person she is and how far she's willing to go is dependent on the player.