- Amethyst
- 13 May, 2025
The purpose of antagonists in video games is always essential to spark emotional investment. In RPG’s this is even more crucial to tell a compelling story. They are the simple contrast to the usually more complex protagonists. The evil archetypes make the end goal of the game clear.
Stereotypical antagonists have evolved throughout time. They are now characters with more depth, nuance and motivations than in the past. There is more to learn about them than just that they want destruction.
This can spark moral questions for the player. Or even empathy towards the antagonist as you learn their motivation.
The slow evolution of antagonists in RPGs confront players with their own morals and to reflect themselves in both protagonists and antagonists.
The question being: “Antagonists in RPGs – What Makes a Villain Truly Evil?”
The Archetypal Antagonist – Evil for Evil’s Sake
In the early days of RPGs, antagonists are displayed as pure embodiments of evil. Designed just as opposition to the hero. To drive a narrative of protagonist versus antagonist. They lack motive or personal backstory. The archetypal antagonist is a simple display of power and malice. This gives players a solid foundation against the antagonist. There is no moral questioning in black and white zones.
Longstanding franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest display this type of antagonist early on.
Golbez is the powerful and ruthless antagonist hunting the Crystals in Final Fantasy IV. He’s the classic villain who pushes the story forward with his dark actions.
In the end Golbez gains more depth as he’s the marionette of an external force. It gives him a small layer to his villainous actions while keeping him mostly in the traditional antagonist role.
In Dragon Quest III, Zoma and Baramos are the evil antagonists. There is very little backstory or motivation on why they want to wreak havoc. It is an intentional design of the creators. That decision makes the fate of the protagonist very defined. The need to confront and defeat the antagonists is clear from the onset. The experience feels heroic and of grand proportion because of that.
By creating a contrast between good and evil, the focus lies on action in the game. The antagonists do not evoke empathy or challenge players’ moral perceptions. They just give a goal to chase. The achievement of defeating them is the satisfying feeling for players.
The Tragic Antagonist – Evil Fueled by Personal Loss or Trauma
With the evolution of RPG’s, the evolution of antagonists follows. No longer being evil for the sake of evil. Antagonists now resemble tragic figures with their motivation coming from personal loss, trauma or misconstrued ideals. No longer are they just a threat, but also became characters that players can sympathise with. The shift in the way antagonists are displayed, adds emotional depth to the stories in RPGs. Psychological dimensions of the villains are more explored by the players.
Evil personified with a tragic backstory, is Luca Blight in Suikoden II. He is the embodiment of cruelty and tyranny. He has a violent and sadistic nature. He doesn’t hesitate to use the worst kinds of violence against other humans, with ruthless slaughter as example. The motivation stems deeply from his childhood. He witnesses the violation of his mother during an invasion of a rival nation. His father, King Agares, fled at first sight of the enemy. Fueled by the twisted view of strength, he is painted as the antagonist who believes his actions are justified. The layers of emotional engagement makes him more complex than the traditional archetype of protagonist.
Sephiroth – The Most Tragic Antagonist in History!
This also counts for Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII. He’s one of the most iconic and known RPG antagonists of all-time. He was a member of an elite military group and a celebrated hero. His world crumbles as he learns the truth of his origins. He is created as a scientific experiment by a corrupt organisation. His descent into evil is fueled by the deep sense of confusion and betrayal. He goes on a search for his true identity as his rage grows. This culminates into the desire to destroy the planet. Players are forced to confront Sephiroth with his actions, but also the pain that triggers his motivation.
Tragic antagonists add emotional weight to the story. They serve as the players moral mirror, and challenge them to question the fine lines between heroes and villains. This can make the defeat of Luca Blight or Sephiroth not just satisfying, but also deeply emotional. With Sephiroth especially, this creates a bittersweet experience through the entirety of the game.
With the tragic archetype of antagonists, games result in a more nuanced type of narrative than the stoic “evil to be evil” antagonists.
The Antagonist as a Reflection of the Hero – When Villains Mirror the Protagonists
From “evil without motive” to tragic archetypes. Sounds like evolution! It doesn’t stop there however. Evolution makes another new style of antagonist as a reflection of the protagonist. They highlight the flaws and fears of the hero. The villain shares a common trait, or the same background or heritage as the hero. Yet, they are different in important moral or philosophical ways. Conflicts between them are more than a battle for victory. They are a struggle that challenge the protagonist’s way of thinking and beliefs.
Jowy Atreides in Suikoden II shares the same fate as main character Riou. They both share a tragic history as orphans and are thrown into a conflict at young age.
While Riou chooses the path of peace and unity, Jowy chooses a path of power and manipulation. Jowy starts to believe that violence is the only way to achieve his goals. His wish of a land without borders and full freedom. While Riou resists corruption, Jowy opens up to the idea’s of using it as leverage. The confrontation of different ideologies forces players to question their decision making.
When there is divergence in morals and belief between the two counterparts, players get more emotionally invested and attached. It opens up opportunities for self-assessment and a view into the past of your own life. This can cause self-reflection and open up the players mind for reassessing their own beliefs and decisions.
The Psychological Antagonist – Exploring Deep-Rooted Trauma
In modern RPGs psychological antagonists are more than just evil. They have complex personalities shaped by deep scars caused of unresolved trauma or even an existential crisis.
Personal struggles with identity, moral or purpose are the driving factor behind their actions. The force that shapes their worldview originates in their trauma. They are as much tragic as antagonistic. Players are challenged to dive deep into the dark parts of the psyche and to consider effects of trauma and mental health on behaviour.
Adam and Eve in NieR: Automata are prime examples. Androids trying to grapple their purpose and humanity with existential questions lead to violent actions. They struggle deeply in a destroyed world to find meaning. Adam wants to understand humanity through violent ways. Eve becomes more erratic, driven by an identity crisis and loss of a brother.
Their motivations don’t stem from pure evil but is rooted in confusion and sadness from psychological crisis and trauma.
Psychological antagonists will expose players to more diverse themes such as mental health and the lasting effects of trauma. These antagonists are not there to be just defeated but reflect mental and emotional struggles that can shape a being’s life. Defeating them will not always feel like easy victory, but serve as emotional nuance and acknowledgement of the antagonists struggles and life.
This can also result into sympathy for antagonists, such as for Kefka Palazzo in Final Fantasy VI. He looks the classic antagonist of chaos and destruction. However you discover that he was mistreated and neglected for years by superiors. Being a test subject, he struggles to find his own identity. The tragic transformation from a manipulated subject to a villain reshaping the world by destruction, makes you feel sympathy towards Kefka.
Conclusion – Well-Designed Antagonists in RPGs Make A Great Game!
The evolution of antagonists in RPGs is a grand evolution in gaming history. The experience is more engaging and challenges thoughts on multiple levels for players with well-designed antagonists. By blurring the lines between protagonists and antagonists, players are invited to self-assess and self-reflect. This makes for more invested time in the game, and also leaves a lasting emotional reflection.
Depending on the design and other aspects of the game, the memory resonates long after the final battle has ended in victory.
Who is your favourite antagonist of all time and why?
