It would probably be a tie between the badguy in Vagrant Story (I forget his name, but it's blonde with no shirt and a metal arm), and Kesler from the first inFamous game. Since explaining why is spoilerific, I'll include them below
Vagrant Story:
inFamous
Vagrant Story:
Both of them aren't actually trying to destroy the world, but trying to forge a hero capable of handling a power in the right way. In Vagrant Story, it's very much like the movie The Order with Heath Ledger. The villain bears a heavy burden, and is tired of it, but he can't just give the burden, and the power with it, to anyone. He has to find someone worthy of it. So in the game he spends the entire time, testing the protagonist, tempting him with power, your classic "Mmmmuahahah!! Come to the dark side!! I am invincible!!" kind of stuff, but the whole time, he's counting on the hero refusing the offers, and overcoming them. In the end, he is happy to die, and to be freed of the dark power he had, and feels confident that the hero is a worthy custodian of the power, who won't use it poorly. I found that a very refreshing story when the game came out, to have such a Heel/Face turn in the villain, and to learn it was all orchestrated anyway.
inFamous
Pretty much the same reason as above for Vagrant, but with a slight spin to it. He's trying to forge a hero, and so he tests him. He grants him superpowers, and then locks him inside a citywide prison, with the people afraid and struggling to survive, while also battling a disease. Then, not only does he do this, he sets the citizens against the hero, by having the TV Hacker guy reveal that Cole is the cause of their troubles, and then proceeds to constantly send out little propoganda messages, vilifying Cole further. He's pushing him, trying to see if he will rise up and defend the city, even if the entire city is turned against him. And in the end, he's happy to finally die to Cole's attack, confident that he's prepared Cole as best he could, for what was to come next.
I just really liked those badguys, because they weren't really badguys. And others have said before that nobody think they're the villain in their own mind. They're the hero of their story. And when you actually flesh out an antagonist with a motivation that is understandable, and relatable, it makes for a more moving experience.
I just really liked those badguys, because they weren't really badguys. And others have said before that nobody think they're the villain in their own mind. They're the hero of their story. And when you actually flesh out an antagonist with a motivation that is understandable, and relatable, it makes for a more moving experience.