Most good games tell a story. And, like most stories, these tend to be about the struggle of good against evil. But while you are almost always placed in the role of the hero, there is something about a well-developed villain that just makes the struggle all the more worthwhile.
To determine our favorite villains, we had several criteria. First and foremost, they had to be memorable. Secondly, they had to occupy the traditional role of a villain; that is, they had to be the major obstacle in the path of your progress. This second criterion ruled out several worthy candidates, such as Doom's Baron of Hell and Warcraft II's Ogre Magi. Finally, they had to have some special quality that helped move them beyond the rank of your typical do-badders.
Some of these evil overachievers turned to world domination because of some evil done to them, and some were just "born that way." Some fit villain archetypes: the terrorist, the femme fatale, the pirate. Some are unlikely antiheroes: armed tentacles, marketing guys. Our ten favorite villains don't just try to take over some realm or kidnap some fair maiden - they do it with gusto. Here they are, in alphabetical order.
The warlord
