The 10 Best Video Game Antiheroes of All Time, Ranked

Everyone loves a good anti-hero who can blur the lines between good and evil. These characters aren’t just sympathetic villains, but individuals who lack specific heroic traits, like Link from The Legend of Zelda, yet still move the plot forward through individual goals that can sometimes be considered good. They also aren’t heroes who bend the rules sometimes, like Leon from Resident Evil.

Fans love these types of characters because they are complicated, messy, and more relatable, with everything they do shaping the good or bad inside them. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest video game anti-heroes of all time based on writing, characterization, development, moral ambiguity, flaws, relatability, and overall quality.

10

Geralt of Rivia

‘The Witcher’ Games (2007–Present)

Image via CD Projekt

Fantasy games take one of two approaches: either a whimsical world full of adventure, or a dark and bleak existence. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is part of the latter, meaning there are many anti-heroes, including the protagonist, Geralt of Rivia. As a Witcher, he faces constant discrimination, yet he continues to do whatever job he is paid to do, simply existing for monster hunting and coin.

However, his motives and goals evolve far beyond monster hunting and coin later in the series, with him trying to protect Ciri and needing to choose lesser evils. His personality and cynical views shaped by the bleak world can’t help but steer his decisions even if he wants to do the right thing, making him a fantastic protagonist in one of the best video games of the past century.

9

Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi)

‘Mortal Kombat’ Games (1992–Present)

Image via NetherRealm Studios

Mortal Kombat is one of the greatest fighting game franchises of all time, and any good fighting game needs a roster of engaging characters. Mortal Kombat has a lot of brutal personalities, but the one who sticks out the most is Scorpion. After his family was murdered by Sub-Zero, he spends the rest of his life and afterlife hunting him down until he can drag Sub-Zero into hell.

Scorpion used to just be a badass video game character who said “get over here,” but the modern reboot has evolved him into an anti-hero. He doesn’t give up on killing or his revenge, but it is a sort of noble vengeance that drives him. By the end of the games, he has restored his clan, come to terms with his past atrocities, and made peace with the younger version of Sub-Zero.

8

Wario

‘Super Mario’ Games (1985–Present)

Image via Nintendo

Most anti-heroes are meant to be taken seriously, as they are deeply flawed, compelling, and they work best in a mature setting. However, Wario proves that even silly characters can be anti-heroes. He doesn’t have too big of a focus on many narratives, but his greed drives every instinct in his body, whether that makes him an enemy or an ally of Mario and friends.

Maybe Wario is still villainous, but that is just because of his unwavering greed, which can also make him do good, even if he doesn’t mean it. He is the definition of a selfish video game character whose goals only lie in personal motivation. Wario is a fun parody and too stubborn to lose, proving why he is a beloved video game character.

7

Kazuma Kiryu

‘Yakuza’ Games (2005–Present)

Image via SEGA

The Yakuza franchise is one of the most bizarre, but players can’t help but get sucked into its world and characters, such as the anti-hero Kazuma Kiryu. He is a yakuza enforcer who operates outside the law, which doesn’t sound too anti-hero-like until fans learn about his moral code and the fact that he doesn’t even want to be a yakuza member.

Despite surrounding himself with yakuza and a villainous life, Kiryu aims to free himself of these shackles, deconstructing the glorification of organized crime. He is a bright anomaly inside the underworld, trying his best to do the right thing when he is forced to be the bad guy, highlighting his character arc and unwavering good inside him.

6

Max Payne

‘Max Payne’ Games (2001–2012)

Image via Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games is known for making morally ambiguous games with anti-hero protagonists, with a couple on this list, starting with Max Payne. After a group of junkies murders his wife and child, Max has nothing else to live for and decides to go on a killing spree. His rampage takes him through the underworld of New York City, getting back on anyone who is even remotely evil.

If “Woe Is Me” were a character, it would be Max Payne, who constantly suffers in his own grief and despair. Killing hundreds of people isn’t exactly a good thing, but at least none of them are considered good people. His suicidal mission is driven completely by revenge, grief, and depression, which results in one of the best action video games of all time.

5

Booker DeWitt

‘BioShock Infinite’ (2013)

Image via 2K Games

There aren’t many morally righteous characters in the BioShock franchise at all, and who would be with society looking like that? But it seems the best there can be is Booker DeWitt, the protagonist of BioShock Infinite. He is a disgraced agent and a veteran who sold his daughter to pay off his debts, but he takes on a job to rescue a girl named Elizabeth to free himself of his financial issues.

Booker is a definitive example of what an anti-hero should be. He drives the story through his selfish goals and features a troubled backstory where he was clearly in the wrong. Yet despite his shortcomings, he forms an authentic bond with Elizabeth and fights the true evil in this world. By the end of BioShock Infinite, Booker is a complicated character who must make the toughest sacrifice ever, completing his character arc.

4

Shadow the Hedgehog

‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Games (1991–Present)

Image via SEGA

Wario isn’t the only character on this list from a platforming franchise, as Shadow the Hedgehog is just as iconic from the Sonic the Hedgehog game series. He was created in order to be the perfect lifeform, but this gave him a cynical life view, and when the only light in his world died, he lost all goodwill. However, he slowly gains it back, switching between villain and hero depending on the game.

Shadow the Hedgehog used to be a full-fledged villain, but he is such a universally beloved character that he now adopts more of an anti-hero role. He serves as a perfect foil to Sonic, only making a noble sacrifice after remembering his past. However, since his original appearance, Shadow has worked together with Sonic for good while maintaining his dark and edgy style.

3

Joel Miller

‘The Last of Us’ Games (2013–Present)

Image via Naughty Dog

Some of the best anti-heroes are also part of the greatest video game narratives, including the top three characters on this list, starting with Joel Miller from The Last of Us. After watching his family die in the zombie apocalypse, he is a grizzled veteran who does whatever it takes to survive. But his paternal instincts kick back in when he must escort Ellie across the country and help find a cure.

The years of fighting for his life pushed him to do evil things, but it was all necessary for his survival. This is especially seen as his bond with Ellie grows over the course of the game. He softens up and begins to feel again, but this love is exactly what makes him an anti-hero. Joel acts based on selfish love, ending in a shocking plot twist that remains a staple in the community, highlighting why The Last of Us is an influential video game.

2

Arthur Morgan

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)

Image via Rockstar Games

As mentioned, Rockstar Games loves their flawed protagonists, and their greatest one yet is Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. He is the leader of a cowboy gang set in 1899, the dying era of the Wild West. When Arthur learns of his tuberculosis, he sets out on one final adventure across the American Frontier in search of redemption, to make up for all the bad he has done.

Arthur’s change of heart doesn’t come from some awakening, but through the bleak reality of his impending doom. He has done many bad things, but his one last mission is to leave the Earth having done something good for once: saving John Marston and his family. Unfortunately, his redemption comes too late, cementing him as a profound character in an unforgettable narrative.

1

Kratos

‘God of War’ Games (2005–Present)

Image via PlayStation Studios

Kratos is one of the greatest video game characters of all time, and while he definitely wasn’t an anti-hero in the original God of War games, the 2018 reboot made him into one. After a life of murder and killing, he was exhausted from it all and left for a Norse region where he fell in love and had a child. Unfortunately, the death of his wife and attacks by the gods bring back his old habits.

Throughout the game, Kratos tries to be a good father, but he can’t help but be harsh due to his past nature and the dire situation. He begins to let go of his old selfish reasons for killing and does it to protect Atreus. Still, his growth is earned because Kratos remains a brutal killer who tries to better himself, yet can’t fully commit, highlighting why God of War has the best character development in gaming history.