Top 20 Murderous Psychopaths in Video Games

“Hotline Miami” (2012)

If you received a message that told you to go murder the Russian mafia or else, you might think twice before actually doing it. But that’s not the case in “Hotline Miami.” Jacket is more than happy to throw on a rooster mask and go hunting. Being a violent vigilante doesn’t necessarily mean he’s crazy. However, since he starts to experience visions of his victims talking to him, he should probably seek some help. As the story descends further into madness, so too does Jacket. He grows more comfortable with killing anyone in his way, evil doer or otherwise.

“Heavy Rain” (2010)

Quantic Dream’s groundbreaking adventure game has you control four different characters. But they’re all tied to the Origami Killer, who drowns young boys during heavy rainfall. As you come to find out, Scott Shelby, one of the four leads, is the Origami Killer. As a private detective working on the case, he collects and gets rid of evidence against him. His desire to murder children grew from his own childhood trauma. As a boy, he helplessly watched his brother drown during a storm since his father was too intoxicated to help. As an adult, he kidnaps his victims in a twisted search for a father who would do anything to save their child.

“Undertale” (2015)

Anyone surprised to find a flower here has clearly never dealt with Flowey. He’s the first character you come across when you fall into the Underground. And he wastes almost no time trying to murder you. Nearly every line of dialogue from him is something you’d hear straight from the mouths of the world’s most notorious killers. A big part of why Flowey wants to kill everyone is due to him being a soulless, reincarnation of a dead monster prince. But even when he does steal several human souls for himself, he’s just as sadistic. He then just has the power to back up his kill-happy personality.

“Dead Space” (2008)

You’d think that with nightmare-inducing creature designs, we’d have enough to deal with. And yet the team behind “Dead Space” decided to throw a bloodthirsty lunatic into the mix. After all Hell broke loose aboard the Ishimura, Dr. Challus Mercer became fascinated by the Necromorphs. Unfortunately, the fascination quickly grew into obsession as he experimented on survivors, turning them into the horrific, undead alien monsters. Not only that, but he wholeheartedly believed their Convergence Event would lead to a peaceful afterlife where he’d reunite with lost loved ones. Sorry, Doc, but anything that looks like this is not leading you to anything peaceful.

“Dead Rising” (2006)

Killer clowns have been disturbing people for years. Even in a game with hordes of the undead, Adam the Clown from “Dead Rising” leaves a strong impression. Once a regular, sane performer, Adam MacIntyre lost his mind after seeing his audience get eaten by zombies. In the game’s mall setting, he keeps watch over a ride he refuses to let you stop. That’s because A) the noise keeps zombies away, and B) his mind is so warped, he thinks the bloody dolls enjoying it are actual kids. This boss doesn’t get a lot of screen time, but his sickly sweet voice and chilling laugh are more than enough to earn some recognition.

“Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” (2017)

Their insanity may be due to an infection beyond their control, but the Bakers are still one seriously messed up family. As Ethan Winters searches for his missing wife, he comes into conflict with the family holding her captive. Whether it’s Jack stalking you through the decrepit residence or Marguerite’s nauseating boss fight, the family will do a number on your psyche. Every member knows just what to say and do to get our skin crawling. Capcom was inspired by twisted families in iconic films like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” But we’d say the Baker clan could give even Leatherface’s fam a run for their money.

“Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc” (2010)

The original “Danganronpa” follows a group of high school students trapped inside a school. A robotic bear tells them escape can only be reached by killing another person and avoiding accusation at the subsequent trial. Little does anyone know that the one responsible for their predicament is hiding in plain sight. Junko Enoshima fools everyone with her charismatic personality, though also fakes her own death. In truth, she murdered the school’s head master, hired her twin sister to play her before killing her, and erased everyone’s memories of the last two years, living inside the school due to an apocalyptic event. We’d find her dedication impressive if she wasn’t so insane.

“Persona 5” (2017)

In “Persona 5,” you and your friends dedicate your free time to taking down evil adults. However, one of the most dangerous characters in the game is around your age. Goro Akechi is a teen detective investigating the Phantom Thieves, as well as a recent string of psychotic breaks in citizens. As you find out, Akechi has been working with corrupt politician Shido. His expertise in the metaverse and his proclivity towards violence has made him an excellent assassin; his murders in this realm cause the real person to die as well. After the reveal, Akechi grows increasingly more deranged as he doesn’t have to hide anymore.

“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” (2011)

You’ll come across more than a few twisted individuals in “Skyrim,” such as Cicero, a creepy jester with an unhealthy relationship with a coffin. The one who outshines all is Calixto Corrium, AKA The Butcher. The “Blood on the Ice” quest sees you investigating the grisly murders of several young women. And Calixto does a good job playing innocent bystander. As you investigate and collect his journals, the killer’s disturbing practices come to light. Following his sister’s death, he took to necromancy in an attempt to bring her back. He just needed a few things from his victims first. Thankfully, the Dragonborn puts an end to him and Windhelm sleeps soundly again.

“Borderlands 2” (2012)

With a name like that, you better believe Krieg is absolutely bonkers. Released as a playable class in DLC for “Borderlands 2,” Krieg has quite the unsettling backstory. Like many members of the Psycho enemy class, he was horrifically experimented on until he lost his mind. Only, in this case, his sane self was rendered an inner voice while his insane self became his body’s dominant personality. He can’t stop himself from committing murder, but he does avoid killing innocents as much as possible. This wild characterization leads to some pretty neat skills, like gaining back health based on damage output. Plus, his powerful Buzz Axe Rampage is endlessly entertaining and can turn the tide against a large group of enemies.

“Manhunt” (2003)

Some murderous lunatics try to hide their nature while others are allowed to proudly flaunt it. Piggsy from “Manhunt” is definitely of the latter. The game puts you in the middle of a snuff film, with a director pulling strings and sending vicious murderers after you. At the top of this horrid food chain is Piggsy, who wields a chainsaw, wears the face of an actual pig as a mask, and can’t express much beyond a strong urge to slaughter. Oh, and we nearly forgot his other gag-inducing character trait of enjoying the taste of human flesh. He’s more beast than man. Which is why it’s so satisfying when you finally get to take him down.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

Oh, boy. “Grand Theft Auto” has always excelled at removing the moral restraints of its players, letting them loose in a playground of chaos. Trevor from “GTA V” is the epitome of this belief. Unless you’re a close friend (and even that can quickly change), Trevor has no qualms with ripping you off or ripping you to shreds. The career criminal is the very definition of deranged, going from calm to screaming at the drop of a hat. Actually, we’re not sure he’s ever been calm, though we can’t deny that his extreme disposition is entertaining. Trevor is a perfect fit as a protagonist for this series, elevated by a tremendous performance from Steven Ogg.

“Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)

Rounding out RockStar’s terrible trifecta of twisted terminators are the Aberdeens from “Red Dead Redemption 2.” The siblings own a pig farm players can find in Scarlett Meadows just North of Pleasance. Surprisingly, them being incestuous is not the most disturbing thing about them, though it certainly doesn’t help. These two like to warmly welcome travellers before drugging them, robbing them, killing them, and then dumping their bodies in a mass grave. Not only that, but it’s heavily implied they murdered their own mother before disposing of her body in the same hole. We know this is the Wild West, but damn that’s messed up.

“Twisted Metal” Series (1995-2012)

Looking like a clown and driving a weaponized ice cream truck, Needles Kane has always been a striking mascot for “Twisted Metal.” While every character in the series is, at the very least, a bit deranged, none of them hold a candle to this madman. Sony has tweaked his backstory and personality over the years, though he was at peak insanity the last time we saw him. In the 2012 game, we learned he was once a normal man who developed a bloodthirsty alter ego, quenching his first thirst for blood with his own family. His daughter was able to escape, prompting him to go on the hunt for her and murdering any and all in his path.

“Silent Hill 4: The Room” (2004)

When it comes to Walter Sullivan, it’s his ridiculously dark upbringing that led to him being a homicidal maniac. Abandoned by his parents as an infant, he was raised by a sacreligious cult known as The Order. He was then taught about a ritual known as the 21 Sacraments, which he set about enacting in order to bring God and paradise to Earth. Of course, nothing is too straightforward in “Silent Hill.” The sacraments refer to murders, with Walter cutting out the heart of each victim and carving a number into them. He also commits most of them from beyond the grave, as the game begins after he took his own life upon being caught. Still, he’s completely nuts.

“BioShock” (2007)

Upon entering the underwater, wartorn city of Rapture, one of your first thoughts will likely be about how utterly insane everyone is. Yet, despite not being one of the main villains, Sander Cohen is one of the most memorable. You won’t encounter him until later in the game when you reach Fort Frolic. Once a respected artist of many forms, Cohen lost his mind and turned to violence like everyone else. But as a perfectionist in his crafts, he’s the only one who cares what his victims look like once he’s done with them. All around this location, you’ll find plastered bodies kept in perfect poses. We understand the importance of vision in art, but this is ridiculous.

“Far Cry 3” (2012)

It should come as no surprise to find a violent, drug-addicted pirate prone to mood swings on a list like this. But in just a handful of scenes, Vaas outshines all villains in “Far Cry,” as well as those in other franchises for that matter. It’s a combination of a stellar performance from Michael Mando and strong characterization from the writing team. As you try to survive on the Rook Islands, Vaas and his men hunt and torment you. In each scene, the leader is shown to walk a fine line between composed and savagely brutal. He’s so unpredictable and menacing that even his own men fear him.

“Outlast: Whistleblower” (2014)

Don’t get us wrong; the base game has its fair share of disturbed killers to choose from. But Eddie from the “Whistleblower” DLC brings a whole new level of terror. Prior to being admitted to Mount Massive Asylum, Eddie murdered and mutilated women. Old habits die hard. Although, with no women around, he has taken to attacking other patients in similar ways in an attempt to turn them into his ‘bride.’ We’d tell you exactly how, but we think you get the idea. As disgusting as that is, which is very, he also becomes infatuated with the player character, stalking you throughout the playthrough.

“Final Fantasy VI” (1994)

Plenty of video game villains crave violence, power, and the destruction of the world. But not many are as successful as Kefka. The villain of “Final Fantasy VI” acted as Emperor Gestahl’s mage, undergoing experimentation in order to use magic. Unfortunately for basically everyone in existence, the procedure turned him entirely psychotic. He betrayed and killed his Emperor, which is actually pretty tame compared to his other sins. He also enslaved the main character, poisoned a river just to hear people scream, and literally destroyed the world to make himself a god. He’s often thought of as one of the best villains in gaming. In terms of body count, he’s pretty hard to top.

“Postal” Series (1997-)

Since the games and character are both named after one of the most violent acts someone can commit, the Postal Dude more than deserves the crown. The original game chronicled his rampage as he was convinced everyone around him had been subjected to an airborne toxin to make them hyper-aggressive. Of course, that wasn’t the case. He just snapped and murdered a ton of people. Although sequels have placed less emphasis on violence being the only solution, it’s still usually the most obvious or easiest answer. And the series still has a reputation for letting players, well, go postal. Extreme violence is the character’s main personality trait and we doubt that will ever change.