Where videogames are concerned, a villain is there to cause nothing but hard times for our hero and the path of glory he/she wishes to walk. A villain can be annoying, brutish, odd and many other things, but in order to defeat your enemy one must know the enemy that is to be defeated. Join us as we check out the archetypes of different villains and the best way to deal with them.
The Henchmen
Here we have the grunt of the villains and it is called that for a very particular reason. These henchmen, although easy to defeat, cause an annoyance in packs and can sneak up on you if you let your guard down.
Examples: Goombas (Super Mario Bros.) Grunts (Halo), Stalfoes (Legend of Zelda)
Weakness: They’re cannon fodder, one well placed hit and they’re down for the count.
The Healer
This son of a gun might be a bane to some and a bother to others, but its ‘ace in the hole’ is the fact that they can re-grow body parts or just refill their life meter. It’s a pain to almost defeat your enemy only to realize that they can heal before your very eyes.
Examples: Any Pokemon with ‘rest’ (Pokemon)
Weakness: Just outlast them with copious amounts of bullets or punches.
The Invincible Jerk
We know this guy and he is a “D” in the box for sure. If there’s one thing worse than a foe that continually heals, it’s the guy that can’t be killed at all! Either he/she has regeneration powers or they’re simply meant to be a pest and can’t be killed.
Examples: Nemesis (Resident Evil: Nemesis) the Primagen (Turok 2: Seeds of Evil)
Weakness: RUN!
The Brute
This fellow can dish out the pain and take the hits as well. His plan of attack is not much different than the henchman, but his obvious trump cards are his strength and high health.
Examples: The Tank (Left 4 Dead)
Weakness: They tend to charge and smash whatever is in their path, but they aren’t too bright. Try to outsmart them by setting traps.
The Femme Fatale
The deadly part of this one can be her allure as a woman. But don’t let that fool you, she’s just as tough as the guys on the list and she’s probably faster with a wicked attack pattern. Fear this one for sure, because she’ll lower your guard with the wink of her eye.
Examples: Xenia (Goldeneye 64) Alma (Ninja Gaiden)
Weakness: Her speed and high powered hits can knock you out, but she’ll eventually be worn out from all the moving around and she’ll leave herself vulnerable for a second or two.
The Boss
This one has many forms, he can be just as tough as the brute, and he/she might also be able to heal or they could be invincible to normal weapons. Either way; this guy is the man in the high tower and they should be approached with caution.
Examples: Kerrigan (StarCraft 2) Malak (Knights of the Old Republic)
Weakness: Perseverance is the name of the game; find their one weak point (special ammo, hitting the head, etc.) and keep at it!
What is your most feared villain type?