SPOILERS AHEAD — proceed with caution!
Every media franchise has a character or two that’s sure to rub audiences the wrong way, but when compared to TV dramas or silver-screen epics, the more immersive nature of video games takes crummy characters from bad to so, so much worse. Add in a tedious side quest or long-winded cutscene, and you’ll have to break out the blood pressure cuff.
From unpleasant player characters and annoying adversaries to downright evil NPCs, these characters are best known for their ability to get under players’ skin. Grab a beta-blocker and hate-read about my list of unrepentant and unrectifiable video game characters.
Dutch van der Linde (Red Dead Redemption 2)
In terms of duplicity, the Red Dead Redemption 2 cast is tough to top. Dutch van der Linde is a directionless, selfish, money-hungry dude who can’t mentally separate himself from the thought of Tahiti long enough to hatch half a plan. The stark-haired gang leader abuses his undeniable charisma and ability to command an audience, stringing the gang along for an endless back-and-forth between high-stakes shootouts and cruddy campsites.
However temporary, at least Arthur Morgan can have fun decorating his living quarte—aaaaaaaaaaand Dutch is hollering about money again.
Ashley Williams (Mass Effect)
Shep first meets space racist Ashley Williams in the first Mass Effect game, and my God, she’s exhausting. Williams, who doesn’t shy away from blabbing about how she comes from an established military family, is passed up for promotions. But instead of maybe, y’know, looking inwardly, Williams is quick to blame all the aliens. One particularly irksome e-mail she sends reads, “Let’s say your unit is in a tight spot. Some bug-eyed aliens are going to overrun the galaxy. They eat babies, smell bad, and don’t have elbows. Nasty.”
“Nasty” is right…
Devin Weston (Grand Theft Auto V)
Greedy, powerful, and influential billionaire and biz-runner Devin Weston is unbearable, and that’s juxtaposed with the rest of the game’s profoundly irredeemable cast. The character is cold, calculated, and borderline sociopathic, always rolling with a host of hired help that’s ready to pursue our trio of protagonists at a moment’s notice. The silver lining? There is a chance for some much-deserved vigilante justice at the end (provided you make the right choices).
Ultimately, no one loves Weston more than Weston, but I can promise that no one loves to hate him quite like me.
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Johnny Cage (Mortal Kombat)
I haaaaate that I love Johnny Cage so much. It’s been a thorn in my side since the 90s.
Mortal Kombat II for the SNES is among the first video games I ever played, and while I’m undoubtedly a loyal fan of the fighting game franchise, I can’t lie and say Cage is a chill, kind-hearted guy. The smarmy, aging action star adds some needed comic relief, but any perceived positive effects of a Cage wisecrack are usually offset by whatever he said or did beforehand. Cage is one-of-a-kind, and by gum, he’s gonna make sure you know.
Micah Bell (Red Dead Redemption 2)
We’ve all wanted to jump into our screens and explore in-game worlds firsthand, but I never wanted to reach through my display and smack someone until Micah and I crossed paths in Red Dead Redemption 2. The manipulative, perverse, greasy-haired snake has a rap sheet longer than a CVS receipt, but for some reason, the whole crew is expected to just rock with him.
He’s bad enough unassisted, but once Bell gets all buddy-buddy with gang leader Dutch, he becomes emboldened. An unapologetic sadist, Bell double-times the whole crew by siding with Andrew Milton and the Pinkertons. He also openly antagonizes an ailing Arthur Morgan until the very end.
Sohei Dojima (Yakuza)
Yakuza franchise fans know the Dojima name very well, but Sohei is a step above the rest of the clan. Sohei, the Dojima Family Patriarch, is hungry for power at all costs. No remorse, no second thoughts, no redeeming character arc, no contextualizing cutscenes — Sohei Dojima is an unsalvageable monster.
Any admirable qualities, like ambition (the only positive trait I can think of, and I’m being generous here), are quickly nullified by a life of brutal violence, relentless misogyny, entitlement, malevolence, and vengeance.
Wulbren Bongle (Baldur’s Gate 3)
Ask anyone who’s played Baldur’s Gate 3: this guy stiiiiinks. I’ve got two (very) lengthy playthroughs under my belt, and one full game with Wulbren Bongle in it is one game too many. I skipped the entire Ironhand Gnomes storyline the second time around. Flung Barcus Wroot off the windmill and everything, too, just to really drive it home (sorry, friend).
After a solid start, Bongle slowly reveals himself to be a bit of a warmonger. His lack of sympathy for the Gondians, his selfish motivations, indifference toward his supposed friends, and insufferable demeanor fully explain why he’s the only character on this list to have a dedicated and passionate anti-Wulbren subreddit.
Flowey (Undertale)
Don’t let the deceptively cute appearance fool you — Flowey ain’t friendly.
The pixel-art plant is the primary antagonist of the quirky cult RPG, Undertale. After its friendly introduction at the game’s start goes way off the rails, players get a clearer picture of the challenging combat ahead. The character is off-putting enough from the jump, but Flowey’s not shown you his final form; the character evolves into new, grotesque shapes after photosynthesizing several humans’ souls.
The Dessendre Family (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
(This game’s still pretty fresh, so I’ll dance around major details as best I can.)
Renoir, Aline, Verso, Alicia, Clea — the family of painters take center stage in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The Dessendres struggle with an inability to cope with grief and loss, though each in their own way. Their inability (and, frankly, unwillingness) to process their painful feelings brings about absolute chaos. The Dessendres’ maladaptive behaviors turn the entire world on its head, and countless lives are lost as a result.
Johnny Silverhand (Cyberpunk 2077)
Look past the apathetic rockstar front Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves) puts up — jet-black hair, profanity-laden tirades, dense clouds of cigarette smoke, sunglasses he wears indoors — and you’ll still find the same nihilistic, narcissistic dude that was blacking out on stage in 2023.
The edgelord doesn’t let anyone stand in the way of what he wants. Whether he’s fooling around on Rogue, sacrificing thousands in the name of his half-baked, anti-capitalistic schemes, hijacking V’s consciousness to enjoy another bender, treating his bandmates and fans like garbage, or on a long-winded, hate-fueled rant (again), he’ll be sure to figure out how to make it your problem.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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