Power fantasies in games often cast players as noble leaders or saviors. Yet some of the most compelling experiences explore the darker side of authority, where cruelty, manipulation and absolute control define the journey, allowing players to embrace the villain not as a narrative twist, but as the core of the game.
Whether through tyranny, corruption, or domination, many games offer unique ways to rule with malice, revealing how open systems and moral choices can turn leadership into an exploration of power's destructive potential. Giving freedom to rule without restrictions, these games allow players to embody the ultimate dark fantasy of becoming an evil ruler who never holds back.
Total War: Warhammer III
Command armies in the name of darkness
Total War: Warhammer III gives players the chance to rule as some of fantasy's most infamous factions, from the demonic hosts of Chaos to the tyrannical undead legions. Each faction is built on domination, corruption and conquest, making villainy not just an option but the central theme.
The game truly rewards ferocity and aggression in terms of strategic decision-making, while the battlefield offers countless ways to crush opposition until there is nothing left. By embracing dark forces, players can quickly spread corruption across the map, transforming empires through pure unrelenting evil.
Tropical 6
To rule with authority and oppression
Tropical 6 allows players to take on the persona of “El Presidente,” a ruler whose methods may lean toward benevolence or authoritarian control. Choosing the latter turns governance into a dictatorship, where citizens become tools for the player to use and control to meet their evil goals.
Maintaining power requires surveillance, propaganda and sometimes crushing dissent. While players can cloak tyranny in charm, ruling as an evil despot offers endless opportunities to exploit citizens, and the game gives players all the power to rule with as much power and fury as they could ever desire.
Crusader Kings 3
Bloodlines become ruthless dynasties
In Crusader Kings III, players lead medieval dynasties, but they are not required to rule righteously. Leadership can take a variety of forms, with the evil path being both a viable and rewarding path that leads players into arcs of betrayal, assassination, blackmail and more.
The open systems can often reward cunning over compassion. Through manipulation and cruelty, players can create legacies defined by fear, demonstrating that in grand strategy evil is not only permissible but sometimes the most effective path to dominance.
Evil Genius 2: World Domination
Building An Empire Of Villiany
Evil Geniuses 2 puts players in the role of a cartoonish supervillain bent on world domination. From a secret island lair, every decision reinforces the fantasy of ruling through fear, manipulation and ruthless efficiency, with henchmen carrying out tortuous orders, while elaborate traps keep intruders at bay.
The core loop thrives on experimenting with tyranny. Expanding the lair, managing minions and orchestrating global plans all reinforce the image of an evil ruler who commands absolute power. It's a modern strategy experience that embraces villainy without apology and turns dominance into both an art and a science.
Stellaris
Dominance On A Galactic Scale
IN Stellarisplayers create entire empires across planets, shaping ideologies and policies that define galactic presence. Embracing authoritarian or xenophobic paths turns governance into interstellar tyranny, and the evil approach can lead to oppression, enslavement, and purges, all in the name of progress.
Experiments with ruling styles show how cruelty can reshape entire civilizations. The game rewards harsh policies with unique advantages, making tyranny not only thematically but also mechanically potent, and it gives players an alternative path to follow that can lead to greater acts of conquest than ever before.
Frostpunk
Authority as cold as the environment
Frostpunk challenges players to lead a frozen city where survival requires tight control. Laws can enforce child labor, brutal punishment or totalitarian rule, and choosing cruelty ensures order but erodes humanity, creating an interesting balance that players can tip either way.
The moral weight of the decisions defines the experience. Evil rule is not only permitted but often practical, making tyranny an attractive path to survival. It highlights how authoritarian power can thrive in desperation and how, when faced with difficult decisions, sometimes evil is inevitable.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
To become the ultimate warlord
IN Banner Lordplayers rise from mercenary to monarch and shape kingdoms through conquest and diplomacy. Adopting ruthless strategies turns leadership into tyranny, with villages razed, rivals executed and subjects ruled by fear.
The sandbox design makes villainy a natural expression of power. Experimentation with cruelty yields tangible rewards, cementing the role of evil ruler as a legitimate path to dominance in a way that few open-world games have been able to replicate.
