10 Strategy Games When You’re a Villain

Strategy games are about being two steps ahead of your opponent, whether that’s planning your next move, making decisions, or managing resources. With new entries hitting the market all the time, strategy games rarely allow you to become a villain, but when they do, it’s usually a memorable experience of pure domination. There are video game villains that are more visible than the main character, after all.

We have listed the ten best strategy games where you play as a fighter. Whether you’re looking to take over the world, wipe out humanity in more ways than one, or rule the dungeons, there’s something to fulfill all your superhero fighting desires.

10

Plague Inc: Evolved

It all starts with ‘Patient Zero’

Rather than playing as a typical villain, Plague Inc: Evolved puts you in control of a deadly virus that you must spread across the world. There are ten types of diseases each requiring a different strategy to achieve your goal of exterminating humanity.

Since the game focuses on realism in all aspects of its campaign, multiplayer modes, and co-op, I would argue that Plague Inc: Evolved should fall into the horror game subcategory. People will try to protect themselves from the virus and find a cure, so expect to prepare your way throughout your mission to end human history.

9

Creatures Lab

The Lab Is Your Oyster

Moving on to human experimentation, Creature Lab lets you be a mad scientist in your hideout. Perform rare experiments, combine mutagens to create new recipes, and grow body parts to attach to your victims.

Besides the amount of freedom that exploration offers, my favorite part of Creature Lab is being able to send the monsters you create around town to get resources and protect anyone who tries to enter your secret lab. Resource management and systematic raiding play a role in informing part of your strategy in your quest for the most powerful transformation.

8

Swarm the City: Zombie Evolved

Command the Zombie Apocalypse

Become the Lord of the Dead by unleashing a zombie apocalypse on humanity in Swarm the City: Zombie Evolved. Your goal is to turn people and animals into zombies by using real-time strategy features, while the art style adds beauty to your journey to immortality.

Grow your zombie army not only in size, but in strength, too. One of the most interesting mechanics in the game is that your zombies will steal the memories of using weapons while eating a person’s brain. This allows you to fight even the most powerful enemies and evolve your army to achieve your goal of world domination.

7

Crafty Design Rooms

Tiles Tactical

Have you ever wanted to be an interior designer who builds floors for an evil mastermind? Chambers of Devious Design bases its strategy and puzzle elements on just that, connecting rooms with their own unique effects.

What makes Chambers of Devious Design worthy of a place on our list of the best strategy games where you play as a villain are the different play styles on offer. Your designs are used to combat your opponents, whether that’s through room placement, passive advantages, abilities, or various bonuses used by the various playable characters. I think watching your lair grow and grow makes survival more satisfying.

6

Ghost Master: Resurrection

The attack on Gravenville

Back to the theme of haunting people, Ghost Master: Resurrection is a 2003 cult classic that lets you control the apparitions of ghosts to scare the living daylights out of townspeople. Simply put, the core game loop is similar to how you can torture characters in The Sims.

Unlike traditional strategy games, Ghost Master: Resurrection embraces chaos as you unlock mysteries and solve puzzles in 11 areas to explore. Ghost Master: Resurrection is the best way to command your fearsome soldiers thanks to its improved appearance, better AI, and new exclusive content in this modern version.

5

Age of miracles 4

Fantasy Playground

Age of Wonders has come a long way since its debut in 1999. Whether you want to build a group of cannibals, or want to dominate completely, the active world of different locations opens up endless gameplay of evil deeds. In addition, Age of Wonders 4 has strong mod support on PC, giving you more choice in how you play.

Although it shares some similarities with Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Age of Wonders 4 is the best choice to replace the villain who wants to be famous because there are many ways to play the role with RPG elements, team creation, and various combat.

4

Command and Conquer Remastered Collection

Still holding the line

One of the most influential real-time strategy games is Command and Conquer. Even three decades after the original title made its debut, the game manages to stand the test of time.

It is possible to play as a character in Command and Conquer by using game factions, whose opponents are: Brotherhood of Nod, Global Liberation Army, Screen, Soviet Union, Yuri’s Faction, and Empire of the Rising Sun. My top choice is the Global Liberation Army because of its powerful economy based on resource gathering and its use of clever insurgent tactics.

The remastered version includes all three game expansions, 4K graphics, multiplayer rebuilt from the ground up, and even mod support on Steam.

3

Iratus: Lord of the dead

Growing Evil

Adopting the role of a necromancer in a dark fantasy world with Roguelike elements based on revenge is the basis of Iratus: Lord of the Dead. The fact that he’s trying to break out of the hole, rather than being the hero going into it, caught me.

After being released from prison, you must fight your way out of the underworld to the overworld and establish your empire. There are 19 types of servants to add to your army, while crafting masters from the body parts of your dead opponents adds a new layer of strategy to your army thanks to their unique abilities.

There is a range of difficulty levels to choose from in Iratus: Lord of the Dead, making it a strategy game accessible to everyone.

2

Legend of the Keepers: The Dungeon Master’s Job

Employed by Mortuary Company

Similar to Iratus: Lord of the Dead, you play a pirate by protecting dungeons from hopeful explorers, but as the name suggests, Legend of the Keepers: Warden’s Job focuses on workplace management.

Organize your defenses against heroes and place traps throughout your dungeon to prevent them from progressing into a rogue-like encounter. However, you will use all parts of the prison, from recruiting monsters to dealing with labor strikes. Climbing the ladder of the dungeon master’s career works surprisingly well with this formula by raising the stakes in your role as a sergeant.

1

Evil Genius 2: World Rule

The Ultimate Comedy Villain

Inspired by the spy genre, you play the other side of the coin, as a criminal mastermind who wants to dominate the Doomsday Device in this base-building strategy game.

Create your perfect villain lair and train a loyal army to execute your evil plans. Evil Genius 2: World Rule stands out for its satirical tone that brings a new meaning to playing in the shoes of a criminal. Whether you’re selling the British Royal Family or wreaking havoc elsewhere, watch out for The Forces of Justice, who will try to stop you in your tracks.