Real-time strategy villains are usually conventional. Military campaigns are central to this genre, so adversaries are normally just the opposing commanders. However, that’s way too normal.
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A few RTS titles get creative in this regard. They put a bizarre twist on their villains, infusing them with some mystical or sci-fi edge. In some cases, these antagonists become more monsters than men. Granted, they’re a refreshing change of pace, but they’re also exceedingly weird. Perhaps that’s the point. In true strategy game fashion, players must think outside the box to thwart these villains.
6Upton Julius (Impossible Creatures)
This figure’s weirdness stems from the game he’s in.Impossible Creaturespresents a steampunk world where players create specialized armies. These armies consist ofcreatures crafted by splicing two animals together. For instance, one might recruit a tiger-lobster or chameleon-bear. These get progressively stranger, but the stranger still is the guy who wants to profit off of them.
Upton Julius is a stereotypically evil businessman. He promptly steals the splicing technology and gives it to his minions, but that’s not enough. He wants to extend the concept to human-animal hybrids. How he thinks that would get past either human or animal rights groups is a mystery. The greater mystery is how such a warped mind became a business tycoon in the first place.
5Illidan (Warcraft)
TheWarcraftseries isa veritable cornucopia of fantasy archetypes. One character, however, puts a twisted spin on these creatures. Illidan is a dark elf who seeks to close the portal to the demon realm by infiltrating the enemy ranks as a “defector.” Unfortunately, the attempt ends in his capture and conversion into a demon himself. He then takes that change to heart.
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Throughout theWarcraftfranchise, Illidan dedicates his tyrannical exploits to customizing his forces. If he doesn’t change them on his own, then he falls back on existing hybrids. On top of his new Fel Orcs, he summons the Naga:Night Elves mutatedinto mystical lizard soldiers. For the cherry on top, he operates with the memories of the Orc sorcerer, Gul’Dan. Illidan just can’t leave something as it is; he must make it better in his sick way. One has to admire his creativity in perverting the laws of nature.
4The Witch-King (The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-Earth 2 - The Rise Of The Witch-King)
In thisLord of the Ringsexpansion, the Witch-king of Angmar commands an army of men, trolls, orcs, specters, andother dark creatures. However, he’s more menacing than them all. The wraithlike warlord is constantly clad in black cloaks and spiked armor. He never shows his face, and his voice is nothing more than a raspy whisper. He defies the definition while emitting an aura of ancient evil. As scary as that is, it becomes clearer and more frightening within the larger context of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world.
The Witch-king isone of the Ringwraiths. He and eight others were once kings of Men, but the Satanic Lord Sauron tricked them into serving him through the mythical Rings of Power. They now occupy a space between life and death, with nothing remaining except the malevolent will to dominate. It’s a haunting tale that is backed up by the oppressive portrayal here.
3Sarah Kerrigan (StarCraft)
TheStarcraftvillainess mirrors Illidan in that she suffers a horrific conversion. Sarah Kerrigan is originally a human being, albeit one with exceptional gifts.Her psychic abilitieshelp her climb the ranks of covert operatives known as “Ghosts.” Sadly, such a dangerous profession rarely leads to a happy ending. Kerrigan’s career comes to a swift end when she falls into the hands of the Zerg. This alien insect swarm places her in a chrysalis This leads her to become a human-bug hybrid.
Kerrigan makes for a truly disgusting sight, and it only gets more unsettling as she talks as part of their hive mind. That’s still not enough for her, though. Kerrigan eventually evolves again. This time, she transforms into a xel’naga: a cosmic being with limitless psionic abilities. She’s essentially a god. Looking back at how far she’s come from a humble human givesStarcraftplayers pause for thought. That impact is surpassed only by her Lovecraftian ugliness.
2Dracula (Stronghold Legends)
Dracula has been an adversary incountless vampire games, but RTS titles have mostly eluded him. ThisStrongholdsequel takes the plunge and throws him in as the leader of a villainous faction, much to the confusion of fans. Up to this point,Strongholdhad mainly subsisted on medieval authenticity. Players manage a castle and its surrounding estates and conduct warfare without any fantasy flair.Stronghold Legendsbucks that trend with King Arthur and, of course, Dracula.
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Granted, the game justifies this by saying he’s Vlad “Dracul” Tepes. This Romanian warlord inspired the infamous vampire. He was a formidable commander in his time, so his inclusion isn’t entirely unreasonable. That said, the game still sees him call forth mythical monsters like dragons, werewolves, witches, and demons. This completely defeats the purpose of the grounded series. It’s just one bizarre choice in a bizarre game.
1Kane (Command & Conquer)
TheCommand & Conquerseries has a villain of biblical proportions (literally). Not only is Kane ageless, but he supposedly descends from Cain ofCain & Abel. He certainly harbors the same lust for conquest, and that lust draws others to his cause. They collectively form a cult called “The Brotherhood of Nod.”
One might wonder how a bunch of religious zealots threaten the world, but that answer comes in the form of a meteorite. Kane and his followers harness the metal within to build advanced weaponry and rival the global superpowers. Given the convenient timing of the space rock, maybe it was divine providence. Either that orthe developers threw everything at the wall to see what stuck.
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