The games we love are filled with entertaining personalities. And hey, a great personality will often lead to a pretty great character. But you are in denial if you don't think that how a character looks impacts things. Thankfully, games are filled with excellent designs. Our favorite villains are not an exception to that rule either. In fact, as a rule of thumb, the most striking designs tend to be tethered to these antagonistic figures.
Of course, given how long games have been around, there are countless amounts of absolutely stunning character designs. They range from having a casual, street-wear vibe, to being adorned in opulent Victorian garb.
9 Vergil, Devil May Cry
Vergil is a recurring villain in the Devil May Cry series. While some may bristle at him being called a "villain", he has done a mass murder at least twice now, so we are pretty comfortable with our categorization of him. One thing that lacks any ambiguity is how damn cool Vergil looks.
From his slicked-back hair to his iconic blue jacket, Vergil has never looked anything but slick (no DmC Vergil doesn't count). While his manner of dress may be a little stuffy for some, we are here for it. We just wish he would funnel his passion for mass murder into a clothing line or something.
8 Diva, Streets Of Rage 4
Very little is known about Streets Of Rage 4's first boss character. We know that she likes snakes and that her name is Diva. That's it. Oh, there is one other thing that we know about her. She is a damn sharp dresser.
Diva is rocking tight-fitting jeans with a baggy button-up shirt. She also appears to be color-coordinating her hair with her shoes: both of which are cherry red. Quite frankly, it is an excellent look. It feels like a modern take on R&B fashion from the 90s; it is a look that feels incredibly modern, while also having a vintage edge.
7 Dracula, Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
How are we going to talk about the most fashionable styles without paying homage to Castlevania's dapper antagonist? Look, we get it. It is a very, very retro style. But DAMN does Dracula look sharp. They talk about layering being in, but Mr. Pointy Teeth has, like, ten layers.
Then on top of it all, he is wearing a cape. And he totally pulls it off! If you look good wearing a cape then you are a style god! When Dracula enters into the room, the Belmonts aren't the only ones slaying.
6 Yamazaki, King Of Fighters
King Of Fighters' Yamazaki is an absolute goon. He doesn't have any regard for the people around him, and he is quick to violence. But there has to be something more to this thug than that because he clearly cares deeply about his fashion.
Yamazaki walks around wearing tight-fitting black clothes (with his shirt neatly tucked in), slicked-back bleached blond hair, and a giant white fur coat with a massive fringe. It is an incredibly clean look. Someone get this man a towel, because he is dripping.
5 Lady Dimitrescu, Resident Evil Village
When you are talking about stylish Resident Evil villains, some people will probably snap to Wesker. But we aren't convinced that a Matrix cosplayer belongs on this list. Lady Dimitrescu, on the other hand, has such an excellent look that she became iconic the moment the world saw her.
Her look contrasts perfectly with her personality. It is dainty and elegant. It is the type of getup one would wear to a ball, not something you would put on while maiming the hands of your enemies. This is one of the more classic looks on this list, but there is no denying that it absolutely pops. Hell, we think she single-handedly has changed our minds about wide-brimmed hats.
4 Reno, Final Fantasy 7
Look, the suit is a cliche at this point. We get it; it looks sharp: obviously. But it is also the most boring way to look good. So, we aren't going to deal out a list filled with suit-wearers. But you have to include at least one, and of all the candidates you have to go with Reno.
Sure, there are a number of pretty sharply dressed villains in Final Fantasy 7, but Reno really takes a pretty uniform look and adds his own spin to it. The loose fit, the untucked shirt, it is peak, manicured indifference. The best part is, Reno has a style that screams "I don't try" while also being the one who clearly tries the hardest of the bunch. And that feels like a whole established convention in fashion, does it not?
3 Poison, Final Fight
One of the Mad Gear Gang members, Poison is known for her incredible agility and high-flying maneuvers. However, her dexterity isn't why she has stuck around in video games for over thirty years now. Poison has one of the best punk looks in games.
Everything from the ripped tank top, to the single arm sleeve, to her biker hat, makes her look iconic. It is a fantastically kitschy style that seems to pay homage to the 80s as a whole. And you got to love her commitment to it! Poison has never abandoned this unique look and is still rocking it to this day. These days, as a Street Fighter roster member, her villainy seems less of a core feature of her character, but her style is just as strong as it ever was.
2 Carmen Sandiego, Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Big floppy hats are sorta dominating this list, eh? Carmen Sandiego is an example of how you can take a relatively simple look and just slay with it. She wears a red coat, red hat, and a yellow scarf. Surely that can't be enough, right? And yet it all just comes together to instantly convey exactly who she is. It is cohesive, color-coordinated bliss.
Some people do a little with a lot, but they need to take a page out of Carmen's book and start doing a lot with a little. Where in the world is Carmen Sandiago? Who knows? We aren't geography teachers. What is she? A goddamn fashion icon!
1 Majima, Yakuza
Look, we know, calling Yakuza's Majima a "villain" may feel a little reductive. But if you are specifically talking about the first game, then Majima is absolutely one of the core antagonists. And honestly, though his tenure as an antagonist was shorter than his run as a supporting character, you could argue he is at his most charismatic as a villain.
Majima's style shouldn't work. An extremely loud snakeskin jacket? No shirt underneath? Leather pants? And to top it all off... Dress shoes with a steel toe? This is a deeply unique look. But that's the thing about fashion, right? Those who are genuinely fashionable can rock a style that, on paper, should be absurd. And that is Majima to a tee. Amazingly, he doesn't even come across like he is trying too hard. He... just looks cool.