A game with a solid narrative can leave you feeling intimately connected to its characters. Progressing through the story and overcoming difficult obstacles together can often bring you closer to your party members, NPCs, and other individuals in the game. So it's especially heartbreaking when one of these beloved characters betrays you in the end.
Whether it's a trusted ally, your respected leader, or simply a mischievous stranger, some betrayals hit harder than others. There's nothing like getting lured you into a false sense of security, only for a seemingly straightforward character to turn on you. Here are some of the least trustworthy characters you can find in games.
10 Wheatley - Portal 2
When you initially meet Wheatley in Portal 2, he seems innocent enough. Designed as an Intelligence Dampening Sphere, intended to keep series antagonist, GLaDOS in check, he aids in your journey through the Aperture Science facility. Throughout the journey, he provides you with plenty of colorful commentary and (bad) advice as you attempt to navigate GLaDOS' treacherous puzzles.
Later in the game, GLaDOS' core is swapped with Wheatley's, giving him control over the entire facility. Wheatley is quickly corrupted by this newfound power, trapping Chell inside Aperture Science yet again, and transferring GLaDOS' consciousness into a potato-powered microchip.
9 Neon Violet - Neon White
In all fairness, Neon Violet doesn't really attempt to hide her true nature throughout Neon White's narrative. As energetic as she is unhinged, she spends most of the game attempting to blow up Neon Red, or ironically trying to convince White that Neon Yellow is not what he seems.
As you make your way further into the game, though, Violet's true intentions become clear. Her actions haven't been motivated by her chaotic nature, but her desire to aid Neon Green in preventing you from succeeding. Even White and Red's attempts to show her compassion and understanding fall on deaf ears, as Violet pursues her hidden agenda.
8 Goro Akechi - Persona 5
Akechi is arguably the most popular, charming, and charismatic character in Persona 5. Touted by his countless fans as a prodigy, the young detective spends much of the game investigating the actions of the Phantom Thieves, while maintaining his calm and friendly image.
After showing up in the Metaverse and joining the Phantom Thieves, it's quickly revealed that he is actually the murderer who the group has been hunting the entire game. Working under the orders of Masyoshi Shido, Akechi has been causing the mental shutdowns and tragic accidents that have been plaguing Japan throughout your adventure.
7 Akira Nishikiyama - Yakuza Kiwami
Akira Nishikiyama begins the Yakuza series as one of Kazuma Kiryu's closest allies. Supportive and encouraging, he pushes Kiryu toward his goals and vouches for him to the Dojima family, while also pursuing his own goals of ascending within the crime family.
These goals are what ultimately lead to Nishiki's drastic personality change between the events of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami. Nishiki exhibits increasing insecurity and bitterness, prompted by his jealousy of Kiryu's quick ascent and perceived favoritism by Dojima's superiors. This all culminates in Nishiki's betrayal of Kiryu, ending a brotherhood that spanned over 10 years.
6 Albert Wesker - Resident Evil
During the events of the original Resident Evil, Albert Wesker is depicted as a trusted and competent squad leader. Commanding the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team, he helps lead them through the game's iconic mansion, eventually guiding the team into a secret laboratory located beneath the building.
It's here that Wesker reveals that he has been aiding in many of the Umbrella Corporation's experiments in the lab, working as a spy for the organization. He attempts to unleash the Tyrant to dispose of the team in the first of Wesker's many acts of betrayal throughout the series.
5 Edgar Ross - Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption sees John Marston traveling across the West, taking down criminals at the behest of Bureau of Investigation agent, Edgar Ross. He leads John to believe that he'll have his past crimes absolved, allowing the former outlaw the freedom to retire with his family.
After completing his mission, however, John is betrayed by Ross, whose agents murder John in cold blood. The unexpected and heartbreaking twist is only made slightly more bearable by the knowledge that John's son would later enact revenge upon the corrupt official.
4 Master Miller - Metal Gear Solid
Kazuhira Miller was one of Solid Snake's closest allies in the original Metal Gear games, advising him on how to proceed with his quest to track down Big Boss. It only makes sense that the Foxhound sergeant would be a part of Snake's core team during the events of Metal Gear Solid.
Unfortunately for Snake and his companions, Miller was unknowingly murdered by an assassin prior to the start of the mission. The man who spent the entire game communicating with you was actually none other than Liquid Snake, the game's antagonist and Solid Snake's villainous brother.
3 Big Smoke - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The tale of Big Smoke is one of the most tragic in the history of Grand Theft Auto. A childhood friend of CJ, Smoke was one of the first to welcome the Grove Street gangster back home, standing by his side as the two attempt to bring Grove Street back to its former glory.
This struggle makes it all the more heartbreaking when CJ discovers that Big Smoke and Ryder were working with both, the rival Ballas and the police organization C.R.A.S.H. in order to betray the Grove Street Families for profit. While Ryder spends most of the game giving CJ a hard time, Smoke is one of his biggest supporters, only adding to the heartbreak.
2 Atlas - Bioshock
Throughout your journey across Bioshock's underwater city of Rapture, you'll receive assistance and guidance from a mysterious figure known as Atlas. Touted all over the city as a heroic rebel, Atlas helped dethrone Rapture's corrupt leader Andrew Ryan after the death of his biggest rival, the con artist and mobster, Frank Fontaine.
It's not until the game's climax that you shockingly learn that Atlas has been manipulating you the entire time, using mind-altering pheromones and the seemingly innocuous verbal command, "Would You Kindly". Atlas is also revealed to be an alias for Fontaine himself, who had faked his death before the events of the game.
1 Patches - Multiple FromSoftware Titles
Few video game characters are as consistently nefarious and untrustworthy as Patches. A mainstay of FromSoftware's games, he made his first appearance in Armored Core 4, but he's most well known for his appearance in the various Souls games that have been released since.
From the original Demon's Souls to the recently released Elden Ring, Patches is consistently present, waiting to ask you for aid, before inevitably betraying you. Usually, said betrayal involves Patches kicking your character into a hole, off a cliff, or otherwise leaving you trapped and awaiting your supposed doom. This is one character you should never turn your back on.