Due to the exciting news about the potential film "Murder House", (our favourite horror stars resurrected and being studied for their murderous traits) I'm in the mood to delve into our very own favourite baddies of the video game world.

Now, these are villains of the week for a very specific reason: how terrible they are.

Throughout the game Saboteur, you play as the main character who slowly releases France from Nazi occupation, destroying key weapons and killing any officers you see. The game is very clever in design, the world starting off as black and white, colour slowly returning as you rescue Paris and the surrounding villages from Nazi rule.

These are not the best villains, not by a long shot. They're almost the worst (almost!)

They are practically useless at their job and there are hundreds of them, spread out over Paris like parasites. They are convinced by the flimsiest of disguises (you play as a strong Irishman with a broad accent) and they just don't pay any attention to...to...to just about anything. You only have to run about 100 feet and they forget you ever existed, and no matter how much you blow up, or how many you kill, they just switch off. They can't even shoot straight, and when they do on the off chance manage to shoot you, it's barely a flesh wound. They're bullets, they're at least supposed to do some damage. Right?

They also have no sense. Zero. This is why I love them, I mean - Gun turrets facing trees, no space and no people in the middle of fields, miles from anywhere. Cannons with nowhere to shoot but the sky, surrounded by tall trees. Unguarded guns. Watchtowers by more watchtowers with nowhere to look.

Seriously?

No surprise it's is an easy game to complete!

She is a tough and vengeful AI who will stop at nothing to get what she wants - this villain from Portal has etched herself into the minds of many as an ultimate man made bot turned nasty (although we can never forget Wheatly.)

GLaDOS constantly reappears throughout Portal, with snippets of advice teamed with heavy sarcasm and wit. Her job is to explain and guide you through the game to the end that she desires, but as long as you fight back (checking every corner for clues and titbits of course, in this game leave nothing to chance.)

The ultimate robot queen demands your attention and your fear. But she'll offer you cake, and even the companion cube can't help you when her demeanour descends into full attack mode (and when that happens - run!) I love her because she's twisted, her intelligence driving her slowly insane as you make your way around the game teamed with her conviction that you are the one going mad and not her. As AI characters go, her personality is well developed, she genuinely seems to care about you and your training to start off with and her character development through the game is fantastic. It changes as her motivation shifts, and evil robots normally end up with no personality at all, making her stand out even more.

For most people, it's the famous quote "the cake is a lie!" That rings with the game Portal, and GLaDOS' insistence of cake makes her seem that little bit more unhinged; especially since the cake is a lie phrase is repeated through the game.
Maybe it's the slow but steady transformation into madness that makes her a favourite...Maybe it's the sweet voice that tricks you into submission...all we know at Blast Process is she is one our firm favourites.

Matt C:

"My favorite villain is everyone's favourite psychotic experimental AI: GLaDOS! Passive aggressive, sarcastic, totally unhinged and a complete bitch, but she is what makes the portal series so damn good! Plus I hear she bakes a great cake..."

Villain of the week #3

Villain Of The Week #2