The vast majority of games reward players for being a good guy orstaying on the right side of the law. Some people say “Nice guys finish last,” but it almost never applies to the video game world.
That said,there are some great games where you play as a villain, or at least your questionable behavior is rewarded, and that’s what we’re taking a look at today. These titles aren’t just limited to open-world adventures either, and there’s plenty of incredible indie options and games tailored for shorter sessions.
Some titles reward a sprinkle of naughty deeds, while others expect you to act like a hardened criminal. Whatever flavor of bad behavior you’re after, here’s a selection of games you’ll enjoy.
10Schedule 1
Schedule I
Schedule 1 is a viral indie sensation that feels like it wasripped straight out of Breaking Bad. Your mentor ends up in prison at the start of the game, and you must attempt to make it any way you may.
The issue is thatyou’re a drug dealer by trade, so you’re on the wrong side of the law from the moment you start the game.
On the plus side, residents in the local town are quite partial to substance abuse, so you have plenty of potential customers.
The police have ordered a curfew after sunset, but you’re able to make some serious cash if you serve your eager customers in the dead of night. If you’re willing to break the rules, you’ll end up with more money than you can spend.
9Hitman: World of Assassination
The World Is A Lethal Playground
Hitman: World of Assassinationis one of the best value bundles in gaming, stacked with three games worth of stellar content.
You play as Agent 47, a professional assassin. Naturally,the law is a suggestion to you, and you can twist scenarios in your favorif you know when to misbehave.
For example, if you subdue the head doctor in the high-tech treatment facility of Hokkaido, nobody will question you as you tour the building.
Sure, the good doctor will be out cold, forgetting all of his medical exams, but at least it makes your job easier!
8Sea of Thieves
A Pirate’s Life For Me
Sea of Thieves
I used to be a seriousSea of Thievesplayer until I was tired of PvP being treated as a dirty little secret. Still, few games reward misbehavior and mischief quite like it.
If you’ve never played, Sea of Thieves is a PvPvE game where yousail the seas and gather treasurefrom various activities across the map. The issue is that you’re not the only player on the map, and you never know the intent of other pirates you may encounter.
An opportunist may try to take your hard-earned plunder, and the smartest players may even try to do it without even firing a shot. You can make daring escapes with other player’s treasure, and it feels like it’s worth so much more if you didn’t dig it out of the ground yourself.
PvPvE games are unforgiving. But when you become the hunter instead of the hunted, the ocean becomes your playground.
Bully, or Canis Canem Edit as it’s also known, is a semi-open-world adventure game set in one of the worst schools in video games.
The teachers are just as deranged as the most deplorable students, and your life is literally on the line.
Fortunately, you play as Jimmy and aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty. You must still attend classes, butlife in Bullworth Academy is a fine balancing act between survival and being expelled.
I know we’re all excited about GTA 6, but I’d love to seeRockstar revisit this conceptsomeday.
6Saints Row: The Third
Crime Meets Comedy
Saints Row 3
I admire theSaints Rowgames as the developers are unafraid to try new things with the series. The last title was pretty bad, in my opinion, and I didn’t enjoy the superpower spin inSaints Row 4. However, I’ll always have a soft spot forSaints Row: The Third.
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Saints Row 3 offers a polished open-world city to explore, full of ridiculous weapons and out-of-this-world characters. You play as ‘Playa,’ and most of the game follows the Saint’s quest to reclaim control of the city.
Naturally, most of your activities as a gang member are illicit.You can even commit insurance fraud by standing in front of traffic, which is a hilarious side activity you would only find in this series.
5Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Stop, Criminal Scum!
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Many of the Elder Scrolls games could have made the list, butOblivion Remasteredis a faithful upgrade from the original and well worth revisiting.
Plenty of systems in Oblivion reward players for staying on the right side of the law. At the very least, armed guards won’t hound you if they believe you’re an upstanding citizen.
However,there’s also a lucrative criminal underworld to explore if you’re brave enough, and you get easy access to that lifestyle after killing your first innocent. I would say it’s a slippery slope, but the Dark Brotherhood is easily one of the coolest factions in the game.
you’re able to play it safe during the day and indulge your deviant side when the sun sets.
4Grand Theft Auto V
Crime Pays
Grand Theft Auto 5
No list that celebrates misbehaving would be complete without aGrand Theft Autogame. Honestly, any GTA could make the list, butGTA Vhas held a player base for years and is the perfect entry to the series. It even has atop-tier modding scene.
If you’ve never played before,GTA V tells a story about three criminals who end up with shared goals. you’re able to eventually play as all three, and the story is surprisingly deep and full of twists and turns.
You never get far by obeying the law in GTA, and you’ll reap the benefits if you can handle the heat. GTA Online also holds a healthy player count to this day, with thousands of players managing their criminal empires.
3Untitled Goose Game
Size Doesn’t Matter
Untitled Goose Game
Many games on this list put you in the shoes of a killer or hardened criminal. If you prefer to break the rules without going to extremes, perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach.
As you probably guessed,Untitled Goose Gameputs you in the webbed feet of a goose. Don’t be misled by his small stature, asthis feathered fiend’s ultimate goal is to steal items from the nearby town.
There’s a generous serving ofpuzzle-solvingin the game, as you’re able to’t rely on brute strength to terrorize the neighborhood. You’ll have to use your brain over brute force, and your plans often have hilarious outcomes.
Untitled Goose Game is acozy indie gem, and there’s nothing else quite like it.
2Neighbors Back From Hell
Strategic Payback
Neighbors from Hell
Neighbors Back From Hell offers playersthe most unique premise on this list and a remarkable brand of misbehaving.
You play as Woody, who has a ‘neighbor from hell,’ as the title implies. Woody has had enough, and it’s up to you to get some well-deserved payback. You do this by sneaking into your neighbor’s home and screwing with him in creative ways.
It is mostly good, clean fun, like planting a whoopee cushion on his chair or messing with his TV aerials. There’s some light puzzle-solving, and the light-hearted humor is refreshing.
1Streets of Rogue
Limitless Possibilities
Streets of Rogue
Streets of Rogueis one of my favorite Roguelites and offerscountless ways to accomplish your objectives. You’re usually rewarded for misbehaving, but your prizes are so much grander if you’re smart about it.
Every level in Streets of Rogue tasks players with menial objectives, like retrieving an item. The game makes the list because you can do this any way you like.There are often lawful options, but it can be more rewarding to get your hands dirty.
You could even hire someone to do your task while you watch with a snack from the sidelines. The sky is the limit in Streets of Rogue, and once you understand the game mechanics, every objective allows you to flex and bend the rules.
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