What Do You Look for in a New Villain?

[DuelMark]

Okay, so when it comes to new bad guys, their personalities aren't exactly the most complex. They usually have very basic goals, either rule the world or destroy the world, your mileage may vary which is scarier. However, I think we can all agree that we like seeing new villains from time to time. We like seeing someone new endanger Hyrule or the world and Link must cross this new foe. With that said, what do you always expect to see from a new villain when you learn there will be a new villain?

Personally, I look forward to the visuals. No, I don't mean the visuals or the graphics, I mean how they're designed. A good example is Zant, the helmet is creepy and because you can't see his face, you have no idea what emotions are going through him. Plus, given what we learn of his personality, I love the long sleeves, looking very much like a straight jacket that's been loosened.
Ghirahim has a decent look as well, usage of bright colors and a more feminine design that makes him visually the opposite of Ganondorf.

The rest of the other non recurring villains are either decent or... are Malladus, who isn't very intimidating to look at in any of his forms. (That's just my opinion)

 

[Parasite]

I want something like that Link is brainwashed or something and there will be a second character you can play and Link will be like Ghirahim, he will trying to revive his master (A dark force that brainwashed him or something).

 

[VikzeLink]

I would like to see a villain that is one of the persons that lives in you village in the beginning of the game, a guy that is one of your not so smart, but strong friends. The plot could be like Link and his friends wander around Hyrule and try to help people in trouble, like a patrol force.
At some point midgame, the to-be-villains family, love interest or something else, will die. Then he becomes mad with anger and grief and turn evil in a vain attempt to resurrect them somehow. Link and his other friends will be imprisoned somewhere, but Link manages to escape and then it's up to him to save the others.
In the end, the "evil friend" will understand what he has done and regrets it, but he will die in Link's arms and go with the rest of his family/love interest/other thing.

You might think I put a lot of thought into this, but it all actually popped up in my head while I was writing.

 

[SuperMetroid]

Intent is a massive part of a villain IMO. One of my favourite villains of all time is Lavos (Chrono Trigger). Its intent is so base to its survival. Throughout the aeons of its existence it always has the same unchanging intent, the same ominous threat. I suppose nothing is really comparable to that, except for MM's Moon (which was really driven by another character). Except, you can't see the aftermath of the cataclysm.

Graphics definitely plays a part. Ghirahim put on the scary and peculiar act with the tongue and other fancy bits. Vaati's visual representation (at least, the art anyway) was quite cool, and the in-game boss was pretty epic as far as 2-d bosses go.

Speaking of bosses, they need to have a massive and stupidly hard endgame battle. I was particularly upset when Ghirahim changed into something only a little less human, and when Demise transformed from something that was friggen badass to something that was somewhat badass.

I think, in a videogame, any new villain really needs to push its presence onto you. The player needs to fear it. There should be no faults in it whatsoever. Ghirahim's constant pouting that Link is "stronger than I anticipated" kind of makes me feel like I could have demolished him then and there.

 

[TwilightDeku]

I would like to see a villain who is in the grey area... It is hard to explain so take this example:


It starts out with Link and Gannondorf fighting. Link wounds Gannondorf and Links fairy summons the 10 element medallions and shines the beam on Gannondorf, pinning him to the ground. Link tries to preform a fatal blow, but Gannondorf rolls out of the way. Link has his sword stuck in the ground, so Gannondorf take the opportunity to stab Link right through the back.
Meanwhile, on a high passageway above the battle, shadow link watches the original Link get stabbed. The next day shadow link is following behind Gannondorf and his army of Moblins when he realizes that his hand is fading. He concludes that this would be because the original Link was killed and you cant have a shadow without an original object (For shadow link, it was Link because he was Link's shadow).
The whole plot after that is shadow link trying to find all the medallions of the elements from their respective temples. He is also fighting a battle with himself, should he be good, or evil? He finally turns on Gannondorf and defeats him with the recharged medallions. Shortly after the battle he fades away, remembering all the people he saved and helped throughout his adventure.

So the main villain would be shadowlink's interal battle with himself.

I look for a villain that is not good or bad... and has lots of character. It would be even better if you WERE the main villain (sort of) as in the example above.

 

[Beckira]

I look for a villain that is not good or bad... and has lots of character. It would be even better if you WERE the main villain (sort of) as in the example above.

^This.

My favorite villains are the relatable ones, with a clear intentions and morals. N from Pokemon Black and White is a pretty good example of this: he truly believed that he was doing the right thing. I love it when video games can touch me emotionally, and my favorite boss battles are bittersweet. The real world has no black and white. I enjoy games that are the same way.