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Gaming | Game Design
How Atlus Writes Good Villains
A personal take on Persona’s well-written bad guys
Traditionally, villains in video games served primarily as obstacles for the heroes — think of iconic figures like Bowser, who manages to kidnap Princess Peach every game. However, the landscape of villainy has evolved beyond mere antagonism.
Now, audiences seek deeper narratives, eager to explore the motivations and backstories behind these characters. The media has shifted towards a greater appreciation for villain arcs, asking critical questions: What events shaped their paths? How did they become who they are?
From a writing perspective, what makes a villain convincing? What makes the audience sympathetic towards villains? Is there a reason to be empathetic at all, despite their heinous acts? As usual, I wish to approach this subject through Atlus’ games, which I am most familiar with. From Persona 4’s Tohru Adachi, Persona 5’s Masayoshi Shido, and Persona 5 Royal’s Takuto Maruki, let’s discuss how these villains differ from one another and how each of them has aspects that label them as good villains.
Also, obvious spoilers ahead.
Tohru Adachi — Persona 4
In the little town of Inaba, a series of eerily similar murders unfold, leaving investigators with no leads. A group of teenagers, all connected to the murders in some way or other, band together to investigate the matter through their newly found power, the Persona.
Despite the dark undertones of the narrative, the game manages to maintain a lighthearted tone reminiscent of my childhood favourite, Scooby-Doo. However, the story takes a chilling turn with the kidnapping of the protagonist’s cousin, Nanako, revealing a more sinister plot than initially suggested. The true culprit, we discover, is not Namatame, as we had long suspected, but Tohru Adachi, the detective’s assistant.
