1. Clyde the Ghost from Pac-Man

Ready for some deep Pac-Man lore? In the original game, Clyde would often change his mind and shyly beat a retreat when chasing Pac-Man. In the TV series Pac-Man and The Ghostly Adventures, Clyde’s caring personality truly blossoms. Hold on to your pellets: Even more spoilers ahead! (Photo: Namco)

2. Bowser

Bowser’s definitely a creepy princess stalker, a crime for which there’s no redemption. But in Super Mario RPG and Bowser’s Inside Story, he pulls his own weight when in saving the mushroom kingdom. He cares. He just has a hard time showing it. (Photo: Nintendo)

3. Min from Far Cry 4

If you play on the main path, the warlord Min comes off as quite the sociopath. But, at the beginning of the game, if you take his instructions at face value and wait 15 minutes for him to return, you open up an alternate ending where Min shows off his sweet side. (Photo: Ubisoft)

4. Knuckles from Sonic & Knuckles

In Sonic 3, Knuckles gives off a bad first impression as one of Dr. Robotnik’s henchman. But he’s really just a victim of the Eggman’s lying schemes. When he finds out the truth, he ultimately joins Sonic’s side. He never drops the snarling attitude, though. (Photo: SEGA)

5. The White Witch from Ni No Kuni

Cassiopea is practically the Walter White of Ni No Kuni. The White Witch broke bad for all the right reasons. When she cast the powerful Ashes of Resurrection spell, she only meant to help those around her, but ended up causing massive despair ... just, you know, without the meth. (Photo: Bandai Namco)

6. King Dedede from Kirby’s Adventure

It’s easy to miss the real story behind Kirby. King Dedede is the true hero, one who has gone to great lengths to hide the powerful star rod. But Kirby’s bumbling ineptitude almost destroys Dream Land when he assembles the device anyway and delivers it right into Nightmare’s clutches. (Photo: Nintendo)

7. Godot from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations

This prosecuting attorney with the flashy cyborg visor has a temper even hotter than the black coffee he gulps during trial. But once you learn of his undying love for Maya and Mia Fey, you can’t help but feel sorry for the fella and everything he’s endured. (Photo: Capcom)

8. Alister Azimuth from Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time

You’d think someone who practically killed Ratchet twice is irredeemable. But we know the real Alister to be a judicious rebel leader who prioritizes the salvation of the Lombaxes above all else, even his own life. (Photo: Sony)

9. Kessler from Infamous

The first Infamous title had one of the most surprising twists in video game history. Kessler may appear dastardly at first blush (the dude did kill your girlfriend after all), but what if his actions are really forcing you to develop your skills to fight the true evil ahead? (Photo: Sony)

10. GLaDOS from Portal 2

Like many real people who suffer hardships, GLaDOS’s personality undergoes a transformation through the tumultuous events of Portal 2. After the indignity of being stuck inside a potato, she finds it in her electric heart to help save Chell. (Photo: Valve)

11. Yggdrasill from Tales of Symphonia

This half-elf has a surprising backstory as a victim of racial intolerance. After his sister’s death in a war of expulsion, he goes on a civil rights crusade, which is totally understandable. He just takes it a wee bit too far. (Photo: Namco)

12. Idenn from Fire Emblem: Binding Blade

This shaman may take the form of a loathsome dragon in the final boss fight, but in her defense, her soul was destroyed more than 1,000 years ago and transformed into a demon. If you defeat her in hard mode, she recovers her soul and you get a glimpse of the playful divinity she used to be. (Photo: Nintendo)

13. The Masked Man from Mother 3

The Masked Man initially appears as a force of evil who will do anything to stop Lucas from succeeding. But his sacrificial gesture in the final battle paves the way for the destruction of the Pork Army. (Photo: Nintendo)

14. Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2

Maybe it’s time to revisit Jack’s legacy with a more generous eye. His original utopian plan to get rid of the bandits in Pandora was probably well-intentioned. Even the biggest monsters are heroes in their own stories. (2K Games)

15. Kitaniji from The World Ends With You

Following the likes of Handsome Jack, Kitaniji is another villain whose overwhelming love for a city drives him toward evil actions. But can you really blame him for loving a city as cool as Shibuya? (Photo: Square Enix)

16. Marauder Shields from Mass Effect 3

The final random enemy of your journey sacrificed himself so you wouldn’t have to see the game’s disappointing ending. The outpouring of love for Marauder Shields on image boards has given him the status of a modern-day folk hero. We salute our fallen comrade. (Photo: Electronic Arts)

17. Edea Kramer from Final Fantasy VIII

It's hard to think of a villain who has a gentler side than Edea. When you initially encounter her, she's a merciless sadist. But as the story develops you learn she's just possessed, and actually cares for destitute children in an orphanage. She's the Mother Theresa of evil sorcerers. (Photo: Square Enix)

1. The Very First Zombie in Resident Evil

It may be hard to imagine, but there was a time when the sight of a fully rendered zombie in a video game was both frightening and breathtaking. This was the moment we discovered Resident Evil had teeth. (Photo: Capcom)

2. The Magic Carpet Lava Chase in Aladdin

The Battletoads hoverbike race gets all the fame, but Mikami's lava chase is a contender for the most harrowing tunnel run in video game history. (Photo: Capcom)

3. The Cerberus Window Scare in Resident Evil

When these rabid dogs jumped through a window in a dimly lit hallway, most of us had to fight the urge to jump out of a window in real life. (Photo: Capcom)

4. The Chainsaw-Wielding Dr. Salvador in Resident Evil 4

After a brief warm-up in the woods, Resident Evil 4 quickly descended into all-out chaos as a swarm of angry villagers lusts after your sweet neck blood. The chainsaw brute became a series icon. (Photo: Capcom)

5. The T-Rex Bursting Through the Window in Dino Crisis

The best Jurassic Park game isn't even called Jurassic Park. Dino Crisis is a cool 90 degree turn from Mikami's other horror titles, but the dude couldn't give up his classic window scares. (Photo: Capcom)

6. The Tentacle Erupting From a Ganado in Resident Evil 4

It's alive! Just when players got a handle on evil villagers, this guy showed up. And head shots just made things worse. Now that is scary. (Photo: Capcom)

7. Iwazaru the Bondage Suit Servant in Killer 7

A chill went down everyone's spine when this red-suited freak descended on his bungee cord. Suda 51 rightfully gets acclaim for Killer 7, but Shinji Mikami shares the credit as co-writer. (Photo: Capcom)

8. The Angry Crimson Heads in Resident Evil: REmake

In addition to the lurid new graphics, the Resident Evil remake had some devious updates, including angry Crimson Head zombies that roar to life when a corpse wasn't crispy enough. Yikes! (Photo: Capcom)

9. The Near Invincible Spider-Lady in The Evil Within

We don't know what it is about creepy ladies with long hair covering their faces, but they're a staple of Japanese horror. This spider creature was almost impossible to kill; the only other option: just run, run, run for your life. (Photo: Bethesda)

10. The Licker Surprise in Resident Evil 2

Everything went wrong for poor Claire in the Interrogation Room. If only she knew Mikami's penchant for busting through windows with disgusting creatures, she might have stood a chance. (Photo: Capcom)

11. Pulling Off "Slidekick Backflip Bullet Time" in Vanquish

Scary stylish is more like it. Vanquish was Gears of War on a steady diet of anime and methamphetamine. It was often overwhelming, but pulling off insane stunts like this in the middle of a terrifying firefight felt thrilling. (Photo: SEGA)

12. Getting Barricaded by Griefers in Resident Evil Outbreak

This online Resident Evil oddity for the PS2 left limited means to communicate with co-op partners. That mechanism created the perfect way for pranksters to serve up players as zombie suppers. (Photo: Capcom)

13. The Azel Boss Fights in God Hand

The Head Slicer. The Daisy Cutter. The Reverse Hell Kick. These were all weapons in Azel's formidable arsenal. If players weren't quick to the draw with a Hand Plant Kick, they were toast. (Photo: Capcom)

14. The Draining Bathtub in Resident Evil

Nothing good ever came from draining a bathtub in a haunted mansion. Why is it so impossible to resist? Fate guided our hand forward, revealing the loathsome beast that slept beneath. (Photo: Capcom)

15. The Red and Blue Skeleton Bosses in Goof Troop

Who thought a harmless little game about Goofy and his son Max could hide such a terrifyingly difficult boss fight? They lived up to their self-proclaimed goal of filling our hearts with dread. (Photo: Capcom)

16. The Fleming Fight in Shadows of the Damned

Another Mikami and Suda teamup! Besides having a disgusting totem pole of skulls for a face, Fleming lobbed beams from his eyes, and hid a whole girlfriend in his trench coat. What a creep. (Photo: Electronic Arts)

17. The Search for Dr. Valerio's Key in The Evil Within

The worst part of this scene had to be the disgusting squishing sounds that accompanied the manual exploration of a cadaver. And, of course, the inevitable killer scare. (Photo: Bethesda)

18. The Cabin Battle With Luis in Resident Evil 4

By now, battles with zombies breaking into cramped rooms is de rigueur. But when Leon and Luis first fought this rampaging horde, it felt dynamic and frighteningly realistic, like nothing that came before. (Photo: Capcom)

FreakAngels by Warren Ellis

The popular webcomic is now available in six paperback volumes stuffed to the brim with psychics, steampunks, and planetary disaster: just the thrilling sort of stuff to liven up any summer beach read bag. Buy the whole set and study up on your pyrokinesis before you fire up that grill. (Photo: Avatar Press)

Black Hole by Charles Burns

This graphic novel found a new audience after it appeared in last year's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Black Hole takes place in a nightmare alternate Seattle, where teenagers mutate into classic B-movie monsters after catching a disease. It's a surprisingly intense read that'll keep you creeped out long after you finish. (Photo: Pantheon)

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Scott McCloud may be most famous for his instructional books on creating comics. Now you can see his principles in action in a very weird tale about a sculptor who makes a deal with death to gain inhuman artistic capabilities. It's one of the most peculiar superpowers we've ever seen illustrated. (Photo: First Second)

Just So Happens by Fumio Obata

A young woman living in London returns home to Tokyo after she learns of her father's death. This is a thoughtful story about immigration, grief, and making tough choices. If you're looking for something outside of the box, this is your sure bet. (Photo: Harry N. Abrams)

Celeste by I. N. J. Culbard

When you're ready for a dose of epic, intelligent sci-fi, you'll want to pick up the latest creation from I. N. J. Culbard, famous for his work on Sherlock Holmes. Celeste explores the end of the world from the viewpoint of the few people left to experience it. Think Last Man on Earth mixed with 2001 and you're halfway there. (Photo: SelfMadeHero)

This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

The cousin team-up that brought us the exceptional graphic novel Skim joins forces once again for an incredible coming-of-age story. Set during the summer at a lakeside cottage, This One Summer details, with a touching sense of sadness, the friendship of two girls. (Photo: First Second)

MW by Osamu Tezuka

The Japanese godfather of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, has a reputation for going for the jugular in his stories, and MW is no exception. In what's probably his darkest work, Osamu tells the tale of Michio, a disturbing young psychopath who enjoys cruelty. You'll need an appetite for something revolting and revolutionary to read this one, but you'll be rewarded if you can stick it out. (Photo: Vertical)

Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore

This is another graphic novel series for your classics shelf. First serialized in 1993, Strangers in Paradise is now available in six paperbacks perfect for traveling. Jump in and discover why this love-triangle thriller remains a fan favorite. (Photo: Abstract Studio)

The Motherless Oven by Rob Davis

A world that rains knives and has no birthdays sounds like an awful place to live, but it's a wonderfully surreal place to visit in this new graphic novel by Rob Davis. If your teenage years were bizarre, brooding and impenetrable, you'll feel right at home. (Photo: SelfMadeHero)

Pluto by Naoki Urasawa

Astro Boy holds a prominent place in the pantheon of important Japanese manga, which makes Naoki Urasawa's bold retelling of the story all the more impressive. Pluto's blending of a classic Japanese style with hard-edged, Philip K. Dick-inspired cyberpunk produces amazing results. (Photo: VIZ Media)

The Graphic Canon Vol. 3 (Edited by Russ Kick)

The Graphic Canon has lived up to its editor's huge ambitions of publishing an omnibus of classic world literature in comic form. It's a great way to introduce yourself to the important works of literature humans have created, combined with unique interpretations by dozens of the world's greatest illustrators. Volume 3 includes contemporary writers like Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace, a highbrow/lowbrow combo the authors themselves would surely appreciate. (Photo: Seven Stories Press)

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid On Earth by Chris Ware

In many ways Jimmy Corrigan put alternative comics and graphic novels on the critical map, with the New Yorker calling it "the first formal masterpiece of the medium." Jimmy Corrigan is a tragic, and at times hilariously awkward, story of father-son relations and the ways we negotiate identities in a complicated world. It's time to finally check it off your list! (Photo: Pantheon)

Over Easy by Mimi Pond

Anyone who's wound up hungover in a California diner will find this nostalgic send up of dropouts, punks, and artists entertaining. It's a smart memoir that feels like a more warm-hearted and witty version of Inherent Vice. (Photo: Drawn and Quarterly)

Safe Area Goražde by Joe Sacco

Joe Sacco is a war reporter on a mission: to humanize complex foreign conflicts and bring them to life in comic form. With the rigor of a journalist and the empathy of an artist, Joe makes the Bosnian War feel as if it happened to your friends. The book is an unmissable achievement. (Photo: Fantagraphics)

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

Before the worldwide controversy over Seth Rogen and James Franco's The Interview, this book opened a window into the secretive country of North Korea. This is an eye-opening journey through the author's job as an animator under the rule of Kim Jong-il. A movie version was even in the works, but Fox pulled the plug after last year's threats over The Interview. Now you can read the story that was too dangerous to show. (Photo: Drawn and Quarterly)