Heroes might get all the applause, but I Want to Play the Villain! is making the case that playing the bad guy can be far more entertaining.
Announced by Triomatica Games, the award-winning studio behind Boxville, this charming theatre-themed logic puzzler is set to arrive on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS and Android. Before that though? Well, a free Steam demo will be taking centre stage on August 17th.
Rather than solving traditional brainteasers, players will be tasked with directing an ever-changing cast of actors, matching personalities to performances and ensuring every production ends with the curtain falling to thunderous applause.
At A Glance
- Game: I Want to Play the Villain!
- Developer: Triomatica Games
- Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android
- Demo: Steam – August 17th
- Genre: Logic Puzzle
- Release: TBA
Every Actor Has Their Own Agenda
At first glance, putting on a theatre production sounds straightforward.
In I Want to Play the Villain!, however, every actor arrives with their own ambitions, favourite roles, fears and personal quirks. Some dream of playing the villain, others refuse certain pairings, while a poorly chosen role could derail the entire performance.
Success depends on carefully rearranging the cast, swapping costumes and even rewriting parts of the story until everyone is satisfied and the production can finally go ahead. That’s the twist on the usual logic puzzle formula, where understanding personalities is just as important as spotting patterns.
No Two Performances Are Quite The Same
Each chapter introduces a fresh stage production complete with its own cast, mechanics and narrative.
Changing a single role can have a knock-on effect across the entire performance, forcing players to rethink relationships, character motivations and how every actor fits into the show.
As the game progresses, new scenarios and increasingly complex puzzles promise to keep even seasoned puzzle fans thinking several moves ahead.
From The Creators Of Boxville
Triomatica Games has already earned praise for its atmospheric adventure Boxville, and this latest project heads in a very different direction while retaining the studio’s focus on thoughtful design.
Whether you’re assigning dream roles, avoiding backstage drama or trying to satisfy an entire company of demanding performers, I Want to Play the Villain! looks set to deliver a distinctive blend of storytelling and puzzle-solving.
Players won’t have to wait too long to sample it either, with a free Steam demo launching on August 17th, ahead of the game’s eventual release on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS and Android. It’s currently looking like this will be a Q1 2027 drop.
