Summary
- Horror games feature terrifying characters from various genres, not just dedicated horror titles.
- Some games, like Lies of P , have wicked enemy designs that bring a sense of terror to the narrative.
- Certain characters in games instill true fear in players. From Cazadors to Fingercreepers, these creatures tap into primal dread and create deeply unpleasant encounters.
It's no surprise that horror games would include some frightening characters, but not every face of terror in video games comes from a title dedicated to fear. Whether it's the monstrous bosses from Lies of P or subtle chills from games like Elden Ring, there are plenty of terrifying figures across genres. Some have left legacies that are remembered years after their debut, while others have appeared in recent years but made immediate impacts within their respective games.
It can ultimately be a little hard to draw clear lines delineating what exists within and without the horror genre, but the easiest way to determine it is by looking at the primary focus of a game. Although horror games can feature anything from action-adventure gameplay to methodical RPG elements, they unilaterally put those mechanics to use to scare players or instill a sense of discomfort. If these sensations are further down a laundry list of emotions a game evokes, it's generally not going to be a horror game at heart.
10 Man-Bat - Batman: Arkham Knight
Although the Batman: Arkham series isn't horror, it's about as close to it at times as any superhero games are likely to be. Arkham Asylum set the tone for this with its occasionally trippy segments and grungy corridors of psychotic villains, but Arkham Knight found the most terrifying foe of the franchise by including Man-Bat. Human DNA spliced with that of a vampire bat has led to a horrific creature, and even Batman's most nefarious foes would likely prefer to meet the Caped Crusader in a dark alley than come face-to-face with this terror.
9 Nameless Puppet - Lies of P
The story of Pinocchio has always had its creepy corners, but Lies of P comes up with some truly wicked enemy designs in its dark reimagining of the narrative. The Nameless Puppet might be chief among its fearsome foes, with a horrific appearance and a brutal difficulty level that make it stand out even among the ranks of a unilaterally challenging roster. Luckily, it's possible to avoid facing the Nameless Puppet depending on choices made in the final stretches of the game, so not everyone will have to come face-to-face with its grotesque visage.
8 Cazador - Fallout: New Vegas
The mutations incurred by nuclear disaster occasionally rear their head as the scarier elements of the Fallout franchise, and the Cazadors of Fallout: New Vegas are the best possible example. Coming across these bizarre creatures in the Wasteland can strike a note of true fear into the heart of any courier, as their erratic movement and swarm behavior make them difficult to dispatch with slower weapons. For anyone who finds insect encounters distressing, the terror of the Cazadors is even greater, making them a potentially horrifying foe.
7 Tal'Ratha - Remnant 2
The first Remnant game dipped its toes into some discomforting designs, but Remnant 2 outdoes it with truly memorable characters. One such figure is Tal'Ratha, who speaks in fatalistically fierce terms about the inevitability of the Traveler succumbing to certain plans. Choosing to go along in the conversation will result in Tal'Ratha opening a horrific toothy mouth to eat the Traveler, while refusing will initiate combat that highlights its shambling, unnatural movement. In any scenario, its inhumanly impassive face will be staring all the while.
6 Fingercreeper - Elden Ring
Elden Ring developer Fromsoft is no stranger to striking fear into the hearts of fans, although this is frequently due to difficulty more than anything else. One enemy that can truly terrify, however, are the Fingercreepers that can be found in several different Elden Ring locations. The concept of a giant hand that moves like a spider might be basic compared to some other horrific designs in the game, but it taps into a primal sort of fear that can make any encounter deeply unpleasant.
5 Byotara - Ghostwire: Tokyo
Ghostwire Tokyo is right on the edge of being a horror game, but trying to drum up fear with its roster of supernatural figures ultimately isn't its primary goal. Even so, some Visitors don't have much trouble sending a chill down the spine, and perhaps none is better at this than Byotara. This beastly form of the Visitor Ko-omote is significantly more discomforting than Ko-omote's usual appearance. What's worse is that she strips the protagonist's powers from him at the start of a fight, leaving him especially vulnerable to her terror.
4 The Sorrow
The Sorrow might just look like a normal man compared to many of gaming's scariest characters, but Metal Gear Solid 3 doesn't have to rely upon appearance to make something truly creepy. The Sorrow's presence in the story is complex and best left unspoiled for newcomers, but his strange relationship with Snake and his ghostly encounters build up a pervasive unease. He isn't evil in the way that many Metal Gear Solid characters are, but he's not afraid to push Snake in genuinely uncomfortable ways.
3 Orin the Red - Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 dips its toes into horror on a number of occasions, following the Dungeons & Dragons predilection for bouncing between tones and genres. All the same, it's mostly standard RPG fare, with a grand adventure that spans as much light as it does dark. Regardless, Orin the Red falls into the latter camp, appearing as a force of obvious evil near the end of Act 2 and becoming a major character in Act 3. Her unnatural appearance and general bloodlust are enough to make her intimidating, but her ability to take on perfectly disguised forms gives her the power to really get inside of a party's heads.
2 The Butcher - Diablo 4
Diablo 4 is full of difficult enemies and hellish designs, but none have set themselves apart quite like the Butcher has. The Butcher has a long legacy of fear, with his original appearance in the first Diablo game following a careful narrative build that set him up as a force to be reckoned with. In Diablo 4, the Butcher can show up and chase down players at any time, giving him the potential to turn successful runs into bloodbaths at a moment's notice. His monstrous appearance is scary enough, but his presence in the gameplay makes him something special.
1 Psycho Mantis
If any Metal Gear Solid character set the stage for The Sorrow, it's Psycho Mantis. The product of a miserable childhood and psychic powers meeting in brutal ways, Psycho Mantis is a recurring presence throughout the series, but his first appearance in the original title remains memorable to this day. His fourth-wall-breaking abilities took what many players thought they knew about gaming and threw it out the window, making the kind of video game stories that kids might make up on the playground a reality. Whether it's a disturbing fantasy like Lies of P or an epic classic like Elden Ring, entries like Psycho Mantis helped pave the way for horrifying characters in future gaming titles.