Villians in video games have to carry some sort of threat. It doesn’t have to be a physical one, though. They can be mentally threatening or financially threatening. The important thing is that they create some sort of friction or obstacle for the hero. Some antagonists, however, go beyond threatening to be outright terrifying, either through their visual appearance or evil actions.
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Naturally, scary villains are most often seen in the horror genre, but that isn’t a requirement. RPGs, action games, and even platformers have included spooky antagonists at times. The following scary examples are from a few different genres.
7Mr. X (Resident Evil 2)
As a series,Resident Evil is filled with all sorts of spooky monsters. The scariest villain in the series, though, has to be Mr. X. This large tyrant is terrifying in multiple ways.
For starters, you don’t really know anything about him, as he’s just a silent killing machine. Secondly, outside of the last battle, you can’t kill him. Lastly, the way he’s implemented in the Resident Evil 2 remake makes him much scarier than he would normally be. This is because he stalks you around the Police Station. This creates a feeling of always being followed, which is a scary thought.
One of the most recognizable villains in the horror genre is Pyramid Head from theSilent Hillgames. His name is very descriptive as he’s got a pyramid for a head - albeit, his canon name is Red Pyramid Thing, which isn’t any smarter.
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This powerful and intimidating monster is typically covered in blood and carries a large blade around with him. His lack of face means there is no humanizing him at all, which really helps his scary factor. His thirst for blood and the fact he’s almost invincible also assists in making the creature terrifying.
5The Unseen Elder (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)
The Witcher 3is an RPG, but it dips into horror for certain moments. In fact, it contains several ofthe creepiest scenes in non-horror game history. One takes place in the Blood And Wine DLC. This is the scene where you meet the Unseen Elder. He is the leader of vampires, who is so powerful that other vampires don’t hesitate to do what he says.
This is all the more impressive when you discover that vampires are some of the strongest creatures in The Witcher universe. This one can kill the protagonist, Geralt, instantly if the Witcher talks out of turn. That is why he’s so scary.
4The Colonel (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty)
An underrated spooky villain is The Colonel fromMetal Gear Solid 2. For most of the game, he seems like a typical commanding officer that’s telling you everything you need to know. In fact, he seems like the most trustworthy person in the game.
Yet, late on in the adventure, he begins to act erratically. He says strange things, his voice gets distorted, he begins to resemble a skull, and he occasionally looks directly into the camera at you. It’s all very unsettling. It turns out he’s not a real person. The Colonel is actually an AI that has been manipulating you the entire time.
3Scarecrow (Batman: Arkham Series)
TheBatman Arkham series contains many excellent villains. Scarecrow is among the most problematic for Batman. The antagonist is all about spreading terror with his deadly toxins that cause his victims to hallucinate their biggest fears.
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When he uses the stuff on you, you are forced to witness some very freaky and scary sequences. If that wasn’t enough, the guy looks terrifying, particularly in Arkham Knight, due to his messed-up mask and creepy eyes. So, just looking at the villain is enough to unsettle you.
2Xenomorph (Alien: Isolation)
Due to theAlienmovie series, Xenomorphs are one of the most iconic creatures in all of horror. Their time in the video game world has been mixed. But it’s fair to say that the Xenomorph from Alien: Isolation lives up to the ones from the movies.
This is mainly because the alien is terrifying. It’s large, smart, and can kill you instantly. Therefore, you need to hide from the beast whenever it’s near. When you do, the creature aggressively hunts you down. It’s in these moments where the Xenomorph earns its reputation for being among the most terrifying villlains in gaming.
1Alma Wade (Fear Series)
Spooky young girls and the horror genre go hand-in-hand. In fact, little girls with piercing stares and freaky voices are a trope of the genre. And it’s a trope theFearseries uses well with Alma Wade.
She is the series villain that antagonizes you throughout most of the games. She isn’t a young girl in all of them, but regardless of her age, Alma is scary. Not only is she visually creepy, but she regularly jump-scares you and generally messes with your head. Plus, she has exceptional supernatural powers that she can use to murder people. So, she’s both a mental and physical threat.
