These horrifying baddies still haunt us.
Lady Dimitrescu inspired a lot of fear in Resident Evil Village, along with a lot of ... other feelings. Whatever your take on the tall vampire lady, her razor-sharp claws and taste for human blood make her a truly frightening villain.
There are plenty of tough bosses in Metroid Dread, but nothing is quite as terrifying as the E.M.M.I.s. The only winning strategy is to run for your life until you can absorb energy to power your Omega Cannon.
BioShock builds tension through atmosphere, but its Big Daddies are sheer run-for-your-life terror. They’re equipped with weaponry that’s as scary-looking as it is effective. The creepy little girls with giant syringes they protect are even creepier.
Resident Evil has a few “stalker” enemies in its history that relentlessly pursue players through levels. They’re all scary and challenging, but Nemesis’ design is the best at telling you it’s time to get the hell away ASAP.
Jenova is a terrifying sight in Final Fantasy VII, and the mystery around its origins only makes it creepier. With the ability to manipulate people’s minds and create a sense of near-religious awe, Jenova might be the scariest thing in all of Final Fantasy.
In a game where you mow down zombies by the dozens, it takes a lot to scare players. That’s where the Witch comes in. Her chilling sobs hit your ears first, and once she sees you, she will tear you to shreds in seconds.
4. ReDeads – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Zelda’s story has some unsettling elements, but it’s still kid-friendly. The chilling ReDeads, however, turn up in several games. Their face-hugging Ocarina of Time version is by far the scariest.
Silent Hill is basically a nightmare factory, and Pyramid Head is its crowning achievement. For all the psychological horror in Silent Hill, sometimes you don’t need anything more subtle than a guy with a giant knife and a traffic cone on his head.
Brainsuckers aren’t the hardest enemies in Bloodborne, but they’re most players’ first exposure to the eldritch horror that awaits them. They also literally suck your brains out of your head, so they’re more than a bit harrowing.
The Xenomorph is fearsome in Alien, and facing one yourself is even scarier. Hiding from one in Alien: Isolation will make you understand why characters in horror movies so often fall apart when the pressure’s on.