Summary
- Villains in horror games are essential to creating fear and tension for players to confront.
- Monsters like The Thin Man and Eveline stand out as iconic and terrifying horror game villains.
- The tragic backstories of Laura, Eve, and Pyramid Head add an extra chilling layer to their characterizations.
Games are usually only as good as their villains, as players need to be truly invested in taking down the big bad of whatever adventure they find themselves thrust into, and the same is true in the horror genre. While there are horror games that thrive without having any tangible threats, there are plenty of others that feature a monster behind everything.
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These villains look every bit like a horrifying creature, reflecting their monstrous natures within. From famed franchises such as Silent Hill to more indie titles, these games offer some of the best, and most nightmare-inducing, monster villains that players dread to confront.
8 Hannah Washington (Until Dawn)
Before Becoming a Monster, Hannah Was an Ordinary Girl
Until Dawn
- Released
- August 25, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Supermassive's flagship horror game was Until Dawn, the title that charted the course for Supermassive's other horror games. In this title, a prank gone horribly wrong sees twin sisters Hannah and Beth Washington plummet to their deaths off an icy cliff, and one year later, their friends reconvene at the Washington mountain lodge to party and pay tribute.
When the friends arrive, they are subjected to all sorts of horrors at the hands of a masked killer, but there is also something less human at work. It seems the mountain is the home to cannibalistic monsters known as the Wendigo, something a human turns into after they resort to eating human flesh. As it turns out, Hannah actually survived the fall and ate her sister Beth in order to survive starvation, becoming the most feared of the bunch. Seeing her as a human beforehand really drives home the tragedy of her story.
7 The Thin Man (Little Nightmares 2)
Little Nightmares 2's Shocking Twist End Revealed His True Identity
Little Nightmares 2
- Released
- February 10, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Tarsier Studios, Supermassive Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle, Action
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The prequel to the hugely successful Little Nightmares, Little Nightmares 2 features Six, this time as a companion to the new playable character Mono, as they both explore the Pale City, trying to avoid the terrifying monsters that live there, such as the long-necked teacher and the Hunter. The overarching villain is known as The Thin Man, an extraordinarily tall and pale man who wears a suit and hat.
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The Thin Man is an undeniably terrifying antagonist; his appearance is rather unsettling, and the calm quietness he carries with him is chilling. But what makes this villain truly stand out is the twist at the end of Little Nightmares 2, which reveals that Mono is The Thin Man. It was an unforeseen revelation that took players by surprise, even moreso than Six's betrayal.
6 Laura (The Evil Within)
Tragic and Terrifying
The Evil Within
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
From one of the notable minds behind Resident Evil came The Evil Within, a new and original survival horror game that saw players taking on the role of Detective Sebastian Castellanos, who finds himself in a nightmarish otherworld after investigating the scene of a mass murderer. There are many creepy monsters to find in this otherworld, such as the Silent Hill-inspired Keeper, but none are quite so terrifying, nor as tragic, as Laura.
Laura perished in a fire in her family's barn as an act of revenge against her parents, and as such, fire and blood follow this long-limbed boss monster during the fight. While players might sympathize with her unjust murder, that certainly doesn't stop them wanting to put a healthy amount of distance between themselves and Laura. This extra dimension added to her backstory helps Laura stand out against other monsters in The Evil Within and the horror genre as a whole.
5 Eve (Parasite Eve)
This Classic Villain from the PS1 Era is Still Fondly Remembered
Parasite Eve
- Released
- September 9, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
Though the game might be from a bygone era, Parasite Eve still remains a largely popular title among those who have fond memories of playing it back in the late 90s. It introduced gamers to Aya Brea, one of the bravest horror game protagonists, and the titular antagonist Eve, who was once a successful opera singer, and Aya just so happened to be at her performance the night of her transformation.
Eve has quite the lofty ambition to give birth to the Ultimate Being, as it is called in the game, and as one might expect, this is a dangerous ambition that can't go unchallenged. Though Aya does eventually manage to put an end to Eve and the Ultimate Being, Eve was still a fantastic nemesis to have that stole the spotlight in every scene, definitely giving players a run for their money. Though she may be gone, she certainly won't be forgotten.
4 Eveline (Resident Evil 7)
The Culpit Behind Everything
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Eveline is the classic example of the quote "[your] scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." She was the result of combining mold and DNA from Miranda's daughter Eva, which led to her gaining powerful abilities to control minds and infect others with her gifts. She was smuggled onboard a ship by Mia Winters when Blue Umbrella caught wind of her existence, and both ended up in the care of the Baker family.
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Those familiar with Resident Evil 7, and particularly its DLC, will know that the Bakers were a normal family until Eveline was introduced in the household, as it was her influence that changed them into monsters. One mustn't be fooled by either of Eveline's human forms; she is the true monster of RE7.
3 The Xenomorph (Alien: Isolation)
The Infamous Alien Has Never Been More Threatening
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
The Xenomorph found its fame in the famous Alien movie franchise, first appearing all the way back in the late 70s. Practical effects made the creature a truly terrifying specimen to witness as it picked off the crew of the Nostromo one by one, with only Ripley and her cat being the sole survivors. Alien: Isolation brings the story back to the Ripley family, following Ellen's daughter Amanda as she searches for answers about what happened to her mother.
Tracking down the ship's flight recorder aboard a space station called Sevestapol, Amanda finds far more than she bargained for when the Xenomorph strolls onto the scene. Unkillable, intelligent, and never too far from the player, this ever-present threat fills every second of Alien: Isolation with unrelenting dread and suspense. Players will never know when the creature might drop from a vent to greet them, further adding to the game's fear factor.
2 Nemesis (Resident Evil 3)
The S.T.A.R.S. Hunter is Relentless in His Pursuit
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
- Released
- November 10, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
Resident Evil 3 runs parallel to the events of the second game, as Raccoon City falls to the ravages of a zombie outbreak. Amidst the zombie humans and dogs, there is also a terrifying juggernaut that is nigh unkillable. Referred to as Nemesis, this monstrous figure has orders to eradicate all surviving S.T.A.R.S. Members, and Jill Valentine is now in his sights.
While trying to escape the city before a bomb is dropped on it, Jill has to contend with Nemesis, who always has a way of appearing right when she least expects him. No matter how many times she tries to put him down, he just comes back bigger and badder than before, making every encounter more terrifying and challenging.
1 Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)
One of the Most Iconic Game Monsters of All Time
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- October 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
There have been few game monsters more iconic or feared than Silent Hill 2's Pyramid Head. As James explores the mist-filled town while searching for his wife, whom he previously believed to be dead, he meets more than a few monsters, with the most threatening being Pyramid Head. A few brief encounters and an unbeatable boss battle culminate in a showdown against two of the creatures, with James finally learning the truth of their existence.
Pyramid Head is more of a manifestation of James's guilt for killing Mary than anything else, which is something he must learn to overcome if he has any hopes of moving on with his life. Despite this, Pyramid Head can bring James down with either his great sword or spear, cutting his exploration of the titular town short. His towering design and the metal pyramid, which either disguises his true face or is a part of his body, help to give him an otherworldly feel.