7 of the Scariest Video Game Characters

What makes a video game character scary? Is it simply their looks or something more? Knowing your character is seconds away from death and having to figure how to kill or get past an enemy is a different experience then just watching a horror movie. These video game characters are some of the scariest I've ever encountered.

Alma (F.E.A.R. series)
Not only does Alma startle you by unexpectedly appearing, she has different forms as well. In the first F.E.A.R. game, she starts off as a little girl in a red dress with long, dark hair. As the game progresses, she morphs into a naked, emaciated young woman. At first, the player is never sure if she is a ghost, a real being, or a hallucination. It's revealed that Alma is alive and has psychic abilities that let her project herself and control people. Besides her creepy appearance, her presence is felt through out the games, whether she is on screen or not.

Nemesis (Resident Evil 3)
Nemesis is the main enemy of RE3, but instead of meeting him at the end, he follows Jill through the game. Just when you thought Nemesis is gone, he would call out "STARS!" and give chase again. Nemesis seem to be unstoppable. He is able to think for himself and use weapons including a rocket launcher. He also mutates. The first mutation includes tentacles and later the ability to spit acid. While there are many Resident Evil villains that look scary, Nemesis never lets the player forget about him.

Regenerators/Iron Maidens (Resident Evil 4)
Regenerators are slow at first, but they can attack quickly. They are human-like in appearance with gray skin and a freakishly large mouth. The Iron Maidens are similar but with spikes all over their bodies. These RE4 enemies are very hard to kill. You can't hurt them unless you have the infrared scope, which is the only way to see their weak spots. Unless the right spots are hit, they will keep regenerating. Iron Maidens will grab Leon and impale him with its spikes if proper distance is not kept.

Nurses (Silent Hill series)
PyramidHead is usually seen as the scariest enemy in the Silent Hill franchise. He is a very frightening figure, especially since he chases after you while wielding a huge sword. But, it's the nurses that never fail to completely creep me out. From the hunchback Puppet Nurses in the original game, to the convulsing ones in SH2 with their backward heads, there's just something so wrong about them. In every game where they appear, there is always a new, horrible twist to them.

Witch (Left 4 Dead series)
Hearing the cries of the witch for the first time is a chilling experience. In the original L4D, the witch is sitting and moaning. It's possible to avoid her but, there are times when one is directly in your path and you must face her. When startled, she unleashes a scream, charges after the survivor who bothered her, and starts clawing them. With some planning, killing her with a single shot to the head (crowning) is possible. In L4D2, many of the chapters take place during the day. The witch is seen wandering around instead of sitting. She's still a pain, especially in the witch infested Sugar Mill part of the Hard Rain campaign.

Piggsy (Manhunt)
Piggsy looks like a gigantic, mutated pig. He's actually mentally ill, locked in the attic, and thinks he's a pig. The fact that he is human makes him more frightening. He snorts and sniffs out Cash, making it impossible to hide in the shadows. He also has a big, red chainsaw. Piggsy is a challenging boss to fight. The attic is like a maze and he seems to appear everywhere. The only way to get rid of him for good is by tricking him and making him fall to his death.

Bear (Condemned 2 Bloodshot)
In a game filled with nightmarish visions, a creepy doll factory, and inner demons, a bear doesn't seem like it should be that scary. The bear is not only huge, but also blood thirsty and rabid. After Ethan discovers a severed arm and corpses, the bear begins to chase him around the building. Under the health meter, a message of "Run for your life!" appears. A steady sprint is needed to keep ahead of the monster, as one hit from the bear is fatal. The only way to defeat it is to squeeze into small holes and continue dodging it until you get one shot to take it down.

Everyone experiences fear differently. What may be scary to some people doesn't bother others. In video games, the scary elements take on a whole new meaning as it's up to the player to defeat the frightening enemy.

Sources:

Personal Experience