8 Creepiest NPCs In Gaming

Video games are incredibly engaging, making experiences like action and horror feel more intense and memorable. It’s no surprise, then, that certain non-player characters designed to be frightening can actually leave a lasting impression on players.

Sometimes, even non-threatening characters can feel unsettling to players due to how they’re designed or programmed in a game. However, NPCs that are deliberately scary, or just generally eerie, are sure to give players a fright.

Dr. John H. Watson

Without A Walking Animation, Watson Just Teleports And Shocks Players Every Time

Dr. Watson is Sherlock Holmes’ dependable partner, consistently helping him solve cases. Interestingly, the original version of the video game *Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis* didn’t include a walking animation for Watson, which created a strangely unsettling and memorable effect for players.

Okay, so playing this game, Watson would just *appear* beside me whenever I was checking things out. Seriously, he’d teleport right near me, and it was a total jump scare every time! It quickly made him one of the most unsettling characters I’ve ever encountered in a game.

Jack Baker

The Entire Baker Family Made RE7 Scarier Than Ever

The Baker family is truly one of the most disturbing families in horror games. And the head of the family, Jack Baker, perfectly embodies their terrifying nature. He constantly pursues the player and often feels impossible to defeat, making every encounter a frightening experience as players try to save Ethan’s wife.

Freddy Fazbear

One Of The Many Scary Animatronics That Helped FNAF Become Legendary

Five Nights at Freddy’s is a highly acclaimed horror game with a dedicated fanbase. Created by Scott Cawthon, it launched a hugely successful horror franchise that remains popular today.

Freddy Fazbear is the most famous and frightening animatronic in this game. He and the other robotic characters enjoy scaring the security guards who work the night shift at the pizza restaurant.

Alma Wade

A Psychic With A Bone To Pick

Many players love F.E.A.R. for its smart enemies, exciting gun battles, and compelling story that unfolds as you play. The game centers around Alma Wade, a powerful psychic whose anger causes destruction everywhere she goes.

Throughout the fast-paced gameplay, Alma makes unsettling appearances to reinforce the horror experience. These frightening moments established her as one of the most memorable and terrifying characters in video game history, and with good cause.

Victor Zsasz

A Serial Killer Who’s As Chilling As They Come

The Arkham games feature many frightening villains who target Batman, but Victor Zsasz stands out as particularly disturbing. This deranged serial killer is genuinely terrifying and will send shivers down your spine as you discover the results of his gruesome crimes.

Chasing the Joker in the *Arkham* games isn’t enjoyable – players generally want to avoid this dangerous and unpredictable killer. But as Batman, it’s your duty to protect Gotham’s citizens and bring criminals like him to justice.

Leshy

Trying To Overcome This Imposing Villain Is Just The Start Of What Inscryption Has To Offer

Inscryption is a fantastic indie horror game that’s surprisingly simple to learn, even with its unsettling and intense mood. While it seems straightforward to try and defeat Leshy, the game’s main opponent, players are taken on a challenging journey where danger can strike at any time.

Okay, so Leshy starts off *really* unsettling, but honestly, by the end of *Inscryption*, he became one of my favorite characters! It just shows how brilliant the storytelling is – that huge shift in how you feel about him totally makes sense and feels earned. It’s a really clever twist!

Curly

A Ship Captain Whose Disfigured Body Is Nightmarish To Behold

Mouthwashing is a brief but thrilling game that players will quickly enjoy. It tells a story by switching between the perspectives of two characters, Curly and Jimmy, both before and after the Tulpar crashes.

Okay, so seeing Curly’s messed-up body – especially that one eye! – was seriously disturbing, and it totally made sense why they used him for this creepy horror game. But honestly, it wasn’t Curly himself that scared me. It was what *someone else* did, and realizing that made them the real villain in Mouthwashing. It was way more unsettling than anything Curly could do.

Auntie Ethel

A Person Who Seems Like A Nice Old Witch Becomes The Source Of A Player’s Nightmares In No Time

Baldur’s Gate 3 features many characters players will enjoy, but Auntie Ethel stands out as a notable exception. She initially appears as a kind, old woman, but quickly reveals a sinister and dangerous nature, fitting the classic trope of the deceptively friendly witch.

Facing this frightening character is scary enough, but actually battling her is even harder. It gets especially frustrating when players try to rescue the person she’s attacking, forcing them to replay the terrifying fight repeatedly until they succeed.

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2025-09-22 01:36