Best Horror Games Featuring Witches

As a seasoned gamer who’s seen my fair share of spooky tales and eerie escapades, I must say that the games developed by Form Entertainment under the banner of GOODROID have truly left an indelible mark on me. The remake of “The Witch’s House MV” is a chilling masterpiece that keeps you on edge with its intricate puzzles and the haunting presence of Ellen, a witch unlike any other.

The idea of witchcraft can be traced back to medieval England, where it became commonplace to prosecute women suspected of practicing black magic. A notable instance of these trials was the Salem Witch Trials, which took place from February 1692 to May 1693 and resulted in over 200 individuals being accused of witchcraft. Since then, the notion of witches has been incorporated into popular culture, particularly during Halloween celebrations, as well as through various portrayals in entertainment such as films, TV series, and video games.

In many video games, witches aren’t as frequently encountered as adversaries like demons or mutants. However, they often play pivotal roles, either propelling secondary characters (deuteragonists) or acting as the main antagonist themselves. Witches are often depicted as mysterious and exceptionally powerful entities, which adds to their menacing nature. In horror games, these witches are portrayed in their natural habitat, causing turmoil for unsuspecting heroes.

5 Blair Witch

The Titular Blair Witch Is Never Seen, But Her Presence Is Palpable

In the Black Hills Forest, police officer Ellis and his emotional support dog, Bullet, team up in a search for a missing nine-year-old boy. This forest is where three filmmakers mysteriously vanished years ago. During their search, they discover eerie items like wooden voodoo dolls, spooky photographs, and cassette tapes that suggest the child’s location. Although Ellis doesn’t encounter the Blair Witch herself, her influence looms over the entire ordeal through shadowy creatures that Bullet can sense. These creatures are for Ellis to deal with, lest he loses his grip on reality. He can use his flashlight to scare off these enemies, and if he gets separated from Bullet, it takes a toll on his mental state.

In a departure from previous installments, the antagonist in “Blair Witch” is only heard, not seen. This spirit, known as the Blair Witch, is malevolent and seeks to control anyone who dares venture into Black Hills Forest, perpetrating horrific acts. Since the Blair Witch remains unseen, “Blair Witch” effectively creates suspense by playing with our minds and instilling fear of the unknown. It’s said that the Blair Witch is the vengeful ghost of Elly Kedward, who tormented the town of Blair – now Burkitsville, Maryland – in the late 1700s before being tried for witchcraft and put to death.

4 The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

The Drowned Demon Is The Most Gruesome Of Little Hope’s Horrors

The game “The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope” hails directly from the creative team at Supermassive Games, known for their works like “Until Dawn” and more recently, “The Quarry“. This new title serves as a follow-up to the inaugural game in the anthology series, “Man of Medan“. The story follows Will Poulter’s character, Andrew, who along with three other college students, survive a bus crash and find themselves lost in the imaginary town of Little Hope, Massachusetts. Their journey takes them through haunting encounters as they are pursued by spectral entities reminiscent of their ancestors from the colonial era. These demons are grotesquely shaped according to the specific manner of death of each ancestor, for instance, Angela is stalked by a demon representing Amy, a woman unjustly accused of witchcraft and drowned in earlier times.

In the game Little Hope, Amy, although not a traditional witch, suffered at the hands of the Salem Witch Trials, making her a victim labeled as a witch by the colonial society’s standards. If the Drowned Demon captures Angela, it symbolically drowns her by forcing her to ingest black liquid. The monster designs in Little Hope are particularly impressive, with each demon/witch being customized to resemble the player characters, making Angela’s witch all the more terrifying as a sinister imitator. Depending on the player’s decisions, the characters can either survive or perish, but the town of Little Hope holds many secrets.

3 Witch’s Doll

The Elderly Woman Haunts Your Every Step

Platform: PC
Release: May 24, 2024
Developer: Elite Lords Studios
Publisher: Elite Lords Studios
Genres: Indie, Adventure, Puzzle, Horror

2024 marks the arrival of the game titled “Witch’s Doll“. In this game, players take on the role of a young writer on a hunt for an affordable apartment. They stumble upon a suspiciously cheap dwelling inhabited by an old lady who lost her young daughter prematurely. However, trouble starts soon after moving in when a violent storm knocks out the power. Ominous sounds echo from the elderly woman’s apartment next door, hinting at chilling occurrences within a seemingly peaceful condo that hides secrets yet to be unveiled.

Witch’s Doll is a chilling game brimming with shock moments and unsettling visuals that challenge players to explore the story of a missing homeowner. As they delve deeper, they begin to unearth the mysteries surrounding the cursed history of the land and the disappearances of many local residents. Without spoiling too much, the game certainly earns its title, and unlike Blair Witch, players will encounter this antagonist frequently. It’s undeniable that Witch’s Doll boasts one of the most terrifying designs for a witch in any horror game, past or present. The image of a grotesquely deformed woman rocking in a chair, bearing resemblances to both Slender Man and Granny from Resident Evil 7, leaves an indelible mark on the mind.

2 The Witch’s House MV

Ellen Is Deeply Unnerving Despite The Game’s 16-Bit Art Style

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Android, Xbox One, PC, macOS
Release: October 3, 2012
Developer: Fummy
Publishers: DANGEN Entertainment, GOODROID
Genres: Role-Playing, Indie, Puzzle, Escape Room, Survival Horror, Adventure

Japanese developer Fummy led the revamp of the 2012-released game “The Witch’s House,” built using the RPG Maker VX engine. The title itself hints at the primary goal: escaping the witch’s house, which is achieved by solving a series of intricate puzzles. This updated version, known as “The Witch’s House MV,” features 16-bit graphics with an anime-inspired pixel art style and a black cat serves as Viola’s main conversational companion for most of the game. Due to an impenetrable wall of thorns, Viola is forced to venture into Ellen’s house, where peril lurks at every turn.

As a gamer, I find myself immersed in the chilling world of “The Witch’s House MV,” where Ellen, the game’s enigmatic antagonist and titular witch, grapples with an unspecified illness and is woefully neglected by her parents. Upon reaching the final savepoint, my actions can shape one of three outcomes: the Normal Ending, the True Ending, or the Secret Ending. In this updated version of the game, Fummy has introduced a fourth ending, the “___” Ending. Though Ellen may not fit the typical mold of a terrifying witch, she exudes an unsettling aura that gives off a creepy vibe similar to Flowie from “Undertale.” The intriguing aspect of an adversary who doesn’t seem intimidating at first glance but proves to be dangerously formidable creates a false sense of security that’s swiftly snatched away, leaving me feeling as if the rug has been pulled out from under my feet.

1 Shhh!

Needing To Remain Silent Only Makes The Witch Even More Terrifying

Platforms: PC
Release: Dec 11, 2023
Developer: 616 GAMES
Publisher: 616 GAMES
Genres: Horror, Simulation, Action, Adventure

In “Shhh!“, any sound detected via the player’s microphone can lead to a game reset, introducing an engaging and distinctive gameplay mechanic. The aim of this game is to select from three 20-minute long situations and traverse the surroundings using a VHS camera. Originally released in 2023 with just one playable scenario, Morgan’s House, additional levels have been added since then. Among these new additions is Witch Forest, where the character Stan Kono explores a haunting, ominous forest while being pursued by a menacing witch.

The story unfolds as if it’s a found tape, supposedly discovered after Stan vanished. As you explore (by moving around), a chilling woman’s voice and eerie laughter permeate the forest, becoming more pronounced when you encounter a crime scene. In the game Shhh!, this witch appears as a tall, disfigured figure with hollow eyes, a bald head, a ghastly pale complexion, and a skeletal frame clad in a torn black dress. At various stages in the game, she can startle you by suddenly appearing or approaching you, trying to make you shout with fear. Although Witch’s Doll has the most unsettling design, Shhh! delivers the most intense witch encounter — and it becomes even more unsettling when she starts sprinting towards you at full speed. Absolutely terrifying.

2024-09-15 07:04