Character designs can make or break a game, as they are a major part of the story and overall aesthetic. This is especially true forhorror games, as they’re all about moodand jump scares. Thankfully, the gaming industry has a lot of great artists who have created some of their wildest concepts for menacing monsters in games.
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A few of these iconic designs include Pyramid Head fromSilent Hill 2, Mr. X fromResident Evil, Laura fromThe Evil Within, and Lisa from the canceledSilent Hillremake. Although scary-looking characters aren’t just limited to horror games. Sometimes, artists also make great terrifying designs for non-horror titles, some of which are arguably even scarier than their horror game counterparts.
10Hades
God of War 3was a major reason why many players around the globe bought a PlayStation 3. After all, the game was theconclusion to the Greek mythology era and the closure to Kratos’ main storyline. Moreover,God of War 3featured almost all of the main Greek gods and amazing boss battles that players couldn’t wait to play.
One such fight was against the god of the dead and the underworld king, Hades. Artists at Santa Monica Studio really did an amazing job at bringing the character to life, making this boss battle one of the very best; not just in the game, butin the entireGod of Warseries.
9Icon of Sin
Doom Eternalcame out in 2020 and quickly became one of the most highly regarded first-person shooters of the year. The game featuredexcellent gunplay, brilliant level design, and more satisfying actionthan its 2016 predecessor.Doom Eternalalso did an outstanding job at making players feel like they’re actually in the shoes of the main protagonist, Doom Slayer.
Apart from the main characters, the game also showcased some of the most gruesome-looking monsters to ever appear in the long-running FPS franchise. However, none are quite as horrifying as the Icon of Sin, which serves as the game’s final boss.
8Skull Face
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painis the fifth main entry in the long-running series by Konami and legendary director Hideo Kojima. The game features the story of the punished “Venom” Snake, who’s on his way to becoming the Big Boss people have seen in the otherMGSgames.Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painis an excellent shooter,an amazing stealth title, and an immersive open-world title.
The game also features some of the most detailed concept work and designs, from main protagonists to supporting characters. However, the creepiest one is Skull Face, who serves as the commander of the mysterious XOF unit and the game’s main antagonist.
7Killer Croc
Batman: Arkham Asylumtook the world by storm when it came out in 2009 and, as far as many are concerned, became the best superhero game of the time. Not only did the game feature a unique combat system that other titles still use today, but it also created a new Batman universe full of interesting characters.Batman: Arkham Asylumis ahighly stylized game that uses comic-bookaesthetics.
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Each character in this 2009 classic is sculpted with the utmost respect to original designs and artworks. Characters such as Batman, Joker, Gordon, and others embody their identities in their clothing, posture, proportions, and more. The developers even made Killer Croc the scariest he has ever looked, which is really saying something given some of his previous depictions.
6Mileena
Mortal Kombat 11is the latest rendition of the ever-popular game series from Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment. It’s a fighting game that takes everything the older games did and makes it better. From clashing combos tocinematic fatalities,Mortal Kombat 11does not disappointon any front. The legendary title even offers a stunning visual design and some of the most realistic graphics in fighting games.
Besides an excellent art style,Mortal Kombat 11also features some of the best character designs in the series. However, Mileena takes the cake for being the most terrifying of them all despite appearing fairly wholesome when viewed from afar.
5Demon of Song
TheSoulsfranchise started a whole genre of games that countless developers have tried to replicate. However, it’s hard to copy the success ofDark Soulsbecause it offers much more than Souls-like gameplay. The best thing about the popular FromSoftware series is its art direction and visuals, which most players do not find in other games.
Moreover, the bosses inDark Soulsare some of the best iconic designsever. One such enemy is the frog-like monster Demon of Song, a demon with a skull-like interior. It’s frightening to look at and one of the scariest characters to ever feature in a non-horror game.
4Raziel
Raziel may be the only main protagonist on this list that looks more horrifying than many terrifying game characters. The blue demon-like hero was first featured in theLegacy of Kainvideo game franchise in a supporting role. However, he soon became the highlight and mascot of the series after the release of theSoul Reavergames.
TheLegacy of Kainseries is most popular for its deep and dark storyline, plot twists, and some of the most innovative gameplay design features. Sadly, the franchise slipped into an indefinite hiatus after the release ofLegacy of Kain: Defiancein 2004. However, players are still hopeful for a sequel or remake someday.
3Master
Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Gameis the first title in the series that most players consider to be the ultimate Sci-fi RPG. The cult classic came out in 1997 and slowly garnered such a massive player base that popular publisher Bethesda decided to step in and purchase it in 2007.
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Falloutis an excellentRPG that offers a brilliant gameplay design, dozens of dialogues, a lot of freedom,and a true role-playing experience. Moreover, its visual design is one of a kind and the main antagonist, Master, still stands out for his scary look all these years later.
2Mega Satan
Video games do not have to behyper-realistic to showcase amazing visualdesign. One good example isThe Binding of Isaac, which features a cartoony and cute art style with an addictive roguelike gameplay loop. However, the 2011 classic also offers one of the scariest backstories in games and some terrifying characters.
One such character is the chapter 6 boss, Mega Satan, who’s also the final boss of the 16th ending of the game. The guy is scary, demonic, and truly fearsome, especially since the main hero is a little child lost in the underground.
1Moon
Nintendo may be known for building some of the cutest and child-friendly games, but sometimes the developer goes overboard with its design choices. InThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, players lace up as Link, who’s out on an adventure to save the town of Termina from being destroyed by a moon collision.
Everything aboutthe game is entertaining, from its gameplayto its art style. However, the design of the Moon is an interesting choice, as it doesn’t complement the game’s visuals. Instead, it stands out as a big scary object in the sky that just can not wait to destroy the world.
