There are many factors that make a horror game truly terrifying, and one major factor is the NPCs. The creepier, more horrifying, and scarier these individuals, or creatures are, the more they will disturb your experience while playing the game.
Undeniably, for horror genre fans, having creepy NPCs is one of the best parts of the experience, as they make the gameplay far more worthwhile. Today, we are going to list some of the creepiest creatures that made their respective titles iconic, simply by being present.
Pyramid Head
Of course, you can’t start this list with any other name than Pyramid Head. He is known by many names, like Red Pyramid Thing or Triangle Head, and he first appeared in Silent Hill 2.
Unlike many other creatures, Pyramid Head doesn’t follow the players, nor does he run after you. Instead, he stalks the player, which makes the experience even more horrifying and disturbing. Not only that, but the fact that he is impossible to beat and that you can only escape from him makes him creepier.
On top of that, his design is unique, with a helmet that hides his identity. Nobody knows what he looks like, or even if he is human at all. The facelessness makes him even creepier and solidifies him as one of the scariest NPCs in the horror genre without a doubt.
Ao Oni
This is one of the most underrated horror game creatures. It is very creepy and disturbing, but it hasn’t received as much attention as creatures from huge franchises like Resident Evil or Silent Hill.
Even though the title is an indie game and was released over two decades ago, it introduced one of the most disturbing creatures to date in the horror genre. At first glance, Ao Oni appears to be just an ordinary child, which is precisely why it is on the list.
Ao Oni is the complete opposite of what it looks like, and that simplicity and deceptiveness make it one of the creepiest creatures. You encounter it randomly at unpredictable times in the game, which adds to its creepiness and enhances your experience.
Regenerators
You can’t complete this list without a creature from the iconic Resident Evil franchise, and that’s where the Regenerators come in. They were designed to force panic and disturb your experience, making them a perfect addition to the list.
As the name suggests, you can’t shoot, blow up, or do anything against them, as they regenerate easily and come after you. Unless and only until you know their true weakness, you can do nothing but run for your life.
That’s exactly what makes them some of the creepiest creatures in the horror genre. The creepy sound, weird design, and indestructible powers offer a terrifying experience that you won’t forget for a long time.
Adam the Clown
Adam the Clown is one of those characters that won’t leave your mind easily, even after completing the game. Even though he wasn’t technically the main boss in Dead Rising, he played a massive role, which, to me, makes him the creepiest clown in horror games.
The character changes the exact meaning of a clown in your mind. While you usually think of fun, joy, and parties when you see a clown, Adam the Clown is just after you with his dual chainsaws.
He is not only creepy but also manipulates your mind by laughing hysterically while attacking, making him one of the most suitable candidates for this list.
Dr. Mercer
The last pick for this list has to be Dr. Mercer from Dead Space. While almost all of the NPCs shared in this list are weird-looking creatures or monsters, Dr. Mercer proves why humans are no less terrifying.
When literally everyone was panicking on the USG Ishimura, running for their lives or even dying, Dr. Mercer remained calm and composed, never treating the tragedy as such.
Even if this isn’t enough to convince you that a human can be one of the creepiest NPCs in the horror genre, Dr. Mercer plays on psychological terror by experimenting on other living creatures, making him arguably the most disturbing human NPC in horror games.
Nonetheless, these are our top five creepiest NPCs in horror games. They aren’t listed in any order, as we believe they are all distinct from one another, and ranking them would not do them justice.
Still, we recommend trying out the games you haven’t played yet, so you can experience them on your own and then tell us which creature creeped you out the most.
