Summary
- Phasmophobia's Deogen ghost hunts its prey relentlessly with uncanny accuracy and will send chills down players' spines.
- Resident Evil 7's Remy Baker ghost appears as an unsettling apparition in the demo.
- Visage's Lucy, despite dying tragically, is a haunting figure with a jawless appearance that heightens her horror.
Ghosts are something that have haunted media such as books, movies, and games for decades. These spirits of the dead often linger in anger or sadness for those that wronged them when they were still alive, but woe betide any who cross their deadly path.
With a wealth of horror games on the market, there are undoubtedly countless ghosts haunting them, ready to terrify the players to their own grave, as most are defenseless against these incorporeal beings. These are the most frightening ghosts players could ever have the misfortune of meeting.
8 Deogen (Phasmophobia)
This Ghost Always Knows the Location of Its Prey
Phasmophobia
- Released
- October 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Kinetic Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Hunting ghosts is the aim of the game here, as up to four hunters enter a premise said to be haunted, equipped with gear which helps to narrow down what entity they could be dealing with, but there are great dangers to this profession, as the hunters could become the hunted. These locations are dark and overbearingly creepy, which makes trying to gather evidence a true test of courage, especially if one of the hunters dies.
When dealing with the Deogen, death is almost more of an inevitability rather than a possibility, as this ghost always seems to know the exact locations of the players, so it knows exactly where to head when the hunt begins. Phasmophobia is already a frightening enough game, but it becomes almost heart-stoppingly petrifying when this ghost comes out to play. Even if the Deogen slows down once it's close enough, players will already be hiding, thus making themselves cornered and dead.
7 Remy Baker (Resident Evil 7: The Beginning Hour)
Though Axed from the Full Game, Her Presence in the Demo Was Keenly Felt
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Before Resident Evil 7 was released, Capcom released the Beginning Hour, a demo which differed from the main game, even though a similar tape appeared. The player character wakes up alone in what seems to be an abandoned farmhouse, with night quickly drawing to a close, and their only objective is to get the hell out of dodge. Finding tapes scattered throughout, which seem to be shot by a paranormal investigation show, he follows their steps in hopes it might lead to an escape.
Though Jack Baker features as the main antagonist, eagle-eyed players might spot several apparitions throughout the demo, dubbed as the Ghost Girl by those fans who spotted her, her true identity being a scrapped character by the name of Remy. The fact that most of her sightings are just split second glances in the background is chilling, as it brings into doubt whether the player actually saw her or not, and by the time they can take a second look, she is gone, and players don't know when or where she might reappear, but most won't mind as long as it is far, far away.
6 Lucy (Visage)
Lucy's Appearance is Nothing Short of Unsettling
Visage
- Released
- October 30, 2020
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- SadSquare Studio
Visage certainly doesn't ease players into the horrors, as it opens with the grizzly scene of player character Dwayne Anderson awakening in a room soaked in the blood of his family, whom he shot and killed himself. From there, he steps from nightmare to nightmare, encountering other unfortunate ghosts who died under horrifying circumstances.
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All of the ghosts are terrifying, but no ghost can beat the ghost of a little girl, as they just have an extra level of creepiness, and tragedy from dying at such a young age. Lucy's story is a dark one, as she acted under the influence of a demon, which led to her ripping off her own jaw, and dying from blood loss, and this is reflected in her ghostly appearance, which elevates her to new heights of horror.
5 Jimmy Stone (Silent Hill 4: The Room)
The First Victim is the Most Intimidating
Silent Hill 4: The Room
- Released
- September 7, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Team Silent
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS2, Xbox (Original)
One day, ordinary man Henry Townshend finds himself inexplicably locked in his apartment, as a heavy padlock and chains prevent his escape. A hole appears in his bathroom wall large enough for him to crawl through, leading him into a nightmareish otherworld. Along with the monsters of this world, Henry also has to contend with hauntings in his apartment, as this game has its fair share of ghosts, one such being Jimmy Stone.
The first of Walter's victims for the 21 Sacraments ritual is Jimmy Stone, who is the poster-ghost of the game. His heavy marketing did little to lessen his impact in the game, as his undeadly visage is still a grim sight, and the fact he can appear in Henry's apartment and the otherworld means there is no escaping this horrifying ghost.
4 Laura (The Evil Within)
This Long-Legged Creature is a Tough and Terrifying Boss Monster
The Evil Within
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
The Evil Within was one of the most anticipated games of 2014, having the mind of Shinji Makima behind it, who had previously worked on the Resident Evil franchise. Playing as Sebastian Castellanos, the player travels to Beacon Mental Hospital, where a mass murder took place. Upon arrival, Sebastian and his colleagues, Joseph and Juli, are thrown into a nightmarish other world, populated by numerous horrific creatures.
One of the most iconic and frightening monsters in the game is Laura, a reincarnation of the central antagonist's dead sister, which lands her squarely in the ghost territory. Her spider-like limbs which she has in spades, makes her truly unsettling to behold, especially when she uses them to quickly crawl right in the direction of the player, and her Sadako-esque looks is just the scary cherry on this horror cake.
3 Lisa (P.T.)
Though a Tragic Figure, Lisa is One of the Scariest Horror Game Monsters of Recent Years
Silent Hills
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS4
Silent Hills was a promised return to the long-dormant franchise, which was reduced to merchandise and pachinko machines for the longest time. This game promised a return to the fabled city, bringing in the acting talent of Norman Reedus as the role of the playable character. Rather than just giving players a trailer and calling it a day, Konami and Kojima gave players a playable teaser, literally dubbed P.T., free of charge.
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Looping through the same hallway as a story of a family tragedy slowly comes into focus, players have the misfortune of meeting one of the murder-suicide victims, known only as Lisa. Seemingly staggeringly tall, making odd choking and gurgling noises and wearing a very unsettling grin, Lisa is nothing short of absolutely terrifying, and players want nothing more than to stay far, far away, though most had the misfortune of dying to her in an equally disturbing death scene.
2 Sae Kurosawa (Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly)
The Scene of Her in a Room Full of Bodies is an Image That Cannot Be Forgotten
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterly
- Released
- December 10, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M
- Developer(s)
- Tecmo
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox (Original)
There is no shortage of scary ghosts in the Fatal Frame games, as the entire series revolves around the player character finding the camera obscura and using it to capture ghosts, particularly the dangerous ones that attack indiscriminately. In the second game, twins Mio and Mayu find themselves in the Lost Village, a place that exists on top of the hell mouth, the villagers appease through a sacrificial ritual involving twins.
One of the victims of the ritual, Sae Kurosawa, is one of the most infamous ghosts not just in Fatal Frame 2, but the series as a whole. That one scene of her laughing maniacally in the midst of a bloodbath with the Kusabi materializing behind her is one that branded itself into the memories of all who played just because of how frightening it is. This alone marks Sae as one of the scariest ghosts in all of horror gaming.
1 Alma Wade (F.E.A.R. Series)
This Spirit is Gifted with Dangerous Amounts of Power
F.E.A.R.
- Released
- October 18, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) is by far one of the most successful and well-known horror trilogies, always tasking one unlucky soldier with taking point, and they normally have the misfortune of meeting the poster child of the series: Alma Wade.
Though not a ghost by the term's technical definition, she is still worthy of a mention as she does share some similarities, such as her ability to just appear and disappear as she pleases, and being impervious to most forms of harm. She has powerful psychic abilities that landed her the unfortunate position of being a lab rat, and that has royally peeved her off to the point she lashes out at any who gets close. Her deadly nature, armed with her terrifying forms as either a grown woman or a creepy little girl, crowns her as the scariest ghost in all of gaming.
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