Summary
The image of thewitchhas changed massively over the centuries; a figure once perceived as a seductive devil worshiper is now often portrayed in contemporary media as the familiar pointy hat-wearer or ordinary teen student of magic. While their significance on and off-screen is compelling, it is important to note that witchcraft has dark roots that are not mutually exclusive to the condemnation of women, particularly during the Salem Witch Trials.
While witches still exist today, most are associated with paganism, and the stereotype of malicious users of black magic has carried over into the horror genre. This list includes some of thescariest witches in horror games,from the dangerously demonic to the rage-filled revenge-seekers.
10Mother (I’m Counting To 6…)
Haunts An Eerie Town With A Dark Past
Happening upon a village after crashing his car and looking for help, the protagonist ofI’m Counting to 6…finds himself in the middle of its dark past. In order to find a way out, the player must uncover the tragic tale of a bullied boy and his witch mother, becoming involved in the rest of the villagers' fates in the process.
While she doesn’t make a lot of appearances, the times whenMotherdoes pop up will catch the player off guard. With great sound design and subtle scares,I’m Counting to 6…blends story and horrorwell for an engaging experience.
9Elderly Woman (Witch’s Doll)
Nurtures A Sinister Presence
Witch’s Dollisa psychological horror/walking simulator. The player takes on the role of a young writer moving into their new, suspiciously cheap apartment. They soon discover that a witch is using the tenants to try and resurrect her daughter, unknowingly feeding something much more evil.
While the game is rife with clichés—mannequins, jumpscares, and inconvenient flashlight deaths—Witch’s Dollserves up a respectable number of unexpected moments. The lengths a grieving and protective mother will go to in desperation is what’s truly frightening in this title.
Clive Barker is an English horror writer best known for his books and films (most notably,Hellraiser). Often overlooked, however, are his video game contributions.Clive Barker’s Undyingis an FPS that follows Patrick Galloway to 1920s Ireland to help a family whose interest in the occult has gone horribly wrong.
Bethanyis one of the Covenant family’s cursed siblings. An earth magician in life, Bethany is reincarnated as a demon witch, ruling her own realm and hellbent on destroying Patrick. Due to its age,Undyingdoesn’t hold up as one of the most terrifying entries in the genre, but it certainly has its fair share of unsettling, dread-inducing monster designs, being largely inspired by Lovecraft.
Evil Dead: Endless Nightmaresis an endless runner based loosely on the Fede AlvarezEvil Deadmovie remake. Starting in a shed, the player must survive the woods for as long as possible, facing demons and Deadites, and finding new weapons and power-ups along the way.
The Witchis a boss, summoned after collecting five “Book of the Dead” fragments. The Witch stands tall, complete with protruding branch-like growths and a tentacled arm. As anaction-horror game, The Witch feels more manageable and able to be defeated, but that’s not to say that her design isn’t intimidating or disturbing.
Evil Dead: Endless Nightmaresis no longer available on Google Play or the App Store.
6The Witch (Shhh!)
She Can Hear Everything
Horror games that use players' micsare some of the most terrifying, adding an extra layer of tension to the gameplay.Shhh!is one such game, with players re-enacting found footage tapes across different maps while having to stay quiet—a feat that proves difficult when faced with intermittent jumpscares.
“Witch Forest” is one of the playable tapes, taking place in the woods—a place shrouded in the legend of a murderous witch. The uncanny design of the witch, with her haunting cackling and murmuring emerging through the darkness of the trees, is undoubtedly creepy.
5Baba Yaga (Don’t Knock Twice)
The Urban Legend Might Just Be True
Inspired by the 2016 film of the same name,Don’t Knock Twicefollows artist Jessica after she gains trial custody of her daughter, Chloe. Unfortunately, it turns out that Chloe has summoned theBaba Yaga—a vengeful witch—and Jess suddenly as to deal with more than just a rocky mother-daughter relationship.
Navigating the house, the player must find items to enter the Baba Yaga’s domain and save Chloe. This witch from urban legend is very ominous, seemingly always lurking in the shadows and over the player’s shoulder. Overall,Don’t Knock Twiceis an effective game that uses sound and changing environments to really unnerve the player.
The Witch’s House MVmay look like a cozy pixel game, but it quicklydeteriorates into a 2D nightmare. The game follows Viola, a girl who has woken up in a forest and is trying to escape. Seeking refuge in a nearby mansion, she is soon confronted with dangerous traps and puzzles that suggest something more sinister is going on.
Ellenis the young witch of the mansion who, according to a talking cat, has a history of sickness and neglect. Initially a sympathetic character, it’s quickly revealed that Ellen is not as innocent as she first appears. While not the scariest of designs from a visual standpoint, it’s Ellen’s willingness to commit evil acts that is truly terrifying.
Dead By Daylightis anasymmetrical horror gamewith players taking on the role of a survivor trying to escape, or the killer hunting them down to sacrifice them to the Entity. Since its release,Dead By Daylighthas seen a number of expansions and DLCs that offer new, terrifying gameplay.The Hag, also referred to as a Witch, is a formidable killer of Backwater Swamp.
Previously known as Lisa Sherwood, she was kidnapped and tortured after slipping and falling in the woods. Using magic symbols taught to her as a child, she was able to get revenge and escape, and now seeks to destroy anyone who crosses her path. Mud-covered, mangled, and relentless, encounters with the Hag are always hair-raising.
The Hag was introduced in theOf Flesh and MudDLC, and is available in the game store.
2Young Woman (Befriended Curse)
Players Will Feel Like They’re Being Watched At All Times
InBefriended Curse,the player takes on the role of a psychology student who has taken a summer job helping a mother and daughter rebuild their relationship. It soon becomes apparent that the role entails more than anticipated, as the player finds themselves roped into saving the girl from an ancient witch’s curse dating back to 1492.
The witch inBefriended Curseis unsettling, often appearing in the darkness as a glowing pair of eyes or as a shadow in the corner of the room. As far as horror walking simulators go, this oneis gripping and well-paced, with a somewhat touching story that explores the history of witchcraft.
When a young boy goes missing in Black Hills Forest, former police officer Ellis and his dog, Bullet, join the search, only to find themselves caught in a much darker turn of events. Theplayer must navigate the forestto find clues that will lead them to the boy while also grappling with Ellis’s own past (and future) and the evil forces lurking in the forest. Complete with puzzles, combat, and an interesting spin on the film’s original universe,Blair Witchis an atmospheric experience.
What makesBlair Witchimpressive is its ability to terrify players without the witch herself ever appearing. Despite her elusiveness, her influence over the forest is ever-present, manifesting through her disembodied voice and the shadowy figures that lurk among the trees.The Blair Witch’sability to manipulate her victims is a genuinely scary concept and one that keeps players on edge throughout the game’s campaign.
