Some Characters Should Stay in the Background
Video games are full of helpful merchants and friendly townsfolk, but they’re a far cry from the only NPCs lurking in your favorite adventure—some straight-up make you regret starting a playthrough. They may never become a traditional boss or chase you through a level, but something about them gets under your skin. If we had to deal with them, so do you, and we’re here to break down the 20 creepiest ones we don’t really want to see again.
1. Gertrude Braithwaite — Red Dead Redemption 2
Mostly, we just feel terrible for Gertrude. However, that doesn’t mean we want to listen to her muttering numbers in the outhouse, and we definitely don’t want her scratching at us. The Braithwaites clearly don't want you finding her, either, which makes their already unpleasant history even darker.
2. Winston — Tomb Raider II
Winston is supposed to be Lara’s loyal butler, but having him silently shuffle after you around Croft Manor is way creepier than it needs to be. Look, we’re not proud of it, but we absolutely left him and his rattling tea tray in the walk-in freezer. It’s fine; he morphed right back to the training area anyway.
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3. The Happy Mask Salesman — The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
That enormous grin isn’t any more comforting after this guy explains that he once possessed Majora's Mask. Sure enough, his mood can jump from cheerful to furious instantly, and the game even changes his pose without showing him move at all. Somehow, the fact that he spends most of his time calmly beneath Clock Town makes him even harder to trust.
4. G-Man — Half-Life Series
G-Man rarely needs to threaten Gordon—spotting him where he shouldn't be is unsettling enough. Throughout the games, he’s just lurking from balconies, corridors, trains, and inaccessible areas before calmly disappearing again. His stiff speech and unexplained abilities don’t make seeing him any easier, either.
5. Cicero — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Nothing to see here—just a brightly dressed jester. The thing is, that jester has a coffin, and it’s not long before you learn what’s in it. Cicero is memorable, sure, but his shrill laughter and sudden shifts in mood mean even friendly conversations with him feel really uneasy.
6. Babette — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
At first glance, Babette appears to be an ordinary kid wandering around the sanctuary. Yeah, not in this game. She’s actually a vampire who has lived for centuries, and her appearance is really only a ploy to lure unsuspecting victims. We didn’t need a reminder that the Brotherhood employs deeply unsettling people, but here we are.
7. Lucien Lachance — The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Well, this’ll teach you to murk people willy-nilly. Commit an unprovoked murder in Oblivion, go to sleep, and you’ll wake up to discover Lucien Lachance beside your bed. He then calmly explains that your killing was noticed and offers you entry into the Dark Brotherhood. No thanks, weirdo.
8. Oedon Chapel Dweller — Bloodborne
What’s hilarious about the Oedon Chapel Dweller is that it looks so suspicious that first-time players assume accepting his help will go sideways. Instead, this nervous stranger does, in fact, want you to send survivors to the chapel so they can escape danger. That doesn't make your first conversation any less tense, though.
9. The Plain Doll — Bloodborne
Before Bloodborne gives you any reason to trust the Plain Doll, you find her sitting in the Hunter's Dream. She then suddenly starts speaking, allowing you to channel Blood Echoes and increase your attributes. She's gentle throughout the game, but calmly chatting with a previously motionless human-sized doll is still creepy every time.
10. The Merchant — Resident Evil 4
Honestly, we should just be grateful whenever the Merchant appears—he's usually carrying the upgrade we need. That said, his covered face, glowing eyes, and habit of setting up shop among homicidal cultists raise several questions. Nobody ever properly explains how he keeps getting ahead of us, so we kind of have to trust him.
11. The Strange Man — Red Dead Redemption
The Strange Man may say we’ve forgotten more important people than him, but players remember every encounter with the guy. He pops up in isolated places, tests John's morality, and remains remarkably calm when their final meeting turns hostile. Let’s also not forget the mirror in RDR2. (He’s still one of the only NPCs we genuinely enjoy, though!)
12. Pickman — Fallout 4
Exploring Pickman Gallery looks like another routine trip through a raider-infested building…right until you notice the artwork. The artist behind it is Pickman himself, a serial killer whose preferred victims happen to be raiders and whose basement contains plenty of evidence of his hobby. It’s absolutely not the kind of gallery we wanted access to.
13. Harold — Fallout 3
Oasis worships a big talking tree, which really doesn’t sound that bad until you get a closer look. Reaching its center reveals that the tree is actually Harold, a recurring character whose mutation has gotten way worse. That’s not even the end of it; Harold asks the Lone Wanderer to kill him, turning a weird find into one of the most uncomfortable decisions.
14. The Lumiose City Ghost Girl — Pokémon X & Y
Who was expecting an average elevator ride to turn into a ghostly encounter? In Pokémon, no less! A Hex Maniac-looking girl appears behind you, glides across the room, tells you that you're not the person she's looking for, and disappears. There’s no explanation, either.
15. River Person — Undertale
River Person provides a perfectly useful service by ferrying you around, but during those peaceful trips, however, the figure delivers cryptic remarks. You’ll hear a lot of weird stuff about secrets, hidden places, and people you may not even have encountered yet.
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16. Mr. Qi — Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley isn’t the kind of game you’d expect to find weird stuff, but we guess that’s part of the fun. We’re looking at you, Mr. Qi—the guy who starts leaving mysterious instructions. He also guides you through an unusual chain of tasks before granting access to the hidden casino, where he continues observing your progress.
17. Withers — Baldur's Gate 3
We love Withers as much as the next guy, but let’s not forget that our first encounter with him involves a sarcophagus in a dank crypt and watching a skeleton rise out of it. He then just kind of hangs around camp, making vague comments about balance and bosom companions. (Little did we know how far mods would actually take those bosoms.)
18. The Outsider — Dishonored
The Outsider appears in a dark supernatural realm, speaks like he knows exactly what you're capable of, and then grants powers that can completely alter your journey. It all looks good on paper, but there’s something creepy about it. He also maintains the same detached interest whether Corvo uses those abilities or turns Dunwall into an absolute disaster.
19. Coco — Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing villagers are normally adorable…but not all of them. Coco's hollow eyes and open mouth immediately stand out in the worst way possible. Admittedly, Coco herself is perfectly pleasant, but opening your front door only to see that waiting outside can really dampen your mood.
20. Mr. Blue Eyes — Cyberpunk 2077
Mr. Blue Eyes doesn’t need much dialogue to become one of Cyberpunk 2077's most unsettling NPCs. During the Peralez storyline, an observant player can spot him watching V's conversation from a balcony, and he later plays a role in another major job. His identity remains intentionally unclear, so every appearance has that weird edge to it.
