Top 10 Scariest Mythological Video Game Bosses

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Scariest Mythological Characters/Bosses in Video Games.

For this list, we're not restricting our picks to horror games. Also, since a lot of these characters/bosses have narrative significance, a spoiler warning is in effect.

Which mythological character/boss do you hope stays that way? Let us know down in the comments!

With a title like 'Lord of Hatred', it's no surprise that Mephisto is one of the most feared beings in the Diablo universe. His mythological origins can be traced back to the 'Legend of Faust'. Faust trades his soul to Mephisto, a demon, for limitless knowledge and pleasure but soon realises that there are consequences. Just like in the original tale, Mephisto is known to be cunning and manipulative. He has a penchant for influencing beings to do his bidding and uses dreadful spells to deal with those who don't. When you come across Mephisto in his lair you are greeted by pools of blood, spikes and a battle that will send shivers down your spine.

A classic monster from Greek mythology with looks that kill, Medusa takes the concept of being petrified by fear more literally than most. In Greek mythology, this once-beautiful young woman was tragically turned into a monster after attracting the wrath of Athena. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey goes off-script with this Medusa’s origin story, but you should still be prepared for a terrifying game of hide and seek—with a side of slithering snakes for hair! You'll have to cower behind pillars to avoid her gaze that can turn you to stone. Even a slight slip up will leave you wide open for an onslaught of attacks. We guarantee that you'll be on edge until you strike the final blow.

You definitely don't want to run into one of these when you're hiking in the woods. In this interactive drama-horror game, eight people have to survive life-threatening circumstances on Blackwood Mountain. The Wendigo makes its presence known to a terrifying degree with a blood-curdling scream and feral behavior. Originating from the folklore of the Algonquin First Nations people, the Wendigo is usually associated with greed, gluttony and cannibalism. In the game, wendigos possess immense strength and durability, despite their bodies appearing to be in a state of decay. Bullets don't harm them so if they spot you with their pale eyes, it's better to find a good hiding spot and hope for the best.

Monkeys and apes feature in Japanese mythology as both noble heroes or vile villains. They are symbols of a long life and vitality and that is exactly what the Guardian Ape is all about in Sekiro. It is a ferocious foe that is infested with a mystical centipede that lets it cling to life. The Ape towers over you and its roar will give you chills. The scariest moment, however, actually occurs after you sever the Ape's head. You breathe a sigh of relief… only to see him stand up again. Now fully controlled by the centipede, he slithers at you with his sword in one hand and his head in the other.

When you’re controlling the brutal Kratos, there’s not much that can really scare a player. But the Fury Queen from God of War: Ascension comes pretty close. Alecto, one of three furies, initially appears as a beautiful woman, but behind her pretty exterior hides a giant kraken-like monster. In Greek mythology, she was born from Gaea and was tasked with the judgement and punishment of mortals. Distinguishing herself from her sisters, Alecto prefers to torture people's souls by taunting them with her illusions. In the case of Kratos, she attempts to use his painful memories against him.

Hela (or Hel) is the goddess of Helheim in Norse mythology and ruler of all those poor souls who didn't make it to Valhalla. She’s... imposing to say the least. In this 2017 game, this mythic figure appears as a gigantic woman, naked, bald, with pitch black eyes and surrounded by an abyss. Norse runes cover her right side while black rot covers her left. She time and time again speaks to Senua, the protagonist, who tries to plead with her to no avail. Hela is the daughter of Loki and just like her father, she uses taunts to remind Senua of her troubled past. “Hellblade” is a unique journey, and Hela is a villain to match.

The sea is scary enough without the yokai, Umi-Bozu, lurking in its depths. A menacing sea spirit from Japanese folklore, Umi-Bozu appears on calm seas and unleashes tidal waves and storms upon ships. Even the slightest movement from its gigantic limbs is enough to sink a ship. This colossal sea monster is covered in a veil of water. As if that’s not scary enough, the wreckage of sunken ships can be seen contained within it, illuminated by its bright glowing eyes. This yokai can never be seen in its entirety, and this mystery only adds to the terror it inspires. That unblinking and empty stare will keep you up at night—and far away from the sea.

How can a giant snarling wolf from Norse mythology that brings about the apocalypse get any more terrifying? What if the sky turned crimson while he's trying to bite your head off? Fenrir, another child of the trickster god, Loki, is one of the toughest bosses in the game. He is massive, with an ebony coat and blood-red eyes. Unlike most other bosses in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, his attacks don't have an indicator so you have to keep your eyes peeled everytime he lunges at you or burrows underground. What makes this even more perilous—you know, in addition to his razor sharp teeth—is the fact that he is destined to kill you.

You're wandering through a forest when you hear a laugh in the distance. You hope that it's your mind playing tricks because you DON'T want it to be a Leshy. A protector of the forest from Slavic mythology, this entity is the reason why you toss a coin to your witcher. A leshy usually has a deer skull as its head, horns and a body composed of winding branches. Their behaviour in the Slavic stories vary from leading travellers astray to abducting children, but in the Witcher universe, they are known to 'live only to kill'. Leshens aren’t afraid of fighting dirty either. Crows, tree roots, wolves… they’ll call on various forest elements to do their bidding.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

What if we told you that you had to fight THAT! A split open face, tentacles, skeletal wings, and a whole bunch of stuff that’s honestly hard to process—this monster is as confusing as it is horrifying. Ebrietas is the daughter of the Cosmos and is related to the Great Old Ones at the center of the mythology of H.P. Lovecraft. They are cosmic old gods with great power that once ruled over the Earth. They don’t typically care about humankind, and Ebrietas is a chip off the old block. Ebrietas is a difficult boss and has long-range magic and quick movements that will keep you on the move and extremely grossed out.