Certain games house areas with sinister secrets or horrifying details. Here are the five scariest locations in games. I tried to include creepy locations from non-horror games on this list as well. Many of these locations have stories tied to them or easter eggs.
This list is not ranked.
Windmill Village – Elden Ring
In the Altus Plateau lies the Dominula Windmill village. Upon entrance, you will notice the apparently happy women of the village dancing while laughing. They won’t attack you unless provoked either. Some of them have crowns made of flowers on their heads. These women look like ghouls or zombies and they possess red eyes. This is one of the eeriest locations in the history of From Software games and they include pretty messed-up locations in every game.
For me, this place takes the cake. There is no explanation as to what happened here. You need to interpret it yourself. There are clues, though. The Godskin Apostle boss found there may have had something to do with the village’s state. It’s just so unsettling for a peaceful-looking place like this to be so sinister.
If you’re a fan of video game lore, read our Elden Ring lore articles.
Pleasance – Red Dead Redemption 2
Pleasance is an abandoned village that you can find in the Scarlet Meadows. This village looks like there was some kind of illness or virus that spread there because there are signs that say “STAY OUT PLAGUE” and “UNCLEAN SINNERS”. Many buildings of this ghost town are boarded up and closed tight as if people were trying to keep the residents from coming outside. There are a lot of graves in this village as well, each of them bearing names and reasons for their deaths.
Perhaps the eeriest thing is the giant dead snake hanging in a tree a little farther from the village. The size of the serpent is enough to send chills down your spine, even though it’s dead. If someone did research on the place, they may uncover what happened there.
Nipton – Fallout New Vegas
Fallout New Vegas’s Nipton was not the best town in the Mojave. Not even close. Its residents were dirty individuals who cared for only themselves. They were willing to stab their neighbor in the back for a few bottle caps. The mayor of the town was corrupt and used prostitutes to gain money. These services were taken by the NCR, Powder Gangers, and even the members of Caesar’s Legion.
The Legion has its own twisted and sadistic ways of “justice” and “righteousness” that utterly destroy the true meaning of those words. They made a plan to punish the residents. The punishment was to crucify all of them, including guests of the town, in front of the Town Hall. They burned people alive, decapitated them, and did who knows what else.
A Legion member coldly and proudly tells the Courier of the justice they had done. They made the townsfolk engage in the lottery to choose who died quickly or slowly. The town is entirely massacred and the mayor was burned alive in a pile of tires in the middle of the town. I think that description tells a lot about how creepy this place is.
Baker Ranch – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
The Baker Ranch is the main map of Resident Evil 7, so revealing too much about it would spoil the main story. But this estate is as horrifying as it gets. It’s a disgusting, loathsome, and dirty place where the Baker family lives. The atmosphere of this place reflects the estate’s darkness and sinister nature.
This is where you’ll find Jack Baker, one of the most popular Resident Evil bosses. Jack is a cannibalistic serial killer who wields a chainsaw and has no problem using it on people. So you’d better watch out!
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant – S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Reaching the power plant is the final mission of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl. In the game, there are tales and rumors of the Wish Granter, who will grant any wish. This entity resides inside the power plant and because of the riches that it promises, stalkers literally kill each other to get there first.
Upon entering this dark, desolate place, you will hear the voice of the Wish Granter, telling you to come to him. He calls to you and reassures you that he’ll give you whatever you want. There’s a terrifying truth about the Wish Granter, however. And if the player does the right quests, he can uncover it. I’ll refrain from spoiling any further.
