Top 10 Most Horrifying Video Game Transformations

Top 10 Horrifying Transformation in Video Games

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Horrifying Transformation in Video Games. For this list, we’ll be looking at characters in video games who changed into something terrifying and creeped us out while doing it. We're limiting our picks to one transformation per franchise, so prepare for spooks and a few spoilers. Did we miss a metamorphosis that scared you? Let us know in the comments!

"Spider-Man" (2000)

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Who has four mechanical arms and a thirst for mayhem? That guy! After defeating Doc Ock and then beating Carnage, Spidey decides to catch his breath. That's when the Carnage symbiote slips away and bonds with the unconscious body of Doctor Octavius. Since the actual transformation takes place off-screen, we're as shocked as Spiderman is when we see the gruesome result. Carnage is usually pretty creepy but mixing in mechanized limbs makes him look downright sinister. What ensues is a nail-biting chase with the web-head trying to get as far as possible from Carnage Doc Ock or "Monster Ock"... we wonder why.

"Batman: Arkham Asylum" (2009)

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The Clown Prince of Crime has always tried to stay a step ahead of the Dark Knight, for good reason. If Batman finds a way to lay his hands on him, it largely is lights-out for the Joker. That's what most players believed would happen when they confronted the Joker at the end of 2009's Arkham Asylum. Who would've expected the Joker to inject himself with the experimental Venom-based chemical, Titan? With long bony fingers, a jutting-out spine and a menacing Mohawk that he somehow pulls off, the Joker looks less like a criminal mastermind and more like someone who'd fight the Hulk.

"Control" (2019)

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We always thought the only damage a fridge could do to us was to our waistline. That's not the case with this "Altered Item" that's being monitored in the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control. This supernatural object has to be constantly supervised or else it will deviate. You know you're in for something weird when the agent who has to keep an eye on the fridge is turned into a puddle of blood. If you touch it, you get transported to the astral plane. Once there, you find out that this harmless-looking fridge is actually a snake-like entity with spider legs and a searchlight for a face, called "The Former". So now there are two reasons to stare at your fridge.

"Dragon Age: Origins" (2009)

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Most people would agree that it's what's on the inside that counts, but most people aren't Flemeth from Dragon Age: Origins. She is the mother of master shapeshifter Morrigan and taught her everything she knows. With her expertise in shapeshifting and her pesky habit of possessing her daughters' bodies, you never know what she's going to turn into. If you decide to confront Flemeth about her stealing her daughters' bodies, you'll see this frail-looking elderly woman turn into a giant fire-breathing high dragon. Prepare for scaly skin, jagged teeth and being set on fire a lot.

Some of these hideous transformations are quite surprising but Bertrand III was kind of halfway there with that haircut. Joseph Bertrand III is the secondary antagonist in this game. When he starts monologuing and you're waiting to zap him with your electricity powers, he jumps off the building and shocks everyone with his new form. He looks like a ginormous irradiated crustacean that you could find in the Fallout series. It doesn't matter how much you've levelled up because one swipe with his gross claws could level buildings. Also, he is fond of spewing nasty projectiles so watch your step.

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine" (2016)

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"The Beast of Beauclair" at first seems like someone Geralt would meet at a gala. Dettlaff is far from the ghastliest thing you'll fight in the Witcher series until he transforms. He's a higher vampire which means that you can expect to see sharp vampiric claws and fangs along with his charming demeanour. You might be thinking that this isn't that horrid and you'd be right… up until you see his final form. When you fight Dettlaff once again at the end of the DLC, he takes his transformation to horrifying heights by sprouting bat-like wings and turning into a fleshy, veiny nightmare. We're just glad he didn't sparkle.

"Final Fantasy VI" (1994)

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Another clown that changes into something way creepier? We're starting to see a pattern here. Kefka Palazzo was the court mage of the oppressive Gestahlian empire, which he overthrows when he attains god-like magical powers. Even in such a colourful RPG, his fractured psyche and mishmashed attire make him stand out. His metamorphosis from a maniacal jester to a chaotic celestial being however takes a terrifying turn and would frighten even the bravest members of your party. His flamboyant robes and makeup vanish and are replaced by angelic and demonic wings and violet skin. Why do we have the sudden urge to save our game?

A regular boss in Bloodborne? Yeah, right. Vicar Amelia can be found silently praying in the Grand Cathedral. Things get really hairy… and bitey when her skin rips, her blood spills and she becomes a creature that resembles a snarling hound. Her ash-blond hair turns into an unkempt mane and her mouth is filled with sharp teeth that she displays with a smile. But don't get distracted by her sinister smile because her long claws are always inches away from tearing you to shreds. The main reason why this transformation is so eerie is that someone so beautiful turns into something so beastly. We've learned our lesson now, she's all bite and more bite.

How could anyone be intimidated by a sentient flower? Well, this murderous one might change your mind. Flowey may seem friendly but he's the deranged main antagonist of Undertale. After giving you a very unsettling speech about absorbing souls, he turns into something that can only be described as a fever dream. Human eyes, a nose and teeth? Wiggling vines and tentacles? A television with a face on it? These are just a few things you might ask yourself while you try to get a grip on his new form, "Photoshop Flowey". It might come off as disturbing because of how each element doesn't fit with the game's pixel aesthetic or the fact that a fight with a flower turned into this. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

"Resident Evil Village" (2021)

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Even if you're not a Resident Evil fan, we have a feeling that you already know her. Lady Dimitrescu AKA the "Tall Lady" from Resident Evil had been lusted after by a significant chunk of the internet before the game's launch. Players who weren't familiar with the series might have been taken aback by this towering boss's transformation during her boss battle. Her beautiful exterior gives way to tentacles, wings and just way too many teeth. Lady Dimitrescu's torso sits on a chimera that's mixed with all sorts of eldritch horrors. Trust a Resident Evil game to switch from titillating to terrifying in a few seconds.