Top 20 Ugliest Video Game Characters: A Celebration of Unconventional Design

Video games are full of memorable characters—heroic, villainous, and some downright ugly.
This list celebrates unconventional designs by counting down the top 20 ugliest video game characters, each grotesque, bizarre, or aesthetically off-putting yet iconic.
From monstrous mutants to purposefully unattractive protagonists, these entries prove that ugliness can be as compelling and memorable as beauty.
Designers often use ugly appearances to underscore themes of oppression, horror, or dark humor, making these figures stand out among polished heroes and villains.
Let’s dive in!

20. Abe (Oddworld series)

A blue‑gray Mudokon slave hero with lanky limbs, large sorrowful eyes, stitched‑shut lips, visible scars and loose stitches. His gaunt, hunched posture and high‑pitched voice emphasize his downtrodden life, turning an unconventional, pitiable design into a compelling symbol of personal triumph over oppression.

19. The Banshees (Mass Effect 3)

Once-asari twisted into emaciated, undead witches with pallid, corpse‑like skin, sunken eyes, a gaping, permanent scream, glowing energy veins, protruding bones, vicious claws and warped biotic powers. Their unearthly wails and skeletal durability make them pure nightmare fuel in a sci‑fi setting.

18. Birdie (Street Fighter series)

An enormous British punk turned hulking brute with a fluorescent mohawk, protruding belly, missing tooth, stained tank top and chain necklace. His idle snot‑flicks, donut‑munching moves and banana‑peel tosses lean into gluttony and sloth for comic effect, providing a humorous contrast to the series’ sleek fighters.

17. Falbi (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

A clown‑like NPC with a bulbous, flushed face, perpetually wide, manic eyes, gaudy costume, tiny hat, frilled collar and bizarre penciled mustaches. His thin upper body and plump lower half, crazed expression and cackling laughter create an unsettling, circus‑freak design that lingers in memory.

16. The Spitter (Left 4 Dead 2)

A tall, gangly zombie woman whose disfigured jaw has been eroded by the very acid she spews. Her distended, toxin‑filled belly glows sickly green, she wears filthy, torn clothing, and her constant gurgling leaves a trail of corrosive bile—an acid bomb in humanoid form.

15. The Twin Chefs (Little Nightmares)

Obese, humanoid kitchen monsters with flabby torsos on stubby legs, blood‑splattered aprons and flesh‑like masks that sag and droop over deformed heads. They grunt and snort as they butcher human meat, their grotesquely sculpted flesh and dead‑eyed stares amplifying the game’s childhood‑fear horror.

14. Drahmin (Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance)

A Netherrealm Oni demon with flayed, decaying skin exposing muscle and bone, a wooden mask nailed into maggot‑ridden flesh, a club for an arm and a constant cloud of rotflies feeding on his putrid body. His buzzing insect halo doubles as a weapon, making him a walking corpse of pure decay.

13. The Doctor (Dead by Daylight)

Herman Carter, a skinless psychiatrist in a tattered straightjacket, with raw, bloody muscle exposed and a metal headgear forcing one eye open. His filed‑down teeth grin, homemade electrode shocks and convulsive twitches embody medical and body horror in a single, gruesome killer.

12. Malphas (Devil May Cry 5)

A giant, featherless, fleshy bird‑like demon fused to a multi‑headed witch torso. Plucked‑carcass skin, multiple distorted faces with bulging eyes and jagged teeth, sharp claws and acidic vomit combine bird, insect and crone into a grotesque, chattering boss that oozes repulsiveness.

11. Bloater (The Last of Us)

The fourth stage of Cordyceps infection: a swollen mutant encrusted in hardened fungal growths, pustules and mushroom‑like tumors. Its face is obscured by fungal plates, its lumbering body hurls fungal armor as spore bombs, and yellow pus oozes from cracks—walking bio‑hazard and body‑horror epitome.

10. Harold (Fallout series)

Roadhog is a towering, obese apocalypse biker tank character from Overwatch.
He wears a pig snout gas mask permanently strapped to his face and a spiked, chain‑covered outfit, with a massive bare belly emblazoned with “WILD HOG” on his belt.
Concept art and skins reveal a scarred visage, broken teeth, and cruel eyes beneath the mask.
In‑game, jiggle physics emphasize his corpulence and tattooed chest for both humor and intimidation.
His hook‑and‑drag attack and pig‑like snorts match his brutish design and menacing presence.
Roadhog’s unapologetic ugliness stands out amid Overwatch’s sleek heroes, making him a bold and memorable exception.

8. Darlene Fleischermacher (Dead Rising 3)

Darlene embodies gluttony as an extremely obese boss in Dead Rising 3, found on a motorized scooter in a buffet restaurant. Her food‑stained pajamas and rolls of fat spilling out frame a smeared, withered face and missing teeth as she shovels food nonstop. She burps, slurps, and even vomits on the player, her sickly, sweat‑slicked skin and shadowed eyes hinting at the toll of continuous bingeing. Defeating her results in a darkly comic moment: she literally chokes to death on a snack cake mid‑battle.

7. Queen Slug‑for‑a‑Butt (Earthworm Jim)

This final boss is a giant, gelatinous alien slug with an exposed, throbbing posterior that oozes slime, pus, and goo. Her lumpy, orange flesh is riddled with warts and pimples, crowned with a tiny jeweled tiara and bulging eyes. Queen Slug‑for‑a‑Butt attacks by crushing Jim under her bulk or swatting him with her slimy tail, and defeating her triggers a gag “cow falling” ending—pure 90s gross‑out humor at its finest.

6. Voldo (Soulcalibur series)

Voldo is a blind, mute contortionist nightmare in a bondage suit adorned with straps, buckles, and spikes, his pale, scarred skin stretched tight over twisted muscles. A metal mask with no eye holes and a jagged, toothy jaw gives him a demonic visage, while his spider‑like, fluid movements—crawling, slithering, and bending joints impossibly—amplify his creep factor. Over successive games, his costumes grow ever more bizarre, cementing him as one of fighting games’ most unsettling characters.

5. Gruntilda Winkybunion (Banjo‑Kazooie)

Gruntilda is the archetypal ugly witch: green skin, warty nose, bulging bloodshot eyes, missing teeth, and a tacky pointy hat and broomstick. She kidnaps Tooty to steal her beauty, reveling in rhymed insults about her own bad breath and appearance. Her lair bristles with statues of her wart‑covered face, and upon defeat she transforms into a decaying skeleton and later a talking skull—self‑aware humor meeting fairy‑tale grotesquery.

4. Uma (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)

Nicknamed “Ugliest Man Alive,” Uma is a small, hunched creature with a hairless, lumpy head, huge ears, bulging eyes, and patches of lesions on ashen skin. He can barely speak beyond miserable groans, eliciting pity and revulsion from all who see him. Only when Geralt lifts his curse does his true identity emerge, revealing the tragic human beneath the monstrous exterior.

3. Clotho (God of War II)

One of the Fates, Clotho is an enormous, obese woman fused to her lair’s floor, a quivering mass of fat rolls and six disfigured arms. Her tiny, sunken eyes and rotten, pointed teeth peer out of an amorphous body that must be fought by climbing machinery rather than conventional combat. Her grotesque excess and deformity make her a nightmarish and unforgettable boss.

2. William Birkin (Resident Evil 2)

After injecting himself with the unstable G‑Virus, Birkin undergoes horrific, multi‑stage mutations: a shoulder‑eye bulges grotesquely, extra limbs and fanged maws sprout, and tentacles writhe from slimy flesh. Eyes appear randomly over his body, each mutation more monstrous than the last until he becomes an amorphous blob of teeth, claws, and rolling eyeballs—a tragic scientist turned body‑horror icon.

1. Layrn aka the Broodmother (Dragon Age: Origins)

Once a dwarf named Layrn, she is transformed by darkspawn into a Broodmother: a massive, pulsating mound of corrupted flesh and tentacles, asymmetrical sagging breasts, and birthing sacs submerged in toxic slime. She spawns genlocks from her grotesque womb, and her distorted, screaming face is a haunting reminder of corrupted motherhood—arguably the ugliest and most lore‑significant creature in the series.

Why is Trevor from Grand Theft Auto V considered one of the ugliest characters?

Trevor Philips’ appearance—balding scalp, grimy, pockmarked skin, bloodshot eyes with deep bags, and dirty, disheveled clothing—mirrors his unhinged, violent personality. His wild grimaces and meth‑addled expressions shift from merely unattractive to outright terrifying, reinforcing his unpredictability. Contrasted with the polished protagonists Michael and Franklin, Trevor’s filthy, chaotic look perfectly embodies his role as the game’s most memorable loose cannon.

What makes Max Payne’s facial expressions notably unattractive?

Classic Max Payne exemplifies flawed facial design: Max’s in‑game model, based on writer Sam Lake’s face, features a permanent squint and strained smirk that appear unnatural and comical.
In graphic‑novel cutscenes, he looks handsome, but in gameplay close‑ups his face seems crumpled and pained, creating a jarring, inhuman discrepancy.
This unintended ugliness became iconic as the “Max Payne face,” mocking yet fitting the game’s dark, noir tone.
It gave Max a weary, hardened look that symbolized his grief and broken state rather than a slick action‑hero façade.
Subsequent installments improved his expressions, but the original’s ugly squint retains nostalgic charm.
Fans regard it as a hallmark of his tortured character and a visual reinforcement of his inner pain.

How does Wario’s design contribute to his status as an ugly character?

Wario was crafted as Mario’s “anti‑Mario,” with every feature exaggerated for grotesque effect: a stout, obese frame with an oversized belly, beefy arms, short legs, a huge zig‑zag mustache, a bulbous garlic‑purple nose, and jagged teeth in a perpetual evil grin. His nasally voice and gross habits—garlic burps and cheeky farts—amplify his repulsiveness. Yet his brash confidence and humor make him beloved; his ugliness instantly telegraphs his greedy, rough, mischievous personality.

In what ways does Mileena from Mortal Kombat shock players with her appearance?

Mileena presents as a seductive ninja until she removes her veil to reveal a massive maw of razor‑sharp Tarkatan fangs—a clone of Kitana infused with monster blood. This beauty‑and‑horror juxtaposition delivers a “big toothy surprise” that terrifies both players and in‑game victims. Over time, her designs hint at her true visage even when masked, reinforcing her grotesque nature and cementing her as a shock‑value icon.

Why is Baraka’s monstrous look iconic in the Mortal Kombat series?

Baraka debuted as a Tarkatan mutant with bald head, pointy ears, and a lipless grin of long, exposed knife‑like teeth so pronounced he can’t fully close his mouth. His forearm blades and primal, cannibalistic demeanor push beyond simple ninja swaps, embodying Mortal Kombat’s embrace of gore and evil. His terrifying visage, replicated in Mileena’s design, has adorned posters and action figures and remains instantly recognizable despite minor evolutions.

How does Jimmy Hopkins from Bully exemplify unconventional character design?

Jimmy Hopkins is a 15‑year‑old with a square, perpetually scowling face, a harsh buzzcut with scruffy ginger stubble, and frequent bruises—looking more like a thug than a hero. His short, stocky frame and rough features were intentional to reflect a rebellious teen shaped by neglect. Players grow to empathize with his authenticity, proving that a non‑handsome, scrappy protagonist can still drive engagement.

What aspects of Raz’s design in Psychonauts make him stand out?

Razputin “Raz” Aquato is a scrawny 10‑year‑old with wildly exaggerated proportions: a massive, yellowish head topped by burgundy hair, tiny body, and spindly limbs. His oversized aviator goggles and pilot’s cap underscore his psychic‑adventurer persona. This odd, cartoonish silhouette fits the game’s surreal art style and allows for highly expressive animations, making Raz memorable among an already bizarre cast.

Why is Heihachi from Tekken often listed among the ugliest characters?

Heihachi Mishima sports a bald crown flanked by two dramatic hair spikes—like horns—paired with a deeply lined, scowling face, bushy gray eyebrows, and a mustache that merges into mutton‑chop sideburns. His stocky, scarred body and brutal demeanor reinforce his image as a ruthless “demonic grandpa.” The absurd, impractical hairstyle and aged, menacing visage make him intentionally unappealing yet iconic.

How does Steve’s blocky appearance in Minecraft contribute to his notoriety?

Steve is composed entirely of cubes and rectangular prisms, with a flat, pixelated face—two square eyes and a simple mouth—with no nose or expression. This crude, low‑resolution look perfectly matches Minecraft’s blocky world but appears jarringly primitive beside high‑definition characters. His simplicity became a meme in crossover appearances, yet it remains functional for endless customization and instantly recognizable.

What features make Voldo from Soul Calibur unsettling to players?

Voldo moves in inhuman, contorted postures—bent backward or crawling like a crab—while clad in tight leather bondage gear, straps, buckles, and a blindfolded mask. His pallid, scarred skin, long claws, and snake‑like hisses amplify the creep factor. As a feral vault guard driven mad, his grotesque flexibility and eerie silence cement him as one of the most disturbing fighters in gaming.

How does the protagonist of Planescape: Torment embody grotesque design?

The Nameless One is an immortal scar‑covered figure with ashen, gray‑green skin, stitched wounds, and arcane tattoos all over his body. His gaunt, sunken face and cracked lips give him a corpse‑like appearance that reflects his tortured, forgotten past lives. NPCs react with fear or pity, and his grotesque form subverts the heroic archetype, making his journey for redemption profoundly impactful.

Why is Tingle from The Legend of Zelda series considered visually off-putting?

Tingle is a 35‑year‑old man in a skintight green elf bodysuit and red speedo, with a pudgy middle‑aged body but a childlike round face, rosy cheeks, big red clown nose, and wispy goatee. His over‑enthusiastic expressions and fairy obsession come off as creepy rather than whimsical. While intended as comic relief, his bizarre, mismatched appearance divides fans and underscores Nintendo’s willingness to create deliberately unsettling characters.

What elements of Rufus’s design in Street Fighter IV are deemed unattractive?

Rufus in Street Fighter IV breaks the typical lean, muscular fighter mold with an obese,
loud American martial artist whose unzipped yellow‑and‑black jumpsuit strains over
a huge potbelly, with chest hair peeking out, emphasizing his grossness.
His unkempt handlebar mustache and braided ponytail on a shaved head swing comically,
while bulging, sometimes googly eyes enhance his buffoonish image.
His awkward attire and surprisingly agile moves make him an intentionally ugly, memorable comic relief that contrasts with the roster’s sleek physiques.

How does the Broodmother from Dragon Age: Origins disturb players with her appearance?

A Broodmother is a grotesque Darkspawn‑transformed woman—an enormous, fleshy lump embedded in walls, with tentacles and breast‑like sacs sprouting from pallid, veiny, slime‑covered skin. Remnants of a humanoid face appear stretched and disfigured, with milky blind eyes and a tooth‑filled maw. Knowing these were once ordinary women forced to mutate adds a horrifying, “Freudian nightmare” twist. The boss arena’s bones, slime, and distorted shrieks amplify revulsion and drive players to end the Darkspawn threat.

What makes the character designs in Dark Souls notably grotesque?

Dark Souls uses twisted, decayed imagery—fallen beings in tragic ruin rather than overt gore. Examples include the Gaping Dragon’s split torso maw, Quelaag’s half‑spider, half‑woman form, The Rotten’s mass of fused corpses, and the Hollow’s withered zombie visage. Creatures evoke unease through mutation and sorrowful decay, not splatter. Miyazaki’s design philosophy favors unsettling dignity in deformity, making victories over these grotesque foes feel like triumphs over darkness.

Why is the character design in Kane & Lynch 2 considered among the ugliest?

Dog Days adopts a gritty, lo‑fi camcorder aesthetic: shaky, over‑saturated visuals, blown‑out lighting, pixelation, and violent camera shake. Kane’s balding, creased face and Lynch’s scraggly hair, wild beard, and sunken eyes are shown in harsh, unflattering detail. Pixelated gore and grime reinforce a raw, documentary‑style ugliness that mirrors the game’s nihilistic, brutal tone, earning it “ugliest” status by design.

How does the default character in Saints Row exemplify unattractive design?

The uncustomized Boss is a bland, scowling thug with generic features and a buzzcut—so nondescript it feels like a joke. Mid‑value sliders yield odd proportions and a sullen expression, highlighting how dull the default is. This “blank slate” underlines Saints Row’s freedom: players transform a forgettable nobody into whatever outrageous creation they choose, making the default’s plainness both fitting and humorous.

What makes the Ooccoo from Twilight Princess a candidate for this list?

Ooccoo is a plucked‑chicken body topped with a pale human head, scraggly orange hair, big unblinking eyes, and saggy, nipple‑like rings—an uncanny, disturbing hybrid. Inspired by surrealist art, her design defies Zelda’s usual elegance, triggering uncanny‑valley discomfort. Even Link reacts in shock, and players debate her “nipple-ish” markings and floating baby head, cementing her as one of the series’ most bizarre, unforgettable creatures.

How have fan reactions shaped the perception of these ugly video game characters?

Players’ memes, discussions, and fan content turn intentional ugliness into cult status. Trevor’s deranged look in GTA V becomes an icon through jokes; Max Payne’s grimace lives on as a beloved meme. Debates over characters like Tingle or Voldo keep them relevant, while community‑created “Top Ugliest” lists and custom “ugly” character challenges celebrate these designs. Even negative backlash can influence redesigns, but more often, fan engagement cements ugly characters as enduring fixtures in gaming culture.

FAQ: Top 20 Ugliest Video Game Characters

1. Why do game developers intentionally design “ugly” characters?
   Ugly characters are designed to evoke emotions like disgust, fear, or sympathy, enhancing narrative or humor. They make villains memorable, subvert beauty norms, or highlight themes, such as a cursed character’s plight.
2. Who is widely regarded as the ugliest video game character ever?
   The Broodmother from Dragon Age: Origins is often cited as the ugliest due to her grotesque, unsettling design. Other contenders include William Birkin’s G-form, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt, and Voldo.
3. Are ugly characters usually villains?
   Many are villains or monsters, but not always. Heroes like Abe or neutral characters like Harold show ugliness can evoke sympathy or tragedy, not just evil, depending on the story.
4. Has any character’s design been changed due to being too ugly or disturbing?
   Yes, the Broodmother’s design was toned down to avoid an Adults-Only rating, and Lisa Trevor’s look balanced horror with empathy. Fan feedback can also prompt scarier redesigns.
5. Why do people love characters like Roadhog or Birdie even though they’re ugly?
   Personality and gameplay make them likable. Roadhog’s hook and humor, or Birdie’s goofy combat style, outweigh their unattractive looks, appealing to fans who enjoy unique designs.
6. Which franchises are known for having a lot of ugly characters?
   Horror franchises like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Dead Space feature grotesque creatures. Mortal Kombat, FromSoftware games, Oddworld, Fallout, and Dead Rising also include many ugly designs.
7. Are female characters ever allowed to be ugly in games?
   Yes, though rarer. Female villains like Gruntilda or monsters like Marguerite Baker are deliberately hideous. Ugly female designs are often tied to specific roles like witches or mutants.
8. Did any “ugly” character become attractive or get redesigned in sequels?
   Uma transforms into handsome Avallac’h after a curse lifts. Characters like Birdie may get “handsome” skins, but most retain their ugly identity, sometimes enhanced in remakes.
9. What’s the difference between “ugly” and “scary” in character design?
   Ugly focuses on repulsive aesthetics, often for humor or theme, while scary aims to instill fear. They can overlap, but ugly characters like Birdie aren’t always scary, and sleek designs like Pyramid Head can be scary without ugliness.
10. Have ugly characters become more common in modern games?
    Yes, modern games embrace diverse, realistic designs. Horror and indie titles feature detailed ugly monsters, and even supporting characters or protagonists have grittier, less glamorous looks.

Conclusion

Ugly characters, from the horrific Broodmother to comedic Birdie, enrich gaming with memorable, bold designs. They evoke diverse emotions, carry narrative weight, and defy beauty norms, proving ugliness enhances creativity and impact in games. Whether sparking fear, laughter, or sympathy, these characters remain iconic for their imperfections. Their lasting presence celebrates developers’ daring artistry in crafting the perfectly imperfect.

Sources and Citations:

• Mass Effect 3 Codex – Banshee description (Reaper-created Asari mutant)​ign.com​ign.com
• Zelda Dungeon Forums – fan comment on Falbi’s appearance (Twilight Princess clown NPC)​zeldadungeon.net
• Left 4 Dead 2 Wiki – Spitter appearance and mutations (eroded jaw, sagging skin from acid)​left4dead.fandom.com​left4dead.fandom.com
• Little Nightmares Wiki – Twin Chefs description (obese, drooping faces with different deformities)​littlenightmares.fandom.com​littlenightmares.fandom.com
• Mortal Kombat Wiki – Drahmin backstory (Oni demon with flies; weapon and mask details)​mortalkombat.fandom.com​mortalkombat.fandom.com
• Reddit (r/StreetFighter) – Discussion of Birdie’s SFV design (gluttony, not a “cool” design, fat jokes)​reddit.com
• TheTopTens user list – entry on Darlene Fleischermacher (Dead Rising 3 glutton boss description)​thetoptens.com
• TheTopTens user list – entry on Gruntilda (Banjo-Kazooie witch’s ugly features and motivations)​thetoptens.com
• WatchMojo Top 10 Ugliest (transcript) – commentary on Uma (Witcher 3 “ugliest man alive” reference)​vexplode.com​vexplode.com
• OC Weekly “Fugly” list – Clotho (God of War II) description (obese woman stuck in manhole, rolls of fat)​ocweekly.com
• Villains Wiki – William Birkin G-Virus mutation (becoming a “terrible monster” dubbed G)​villains.fandom.com
• WatchMojo Top 10 (transcript) – humorous remark on Broodmother (side-boob, flailing arms, “boner-killer”)​vexplode.com​vexplode.com
• Reddit (r/falloutlore) – explanation of Harold’s mutation (ghoul with tree “Bob” growing, rooted in place)​reddit.com
• PCGamesN – Spark of Madness DLC article (Dead by Daylight’s Doctor described as “skinless doctor with eye-clamp”)​pcgamesn.com
• Wikipedia – Malphas (Devil May Cry 5 minor antagonist described as fused bird-like demon with multi-headed witch)​en.wikipedia.org
• FightersGeneration – profile joke about Voldo (attractive “if you’re into S&M and necrophilia”)​ocweekly.com
• Left 4 Dead 2 Wiki – Spitter details (lower jaw and chest sores eroded by acid)​left4dead.fandom.com
• Street Fighter V trading card info – Birdie idle animation flicks snot (gross habit as character detail)​en.wikipedia.org
• WatchMojo “Disgusting Characters” – remark on Bloater in The Last of Us (“hard on the eyes”)​watchmojo.com
• TheTopTens user list – entry on Roadhog (Overwatch) noting his giant belly, mask, overall ugliness traits)​thetoptens.com

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