10 Scariest Planets in Video Games

Space is an expansive realm brimming with boundless possibilities, but within it lies countless opportunities for terror. Games like Starfield and Dead Space thrust you into the depths of the final frontier, blending science fiction and horror. However, the realms of the strange and horrifying extend beyond the confines of these genres, offering new and terrifying worlds across a wide range of game genres.

We have gathered a compilation of some of the most frightening planets encountered in video games. Certain planets are teeming with deadly wildlife, creating a constant need to evade and escape. Others may be desolate and solitary, but compensate for it by offering eerie atmospheres and captivating visuals.

10 Earth - Pikmin Series

Pikmin is undoubtedly an adorable game, but its unspoken horror should not be underestimated. Throughout the game, you assume control of a character no larger than a pill bottle, guiding Pikmin towards various objectives while hoping to minimize any losses along the way. At such a minuscule size, nearly everything becomes terrifying. There is an abundance of potential threats that can pose a danger to both you and your Pikmin, leaving no shortage of hazards to navigate and overcome.

But that's not the end of it. The overt product placement in Pikmin 2 may come across as tacky, but it provides us with a crucial revelation: the planet in the game was, in fact, Earth all along. This revelation naturally raises the question: What events unfolded to bring about such a drastic change?

9 Eden-6 - Borderlands

At first glance, Eden-6 may not appear particularly frightening. It is owned by the Jakobs arms company, utilizing the planet as a primary timber source. While the corporation itself may have questionable ethics, one might assume that the horrors would be limited to that aspect.

The reality is that there is much more to it. What the previous description fails to mention is that Eden-6 is predominantly engulfed by nightmarish swamplands that would surpass most of Florida in terms of dreadfulness. Additionally, you'll find yourself being pursued by dinosaurs, an experience that is as thrilling as it is terrifying. All in all, this is a place we would strongly advise against visiting if it were to actually exist.

8 Mars - Yume Nikki

Yume Nikki is a surrealistic nightmare. It doesn't scare you in the traditional sense of making your heart race, but it leaves you with a lingering sense of unease even after you step away from the computer. One of the most unsettling areas in the game is a monochromatic spaceship, where you encounter a man playing the piano.

Engage in conversation with the individual, and as a consequence, the spaceship plummets to the surface of Mars, undergoing a crash landing. This barren celestial body manifests as a desolate and melancholic realm, where one finds themselves solitary, solely accompanied by their contemplations. The atmosphere exudes an overwhelming sense of oppression and an ominous aura. A profound conviction arises within you, indicating the presence of a concealed terror that lies ahead, leading you to perpetually wander in a state of suspense.

7 The Pirate Homeworld - Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Ever since the inception of the Metroid series, the space pirates have consistently played the role of antagonists, exhibiting a remarkable diversity among their ranks. Among their numbers, you will encounter peculiar insectoid humanoids, formidable dragons, and even colossal sentient brains. While Metroid Prime 3 introduces us to a particular homeworld believed to be just one of many under their control, it remains a challenging task to fathom the forms of life that could possibly inhabit such a place.

This circumstance arises due to the fact that the entirety of the planet manifests as a desolate and infernal landscape. The skies are perpetually tainted by acid rain, and yet the space pirates persist in their existence and activities within this decaying shell of a world.

6 The Ghost Ship Cave Planet - Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy takes a daring and flexible approach when defining what can be considered a 'planet.' A ghost ship suspended in the vastness of space? Why not? Remarkably, this location evokes a sense of unease uncommon in a Mario game, enhanced by the presence of eerie music that permeates the entire level. The underwater segments, too, exude an ominous atmosphere, progressively descending into darkness and escalating peril, with a genuine risk of succumbing to the depths.

Adding to the intrigue, a colossal ghost ship inhabited by numerous Boos dominates a significant portion of this planet. The overall ambiance of the entire location feels more akin to the eerie atmosphere found in Luigi's Mansion rather than a typical installment in the mainline Mario game series.

5 Ripple Star - Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Kirby 64 presents itself as a tale of cosmic horror. The protagonist, Kirby, possesses immeasurable cosmic power, and in this game, he confronts a malevolent eldritch deity named Dark Matter, whose influence permeates the entire universe. The penultimate level of the game, Ripple Star, portrays a dire situation where the overwhelming majority of its inhabitants have fallen under Dark Matter's corrupting grasp, leaving the fate of the entire planet sealed unless Kirby intervenes.

Despite the saccharine visuals, the music and storytelling maintain an atmosphere of tension. In the normal ending, you engage in a battle against Miracle Matter, a creature with a resemblance closer to that of a biblical angel than a typical Kirby character. Unless you achieve the true ending, the unfortunate reality remains that everyone remains under the control of a malevolent force.

4 4546B - Subnautica

In the realm of reality, our understanding of the ocean's horrors remains limited to a mere fraction. It is the fear of the unknown that predominantly propels Subnautica, an immersive experience where you venture into the depths of the oceans on a distant and alien planet. While individuals with thalassophobia may not find solace in this game, the rest of us embark on an exhilarating adventure through the treacherous abyss.

Within Subnautica's 4546B, a plethora of eldritch entities find their abode. While some bear resemblance to familiar denizens of the deep-sea, others transcend the boundaries of the most audacious imagination. Collectively, they contribute to intensifying the game's sense of wonder and terror (albeit predominantly the latter).

3 Dark Bramble - Outer Wilds

We persist in our endeavor to instill thalassophobia in all with the inclusion of Dark Bramble from Outer Wilds. The planetary waters in this game harbor the sole wildlife that actively seeks to end your existence, embodied by colossal and monstrous anglerfish. These creatures surpass the main character in size by several magnitudes and exude an aura of menace comparable to their significantly smaller counterparts found in the real world.

The remaining segments of the planet offer little solace, as they exist in a state of desolation, overrun by an abundance of vegetation. The atmosphere is laden with a sense of foreboding, and the tension it creates persists relentlessly, leaving Dark Bramble immeasurably unsettling and profoundly eerie.

2 Tau Volantis - Dead Space 3

Among the many entries featuring ruined and forsaken planets, Tau Volantis in Dead Space 3 distinguishes itself in multiple aspects. It indeed showcases desolate, icy remnants that serve as a mere echo of their past grandeur. However, the planet also harbors mutated corpses that wander the terrain without restraint. This amalgamation evokes a certain resemblance to the planet Atropus from Dungeons & Dragons lore, adding an extra layer of intrigue to Tau Volantis.

Notwithstanding its present condition as a planet entombed in darkness, Tau Volantis holds crucial hints that shed light on the game's lore. Without revealing any spoilers, the revelations you uncover amplify the tragic and terrifying nature of this planet's fate.

1 AT-5 - Iron Lung

Embarking on a journey as a condemned prisoner, delving into the depths of an ocean composed entirely of blood, is undoubtedly an unsettling experience. Regrettably, such is the predominant ecosystem within Iron Lung's AT-5, where you find yourself immersed in a chilling reality where human blood serves as the primary medium. It is challenging to adequately convey the profound disturbance evoked by this circumstance, particularly considering the unsettling fact that this ocean of human blood apparently sustains life.

The creatures that hide within the blood ocean of AT-5 pose a grave threat, capable of ending your life should you be careless. This blood-soaked realm stands out as one of the most harrowing and nightmarish settings in the realm of gaming, surpassing even other planetary environments in its sheer terror.