Doubling down on toil and trouble with PlayStation’s most wicked witches

Many witches have made appearances during the history of PlayStation gaming, taking on forms far removed from the classic pointy black hat wearing, broomstick riding sorcerers of old. To discover which of those witches are the witchiest witches, read on...

Ni No Kuni

Not all witches are born wanting to shove poison apples down their stepdaughter’s throat. Indeed, Ni No Kuni’s White Witch was once a sweet princess called Cassiopeia... before her father popped his kingly clogs. Her subsequent grief caused her to cast a spell that turned all of Nazcäa into monsters. Hey, it could happen to anyone.

Dark Souls

Kill it with fire! Oh wait... it’s trying to kill you with fire. Run away! A battle against the lava-spitting Chaos Witch Quelaag is your ‘reward’ for enduring the perils of the bleak Blighttown. Survive the swampy misery and this half witch/half giant spider awaits. Break out your lightning attacks and hope for the best, Chosen Undead.

Dragon Quest VIII

Jessica Albert is not your normal socialite. Example? She never once swirls a tumbler of port during this JRPG... oh, and she’s also a badass sorceress. Albert joins the Hero’s ranks after she has a vision of her brother croaking at the hands of an evil jester. Her brutal magic makes her an invaluable party member.

Final Fantasy VIII

Doc Brown would hate Ultimecia. Not only is the clothes-shy witch super evil, her nefarious plot revolves around compressing all time and space so that she can become a god – did Back To The Future II teach her nothing about messing with the continuum?! Good thing she’s no match for Squall and his dreamy ‘do.

Bayonetta

Screw pointy hats, chin warts and ruining your back riding a broomstick. We’re all too glad to throw convention out the window for this quip-cracking, angel-murdering Umbra witch. Whether hurling churches at her foes or wearing an outfit made entirely of her own hair, Bayonetta exudes effortless cool.

Dishonored

Vera Moray (or Granny Rags to those who don’t sweat the prospect of being thrown in an eye of newt broth) is bad to the bone. She may look like a vulnerable old woman, yet she’s actually an immensely powerful, immortal sorceress. Voiced by Susan Sarandon, Rags likes to pass the time by cooking Bottle Street Gang members alive.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Some spellcasters aren’t half vain. Just take the decrepit Baba Yaga. This twisted hag makes Gabriel Belmont jump through many a hoop – involving nicking keys from scarecrows and being shrunk so he can fit inside her jewellery box – just so that she can obtain a rose petal that will make her look young again.

Bloodborne

Eyes may be a hot commodity when it comes to brewing potions, but the Witch of Hemwick takes things to peeper-hoarding extremes. You’ll find her in Hemwick Charnel Lane, and providing you can keep your lunch down while staring at all those eyeballs she’s collected, the battle proves to be one of the game’s least taxing. Still gross, mind.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Hogwarts’ most bookish witch Hermione, the sternest assortment of Danish blocks ever constructed, is on top of her disapproving game in Lego’s take on the final four films of the Potter saga. If you've not played it before, it’s bundled with the first part in the recently released PS4 remaster.

This article originally appeared in Official PlayStation Magazine. For more great PlayStation coverage, you can subscribe here.