Take a gander at these ghouls and stare death straight in the eyes.

When one thinks of the typical personification of death, the first figure that will likely come to mind is the Grim Reaper. As iconic as this black-robed, scythe-wielding figure may be, they are far from being the only personifications of death in the market.

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This list is here to look at some of the other notable bringers of death and how they have been depicted throughout the years in the video game medium. Thankfully, there are a number of strong contenders, as personifications of death are not in short supply.

While Viking: Battle For Asgard is not exactly the most fondly remembered game of all time, this hack and slash title predates the more recent Norse Mythology boom that video games have been experiencing. However, while the game may be a little button mashy, its depiction of Hel is kinda fun.

She ultimately acts as the final antagonist of the game and is a somewhat sympathetic figure. Also, she makes for an interesting final boss (it isn't every day you see a woman growing out of the neck of a giant man). It is all pretty schlocky, but ultimately Hel is maybe the most memorable aspect of this title from a bygone era.

Kali is the Hindu god of death. The Shin Megami Tensei series is known for shining a light on mythological figures from around the world; Kali is not an exception here. She is extremely well-realized. While she doesn't get a boss battle like Shiva, due to the nature of the game, Kali is a recruitable character.

Befitting a god as tremendously powerful as Kali, she isn't obtainable until you hit the final dungeon of Shin Megami Tensei 5. This is a bit of a bummer, as it means that you won't be able to use her for the majority of the game. But still, this is one of the few iterations of this god of death and arguably the best.

Banshees are associated with death. If you hear their scream then that means you are marked for death. While they do not play a pivotal role in the Witcher 3, they are an enemy that you can encounter in a handful of quests.

Related: The Witcher 3: Things You Didn't Know About Banshees

What really helps this emissary of death stand out is their strong visual design, taking the form of a skeletal wraith with waist-long hair and a long, flowing dress. They hover above the ground and lunge forward unnaturally. While they only play a bit part in the game, they still manage to leave an impression.

Of all the Egyptian gods, Anubis is definitely one of the most iconic. This god of death appears in the excellent Spelunky 2 as a boss. Anubis answers the age-old question of what happens when you kill the god of death. Well, turns out they just come back again. Proving, once and for all, that Anubis is a giant hypocrite.

The Anubis fight (both of them) isn't a joke, either. His death rays are absolutely devastatingly powerful. Making this a pretty tense encounter. What makes this fight so cool is that if you kill Anubis (the first time) you get to take his scepter. Now you are the god of death. And boy howdy, does that scepter deliver!

Nyx is probably more known for being a loving motherly figure in Hades, but her appearance in Persona 3 is a little more menacing. The god of the night, Nyx is another one of the many personifications of death found in mythology. Acting as Persona 3's climactic boss encounter, she is looking to live up to her reputation.

Nyx is a brutal, tough final battle. Nyx is a master of every element. She can shift forms, forcing you to adapt and switch what type of attacks you will utilize. Sometimes the final encounter in a game can be a letdown, but Nyx will require that you throw everything at her. This makes her an excellent final boss encounter.

Queen Odette is one of the examples of a god of death that is unique to its world, though almost certainly, she is based on Hel to some extent. Odette is an interesting figure, she is cruel, but she shows glimpses of mercy throughout the course of the game (specifically toward Cornelius). More than anything, though, Queen Odette is one part striking design and one part an awesome boss fight.

It is a given that any Vanillaware title will be visually striking, but Queen Odette is among their best. Odette warps around the room in the form of a black mist, can send large blades hurtling towards you, and will eventually reveal the spidery appendages hidden under her dress. All in all, she is an extremely memorable boss in a game filled with them.

The Dullahan is an Irish personification of death; typically, Dullahan is depicted as being a headless suit of armor. This figure is no stranger to the video game medium. They have appeared in countless titles ranging from Castlevania to Final Fantasy. However, typically the Dullahan acts as fodder. That is not the case in Golden Sun.

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Here, Dullahan is one of the absolutely best boss battles in the franchise! We say "franchise" because this headless horror is a recurring boss. And boy is he potent! He has a number of horrifying status effects that can dramatically weaken your party members, deal severe damage, or even just kill them instantly. He is a genuine threat!

Brahms is the king of the undead. In Valkyrie Profile he plays an interesting role. He exists in the shadows. The first time you encounter him, he will imply that there may be a little more going on behind the scenes than you suspect. This makes him an early source of intrigue in the game.

He is also both an optional boss as well as a secret, recruitable character. Brahms is a classic coolheaded badass. He has a devil-may-care attitude. While he is arrogant, he definitely shows that he has a kinder side. Mix that with his awesome vampiric design and his pugilistic fighting style, and you get a legendary RPG character.

Never before has a personification of death been so damn bishi. Thanatos is, essentially, a grim reaper-esque figure. However, he is so much more than that. For starters, he adds some excellent gameplay variety to Hades. He isn't simply another boss, when you encounter him you actually compete against him to see who can kill the most baddies the fastest.

Beyond that, Thanatos is one of the many denizens of the underworld that you get to interact with. And guess what? He is a super cool dude. And hey, if you want, you may be able to push your relationship beyond simple friendship. Thanatos is a fan favorite for a reason: he is as charismatic as he is hot!

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James is a writer for TheGamer. He typically spends his time playing games, thinking about games, overanalyzing games, and sleeping. While he has an appreciation for all genres, he is especially interested in fighting games and RPGs. He also enjoys reading books and watching movies and will happily overanalyze those as well.