10 Most Terrifying Video Game Enemies (And What They Represent)

9. Beauvoir - NieR: Automata

Nier Automata
Square Enix

Beauvoir, aka Simone, is one of the first big bosses you come across in NieR: Automata. Shacking up in a theatre and putting on her own twisted performances for enslaved robots, Simone yearns to be beautiful and adorns herself in an extravagant dress and garish accessories.

However, her violent desire to be perfect is actually pretty tragic, and the robot has taken to cannibalising her own kind in order to fit the perfect definition of beauty that her former lover demanded, swapping out her parts for more appealing ones. Driven mad in the process, the player is forced to put her down and stop her twisted conquest.

The sheer spectacle makes it a memorable boss fight in its own right, but it resonates so much because it's such an on-the-nose allegory for modern society's obsession with fitting an ideal image of beauty that doesn't exist.

Reflecting how unrealistic demands can result in a whole population feeling uncomfortable with their own body, Simone is a tragic reminder of how dangerous any cultural obsession with appearances can be.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.