The Image of Baba-Yaga in Western Video Games: Fr Om an Old Witch to a Mad Scientist

Baba Yaga is a character of Slavic folklore, but widely known to Western audiences. Her similarity to the image of the “evil witch” allowed her to gain a foothold in popular culture as an antagonist and become a character in comics, TV series or even board games. From wh ere she moved into video games, and her image is not just a conditional opponent, but a full-fledged NPC (non-player character), with a well-developed quest branch. The article discusses the gradual transformation of the appearance of the character, its function in the plot of the game. As in folklore tales, the image of Baba Yaga is quite ambiguous, and she can play the role of both an antagonist and a guardian or assistant in the plot of the game. Therefore, in the analysis, it is necessary to take into account not only the appearance of the character, but also her role in the overall plot. The influence of the image of the “evil witch” existing in Western culture on her is touched upon and how its reinterpretation made the game Baba Yaga closer to its folklore prototype.