Do we like them?

Do we like Herobrine?

A character from Minecraft (2010)

Our score: 3 out of 10. We'd keep our distance. He's a spooky prankster, not a killer, but he's the sort of company that turns a quiet mining trip into a nervous one.

Herobrine is not an official character. He is a creepypasta that began on Minecraft forums and image boards in 2010. In the original tale, a player in single-player mode sees a figure who looks like the default player skin but has blank, glowing white eyes. He stands in the distance and runs off when approached.

As the legend grew, he picked up a set of habits. He builds small, strange structures, such as neat tunnels, sand pyramids and towers. He also removes trees and leaves little traces behind. The popular story is that he never appears when you look for him, which is part of the fear.

The legend got a boost from staged screenshots and hoaxes in 2010. Mojang's creator, Notch, has denied that Herobrine was ever in the game. Many later updates have joked that he's been removed, which keeps the in-joke running. That is why he's a folk-horror figure more than a villain.

We score him a 3. He's a haunting presence, not a cruel one, and he does nothing good. He's best treated as a campfire story you'd enjoy telling but wouldn't want to meet in the dark.