One of the keys to making a great game is to ensure that your game becomes iconic, and what better way to do that than by creating memorable characters, settings, and of course, enemies? While we all constantly celebrate the Gordon Freemans, the Chris Redfields and the Solid Snakes of the gaming universe, too often we might forget that those pesky baddies we spend so long gunning down contribute hugely to our enjoyment of the game as well. After all, if we didn't relish killing them so much, would we really bother to continue playing? Now, though the majority of these enemies come from the horror genre, this isn't explicitly a list of the scariest enemies, simply those that we enjoy taking on, but yes, having the s**t scared out of us by them tends to be a by-product of that. Also, I've decided to exclude "one-off" enemies from the list such as bosses; they must be regularly occurring baddies you have to take on. Here are the 10 most awesome video game enemies of all time...
10. Shambler (Quake)
Though the graphics might not hold up particularly well these days, the Shambler from Quake still remains one of my favourite gaming foes. Best described as a mutated Yeti, the Shambler has blood-stained fur, a large mouth with giant fangs, clawed hands, and somehow, no eyes. Not only does the Shambler attack by sweeping its giant claws across your face, it can also cause additional damage by firing electricity bolts at you from a distance. Yes, electricity bolts, you read that right. Even though smart players will know how to avoid the bolt - dodging the end of the charging animation will allow you to escape unscathed - the Shambler remains one of my first initiations into the world of the pant-wetting FPS known as Quake. Though I'm desensitised to the Shambler's manic attacks now, it's still one of gaming's most intense, terrifying and entertaining enemies to take on.