The horror genre has extended to video games in a huge way over the course of the past decade or so. Be it down to the zombie dodging tension of the Resident Evil series, or the icy terrors of a Silent Hill game, horror games are officially scaring the heck out us. From this increase in horror games comes the inevitable increase of what I’m dubbing “wet your pants scary enemies” (for lack of a better name). Join us as we count down the 10 scariest ever video game characters to have graced our screens. Try not to get too scared with the obvious gaming flashbacks these entries will provoke.
10. Piggsy – Manhunt
Manhunt caused a whole load of controversy back when it was released due to its controversial subject matter. You controlled a supposedly deceased death row inmate called Cash, who is forced to participate in a series of underground snuff films by a director called Starkweather. The game was noted for having three levels of executions: the longer you pressed the button, the more gruesome it would be.
Piggsy was perhaps the most terrifying thing about this game. He was a hulking, mentally retarded, chainsaw-wielding psychopath who wore a pig’s head and was kept chained up in Starkweather’s attic. The game culminated in Cash and Piggsy stalking each other throughout the upper levels of Starkweather’s mansion. Cash comes out top by luring Piggsy onto a grate that collapses under his weight and whilst Piggsy is dangling, Cash cuts off his hands.
What added to the terrifying allure of Piggsy was not only his huge size and chainsaw-wielding tendencies, but the actual boss fight itself. You were walking around the attic and then bam! Out of nowhere out emerges Piggsy, lumbering after you with those chainsaw revving ways. It was basically fighting Leatherface’s spiritual successor, and that’s a horrific thought.
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7 Comments
Admittedly it wasn’t the greatest game (unlike its predecessor), but I always used to get scared when I realised a Big Sister was coming in Bioshock 2 – especially when low on supplies after killing the last Big Daddy…
Oh Lord, Big Sisters were awful. I always had a habit of being low on everything when I fought them!
I always thought the great mighty poo was scary on Conker Live and Reloaded. I’d take zombies over that any day!
Loved playing “The Suffering” – as you said, completely underrated game, along with the follow-up, “Ties That Bind”. Surely due a third outing sometime…
Played the Suffering when I was like 10, scared me half to death!
Good list, forgotten about a couple of these. Giant Chainsaw Man from Res 4 for me, the first time you hear that whirring, only having a pistol and then him drilling that chainsaw into your neck! Man, that was bad when it first happened!
Pyramid Head and Piggsy own this list. They are the two scariest characters I’ve ever played against.