10 Terrifying Video Game Horrors Nobody Saw Coming

10. Asphyxia (Silent Hill: Homecoming)

While series favourites Nemesis from Resident Evil 3 and Pyramid Head from Silent Hill 2 often take the prize for most horrific antagonists in survival horror games, both were revealed before the release of their respective games, either by appearing on the box art, or revealed in teaser playthroughs.

One grotesque nasty that took many players by surprise was Human Caterpillar-wannabe, Asphyxia from Silent Hill: Homecoming.

Created out of the memories of Margaret Holloway, Asphyxia represents Nora Holloway, whom Margaret suffocated as a human sacrifice. As with most Silent Hill monsters, their physical manifestation is often linked with the manner of a person's death. The many hands clawing at the monster's body and face represent this suffocation in an all-to-literal way, while the caterpillar-like body comes from Nora's obsession with Alice in Wonderland. Even the lack of eyes is symbolic of how she was murdered in darkness, whilst she slept.

The hideous nature of this monstrosity doesn't end there, with protagonist Alex killing it by wrenching the hands from it's mouth, forcing it to breathe - the absence of which killed Nora to begin with.

Lovely nightmare-fuel there, Konami.