10 Horror Villains That Don't Stop Chasing You

Stalking, as a concept, is generally considered to be a bad thing. You know that, I know that, it's an established societal rule, right?

Well, not if you're a video game baddy, of course. Societal boundaries don't apply when you're hell-bent on maiming.

More often found in horror/survival games, there's a whole wealth of nasties that are lurking, looming, or generally creeping after our heroes.

Whether rooted in Lovecraft's works, or made in a laboratory, there's some right scary stalkers out there. Androids corrupted by a higher power, or humanoid terrors that have a weird thing for trenchcoats, they're all out to get you.

What makes them more terrifying than say, your standard enemy, is the persistent threat. Grunts and goons are just obstacles to get past, but a good stalker will crop up at any moment to put a proverbial spanner in the works.

The familiar musical sting, the hiss, the clomping of a boot, or even the heart-skipping moment they catch you completely unawares, it's all here.

So prepare yourself, check those corners and look over your shoulder, as we have a look (from a safe distance) at some of the creepiest stalkers to ever put us on edge.

It would be far too easy to make this entry about the xenomorph(s) and be done with it. Of course, they're the titular draw of the series, so why not fall back on them?

Alas no, I'm going to instead pay tribute to an enemy that isn't outright terrifying, but constantly unsettling.

Androids in the Alien series have never sat well, with the Working Joe's being no different. But at least in the films they're characterised, whereas here they're blank-faced, monotonous monstrosities.

When the xenomorph sees you, you can accept your fate. When a Joe is on your tail, though, it's absolutely terrifying - there's a chance you'll survive, but it won't be through running away, because that will draw the alien towards you. Also, you can't melt one in moments of blind panic.

Trust me, I've tried; being told in a clear and calm manner that they can withstand the heat is not reassuring.

It ramps up the terror from "just running from an alien" when you add a sinister AI-driven android force in pursiuit, those expressionless faces the last thing you see as they throttle the life out of you.