9. Slender Makes An Appearance In Bit.Trip Runner 2
Bit.Trip Presents Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien is a mouthful of a name, yet a deceptively easy game. An indie title released as a downloadable game on most consoles, it's one of the more colourful and inventive titles in the endless runner series - y'know, of the Temple Run variety - and provides hours of enjoyable entertainment. Not only is the game challenging, but the levels have the sort of quirky breeziness and surreality of early Mario titles (and funnily enough all the menus and cut scenes are narrated by Charles Martinet, who has voiced Nintendo's flagship character since 1990), and it's generally a raucous good time for players of all ages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s60rUbqgjA Except, perhaps, the third environment you come across in the game. The forest level in Bit.Trip Runner 2 is just as whimsical and brightly-lit as the rest but, if you can tear your eyes away from the fast-paced platforming for just a second, you might spot a sinister presence lingering in the background. Worse than the HellValleySkyTree, creepier than The Witch. Yep, that's internet legend Slender Man just chilling out back there. Much like the original forum posts that birthed the character, he lingers just out of sight, so you catch him out of the corner of your eye, almost subliminally. He follows your progress throughout the whole level, too, suggesting that with each success he is getting closer and closer to his latest victim. That's you, by the way.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
