17 Most Violent Video Game Moments Of The Decade (So Far)

With great graphical power comes great disgust-ability.

gory violent video games
Rebellion/Crystal Dynamics/Sony/NetherRealm

At some point the world's probably going to call 'stop' on insane video game violence. Once a parent-scaring nightmare that arose alongside the dawn of pixellated viscera, now we've literally got photo-realistic portrayals - controllable ones at that - of everything from stabbings to decapitations and everything in between.

Granted there's always going to be that quintessential disconnect between virtual and reality, but you need only play something like GTA V's very impactful first-person mode, to get a feel for how 'weird' it's starting to feel. Virtual reality too, will only offer new ways to blast anything in your way into a thousand tinier chunks, and whilst I'm not advocating one school of thought over another, you've gotta admit we're approaching a tipping point in terms of immersion and risqué content - one that will lead to some very interesting discussions going forward.

To take stock of where we are with video game violence in 2016, here's a rundown of the most violent moments and scenes since 2010. Let me know your own in the comments below, and hold on tight, because it's about to get messy...

17. Kung Lao & Noob Saibot's Fatalities - Mortal Kombat X

mortal kombat 9 IX noob saibot fatality
NetherRealm

It's hard narrowing down Mortal Kombat's fatalities from across its ninth and tenth instalment, but I'm backtracking to a couple from MK9, just for sheer "Holy F&%K!!!" reactions.

Both Noob Saibot's 'groin-rip' (named Make a Wish) and Kung Lao's Razor's Edge (where he tears his foe in half and holds aloft two half-corpses) are brilliantly vile, and outstandingly gruesome.

Nothing in MK X even came close - save perhaps for Ermac telepathically removing his opponent's intestines through their mouth - so I'm crowning these two the most violent finishers of the last few yeas. Leave your own suggestions in the comments below...

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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.