The Top Ten

The past twelve months has seen its fair share of scary games and more than its share of creepy enemies. This edition of MyGamer’s Top Ten reveals some of those enemies that we’ve deemed the creepiest. Prepare yourself in readiness for the heebie-jeebies to set in. The following list contains ten creatures from the heaviest-hitting scary games of 2004-2005.

(This edition of the Top Ten contains minor spoilers. Read on at your own discretion)

10: The Sorrow (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Hideo Kojima is perhaps best known for his originality and creative style but not for his ability to create creepy enemies. Perhaps this will change with the introduction of The Sorrow from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. As a man, The Sorrow was killed in action and now haunts the region where he died. When you finally meet him in battle you realize just how creepy he truly is. The most notable feature of The Sorrow is he is the first boss I’ve ever seen that actually uses screamers as an attack. That is spooky enough as it is, but the real charm comes from the boss environment. He makes you witness the damage you have done and the lives you have ended. The lightning, the screams of pain and terror and the ghosts of the dead surround you; this all makes for a truly creepy experience.

9: Headcrabs (Half-Life 2)

These little creatures come from Xen and can be found crawling around in the world of Half-Life 2. The eerie headcrabs made their first appearance in the original Half-Life and since then have changed their look drastically. There are now two new versions, which are much creepier: The fast headcrab, which as its name indicates, moves quickly and has the ability to possess corpses; and The poison headcrab, which is toxic and can inflict a surprising 99 damage. Worse yet, multiple poisonous headcrabs can latch onto an unsuspecting victim and turn him into a poisonous zombie (which can be found later on this list). Probably the most disturbing place in all of Half-Life 2 (and maybe even every other game) is Ravenholm, where dozens of headcrabs are gathered. Even though headcrabs are scant little more than pesky, and fairly easy to kill, that doesn’t make them any less creepy.

8: Wolves (Resident Evil 4)

The wolf is Resident Evil 4’s take on the old-fashioned dog from the previous Resident Evil titles. You initially encounter the wolf outside a church and cemetery amid a heavy thunderstorm. When I first got to the church I didn’t see the wolf right away and was shocked at the ferocity of its attack. Once I heard its faint growl I knew it was too late to react. It pounced and sunk its teeth into my (character’s) throat as it snarled and shook me around like a rag doll. Not surprisingly, I dreaded my next encounter with a wolf. The worst part comes later in the game when you have to make your way through a maze inhabited by a pack of ravenous wolves. Ominous growling and rabid panting are the most terrifyingly suspenseful sounds while making your way gingerly through the maze where throat-tearing terror awaits around every corner. It is such a huge relief once you make it out of the maze