When you’re lost in an RPG game, it stops being a game. During tense or frightening moments, your heartbeat quickens, you may sweat a little more than usual, and lose track of your physical surroundings. Here are five RPG characters who will haunt your dreams – if you can even go to sleep.
- Fast Zombie
Zombies are scary enough for a lot of people, but Ravenholm upped the ante by making them more mobile. No slow-motion limb-dragging here; these suckers have claws and can jump and climb. Your only saving grace is that they don’t do very much damage, provided you only come across one. Unfortunately, they like to travel in packs. Yikes.
It’s easy to feel distracted by fast zombies, due to the noises they make and the fact that they throw headcrabs at you (they themselves are headcrabs who have possessed human corpses). Headcrabs are poisonous, slowing you down even further as you do your best to move through them.
- Piggsy
Spoiler alert: this is no swine, it’s a man wearing a pig’s head. Murderous Piggsy is the ultimate bad guy in 2003’s Manhunt, a game which was banned in numerous countries thanks to its troublesome themes and gore. Players dread the squealing as Piggsy, an incurable psychopath, appears out of nowhere.
But if you can stomach Piggsy long enough to thwart him, you’ll know true victory. Patience is key, but there should be a few weapons (as well as some painkillers to keep you healthy enough) hanging around at Starkweather’s Mansion.
- Catoblepas
The gigantic monster from Final Fantasy XV seems just a little more frightening because there’s something familiar about it. It turns out that certain aspects of Catoblepas are based on dinosaurs and other recorded versions of horrific beasts dating back centuries.
To get the best of Catoblepas, you’ll need to brush up on your hunting. But in the end, is Catoblepas really as fearsome as he seems? You’ll have to find out for yourself.
- The Licker
This long-tongued mutated zombie from Resident Evil 2 has an exposed brain and no eyes – so be quiet! Resident Evil 2 changed RPG for many, as the storyline and graphics offered an experience much more akin to a horror movie than the games that came before it.
Is the Licker crawling across the windows? Is it plastered to the ceiling? You’ll have to sneak around to get the best of it – that means no running. They operate purely based on your play.
When your opportunity does arise, be sure you have adequate ammo.
- Deathclaw
Fallout 3 is an award-winning post-apocalyptic combat RPG from 2008 which takes place in, of all places, Maryland. The Deathclaw is a huge, tough mutant worthy of its title. Part human, part reptile, they have limited eyesight, a characteristic of many RPG beasts. If you want to go back and experience this classic game, our advice would be to go for the legs.
