Summary
Stalker enemies are aptly named, as they never relent in the pursuit of the players with deadly intent. Fans have no choice but to make sure they are always one step ahead, since if they’re caught, it is game over. With their terrifying designs, players won’t want to stay in their presence for very long.
Games likeResident Evil 2popularized stalker enemies, but many more horror games demonstrate fantastic use of chasing enemies, some of which even predate the very firstREgame. These titles are terrifying in their own right, but these stalker monsters elevate them into pure nightmare fuel.
Thiswell-known indie horror gamebecame an online sensation, with some famous YouTubers owing their fame to it. Gamers could not escape seeing reaction complications, full breakdowns of the game and lore, and the countless copycats it inspired. But the original remains the best thanks to its simplicity, and the effectiveness of the stalker enemy.
Players are dropped into dark woodlands with only a feeble flashlight and a few landmarks to help orient themselves as they gather the scattered pages as a threat looms close. Glitchy sounds and static are telltale signs the stalker is near, and if he draws too close, he claims yet another victim. The atmosphere Slender helps to create makes this a terrifying horror experience, but it is no more terrifying than Slenderman himself, a tall, faceless man who won’t hesitate to even kill children.
Outlastbecame a sensation overnight, taking players on a nightmarish tour through itsabandoned asylum setting, facing players with a menagerie of horrifying inmates that have become mentally and physically twisted into dangerous enemies, the most intimidating being Chris Walker.
Chris is a towering juggernaut of sheer brutality, and he chases the player down relentlessly throughout many sections of the game, taunting them all the while. His stature, speed, and strength all culminate to make him one of the most intimidating stalker enemies players can encounter. Fans unlucky enough to cross his path need to run and hide, as there is no defeating this hulking giant.
The firstAmnesiagame catapulted the series into success. The fourth installment, set during WW1, sees a soldier flee for safety in a bunker found amid the trenches. But the eponymous bunker might be even more dangerous than the warzone, as it houses something far more dangerous than enemy forces.
A horrifying monster known only as the Beast lurks in darkness and shadow. Should the lights turn off, the player will be left open and vulnerable to falling to the Beast, but not before catching a glimpse of its terrifying appearance. Players need to take care to stay in the light andremain silent, as wherever they tread, the Beast won’t be far.
Games based on movies tend to have a poor track record, butAlien: Isolationbroke the dreaded adaptation curse, delivering one of the most impressive sci-fi horror games of all time. Its setting between movies might have something to do with its success, as well as casting a new original character, Amanda Ripley, rather than one of the series' protagonists.
The only familiar face players see will be of little comfort. The Xenomorph is a tall anddeadly alienwith acid blood and a tail sharp enough to pierce skin, flesh, and bone. While players explore Sevastopol Station they need to keep one eye on the radar, as it is the first warning players will receive of the presence of an unwelcome stalker. Thanks to the sophisticated AI integration, the Xenomoprth feels like a true, present threat, which only makes it all the more terrifying.
Those who knowResident Evilknow Nemesis, one of the mostinfamous bosses from across the series, with a major axe to grind with members of STARS. Sent to dispatch Jill and other members of STARS during the Raccoon City incident, Nemesis was a constant and ever-present threat, equipped with weapons and the necessary skills to take them down.
In the originalRE3, Nemesis could pop up in different places and resume the chase, so players couldn’t always predict when their stalker would make his inevitable return. The randomization of his appearances was completely removed in the remake, but Nemesis remains a stalker to be feared in both iterations.
Before the popular stalker enemy Mr. X, there was the Scissorman, the terrifying main antagonist of theClock Towerfranchise. His presence was always announced by the telltale snipping sounds, a cue that the players were going to need to run to avoid being chopped into little bits.
In the firstClock Tower, players take on the role of Jennifer Simpson, who is trying to escape a mansion in Norway, with her main obstacle being that of the Scissorman. His choice of weaponcertainly isn’t ordinary, and the thought of falling prey to such a weapon is an effective way to incite fear, as it would be a painful way to go.
Mr. X is one of the most memorable parts ofResident Evil 2. This hulking giant storms through the RPD, his intimidating footsteps nearly always present, and when they get louder, players know they need to move, and fast. More than once, they will turn the wrong corner or open the wrong door and come face-to-face with the gray-skinned monster wearing his trademark trenchcoat, ready to deliver some killer punches.
What’s even worse is that Mr. X cannot be killed. Bullets will only serve to stun him, so even if they pump him full of lead, they can be sure he won’t be down for long and will return to stalking them with a vengeance. Mr. X is a perfect example of a stalker enemy done right.
