Creepy/scary/uncanny/gross enemies

[Rub'Rum]

I was just reading a discussion about gamers who have arachnophobia and their problem with certain games. I've once seen a website for arachnophobe gamers listing which games they should avoid, or games that had no-spider mods (I can't find it again!).

I can't say spiders cause much effect on me. However, the spiders specifically found in Dark Messiah of Might and Magic made me feel somewhat uncomfortable for some reason. Ugh.

I'm trying to think of more examples... I'm sure some of you will recall some good ones.

Can you remember game enemies that gave you actual physical reactions? Or got close to it?

I'm trying to avoid discussion of games where it's the entire purpose of the game to give you that feeling (ex: Slender Man (sure you can say it has no effect on you and you're awesome, but it's still the point of the game to create an uncanny/scary enemy)).

 

[GAGA Extrem]

Facehuggers from the original AvP.

Dear lord, the first time one of those jumped on my face I fell from my chair.
...whenever I hear their tiny legs crawl across the surface I panic and pull out the flamethrower. °_°

And, es, those Dark Messiah spiders were creepy. Or the zombified version of a certain character you can meet during the game. HOLY MOLY! And it was MY fault! Q_Q

 

[Maniacal]

I remember Captain2 complaining to me about the spiders in Dark messiah.

I don't really find any particular monsters more scary than others, mostly I am only 'scared' if I am taken by complete surprise and I am not fond the uneasy feeling of not knowing exactly when something will jump out or if I am being followed. Most of the time, especially if you keep replaying a game, the shock value wears off and the Witches in Left 4 Dead became more of a minor hassle than a scary obstacle.

Although the first few times I ran into the various mutants in STALKER SoC were pretty creepy, especially at night. That game has great atmosphere. Also Amnesia is pretty creepy and sometimes genuinely scary since you can't fight back.

There were a few gross enemies, like that darkspawn mother... thing... in DA:O, and the zombies in The Walking Dead are pretty gross looking. but nothing that really affected me much.

 

[Rub'Rum]

STALKER: One of my best experience in games was the first few times I entered some creepy basement in abandonned factories in this game and I knew there was something around but could barely see it or what. I really need to finish those games, get back to them. Although they didn't make me feel uneasy or grossed out or scared, this was just a good sense of tension.

 

[The_J]

First enemy encounter in Doom 3 scared the hell out of me. Uninstalled it afterwards.

I think in Arx Fatalis basically everything is at the beginning scary. That's due to the cave environment, and that there are no real limitations in where you can go, so it's likely that you encounter a freakin' hell of an enemy in a dark cave system relatively early.

And Vampires 2.
Being chased by a werewolf is scary (until it gets tedious).
I also had a broken monitor at that time, and it randomly went darker after some time. A dark cathedral, with lots of vampires, and you can barely see anything! You just try to hit something.
Same counts for the zombie house in there, although that was easy fighting.
The underground system had also quite some scary moments. Never lurked that carefully around a corner.

 

[MoreEpicThanYou]

Endermen. Sure, they're pretty much nothing now, but I remember the anticipation for the Adventure Update...

 

[civvver]

Left 4 dead 2 has some freaky ones. The spitters are scary and the witch is terrifying.

The husks in mass effect 2 and 3 can definitely knock you off your chair if you aren't expecting them and turn around and they are right there.

I remember their being a mod for warcraft that actually made all spider models look like cats. I had a friend that used it. It was illegal though because moding any of the game files that way was against the tos. You're basically only allowed to mod UI.

 

[dragonprobably]

The first time I saw the fast zombies from Half Life 2 I nearly crapped myself. I turned the game off when I realized a fast zombie sneaked up on me.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

Two spring to mind. First is the abomination things in the sewer level of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. The first time I played that level I was living at home and my computer was in the living room. I turned around at one part of that level to find one of these fethers had snuck up on me somehow without making any noise and was now RIGHT IN MY FACE OMG. I jumped so hard that my dad, who was watching TV in that room, was laughing at me for days.

Second one is Cazadores in Fallout New Vegas, I HATE wasps.

 

[da dick]

not exactly creepy but i hate crows, bees, birds and other small enemies in most action games. pain the ass. and sometimes they swarm

 

[Maniacal]

Did you play Alan Wake?

 

[Smellincoffee]

From the first FPS I ever played, "The Vorsoth". I just called it "Big Ugly".

In-game..

Spoiler :

 

[CivCube]

Have to give Endermen another nod. Notch managed to translate Weeping Angels into Minecraft.

The Redead from the N64 Zelda games were friggin' creepy to my 1998 self. And then they hump your face.

An honorable mention for Half-Life's Barnacles. The original sound of what seemed to be the prey's breath being pushed out as he was pulled up was rather unnerving.

 

[bonefang]

I "inherited" Diablo 2 Median from my elder brother. The spiders were freaky all right ..

 

[i_imperator]

I thought Saren's final fourm in mass effect was creepy enough. And I never liked the Rachni on Noveria, ya I don't like spiders at all

 

[Rub'Rum]

The Redead from the N64 Zelda games were friggin' creepy to my 1998 self.

Good call. Weird creations.

 

[dragonprobably]

I also forgot Giygas.

 

[phoenix_sprite]

The Redead from the N64 Zelda games were friggin' creepy to my 1998 self. And then they hump your face.

I thought nothing of these guys until I saw concept art in a guide (don't judge me!). After that they always freaked me out.

Spoiler :

 

[civvver]

Those things were creepy. Worst part as there was an entire dungeon built around them. Like level 6 or.

 

[CivCube]

Bottom of the Well is the worst. At least with the Shadow Temple you sorta know what you're getting into--it's right there on the sign. No, you solve a fun puzzle with Windmill Guy and your Child Link's thinking, "Fun and adventure! Tally-ho!"

Nope. Scary music. Redead. Falling through invisible holes and THIS GUY.