Summary
Most video games use an action-packed gameplay loop to keep players engaged, which mandates the need for a whole host of enemies that can push players to adjust to defeat anyone who stands in their way. This enemy variety can go a long way in making each battle a test where players figure out weaknesses and patterns, exploiting them to attain victory. It’s a satisfying sensation to beat these foes into the ground, especially the stronger ones who give players a tough time.
However, there are times whengames feature enemiesthat can catch players by surprise, pretending to be something else before rearing their ugly heads. It’s a harrowing prospect, with thesemimicsturning into one of the most iconic and hated enemy types in gaming, and they excel at scaring players right when they get comfortable in a game.
Dark Soulsisone of the greatest action RPGs of all time. The game wastes no time in showing players just how challenging it is, forcing them to follow a sound strategy and do everything in their power to beat down a boss that will decimate them time and time again. By the time players reach Anor Londo, they’ll feel like they can handle most of the toughest enemies this title has to offer. However, this is when a mimic appears to take players by surprise.
Being chomped down on by a chest that supposedly houses treasure is one of the most jarring moments in a video game, and most players will be shocked to their core as all their precious health is wiped away in a flash. Unless the Chosen Undead is very powerful, this is a guaranteed death that will force players to stay on their toes from now on whenever they find a chest.
It’s hard to believe that a game as charming asShovel Knightcan figure out a way to scare the player. After all, the retro graphics make it seem like this game won’t lean into any horror tropes at all, which is whythe fight against theTeethalonis such an effective way to scare the player. While exploring the Iron Whale, players stumble upon an inviting chest. As they move to open it, a horrible surprise lies in wait for them.
Instead of the treasure they coveted, players must take on a horrifying miniboss designed after an angler fish. The Teethalon is one of the most memorable encounters in the game, and anyone who fails to gather their bearings after encountering this boss will die in a flash. Thankfully, once players experience this unwanted surprise once, repeating this battle shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.
Super Mario 64is one of the greatest platformers of all time. It’s amazing how Nintendo managed to help their favorite mascot transition seamlessly into 3D, with the gameplay loop feeling incredible to this day. Every level in the game is bursting with creativity, with the spooky nature of Big Boo’s Haunt making for a nice change of pace from the chirpy levels of the game. For the most part, the scares in this game are more adorable than haunting, but that’s before players enter a room with a piano.
Kids who played this game were traumatized when they approached this piano, only for it to burst into life horrifyingly, and for its gnashing teeth toshave off Mario’s precious health. It’s a moment that makes players panic and forces them to scramble back to a safe space, helping this stand out as one of the scariest enemies in a non-horror game that anyone can subject themselves to.
Preyis one of the most interesting immersive sims that fans can get their hands on. The desolate and lonely setting of Talos I makes for a terrifying setting, with players taking on the role of Morgan Yu who was seemingly trapped in a simulation before it breaks down and he manages to explore the halls of a desolate space station. It takes a while for the first enemy to rear its ugly head, but players will be sufficiently surprised when a random object morphs into aTyphon mimicthat immediately jumps on their face.
It’s a shocking moment that shows how players must stay on their toes and trust nothing in the environment. A single object out of place will cause players to fire in a panic, proving whyPrey’s atmosphere is unmatched. Sure, these enemies become easier to manage as players make progress in this title, but the first few hours ofPreyare uniquely tense because ofthe lingering threat of mimicsscattered throughout the environment.
Hollow Knightis a challenging game that takes no prisoners. Players must learn how to maneuver themselves and master the game’s combat system if they don’t want one of the title’s many tough bosses to beat them into the ground. Hallownest is a dark and brooding world to explore, with some of its NPCs and the occasional trapped Grub being the only source of happiness in a landscape that is slowly wasting away.
However, not all the Grubs are worth saving. Sometimes, players will free one of these adorable critters, only to be taken aback by an enemy encounter asthis cute insect turns into a horrifying one. If the player is unable to gather their bearings in time, then The Knight will fall and players will lose their precious progress in a flash, all due to a seemingly innocent little bug.
