Summary
- Regular enemies in video games shouldn't be overlooked, as they make up the majority of gameplay and can have unique designs and combat strategies.
- Some regular enemies, like the Lickers in Resident Evil 2 or the Hunters in Bloodborne, provide thrilling and challenging encounters that require players to adapt their tactics.
- Even classic games like Pac-Man showcase the importance of regular enemies, as the dynamic between the player and ghosts adds strategic depth to the gameplay experience.
Boss battles are important triumphs in almost every video game that features combat. It often marks the end of a chapter leading into another and is a true test of gamers' skills. As important as they are, it is vital not to forget the regular enemies between them.
9 Most Innovative Boss Fights In Gaming History
Boss fights can make or break a game, and some games go above and beyond by creating innovative fights.
Where bosses are just a moment, gamers will spend most of their time fighting off regular enemies while progressing through a video game's story. Some baddies are notable because of their creative designs and how they change the way players approach combat. Even once gamers get used to these enemies, it is still fun to take them on in their respective titles.
10 UFE Troops
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3
For the first half of Max Payne 3, players fight enemies who wear little armor. As Max dives deeper into the conspiracy behind the plot, he then has to take on fully armed and armored special police officers.
These enemies are notable because of how they punish those who focus on auto-aim. Simply locking on to an enemy's body will have their armor soak up most of the bullets. Instead, players have to aim for the head, making them appreciate just how tight the shooting is in Max Payne 3.
9 Licker
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 21, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The debut Resident Evil game had hunters to threaten players in addition to the regular zombies. Resident Evil 2 upped both the threat level and scares with lickers. These monsters look like humans turned inside out, brains and all, who also have deadly claws and literally sharp tongues.
Though they cannot see, they detect the slightest noise Leon or Claire make, a mechanic that somehow makes them even scarier in the 2019 remake. Players sometimes walk right by them, silently begging the creature not to notice them.
8 Hunters
Bloodborne
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
Bloodborne, and FromSoftware games in general, are full of creatively designed creatures, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Fighting Hunters in Bloodborne feels particularly incredible because their skill set does not significantly differ from the player's.
The Hardest Hunter Fights In Bloodborne, Ranked
FromSoftware is known for creating challenging games, Bloodborne being one of them, and these are the hardest fights in the game.
Though they have unique moves and every player has a different build, it feels like fighting a mirror version of the player character nonetheless. The fights against these very humanoid characters are thrilling in a unique way when compared to the Lovecraftian horror that inspires the other enemies.
7 Tonberry
Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 5
- Released
- December 6, 1992
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
The Tonberry from the Final Fantasy franchise characterizes just how absurd the enemies can be in the long-running JRPG property. These tiny green creatures in hoods appear harmless and seem to just slowly approach the party. However, once they get close, they have the ability to deal brutal amounts of damage to the player.
Most of the time, encountering one of these foes means players are near the end of the game or in an optional dungeon. They first appeared in Final Fantasy 5, and in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, they show up in the story in a humorous way.
6 Headcrab Zombie
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
These enemies appear in the first Half-Life and are scary, but it is in the sequel that they really shine. It is hard to understand how technically marvelous Half-Life 2 was in every way back in 2004. The zombies moved realistically, and their screams made it seem like so much humanity was left inside them.
The Ravenholm chapter in particular makes them creepier than the imagination ever could. Players sometimes have to rely on their environment and the gravity gun to survive certain encounters with these zombies.
5 Creeper
Minecraft
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Mojang
- Platform(s)
- 3DS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
Minecraft is not exclusively about creation and innovation; players also have to contend with hazards and dangerous mobs from time to time. Creepers, though primitive in design, served as nightmare fuel for a lot of young gamers enjoying their time in Minecraft.
Every Tameable Mob In Minecraft, Ranked
Minecraft may feel like a lonely game at times, but at least players have buddies to help them out! These are the ranked tameable mobs.
They fit in with the relatively joyous 8-bit look of the title, but their function as nighttime lurchers is enough to make anyone shake in their boots. These creatures get their name because of how silent they are, only making noise once they are about to explode.
4 Big Daddy
BioShock
BioShock
- Released
- August 21, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Irrational Games
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The Big Daddy enemy is not immediately hostile toward BioShock players. They serve to protect the little sisters and will only harm the player if they feel threatened or if anyone goes after the small child. Most players want the Atom within the little sisters, so they will have to fight the Bid Daddies eventually.
There's something intimidating about watching them stomp around an area while preparing to take them on with everything in a player's arsenal. In a game with a faceless protagonist, they came to be the series' mascot of sorts.
3 Clicker
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us
- Released
- June 14, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
Clickers cannot see, but they use their own sound to make their way through the environment. Many encounters with them in both Last of Us games start with Joel and Ellie hearing them long before they come into view. The noise alone is enough to give one pause.
It is such a simple sound, but it lets players know they are about to encounter several of the terrifying creatures. The television series gave non-gamers a glimpse of Clickers, and viewers also agreed that they would love to never see one in real life.
2 Nurses
Silent Hill 2
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Silent Hill 2
- Released
- September 25, 2001
- Developer(s)
- Team Silent
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Enemies are not always the best because of how they factor into a game's mechanics. The nurses in Silent Hill 2 are not especially dangerous, nor do they function drastically differently than zombies in Resident Evil.
Nurses haunt James Sunderland as representations of his lust and temptation, tying directly into the game's narrative and themes. Though they make appearances in future games, they do not have the same relevance in later Silent Hill media.
1 Ghosts
Pac-Man
Having to run away from enemies was not an entirely new concept when Pac-Man hit arcades in 1980, but it still felt pretty novel. The dynamic between players and ghosts is further complicated by the power pellets.
When Pac-Man picks these up, the tables are turned, and he is able to eat the ghosts for a short time while they are blue. The element of strategy players have to consider while gobbling up the pac pellets makes the ghosts memorable adversaries and earns Pac-Man its revered place in gaming history.