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Best designed video game generic enemy

DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
edited August 2010 in Games and Technology
I was replaying Half Life 2 today and it got me thinking about how well Valve designed its run-of-the-mill enemies that you encounter, so that each is very unique and different.

I'm not talking about bosses, I'm talking about the mooks.

The best for me, has got to be the manhacks in the early stages of Half Life 2. That metallic whirring sound drives me insane, they are so small and maneuverable that they freak me out and I flail around like a spastic whenever they're in the room. And the worst thing is, they do negligible damage even on the higher levels.

What do you guys remember as being the best designed enemy in games? Whether it be due to a unique sound it made that induced panic (in the case of the manhacks), or blind panic just because of how powerful and scary it was (that underwater shark creature from the original Half-Life).

Dhalphir on
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Posts

  • SkutSkutSkutSkut Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    These lil annoying buggers.

    ImpRight.gif

    Pretty much the iconic Doom enemy besides the big bad Cyber Demon.

    SkutSkut on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Chryssalid.gif

    Welcome to your nightmare motherfuckers

    joshofalltrades on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    A close second place award goes to

    system_shock2_halloween.jpg

    joshofalltrades on
  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I like the basic Combine cops from Half-Life 2. Simple and functional design. The Combine soldiers don't look quite as good, and the white Combine shock troopers later on in the game look downright hideous.

    reVerse on
  • KrudlerKrudler Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Legend of Zelda had a lot of great generic enemies. The Armos was pretty great but nothing made me crap my pants like the Like Like, those shield-eating meat-blob bastards.

    Krudler on
  • Kevin CristKevin Crist I make the devil hit his knees and say the 'our father'Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    slimel.jpg

    these guys are hugely popular. Even got their own spin off.

    Kevin Crist on
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  • MuridenMuriden Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Krudler wrote: »
    The Legend of Zelda had a lot of great generic enemies. The Armos was pretty great but nothing made me crap my pants like the Like Like, those shield-eating meat-blob bastards.
    Like_Like_(Ocarina_of_Time).png

    I remember as a younger gamer I would play Ocarina of Time and scream at the game, "you give that back you mother fucker, that's not yours" as I would spam the sword slash.

    Muriden on
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  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    oh come on, really

    no one's mentioned them yet

    really

    Rent on
  • KazooKazoo Get in the van. I have candy.Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Alma scared the shit out of me in F.E.A.R.

    Kazoo on
  • KrudlerKrudler Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Muriden wrote: »
    I remember as a younger gamer I would play Ocarina of Time and scream at the game, "you give that back you mother fucker, that's not yours" as I would spam the sword slash.
    In the original NES versions you could have had your way; If you killed it fast enough it'd drop your shield.

    There are plenty of annoying mobs out there, hoppers in Castlevania or birds in Ninja Gaiden definitely got screamed at a lot in my household, but while the LikeLike was insanely annoying, it's greatness was that it didn't just hit you for damage. It gimped your defenses, hit you in the wallet, and was just all around demoralizing.

    Krudler on
  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Rent on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Rent wrote: »
    oh come on, really

    no one's mentioned them yet

    really

    Somebody is impatient on page 1

    I took the creepy route!

    joshofalltrades on
  • kaleeditykaleedity Sometimes science is more art than science Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I've never ever had problems technically with bob-ombs.

    In fact, I would frequently play the original smash bros. with the highest item drop frequency with only bob-ombs, so explosives were everywhere and I got really good with playing with them.

    but they've always terrified me in every iteration they've been given.

    kaleedity on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Kazoo wrote: »
    Alma scared the shit out of me in F.E.A.R.

    Isn't Alma a boss

    joshofalltrades on
  • DritzDritz CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Kremlings of course specifically DKC2

    Kremling.jpg

    Dritz on
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  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Gonna go with Wretches from Gears of War. They were pretty formidable on Insane difficulty and that really loud screech before a scripted wretch attack was unnerved me. Lambent Wretches can go to hell though...

    Skull2185 on
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  • Rex DartRex Dart Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Can't think of any enemy I've enjoyed killing (and watching die) more:

    Campfire-soldiers.gif

    Rex Dart on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Also you picked the wrong HL2 mook

    Headcrab_Poison.jpg

    joshofalltrades on
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Nothing inspires the same level of AHH FUCK OFF GET FUCK AHH FUCK YOU FUCK AHH as Wallmasters and Floormasters in legend of zelda do.

    Well, not quite true, theres one enemy that illicits the same response.

    Poison Headcrabs. I will routinely use highly excessive force to kill those fuckers. Single one approaching slowly? Sounds like a job for this exploding barrel, and perhaps some grenades to be sure. Maybe some rockets.

    edit- *Looks up* AHHHHH DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE

    -SPI- on
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Also you picked the wrong HL2 mook

    Goddamn Poison fucker

    Oh I hate those... The little rattlesnake growl thing they do always sends me into panic mode backed into a corner.

    Skull2185 on
    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Oh, also, the crazies in Condemned: Criminal Origins

    Namely the ones from the abandoned department store level. They coated their skin in Mannequin plaster! You could just barely see mannequins moving around in the distance. And you never knew if you were comming up on an enemy or just a mannequin. I had to take a break halfway through, I was getting too freaked... like sweaty freaked.

    Skull2185 on
    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    These dudes.

    hecuorigmodels.jpg

    Pretty much every FPS has some form of soldier in it, but in a game filled with weird aliens the standard human soldiers were easily my favourite enemy.

    Hearing their radio chatter as they flank you and flush you out with grenades still impresses me.

    mere_immortal on
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  • DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    reVerse wrote: »
    I like the basic Combine cops from Half-Life 2. Simple and functional design. The Combine soldiers don't look quite as good, and the white Combine shock troopers later on in the game look downright hideous.

    I think you meant to say the white Combine soldiers look fucking awesome.

    Darmak on
    JtgVX0H.png
  • TheKoolEagleTheKoolEagle Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    New20Age20Retro20Hippie.gif
    You don't fuck with New Age Retro Hippie.

    or any other crazy enemy from Earthbound, god knows almost all of them were fucking nuts

    TheKoolEagle on
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  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Regenerators from Resident Evil 4. You could hear them breathing long before you ever saw them. Then they would come at you and just not fucking die.

    SirUltimos on
  • BeastehBeasteh THAT WOULD NOT KILL DRACULARegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    always had a soft spot for these guys

    Buzzer.png

    these too

    200px-Motobug.png

    Beasteh on
  • BethrynBethryn Unhappiness is Mandatory Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    bomber.jpg

    Bethryn on
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  • BlackDoveBlackDove Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    You're all fucking smalltime.

    liztroopjetpackgrey.gif


    pigblue.gif

    BlackDove on
  • MechanicalMechanical Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Generic, you say? This son of a bitch.

    Mechanical on
  • Big ClassyBig Classy Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    grunt.jpg

    Grunts from Halo. It's little things like their childish squeals and the way they flail their arms around.

    Big Classy on
  • ScorchedScorched Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Wort wort wort!

    41l5uKH%2BBgL.jpg

    Waargh!


    On the heels of the Marines from Half-Life, Halo CE's elites was probably the second and last time I've respected a bunch of pixels as a deadly enemy.

    And I never knew how they did it, but Halo 1's AI still felt smarter than 2's, 3's, though maybe that was a level design issue.

    Scorched on
  • Clint EastwoodClint Eastwood My baby's in there someplace She crawled right inRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    smilebig.jpg

    Creepy fucks.

    Clint Eastwood on
  • TDawgTDawg Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    SirUltimos wrote: »
    The Regenerators from Resident Evil 4. You could hear them breathing long before you ever saw them. Then they would come at you and just not fucking die.

    I get the chills just thinking about these guys. I remember once when I was trying to run past one (HAHAHA), I shot off both of its legs and an arm and thought I was safe. But no, of course this wasn't enough, because its body and arm wriggled around on the floor and climbed up my body and ate me alive. D:

    TDawg on
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  • MolybdenumMolybdenum Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Goombas are a solidly designed enemy because just looking at them you know what you're supposed to do to them. Mario is successful because it is intuitive.

    Poison Headcrabs are well designed because they are scary as fuck. Appearance, noise, the timing and atmosphere of their introduction- you just know you don't want any part of them before you even find out what they do. Manhacks, however, are just as well designed- you can intuit from a glance or a few seconds of audio what they do, what will kill them, and why you want no part of them. Even if the intensity of panic isn't as great, they share the same ingredients.

    Molybdenum on
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  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    New20Age20Retro20Hippie.gif
    You don't fuck with New Age Retro Hippie.

    or any other crazy enemy from Earthbound, god knows almost all of them were fucking nuts

    What I hated in that game were those Trees in Happy Happy valley that would eat you alive if you went there before grinding in town a bit first. God that was hard.

    Smrtnik on
    steam_sig.png
  • I needed anime to post.I needed anime to post. boom Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I don't know best, but it sure as fuck isn't bats.

    I needed anime to post. on
    liEt3nH.png
  • farbekriegfarbekrieg Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    the jokers thugs in arkham aslyum were always giggles for me, i never got tired of smacking them up....

    i am the bat!

    farbekrieg on
  • JutranjoJutranjo Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    RTS mooks?

    A bit big:
    zergling.jpg

    Jutranjo on
  • Fatty McBeardoFatty McBeardo Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    headcrab or goomba

    Fatty McBeardo on
  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Smrtnik wrote: »
    New20Age20Retro20Hippie.gif
    You don't fuck with New Age Retro Hippie.

    or any other crazy enemy from Earthbound, god knows almost all of them were fucking nuts

    What I hated in that game were those Trees in Happy Happy valley that would eat you alive if you went there before grinding in town a bit first. God that was hard.

    If we're going that route, then

    eb_mother3-mr_batty.gif

    jothki on
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