The versatility of video games allows for many different genres to find audiences, even if they come across as niche, but gaming’shorrorselection has only become increasingly popular over time. It’s been interesting to see how video games have approached horror content, whether they’recreating original properties with unique villainsor trying to adapt classic films or movies into a video game.
RELATED:The 10 Most Beautiful Horror Games Of The 2010s
Video games are no strangers tosurprising crossover appearances between properties, and this concept definitely carries over to horror films. Some of the biggest threats from horror cinema have shown up in video games, but not always in the games that people expect.
10Spawn (Soul Calibur 2)
The originalSoul Caliburhelped put the Dreamcast on the map, but its first sequel started the series' trend with endless guest fighters.Soul Caliburgames have gone on to feature characters like Link and Darth Vader. However, forSoul Calibur II, each console features a different exclusive character, and the Xbox version contains an axe-wielding Spawn.
Spawn is a bit of a stretch in terms of horror movie villains, but theSpawnfilm is a strong blend of horror and action. Spawn has also later shown up as aMortal Kombatguest fighter, butSoul Caliburstarted the trend.
9Predator (Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands)
TheGhost Reconseries has hit diminishing returnsin many respects, and, while there’s still a lot to enjoy in the multiplayer shooter franchise, it feels like the games’ best days may be past them. What’s been exciting is how the most recent titles have been willing to not take themselves so seriously and take some fun risks.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlandstakes advantage of its jungle setting and had a limited-time event where a Predator is present as a major obstacle. Players can hunt down this monster and also play around with its weaponry.
8C.H.U.D. (Tony Hawk’s Underground)
Fighting games are the most likely titles to feature crossover characters, but theTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterseries also indulged in this tradition to show just how much fun they can be. Everyone from Spider-Man and Shrek shows up in theTony Hawkgames.
RELATED:10 Of The Scariest Regular Enemies Found In Horror Games
That being said, by far the strangest is the addition of the monster from the B-horror series,C.H.U.D. as a skateboarder. Coyly referred to as a T.H.U.D. inTony Hawk’s Underground,unfortunately, this bizarre character didn’t launch more of a horror character trend for the skateboarding series.
Dead by Daylightis a loving tribute to the horror genre that features a mash-up of many of the horror genre’s biggest villains. The whole novelty ofDead by Daylightallows players to control these villains or band together to survive against them.
The game features many of the typical inclusions that people would expect for a game of this nature, but the game also makes some more unconventional choices, like the inclusion of theScreamfranchise’s Ghostface. This is the only video game that features Ghostface for those that need aScreamfix before the next movie comes out.
6Freddy Krueger (Mortal Kombat 2011)
TheMortal Kombat franchisehas built its reputation as being one of the most violent fighting franchises of all time. If there is any series of games that’s slowly going to bring in a growing roster of horror icons, it makes sense that it would beMortal Kombat.
The various games have thrown in some serious heavy hitters, butMortal Kombat 11conjures Freddy Krueger, and it’s pure bliss for fans of the films. Krueger is such a wild character that naturally fits in with the rest of theMortal Kombatcrew.
5Jason Voorhees (Mortal Kombat X)
Mortal Kombat Xis definitely the most gratuitous of the titles in the franchise when it comes to how it showcases horror icons as DLC characters rather than oldMortal Kombatfighters. In some ways,Mortal Kombat Xfeels like an unofficial slasher fighting game. It even works in extraterrestrial threats like the Predator andAlien’sXenomorph.
RELATED:The 10 Hardest Horror Games Ever Made, Ranked
There’s a lot to enjoy inMortal Kombat X, but, for many, the biggest thrill is playing asFriday the 13th’sJason Voorhees. Jason’s machete makes swift work of many ofMortal Kombat’sfinest.
4Michael Myers (Call Of Duty: Ghosts)
TheCall of Duty franchisehas had its ups and downs over the years. Sometimes, it feels like the titles are just going through the motions and turning out an obligatory new entry, but there have been later games that try original ideas and key into how the weirder aspects of the series have become very popular.
The Onslaught DLC pack inCall of Duty: Ghostscontains a reward in the Fog multiplayer map where players can turn into Michael Myers and cause chaos. Myers wields an axe, moves super fast, and recovers health for every kill that he makes.
3Leatherface (Mortal Kombat X)
Mortal Kombat Xreally showcases its love for slasher and horror movies, and it indulges by throwing in many movie villains as proof thatMortal Kombatcan work in this capacity. All of the crossover selections in the game stand out, but Leatherface is especially powerful.
He’s just a purely vicious character that fits in with the series’ aggressive aesthetic, and it’s honestly surprising that he’s the first character in the franchise to use a chainsaw as a weapon. Despite how the character is human, Leatherface feels more visceral and animalistic than many of the series’ monsters.
2Gremlins (Lego Dimensions)
It’s been a little surprising to seejust how popular theLegoseriesof intellectual properties has been in video game form. Dozens of games take advantage of this premise and feature wild mash-ups that include the many different properties included in the largerLegoumbrella.
Lego Dimensionsdoesn’t hold back and features many different series, but one of the biggest joys from the game is the addition of Spike and many of the mischievous monsters from theGremlinsfranchise. These creatures may not be as menacing as a slasher villain, but they still rack up a large body count.
1Terminator (Mortal Kombat 11)
Mortal Kombat 11has continued the trend of its predecessors with wild guest characters.Mortal Kombat 11makes some more unconventional choices and even throws people like the Joker into the mix. One of themore notable selections is the Terminator, who’s in the game along with RoboCop, too.
To be fair, Schwarzenegger’s T-800 Terminator becomes a hero for the franchise, but he’s the villain in the original movie, which also skews much more towards horror than action, like its sequels. Additionally, the presence of the infamous endoskeleton skin makes the T-800’s villainous side get accentuated.
