Video games have no shortage of brutal deaths, especially in the survival horror genre. While it might sound perverse, a viral thread on X has shown that there’s something about excessive gruesomeness in games that many of us get a kick out of.
NikTek, a popular YouTuber and meme maker, posted a series of clips showing some of the “most brutal and gruesome” deaths in gaming history.
The first thread, which the YouTuber shared on 26 May, has more than 35 million views and 130,000 likes.
Included in the thread was the grim “failed eye surgery” death from Dead Space 2, a horrific roll crusher death from Until Dawn, Lara Croft getting skewered through the neck in Tomb Raider, Helios’ death in God of War 3, and more.
Of these, the first one from Dead Space 2 sticks out as particularly stomach-churning. But the Tomb Raider clip, probably because it happens in a game that isn’t full of other graphic deaths, sticks out as the most surprising.
NikTek followed this up with a second thread on 27 May which featured some even more barbaric clips.
This second set of video game demises starts out with someone getting ripped about by chains in Call of Duty: WW2, a savage fatality from Mileena in Mortal Kombat X, a skin-sizzling acid death in Resident Evil 4, and a particularly barbaric murder from the infamous Manhunt.
X users joined in on the thread and shared many of their own personal favourites. One even asked, “How the hell is Joel Miller [from The Last of us Part II] not on here…” The less said about that, the better.
Be sure to check out the full threads for yourself.
What do you think is the most gruesome death in video game history? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
