Most video games include the inevitability of failure, a crucial aspect of their challenge. The representation of this failure often manifests in the form of the player's character's death, sometimes in a shockingly gruesome manner.
Games with a simplistic, cartoon art style typically don't feature violent demises. However, many of these games take advantage of this art style to illustrate deaths in a creative, exaggerated way. These deaths can be comical or induce a sense of guilt in players, compelling them to strive for improvement to avoid witnessing their characters' animated demises. Here are some of the most astonishingly brutal deaths in outwardly friendly-looking video games.
7 Silver Falls: Ghoul Busters
An Adventure with Monstrous Demises
Silver Falls: Ghoul Busters, developed by indie studio Sungrand Studios, presents a throwback to the original Game Boy era, featuring a monochromatic color palette and retro-inspired visuals. Despite its cheerful appearance, the game offers considerable challenge. The deaths in this game, such as being impaled on spikes, are surprisingly graphic, considering the game's visual style.
6 Super Meat Boy
Grisly Demises in Platforming Perils
The Super Meat Boy series is renowned for its challenging platforming levels and unforgiving hazards. The protagonist meets a messy, splattering end when encountering saw blades and needles, presenting a gory spectacle upon failure.
5 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Fiery, Flattening, and Explosive Exits
The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy showcases the protagonist navigating hazardous 3D levels filled with various dangers. The death animations, such as being incinerated or flattened, add a painful yet comedic element to the gaming experience.
4 Pikmin 3
Departing Souls of Cute Casualties
Pikmin 3 features adorable characters and creatures, making their deaths particularly distressing. The departure of the Pikmin's souls upon their demise adds an emotional weight to the otherwise lighthearted game, urging players to minimize casualties.
3 Among Us
Deceitful Deaths Amidst Space
Among Us offers a simple art style but portrays brutal deaths when the imposter eliminates crew members, leaving behind mutilated bodies. These over-the-top animations can be quite shocking, adding a darker edge to an otherwise lighthearted game.
2 Dumb Ways To Die
Wacky, Violent Demises
Dumb Ways To Die presents a series of comically violent deaths in a collection of mini-games, offering a humorous yet graphic portrayal of failure.
1 Limbo
Horror in the Shadows
Limbo delivers a haunting experience with its dark, minimalist visuals, where the protagonist encounters horrific deaths in various forms. The game ingeniously integrates physics into its puzzles, contributing to the character's grisly demises.