For the month of October, we are highlighting the top villains in gaming. Andrew, Jeff, and Jeremie have teamed up to take all those guys you love to hate, and rank them. We will reveal them to you in a countdown, starting with #31 and ending with #1 on Halloween. Check us out each day of the month to see where your favorite villains rank!
#23: Pyramid Head
First Appearance: Silent Hill 2
Most Noteworthy Appearance: Silent Hill 2
The survival horror genre is ripe with monsters and madmen who deserve to be recognized in a list of the best video game villains. Nemesis, Wesker, and Necromophs – each are horrific in their own right. The number 23 villain is one that brings back many haunting memories for me. If you ever had the chance to play Silent Hill 2 for the PlayStation 2, you have to remember the terrifying force known as Pyramid Head. It had no face, a giant triangular head, and never stopped hunting you throughout that mysterious and creepy town. You didn’t know what this creature was and what its motivation was – it just wanted you dead and boy was it ever committed to that goal. And you knew it was coming for you by the loud, gut wrenching screech of its “Giant Knife” dragging against the ground. Pyramid Head is the personification of everything a survival horror game wants to achieve.
As we later found out in the game, Pyramid Head was created out of the protagonist James’ guilt and desire to receive punishment for his wife’s death. Mix in the long history of the town of Silent Hill being a hot bed of brutal executions, and you’ve got yourself a freaky monster to deal with.
Since SH2, we’ve seen Pyramid Head pop up in several other installments of this survival horror series. As terrifying as this monster was, there’s no doubt that it was compelling. If you want out of Silent Hill, you have to deal with Pyramid Head by facing your deepest and most grotesque secrets. It stands out as such a phenomenal character because as much as you wanted to run away, you just had to stop and take a look at this insane creation. Just don’t look for too long, or you know…