Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Battlefield 6
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Best horror games - Resident Evil 7: Biohazard screenshot of Ethan shooting a mutamycete monster
Horror Games The 25 best horror games to play right now
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill I've been playing the iconic horror franchise for 26 years, and these are the best Silent Hill monsters that are still haunting my nightmares today
Dying Light: The Beast
Action Games The 10 best zombie games that will munch your brain
The best survival horror games: a screenshot from Resident Evil 7.
Survival Horror Games The 10 best survival horror games to test your endurance skills
An alien spider crawling towards the camera in the movie, The Thing.
Horror Games After 43 years, one of the world's greatest horror movies lives on in so many games – from Among Us to Cronos: The New Dawn
Heather is attacked by a spindly monster in Silent Hill 3, with the Horror Special GamesRadar+ badge
Horror Games After 25 years, here's the 15 best Japanese horror games, from Silent Hill to Haunting Ground, that still terrify me
Best Resident Evil games - Resident Evil Village's Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters Cassandra, Daniela, and Bela
Horror Games The 10 best Resident Evil games of all time
Dead by Daylight
Horror Games The best games based on horror movies
Toxic Commando screenshot with GamesRadar+ Autumn Preview 2025 frame
FPS Games Left 4 Dead has held the horde shooter crown for 17 years, but John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is the best challenger yet
Silent Hill 2 Remake screenshot of James Sunderland examining his face in the mirror
Silent Hill The best Silent Hill games of all time
Best Xbox 360 games: a screenshot of an Xbox 360 console next to a controller and a collection of games.
Games 25 Best Xbox 360 games of all time
Best video game heroes
Games The 25 best heroes in games of all time
Key art for Alone in the Dark 1992, with the GamesRadar+ Horror Special badge
Survival Horror Games 33 years later, Alone in the Dark still deserves recognition as the survival horror that bridged the gap between Cthulhu and Resident Evil
A close up of a scarecrow in Silent Hill f as Hinako attempts to solve a riddle, with the GamesRadar+ Horror Special badge
Survival Horror Games "If everything is the same, nothing stands out" – How lead devs for Silent Hill f and Dying Light: The Beast are putting the horror back in survival horror
Mass Effect Legendary Edition screenshot of femme Shep outside the normandy space ship
Adventure Games 25 Best sci-fi games to travel into the future with
  1. Games
  2. Pikmin

The best dead things in video games [ClassicRadar]

Features
By David Houghton published 28 October 2012

Something classically spooky for the Halloween weekend

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Or the 'living-impaired', to be more politically correct...

Or the 'living-impaired', to be more politically correct...

Dead stuff makes a vastly under-rated contribution to the world of videogames. Sure, the heroes are usually a living, breathing, virile lot, with pulses and all that boringly conventional malarky, but dead things bring a much more varied array of coolness to the table. We're not necessarily talking dead characters here. We're not even necessarily talking complete corpses with all the parts. After all, you don't need to be anatomically complete or in a pre-decomposition state to have worth.

This ClassicRadar feature originally ran on November 18, 2008

Page 1 of 22
Page 1 of 22
Pinata Guy - Manhunt 2

Pinata Guy - Manhunt 2

Notable for: Death by hanging just as you reach his cell. Making us curse the lack of a baseball bat on the first level. Mmmm, sugary innards.

Page 2 of 22
Page 2 of 22
Dead birds - Condemned: Criminal Origins

Dead birds - Condemned: Criminal Origins

Notable for: Teaching kids that collecting animal corpses is an 'achievement'. Disgusting mothers and ruining carpets worldwide.

Page 3 of 22
Page 3 of 22
Burning cop - Resident Evil 4

Burning cop - Resident Evil 4

Notable for: Making us go "Uurgh!" and "Cool!" at the same time.

Page 4 of 22
Page 4 of 22
Decapitated barbarian - Castle Crashers

Decapitated barbarian - Castle Crashers

Notable for: Being dead and cute in equal measure. Proving once and for all that you can get away with any level of gore and dismemberment as long as it's cartoony. If only Manhunt 2 had been cel shaded!

Page 5 of 22
Page 5 of 22
Dangling corpses - Gears of War

Dangling corpses - Gears of War

Notable for: Giving us a cheap, ghost train scare early in the game. Splattering beautifully when shot. Making us wonder just what the hell's been going on in that prison anyway. Who's running it? Why's it empty apart from Locust and dangling corpses? What the hell kind of correctional institute is it!?

Page 6 of 22
Page 6 of 22
Player-controlled zombies - Metal Slug 3

Player-controlled zombies - Metal Slug 3

Notable for: Being soul-destroyingly slow. Obliterating everything on screen with a burst of over-powered blood vomit. On balance, being the best status change in videogame history.

Page 7 of 22
Page 7 of 22
Skeleton - Oblivion

Skeleton - Oblivion

Notable for: Looking like a basic bit of environmental detail until you realise you can use the axe like a golf driver and whack its skull off down the hall. Fore!

Page 8 of 22
Page 8 of 22
Gino - The Darkness

Gino - The Darkness

Notable for: Having one of the earliest and most hilariously unexpected deaths in videogames. Teaching us why we shouldn't lean out of moving cars. Trucks are heavy, kids.

Page 9 of 22
Page 9 of 22
Chewed-up Pikmin ghosts - Pikmin

Chewed-up Pikmin ghosts - Pikmin

Notable for: Teaching us that even sentient vegetable people have souls. Making us feel guilty and creeped out at the same time.

Page 10 of 22
Page 10 of 22
Murdered Colossi - Shadow of the Colossus

Murdered Colossi - Shadow of the Colossus

Notable for: Making us feel like total wankers as we turn a once proud and noble creature into just another pile of rock and mould.

Page 11 of 22
Page 11 of 22
Skulls - Zelda III: A Link to the Past

Skulls - Zelda III: A Link to the Past

Notable for: Being one of the first instances in which we could use a piece of disembodied anatomy as a tool or weapon in a game. Speaking of which...

Page 12 of 22
Page 12 of 22
McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

Notable for: Proving that love can blossom between two people even if one of them is a dismembered corpse. Especially if one of them is blind and insane... (more follows)

Page 13 of 22
Page 13 of 22
McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

Providing endless squishy fun when stomped on... (more follows)

Page 14 of 22
Page 14 of 22
McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

McCoy and the crazy nurse - Dead Space

...and confirming that there's one thing a gamer will always do when presented with body parts and a gravity gun.

Page 15 of 22
Page 15 of 22
Giant slug-fish thing - Metroid Prime

Giant slug-fish thing - Metroid Prime

Notable for: Being the first of many dead things in MP we could investigate with the scan visor. Training us to poke around in corpses for educational value.

Page 16 of 22
Page 16 of 22
Aeris - Final Fantasy VII

Aeris - Final Fantasy VII

Notable for: Still being the subject of fanboy mourning 11 years later. Get over it! Please!

Page 17 of 22
Page 17 of 22
Captain Price - Call of Duty 4

Captain Price - Call of Duty 4

Notable for: Having the finest moustache that HD can muster. Having an agonisingly ambiguous "Is he?/Isn't he?" death (He isn't - ClassicRadar Ed). Being more heavily mourned than Aeris by certain GamesRadar editors.

Page 18 of 22
Page 18 of 22
Cubone's mother's skull - Pokemon series

Cubone's mother's skull - Pokemon series

Notable for: Being worn on her son's head as part of some hideous necro-oedipal nightmare. Warning us that behind the friendly exterior, Nintendo are a scary bunch of bastards.

Page 19 of 22
Page 19 of 22
Dry Bones - Super Mario series

Dry Bones - Super Mario series

Notable for: Being the coolest of all Koopa variants. Being utterly invulnerable unless swiped with a piece of yellow cloth. Not letting death stop him from scoring endless cheap goals in Mario Strikers: Charged.

Page 20 of 22
Page 20 of 22
Drowned Lara - Tomb Raider: Underworld

Drowned Lara - Tomb Raider: Underworld

Notable for: Maintaining the tradition of great drowning animations in Tomb Raider games. Doing a bizarre head-banging animation for twenty seconds before eventually croaking.

Page 21 of 22
Page 21 of 22
But these are old...

But these are old...

Yes, even poor Resident Evil 4 axe woman up there is no spring chicken. In fact, since this article was written, she's probably rotted clean away. So what would you replace her with? And don't say 'an axe rack' or something equally clever. Let us know your favourite dead things from games in the comments. You never know, we might make another article based on more recent dead things!

And if you enjoyed this classic GamesRadar article, you might enjoy SkeleTONS - nearly every bony bastard in the gaming universe or perhaps What if Hitler smoked pot?

Page 22 of 22
Page 22 of 22
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation Xbox Platforms Mobile Gaming
David Houghton
David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.
See more Games Features
Read more
Best horror games - Resident Evil 7: Biohazard screenshot of Ethan shooting a mutamycete monster
The 25 best horror games to play right now
 
 
Silent Hill 2
I've been playing the iconic horror franchise for 26 years, and these are the best Silent Hill monsters that are still haunting my nightmares today
 
 
Dying Light: The Beast
The 10 best zombie games that will munch your brain
 
 
The best survival horror games: a screenshot from Resident Evil 7.
The 10 best survival horror games to test your endurance skills
 
 
An alien spider crawling towards the camera in the movie, The Thing.
After 43 years, one of the world's greatest horror movies lives on in so many games – from Among Us to Cronos: The New Dawn
 
 
Heather is attacked by a spindly monster in Silent Hill 3, with the Horror Special GamesRadar+ badge
After 25 years, here's the 15 best Japanese horror games, from Silent Hill to Haunting Ground, that still terrify me
 
 
Latest in Games
Madden 25
Game dev union blasts EA buyout, asks the government to scrutinize the daylights out of it: "If jobs are lost or studios are closed due to this deal, that would be a choice, not a necessity"
 
 
Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival jack-o'-lantern
A Short Hike dev's free "seasonal pumpkin carving MMO" with "new areas and new secrets" now supports 800 players at once and it's hard to think of a better way to get into the Halloween spirit
 
 
A pink-haired trainer and a Chikorita sit outside a cafe in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Lumiose City apparently exists in a nightmare realm that pulls you back if you try to leave, and it's already getting the Skyrim meme treatment
 
 
Dead Space
Dead Space creator hopes a $20-billion-in-debt EA will be keener on his Dead Space 4 pitch: "I think there’s an opportunity. I’m already making calls"
 
 
Rubinite trailer screenshot of a purple hand reaching for a red eye
I played the top-rated Soulslike in Steam Next Fest to see what the fuss is about – turns out it's not a Soulslike but a boss rush with amazing combat, and I see what the fuss is about
 
 
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
29 years later, cult classic horror game I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream gets "definitive update" from retro powerhouse Nightdive with bonus content, achievements, and "modern menu options"
 
 
Latest in Features
Jack Black in A Minecraft Movie
A Minecraft Movie 2 release date, cast, plot, and everything else we know so far about the block-tastic sequel
 
 
A close-up shot of Ganondorf leaning on his hand in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment's Zonai contraptions empowers Zelda's allies in the best way possible, and I'm excited by how much has changed
 
 
Wind Waker
As The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary looms, I'm begging Nintendo to stop ignoring its greatest run of Zelda games and make this generation's Ocarina of Time
 
 
Indy the dog in Good Boy
Good Boy made me realize I've judged horror fans who fuss over furry on-screen stars too hard, and now I've found 9 more scary movie dogs that prove them right
 
 
A space ship landing on a beautiful tropical planet in No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky's biggest problem in 2025 is being too good, and now I'm trapped in a vicious cycle
 
 
Aaron Paul's character Robert Robertson in Dispatch, stood holding a dog in an elevator filled with strange superheroes
Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul has "always wanted" to be in a game, but The Boys-esque superhero comedy Dispatch was the first truly irresistible role: "Nothing really felt like the right fit"
 
 
  1. Ball x Pit
    1
    Ball x Pit review: "Vampire Survivors and Breakout collide in this brilliant roguelike ball basher that struggles with repetition"
  2. 2
    Pokemon Legends: Z-A review: "Fast fluid real-time fights and a world worth exploring make this finally feel like the anime come to life"
  3. 3
    Little Nightmares 3 review: "An overly safe, uneven, and half-baked follow-up where co-op is a hindrance instead of the evolution it should've been"
  4. 4
    With a new season on the way, is Blood Bowl's second edition still worth a look?
  5. 5
    Battlefield 6 review: "More refined than innovative, this FPS is on target with multiplayer even if its campaign is just a big shrug"
  1. Tron: Ares
    1
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  2. 2
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  3. 3
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  4. 4
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  5. 5
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  1. Splinter Cell Deathwatch
    1
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  2. 2
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  3. 3
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  4. 4
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  5. 5
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...